Page 25 of A First for the Playboy Dragon (Mysteries of Dragon’s Island #7)

“ Well, don’t you look nice,” Max said, stepping up next to Nora. “That color suits you.”

She turned and gave him a dirty look. “Go away, I want to hear the ceremony,” she said. “Not you flapping your gums at me.”

“Are you always this pleasant, or did you save it all up for me?” he asked. “You’d think you could be a little more grateful. We saved you from a pretty nasty future.”

“Only for you to imprison me on this island,” she shot back. “I’m not sure I’m much better off.”

Max had to take a deep breath to control the urge to throttle the young woman. “Well, then maybe we should send you back to Mr. Adaloni,” he said. “I’m sure he’d be happy to have you back.”

“What you should do is take me over to Bermuda like I asked,” she said, scowling at him again. “I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Oh, really?” he sneered at her. “Then how did you end up on that boat headed for who knows where to be auctioned off to the highest bidder?”

“That was a mistake,” Nora said, a brief look of uncertainty on her face, but it quickly disappeared. “Just leave me alone so I can enjoy the wedding.”

“As you wish,” he said. “But I’m not letting you go anywhere until you tell me who you are. It’s not a safe world out there, and you clearly can’t take care of yourself.”

Nora looked over at him, her face stormy, then turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, desire pounding through his body, annoyance and anger making him want to punch something. The woman had been nothing but a thorn in his side for the last week, and he would have been more than happy to send her on her way if he could only convince himself that she’d be safe.