The Dragon Guardian (Lochguard Highland Dragons 2)

Before Gina could reply, he was next to her. Picking her up as if she weighed nothing, she cried out, “Put me down.”

Fergus adjusted his grip. “No.”

She slapped his chest. “As I told you when we first met, I have ways to defend myself against dragon-shifters.”

“Aye? Well, if carrying you to a chair offends you, I wonder how any male came close enough to get you with child.”

“Are you trying to insult me?”

Fergus gently rested her on the kitchen chair and remained bent over so his eyes were level with hers. His pupils flashed to slits and back before the corner of his mouth ticked up. “Lass, I have a younger sister and a twin brother. Believe me, when I insult you, you’ll know it.”

She opened her mouth and Fergus pressed her lips together with his warm, rough fingers—fingers that no doubt could do wicked things to her body.

Gina blinked. She needed to get Fergus MacKenzie away from her or she would most definitely do something stupid. Given her track record over the last year, she really didn’t need to add any other mistakes to her list.

And spending time with Fergus would be a mistake she couldn’t afford to make. Not with a child on the way she needed to protect.

Unable to speak, she raised her eyebrows. Fergus grinned and she stopped breathing. She loved how his eyes crinkled at the corners.

Fergus finally spoke up. “I’m going to release your lips on one condition—you promise to sit here whilst I fetch you some juice and a snack. Nod if you agree.”

She should just nod and be polite. She really should.

Yet Gina didn’t like Fergus’s commanding tone. It was almost as if he expected her to follow his every word without complaint.

He may be taller and with a lot more muscle, but she hadn’t come this far in life only to have someone try to take control.

Drawing on her high school years of drama club, Gina closed her eyes and moaned as if she were in pain. Fergus instantly released her lips. “What’s wrong, Gina?”

Rather than think about how he knew her name, she hooked her leg against the back of his knee and yanked him forward. Fergus fell to the ground. Before he could make a move, she pinned his head between her legs. “Okay, dragonman. Let’s get a few things straight right now. One, it’s not nice to invade someone’s personal space without their permission. Do it again, and I won’t be so lenient.”

Despite her best effort to sound badass, amusement danced in Fergus’s eyes. “And I assume there’s a number two?”

She growled. “You’re going to tell me why you’ve been watching me and how you know my name.”

“Actually, that’s three things in total.”

“Are you always this annoying?”

“There’s nothing annoying about pointing out the details. I do it every day for my job.”

For some reason, she wanted to ask what his job was. Fergus was a lot different from Travis, who had been a Protector.

Then she remembered Fergus shushing her lips like a child and Gina leaned closer to Fergus’s face. “That’s nice and all, but how about you answer my questions? The longer you take, the greater the chance I could go into labor. You probably don’t want to be under me when my water breaks.”

~~~

It took every bit of strength Fergus possessed not to laugh at Gina MacDonald.

For whatever reason, Fergus enjoyed irritating her. The lass was a fierce one, but maybe a wee too stubborn. That stubbornness clearly clouded her judgment. She’d left his hands free. He could change positions and pin her to the floor, but he was rather enjoying the warmth and weight of her bum against his bare upper chest.

His dragon chimed in. Too bad she isn’t naked. I would love to feel her skin and wetness against our chest.

Bloody dragon. She isn’t ours.

She could be.

Ignoring his dragon’s words, he focused back on Gina. “Although, judging by your size, it could be weeks before you go into labor.” Gina growled and Fergus winked. “But, given that my cousin’s mate would have my head if she knew I was needling a pregnant female, I’ll answer your questions. However, if you want to focus on my answer, then don’t turn around. The blanket fell off during the fall and we all know how you’re distracted by my cock.”