“Good,” Sid said. “Now, we’ll visit you and Bram later. Right now, we have some urgent business. And no, not the sex-in-the-woods kind.”
Gregor winked. “Although it’s always a possibility.”
Karen laughed as Evie rolled her eyes. Taking a closer look at the older human female, he didn’t notice enough laugh lines on her face. He’d work with Cassidy to ensure the female had a chance to bloom again.
His beast growled. We can help everyone else later, after we help Cassidy.
Reminded of why they were out in the first place, Gregor squeezed Cassidy’s hip. “Now, if you’d excuse us, ladies, we really need to leave. But make sure to visit the surgery soon, Karen, and we’ll think up a list of orders that Bram and Evie will have to follow.”
Evie frowned, but before she could say anything, Murray pointed to the sky. “Blue like Daddy.”
A blue dragon whooshed overhead. Sid tensed at his side for a second before relaxing.
Hurry, his beast mumbled.
Squeezing Cassidy gently, Gregor nodded at Evie and Karen. “Until later, ladies.”
He took a step and Cassidy followed his lead. Once they were out of earshot of the human, he leaned down to her ear and asked, “Are you all right, love?”
~~~
Given all that had happened with Gregor and the progress she’d made, Sid should be okay with seeing a flying dragon. Yet as the male blue dragon soared overhead, a deep longing flooded her body, much as it did every time she saw a dragon-shifter in their dragon form.
And while she had her dragon in her mind, albeit asleep, Sid still didn’t know if she’d ever be able to trust her beast enough to shift.
Gregor asked if she was all right and she looked up at him. The concern in his eyes helped to alleviate her fears and doubts. “I’m practical enough to know I’m not completely fine. However, it’s not anything I haven’t endured before.”
“Is that your fancy way of saying you’re still scared of what your dragon will do?”
“You’re too clever for your own good.”
He grinned. “Of course I am.” He sobered. “But just remember I’m always here if you need me, Cassidy. Never hold back from me or I may resort to my charm to entrance you into the truth.”
She sighed. “If I asked you to tone it down, would you?”
“Charm and sarcasm are who I am. Sorry, love, but this is what you get.”
Looking up at him again, she touched his jaw. “Which is all I want.”
As they stared into one another’s eyes, Sid knew she was in trouble. She was halfway in love with Gregor Innes already.
To ensure he never suffered the grief of losing a mate and child before their time again, Sid vowed to win over her dragon.
Releasing his jaw, she nodded into the distance. “Now, let’s hurry up. The sooner we talk to Trahern, the sooner we can come up with a strategy of how to get me into the sky.”
“There’s my doctor lass.” He picked up his pace and Sid matched it. He continued, “But just know that once you have the basics of flying again, I’m not holding back. We’re going to race and I’m going to win.”
“We’ll see about that, Doctor. I was pretty good at flight maneuvers in school.”
“Then consider it a challenge, lass. The winner claims a prize.”
Sid raised her brows. “Since I have no intention of losing, I had better think of something good.”
“Oh, never underestimate a dragonman when it comes to winning. If there’s one thing I know for certain, you like true competition without platitudes. I plan to please my doctor.”
“Good. Now hurry up and try to keep your charm to a minimum for the next hour, okay? I have a feeling Bram will want to see us after we talk to Trahern, and we may need your charm with Stonefire’s leader.”
“Don’t worry about Bram. He’ll grow to love me soon enough.”