She studied his gaze, her eyes flashing once, before answering, "As much as I love my family, I have one older brother, my father, four uncles, and seven male cousins who think I can't decide anything for myself, or should at the very least be shielded against even the slightest possibility of danger. They want to control every aspect of my life, all in the name of protecting me. And you know what? I absolutely hate it."
He frowned. "Why would they act that way? You fight fucking fires for a living. I would think that would prove you're tough enough."
She sighed. "They're dragon-shifter males. That's enough of an explanation."
Maybe he should let it drop, caress her cheek, and try to distract her with his lips. But Ryan sensed this truth of hers was vitally important as to why she'd entered the lottery. Hell, maybe as to why she'd even picked him. "Am I your rebellion, then?"
She never looked away, and he admired her for it. "At first, yes, you were. I thought it'd be nice to be with a human male, someone so different from everything I know."
He studied her face. "I sense a 'but' coming."
She laughed half-heartedly and he yearned to hear a real one. She replied, "But, I don't know. I never expected to want to know you for more than sex, let alone to have this constant hum of attraction to you."
So she felt the pull, too. "So now where does that put us?"
Searching his gaze, she said, "That depends, Ryan Ford. What do you want from this? Tell me now if it's just about sleeping together and leaving. That's completely fine, as that's what we both signed up for. However, if it's more, then tell me. That way I won't try to analyze everything to death."
He decided to be honest, just like she was. "I could bullshit you and say everything would run smoothly and we'd find some sort of magical happy ending. However, it's going to take some time with me when it comes to any woman. I'm definitely a little broken in the relationship and trust department." He finally cupped her cheek and caressed her soft skin with his thumb. "But I'm starting to think that with you, it may be worth the pain to at least try."
"Then let's try," she murmured.
They stared at one another for a few beats, and yet again, Ryan got the sense that this woman was meant to be his, almost as if he'd been waiting his whole life for her.
Which was crazy, but whenever he tried to dismiss it, it felt wrong.
And for a guy like him, who didn't trust people easily anymore, it was a huge fucking deal. Definitely something he couldn't just push aside and forget about.
Not that he'd reveal all this to the dragon lady anytime soon.
As he stroked her cheek, he loved how she leaned into his touch. He finally spoke again. "I'm more than ready to try, but what are you burning to do first?"
Gaby finally released his hand and leaned against his chest, her heat against him, and her scent invading his senses. He sucked in a breath, and she smiled at the sound. "Well, given all the rules surrounding us for the next three days, maybe we should kiss first and talk later?"
His eyes darted to Gaby's lips. His own throbbed, yearning to caress hers, devour her mouth, to at least make some minor claim on the woman.
He nearly blinked. What was going on with his mind? Ryan wasn't a one-night stand type of guy, let alone so forward.
Yet with Gaby, he couldn't help but be anything but.
She leaned closer and tilted her head upward. She whispered, "So, do you like my suggestion? Because if so, you need to help a girl out with some sort of sign."
His heart racing, he lowered his lips until they were an inch from hers and murmured, "Then I'm going to kiss you, Gabriela Santos, until you can barely breathe."
He closed the distance between them, holding her close against his front, and groaned at the electricity sparking from the contact. He wanted to feel the inside of her mouth, battle her tongue, and then do other wicked things to her body.
Except before he could even work his tongue between her lips, Gaby roared and pushed him away. Dragon-shifters were stronger than humans, even their female ones, and he staggered backward.
Before he could ask anything, Gaby pressed her hands to the sides of her head, closed her eyes, and crouched down into a ball.
Something was wrong.
He moved to check on her, but she growled, "Stay back."
He dared a step, but she opened her eyes, looked right at him with her flashing pupils and stated, "Run, Ryan, unless you want to feel the full force of a dragon in the throes of a frenzy."
"Frenzy?" Ah, shit. He vaguely remembered something about that in the binder.
A kiss would let a dragon-shifter know who was their true mate.