Free A Dragon's Heart by Terry Bolryder Page B

and nice to touch. “I guess so. I’m not that hungry, but I will be.”
    “Good,” he said, reaching out a hand and leading her around the desk. “I already put two sandwiches in the fridge for us earlier.”
    “Ah, so you planned to see me?”
    “I plan everything,” he said. What he didn’t say was sometimes he planned things earlier than later, and sometimes he planned things as he went. Still, when he’d made the sandwiches that morning, he’d hoped to find an excuse to share them with Lexie.
    He had something he wanted to ask her.
    When they were in the spacious kitchen, seated at the table with a large bay window in front of them, overlooking the grounds, and Lexie was quietly chewing and once again looking so right in their house no matter where she was, he decided the time was right.
    “Lexie, I didn’t just come to enjoy your company. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
    “I figured,” she said with a nod. “You looked nervous.”
    “I…” He scratched his head. How to bring this up without sounding like a jerk who wanted her to decide one way or the other? Really, he just wanted to give her the choice. “We’ve talked about you leaving and losing your memory. But I just thought I’d let you know there’s another option.”
    She looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes that it would kill him to take away from her. He should have phrased it differently.
    “Not what you think,” he said. “No, it’s just that if you want to, after we take a mate, if you still want to stay on as secretary, rather than getting your mind wiped…”
    Her eyes widened, and there was a sad expression on her face as she took in what he was offering. “You mean stay in the same house with your mate? Watch you be with another woman?”
    He clutched the mug in front of him until it cracked. “You’re right. It was stupid. No one would choose that.” He shook his head sadly. “It’s unfair to you.”
    “Yeah,” she said. “I don’t think I could do it. As much as I’ll miss you.” She grinned ruefully. “Well, I guess I won’t, will I? Because I won’t remember you.” She looked out the window with a vague expression on her face, and he stared at his mug, which now had a line running down the smooth ceramic.
    It was his favorite mug, too.
    “I understand,” he said. “I don’t even know why I offered, except I believe in everyone knowing their options.”
    She turned to him, dark curls escaping from her bun, and then reached out to touch his jaw and pull him closer. She leaned over the table and pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was the most tender, warm thing he’d ever experienced, and for a moment, all of his logic seemed to fly out the window.
    His silver hair rose around him with the power of his thoughts about their future, about a life without her.
    He knew why he’d made the offer to her, though he knew it was futile. He didn’t want to lose her. That would be painful.
    But he didn’t blame her, as they finished lunch and chatted about their day and her plans for when she got back to her world.
    He rather thought that when this was over, he’d wish he could forget as well.

----
    T hat night , Lexie brushed out her hair and then wound it up on top of her head while sitting in front of the mirror. She was wearing silky pajamas the dragons had ordered in at her request, which she enjoyed sleeping in, with a soft robe over the top.
    And she was thinking about going up to their bedroom.
    The first experience with the dragons had been totally overwhelming, and since none of them had discussed whether they were doing it again, she’d been waiting to see if Tor would bring it up.
    But he’d been a complete gentleman and so had Perry, and she had been hard at work trying to help Jace figure out how to help them.
    And keeping herself distracted from wanting them to take her again. She knew each time they came together, they were risking getting more closely bonded. But then