Page 5 of Dragon My Crazy

And I was being whisked away in the arms of a dragon, trying not to giggle like a schoolgirl at Roland’s frustration.

But it was out of the frying pan and directly into the fire. Emmett’s arms locked around me like steel bands, the heat of him searing through the thin fabric of my dress. Every shift of his muscles against my body sent a jolt straight through me, my pulse hammering so hard I was sure he could feel it. If he did, he didn’t say anything.

His chest was pressed against my side, the contact electric, and I couldn’t look away from how his jaw tightened and the way his gaze burned into mine. The air between us was thick and charged, and damn it if I didn’t want him to let go.

Which was just wrong, because I wasn’t supposed to be lusting after a dragon. I wasn’t old per se, but I was past my prime. I’d had Seth young, and now he was grown and living happily with his two mates. I was in my mid-fifties now, and my days of fun and frolicking were over. Life had stripped me of them, and there was no way to go back.

If I ever needed a reminder, all I had to do was look in the mirror. My hair had gone white early, probably because of the stress of being hunted by my husband.

So yeah, this was all one-sided. Besides, didn’t Emmett want me to help raise his kid?

That was a total turn-off. Yeah, focus on that. Emmett only saw me as what I could do for him, and sexy fun times weren’t a part of it.

I expected Emmett to walk me back onto the crowded balcony I’d just escaped, but instead, he took me toward one of the hallways sectioned off with a velvet rope. I didn’t recognize the guard standing in front of it, directing people away, but he didn’t even blink while Emmett undid the rope and walked us through.

It was like the guard couldn’t see us at all. He was using unsanctioned magic, something most definitely prohibited in the museum tonight.

I frowned, suddenly feeling very much like prey in the arms of a predator.

“I know a much better place to watch the sunset.” Emmett guided me down the hallway and toward the stairs.

This guy wouldn’t just steal me away, would he? Would Desmon care enough to retrieve me? Seth and Mateo would but what could they do against a dragon?

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you. Just thought you wanted some time away from the festivities.”

“I did. Alone.” But my eyes were already straying to the numerous phallic artifacts on display, some large, some small, others behind glass.

Sothismust be the magical dildo room Carly had told me about. Most of the items on display in the museum belonged toDesmon’s hoard. Why did he have enough magical phalluses to fill an entire room? Dragons were such strange creatures.

Emmett noticed me staring at a particularly veiny specimen about the size of my arm and chuckled. “That’s nothing compared to me.”

“Fascinating,” I said, completely deadpan. “Do you have a ruler, or should I just take your word for it?”

“I could give you a private demonstration, but I’ll have to charge admission.”

That had me rolling my eyes. The apprehension from before was fading now that we were actually conversing.

The hallway led us to a balcony suspended above the one I’d escaped earlier. Below us, the crowd was reduced to a sea of jewel-toned gowns and dark tuxes. The music from the gala drifted up, a slow, sultry melody. The balcony was lit by a set of faux gas lamps, their artificial flames casting shadows as they danced. It was altogether much too private and romantic.

I walked over to the wrought-iron railing twisted with flowering vines, my eyes on the sunset as it painted vivid streaks of color in the sky. The white flowers on the vines perfumed the air, their fragrance indolic and almost too strong. Emmett walked up behind me, his hand coming to rest at the small of my back, his thumb brushing against the fabric of my dress.

I focused on the sunset instead, praying that my body wouldn’t react, because knowing his dragon senses he’d be able to pick up every little scent from me. Of course, my body decided that wewere two teenagers sneaking off for some time alone. Ugh. Of all the times for my libido to pick up after years of stagnation. Why now?

Emmett leaned in, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “No matter how many times I see it, the sunset always hits just right.”

I held my breath as if that would stophimfrom smelling me, but his nose was by my hair now, and I heard the sharp inhale of breath and the low, rumbling growl that vibrated from his throat. What would he do? I was nothing like the type of woman a powerful dragon would want. I no longer had my youth or my past beauty.

Instead, he did nothing. He just straightened, standing there with me, his eyes on the sunset. After a long moment, the song playing below changed into something with a swaying beat, and my body started to move with it. I didn’t know how it happened, but the next thing I knew, we were dancing, our bodies moving across the balcony in tandem.

The music swelled around us, wrapping around me like a spell. Emmett’s hand was warm at my waist, his fingers splayed possessively against the small of my back, pulling me so close that I could feel the heat of him through the fabric of my dress. His other hand enveloped mine, our fingers laced together as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. Lost in the magical haze, we danced, wordless until the song ended, the spell broken. And as we did, I had the strangest vision of us flying through the sky on a moonlit night, the stars twinkling around us.

Emmett’s eyes had turned golden, and a flush of bronze-colored scale highlighted his cheekbones like his dragon couldn’t stay away. I held my breath and my lips parted as he leaned down.

My heart pounded in my chest. Was he going to kiss me? When was the last time I’d been kissed?

Just as our lips were about to touch, a bright flash lit up the balcony, followed by a puff of smoke. I jumped back, coughing, and found myself face-to-face with the floating, disembodied head of my son. Seth’s shoulders and the rest of him were nowhere in sight, just his smirking face hovering in the air like a magical Cheshire Cat.