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“Bring it on, metal head.”
Aidan, losing patience, snapped, “If you two don’t knock it off, I’ll transform right here and rip both your throats out.”
As they continued to bicker, Caryn sank deeper and deeper into her chair, as if attempting to disappear entirely. By her sickened expression, she was feeling pressured into riding Lear’s dragon for the good of the group. Despite her terror, Onnika guessed she was seconds away from reluctantly agreeing. Caryn had been forced into too many undesirable situations in her life, and Onnika hated to see it happen again.
Before Caryn could say anything, Onnika offered, “What ifIrode with Lear?”
Everyone gaped at her as though she’d suggested they go swimming in the marsh.
“I wouldn’t mind,” Onnika hastily added to fill the sudden awkward silence.
Lear shot a tense look at Aidan, so fast she nearly missed it. Then he shook his head in a hard, jerky motion. For some reason, her gaze was drawn down to Aidan’s tightening fist.
Placing her hand on Aidan’s shoulder, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
For a moment the table was silent. Instead of answering, Aidan hooked her waist and drew her onto his lap. Stunned, she glanced around, taking in the others’ shocked expressions. There was a primitiveness to his possessive grip, which should have rankled her…but it didn’t. Instead, a kind of giddiness rippled through her. Aidan had just practically made a public announcement of his claim on her.
Onnika recovered quickly and quipped, “Perhaps I should say more wrong things.”
Aidan’s lips quirked into a wry grin. “Because you already entered and won with me, you wouldn’t be permitted to play again. And even if you could, I wouldn’t allow it.”
“And why not?”
“Because I know you’d try that cliff diving stunt again and I wouldn’t trust Lear to catch you.”
“I would have gotten to her a lot sooner than you,” Lear protested.
“In any case,” Aidan continued, “there are others here who could ride Lear, like Ash or Zeek.”
In unison, all three balked hard.
“Not on your life,” Asher declared.
Zeek said, “There’s no way my junk’s getting that close to the dragon prince.”
“I’d rather die,” Lear muttered.
Onnika found their objections fascinating. Was it really such a big deal? Or were they just too overcome by their masculine animosity?
“Oh, for goodness’ sake. I’ll do it,” Priya grumbled. Without another word, she stood and made her way to the registrar’s booth.
Lear sent a surreptitious glance at Caryn, who was intently studying a crack in the wooden table. He let out a begrudging sigh. “Very well.”
