The Dragon's Heart (Lochguard Highland Dragons 3)

Then you’d better behave until we reach the cottage on Skye.

As if you could stop me.

Rather than waste time arguing, Lorna focused on Iris. The dragonwoman raised her brows and asked, “What is it, Lorna?”

Lorna hesitated a second, but quickly brushed it aside. “Would you mind carrying Ross to Skye? I’m not sure I can manage it.”

Surprise flashed in Iris’s brown eyes, but it was quickly replaced by approval. “Of course.” Iris looked to Ross’s back and then back to Lorna. Amusement tinged her voice as she added, “Send him my way once I shift. I’ll also hold off shifting back until after you safely take Ross away. That way he won’t see me naked.”

“Thanks, Iris.”

“Anything for you, Lorna. You welcomed my parents with open arms when they came from India seeking shelter from the dragon wars going on there, back before I was born. It still means a lot to them.”

Lorna waved a hand. “It wasn’t anything special. I did what anyone would do.”

Iris smiled. “If you say so.” Lorna opened her mouth, but Iris cut her off. “I’ll shift now. The sooner we leave, the sooner you can have your romantic holiday with your new male.”

Running a few feet away, Iris stopped, and her body glowed a light purple. As Iris’s arms grew into forearms and hind legs, Lorna turned back toward Ross. As soon as she was close enough, she said, “You can turn around now.

Ross pivoted around and finished with a dramatic flourish of his arms. “I didn’t even peek once. I should be rewarded for that.”

Rolling her eyes, Lorna pointed toward the large basket with giant iron rings in the middle of the landing area. “Just go. Iris is going to take you.”

Leaning close, Ross kissed Lorna before murmuring, “There’s my lass.”

“Hurry up, human. The longer you linger, the longer it takes to get to Skye.”

As Ross headed toward the basket not far from Iris’s purple dragon, Lorna smiled to herself. She had a feeling Ross would always look out for her. Just knowing that felt…nice.

Her dragon spoke up. Of course it does. We should hurry up and mate him so he can’t run away.

I highly doubt Ross would run anywhere.

You know what I mean. He makes us feel beautiful, looks out for us, and helps with the children. What more could you want?

Lorna wanted love, but it was too soon to hope Ross felt that way, no matter what she might feel.

Ross had been stealing her heart for months, although Lorna had been too stubborn to realize it until the past few days. Not that she was going to admit it to her dragon.

Rather than continue the conversation with her beast, Lorna merely stated, Let’s shift.

Finally.

After quickly taking off her clothes and storing them in the large bag she would carry in the grip of a forearm, Lorna closed her eyes. She imagined her fingers extending into talons, wings growing from her back, and her body stretching to her dragon’s full height. A second later, she beat her green wings once for good measure.

Ross’s booming voice caught her attention. “It’s a race, love. Whoever gets there first can claim a fantasy for tonight.”

Before she could do more than blink, Iris hovered in place and clutched the metal rings with her back talons. Then the purple dragon beat her wings upward and disappeared into the distance.

Crouching down, Lorna picked up her bag with her forearm and leapt into the sky. Using every bit of strength she possessed, Lorna pushed herself upward. Under normal circumstances, Lorna had no chance of beating Iris. But with the Protector carrying the basket, Ross, and most of their luggage, Lorna might have a shot. The trick would be in not getting lost. It had been many years since she’d flown to western Scotland.

Her dragon huffed. I never get lost.

Let’s hope so, dragon. Let’s hope so.

Lorna was so determined to win that her fear of something happening to her in flight, like how Jamie had died in a lightning storm, never reared its ugly head.

Chapter Ten