Free Ever Mine (Dragon Lore) by Eden Ashe Page B

spooking her, Nathan kept his voice soothing as he took a step closer to her, forcing her attention on him instead of the plant. “What’s going on?”
    Her nose wiggled before she sniffed and wiped her hand over her cheeks. “I’m trying to will myself into a fairy again.”
    His gut clenched. He didn’t want to yell at her, but how the hell could she want to go back to that world? “Katen—”
    She cut him off with a quick shake of her head. Without a word, she stepped around her plant and moved into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She dropped her head against his chest and sniffled again. “Don’t argue with me, Nathan. You’ve done enough to help me already.”
    Logically, he knew she was right. She wasn’t his problem. His life sure as hell wasn’t set up for a helpless female, no matter how hot she was or how amazing the sex was. He wrapped his arms around her anyway, and pulled her in closer as he dropped his chin on the top of her head. “Maybe,” he agreed, “but you’re still here, and I’m all you’ve got. No one else is going to believe you’re a fairy.”
    She glared up at him. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.” She blew out a breath and turned her head to rest her cheek against his chest. “I thought maybe if I wished hard enough, I could become a fairy again. Even if I couldn’t go back to the valley, at least I would have my home.”
    He rested his cheek against the top of her head. The city was just starting to come alive. Finally, he nodded and scooped her up. He ignored her questioning look as he opened the door to the bedroom, and didn’t set her on her feet until they were in front of the bed. He pointed at the mattress behind him. “Sit.”
    She blinked at his command, even as she carefully lowered herself onto the edge of the bed. Her beautiful face was dark, and there was indignant temper in her bright green eyes. “I don’t handle being told what to do well.”
    “Tough.” He winked at her before she could get worked up. Because she looked more than capable of kicking him or turning him into a cockroach if she got more pissed off, he was careful to keep some distance between them as he crouched in front of her, his forearms braced against his thighs. “Look. Right now, I’m all you have. You may hate it, but it is what it is. I’m not sending you out into the world this vulnerable. You wouldn’t last a day.” He cocked a brow, warning her that he wasn’t finished. “I’m sure you could handle yourself, but you don’t know this world. You have no money for food, or clothes or shelter.”
    She still glared at him. “If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re still failing, Nathan.”
    He chuckled quietly. “No, I’m being realistic. I can help you, but you’re going to have to be a little less stubborn and let me, until we get you on your feet.”
    She had the adorable look on her face she got whenever she thought he wasn’t making sense. Her eyes narrowed at him, her brow and nose screwed up. She stood up and plopped her hands on her curvy hips. “I’m on my feet.”
    He coughed to cover his laugh. She was so damn cute. “It’s a figure of speech,” he finally managed to get out without his amusement showing. “It means being able to support yourself completely.”
    “Oh.” She blew out a breath and sat down on the edge of the bed. Her teeth caught at her bottom lip as she played with the edge of the t-shirt she wore. It took everything he had to keep his eyes on her face, and not the sinful body barely hiding behind the fabric, or the way it showed off the tops of her thighs. “So what are you suggesting?” She peeked up at him.
    Nathan prayed for self-control. The second he opened his mouth and said the next words, he was going to be a walking hard-on for the foreseeable future, and he doubted she would want him all over her every time she breathed.
    Dragging a hand over his face, he braced his arms against his legs again.