He finally nodded once before facing the students. “This is Dr. Emily Davies, a human who has lived on Clan Stonefire for the past few years. She’s currently on Seahaven to help Dr. Keith with some research, but she asked to watch your lesson today, and so I invited her.” He looked at her again. Since he still had her hand, he tightened his grip before releasing it. “Did you want to add anything else?”
The way he looked at her so intently, as if there was no one else around, made her skin heat. So this was what it was like to have the complete attention of a dragonman.
Even if it was fake, it was rather intoxicating.
Stop it, Emily. He’s not yours, remember?
She turned toward the students, smiled, and said, “Hello everyone. Yes, I’m here to help Dr. Keith, but I also love watching dragons fly and rarely get the chance since I’m always inside a lab. I hope it’s okay that I’m here?”
Maisie nodded. “Of course, Dr. Davies. Although I know you haven’t been on Seahaven long, aye? Have you seen Mr. Alexander’s dragon form? He’s a braw one, and you really should.”
The slightly younger boy standing next to the girl sighed. “She’ll see him anyway, Maisie. He has to show us the drills for today.”
“Aye, but before he does that, Dr. Davies should get a chance to see Mr. Alexander up close. You know that’s how Mum won Dad in the first place.”
“No, it was Dad giving little gifts to Mum and writing songs for her that did it.”
“That came later. Or, are you saying Mum’s dragon form isn’t beautiful?”
“Aye, of course it is. But no one falls in love at first sight, that’s bollocks.”
“They can, too!”
As the pair continued to argue, she glanced at Cam, who was staring at her. He leaned down, his hot breath tickling her ear as he whispered, “That brother and sister pair can argue for hours. It’s best to let them get it out of their system a bit before stepping in. Then they’ll usually behave for the remainder of the lesson.”
“Doesn’t that waste a lot of time?”
“I’d rather they argue now than try to best one another and get hurt whilst flying.”
She looked back at the siblings. The girl couldn’t be more than sixteen, and the boy a year or two younger. Even if Emily had been forced to mature earlier than most, she knew teenagers could be daft sometimes if it meant proving a point or saving their pride.
Cam’s younger brother, Tor, went over to the girl, whispered something into her ear, and her cheeks flushed. Once she nodded, Tor went back into line, although Maisie looked at him as if he hung the moon.
She whispered to Cam, “Your brother’s already breaking hearts.”
He snorted. “Aye, he always has. Maybe one day she’ll realize you don’t have to mate a human to be happy.” He cleared his throat, and the students quieted. “Right, with that out of the way, I’m going to shift and show you the flight maneuvers we’re practicing today.” Maisie opened her mouth, but Cam beat her to it. “Aye, I know.” He looked at Emily. “Do you want a few minutes with my dragon form before I start the lesson? He’s keen for you to scratch behind our ears.”
Of course, Emily knew that dragons loved ear scratches. It was also something they usually only allowed for those they trusted to do.
So even if this was all for show, it meant Cam must not completely despise her for forcing his hand.
Maybe if she were less selfish, she’d say no to spare him. But despite dedicating her life to dragon-shifters, she rarely had the chance to touch their dragon forms. So she nodded. “Yes, I’d love the chance. For research, of course.”
His lips twitched. “Of course.”
At the amusement in his eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, maybe for more than research.”
He gently patted her hip. “Good.”
Even though the touch was fleeting, she still felt the heat of his hand through her jeans.
Before she could reprimand herself yet again, the students moved back, and Cam stood in the large, open area they’d left. He tugged off his shirt, and her mouth went dry.
His back and chest were toned from all the flying and drills he did. But in addition to the usual dragon-shifter tattoo on one upper arm, he had an unfamiliar design on the other as well. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “What’s that second tattoo?”
He turned toward her and pointed at it. “This is unique to Seahaven, and we get it at age 20, when our dragons are fullymature.” He lifted his arm. “Want to see it up close before I shift?”
She glanced at the students, but they merely murmured among themselves.
