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Tiber opened his eyes to find Neptune about a meter away from him, looking ready to pounce. But then the smoky-colored cat stretched its front paws out and yawned slowly, as if he hadn’t been doing anything. After a lazy stretch, the ball of fluff slowly sauntered forward.

“How’d you even get up here?” he murmured.

Tiber had put Mia to bed down in his living room hours ago. He would have put her in one of his guest rooms, but the living room was closer to his bed. In case she woke up in the middle of the night he’d wanted her to be able to use the facilities or kitchen without having to ask him.

Neptune and Ilmari had been down there sleeping next to her, and he would sense a threat in his home, so he hadn’t been worried about an outside attack. But somehow this fluffy, hefty cat had made his way up here.

He patted his chest and Neptune moved with liquid grace, jumping up onto his chest with light paws and immediately nudged Tiber’s chin with his head.

Laughing lightly, Tiber scratched the top of his head and that little spot right above his tail Neptune seemed to love if the little purring sounds were any indication.

“I’m surprised you’re not with Mia,” he said after a moment.

If Tiber had the choice, he would be curled up with her right this instant. That was another reason he’d left her sleeping down below. She’d had too much to drink and he hadn’t wanted her to feel even more vulnerable when she woke up. It was better for her to wake up with the animals than him.

As if he understood, Neptune meowed, the sound almost indignant.

Frowning, he slowly sat up, giving Neptune time to jump off him. Instead, the cat curled up into his arms, so Tiber held him close as he moved to the edge of the netting.

Ilmari was curled up next to Mia in the array of cushions, one of his gray wings draped over her like a blanket.

“He took your spot, huh?” he whispered. “There’s enough room for you too.

” Moving fast so the cat didn’t have time to freak out, he tucked Neptune up against him and tossed down one of the ropes he kept hooked to his bedding.

He could have just jumped, but used the rope to slow himself down while Neptune clawed at his shoulders.

When he reached the floor, the smoky-colored cat darted out of his arms and raced for Mia and Ilmari, ducking under the dragonling’s protective wing. Then he proceeded to glare at Tiber with big green eyes before he slowly backed away out of sight, his glowing eyes the only thing visible.

That’s the thanks I get.

Sighing, he headed to his bathroom and straight for the shower. He’d had a few hours of sleep and that was enough for his needs.

And speaking of needs, he desperately had to find relief if he was going to spend another day with Mia in his home.

***

At a very loud meowing sound, Mia realized that Neptune was insistently nudging his perfect giant head against her chin.

“Gah, Neptune,” she muttered, cracking open her eyes. There was a big blanket over her—nope, that was Ilmari’s wing. “I love you, baby, but let me wake up.”

Meow!

Okay, it was time to get up and feed the big beast. “All right, all right.” Groaning, she ducked out from under Ilmari’s wing.

He curled into a ball and didn’t open his eyes. She looked down at Neptune. “See? He knows what’s up.”

In response, Neptune wound around her ankles as she made her way to the kitchen. It didn’t take long to fill up his food and water bowls and once he was settled, she tiptoed down to the bathroom.

Tiber must still be sleeping and she wanted to get out of this dress—and take advantage of the fireplace and natural spring in his bathroom. She was weirdly glad she was still in her dress and that he hadn’t decided to help her get into pajamas.

That was just too embarrassing and the thought made her feel far too vulnerable. She was annoyed at herself for drinking last night, but grateful she didn’t have a hangover. Whatever was in those drinks packed a real punch.

Mental note: dragon drinks are not for humans. Especially not her, a lightweight on a good day.

The temperature rose the moment she stepped into the cavernous room and she sighed in appreciation as she stripped off her dress. She gently laid it over one of the bamboo chairs and waded into the blissfully hot water.

He’d told her that it was deep, but as long as she stayed in a certain area, she’d be fine. As she waded down to her waist, she could feel the tension easing out of her body—

She yelped, automatically covering her breasts as Tiber emerged from the other side of the spring.

His amber eyes glittered in surprise and something else as he stared at her. “Good morning.” That deep, delicious voice was practically a purr as he waded closer to her, every inch of his wet, muscular torso on display.

Feeling exposed, she ducked down under the water to her neck. “Ah, good morning. I didn’t realize you were in here.” Clearly. She internally berated herself. Obviously, she didn’t know he was in here or she wouldn’t have strolled in wearing her birthday suit.

He lifted one of his large shoulders, his eyes firmly on her face. Even so, it was as if he saw all of her.

“It’s a large spring, I don’t mind sharing. How did you sleep?” Again with that rumble she felt all the way to her core.

“Oh no, I booped you on the nose last night!” The memory popped into her head and now she couldn’t unsee it.

He grinned and it turned him from the broody, deadly dragon into something so magnificent she wanted to expire from embarrassment. “You did indeed.”

She closed her eyes and ducked her head under the water, wondering if she stayed down long enough if he would disappear.

But nope, when she popped back up, he was leaning against the edge, his arms stretched out on either side of him. Almost as if he was inviting her to come sit in his lap.

Or on his face.

Oh my god, stop! she ordered herself. He wasn’t inviting anything. She was just overdue for sex. Like really overdue. That was it. She hadn’t had any physical intimacy in what felt like forever, and she was simply reacting to that.

Not him.

Nope. No, no, no. “I’m sorry about last night.”

He shrugged, watching her with that hooded gaze. “You have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, I’m sorry for giving you that last drink.”

“It’s not like you knew… and thank you for making sure I got back here safely.”

“Of course.”

She felt awkward hovering under the water so she waded in a little deeper. “Am I good to wade out this far?”

“It drops off closer to that edge.” He chin-nodded to the opposite side. “So what are your plans for today?”

She let her head fall back, dipping her hair in the water and enjoying the warmth as she answered.

“Meeting with a potential client, then I’m pretty sure I’m skipping this evening’s event.

I don’t have the energy for it after seeing Charles last night.

Does that make me a coward?” She raised her head and looked at him.

“No, it does not. You’re smart to stay away from him.” His expression was dark, edgy.

“I’ve been thinking about getting away for a couple weeks, at least until he leaves. Part of me wonders if I should go home. I sent my sister a letter, but I don’t know if it’s enough.” She bit her bottom lip, hating that she was so afraid of someone, hating that he was a real threat.

“Juniper and Zephyr leave tomorrow for New Orleans. They’re going to speak to King and make sure that your sister and everyone you listed as your references for coming here will be protected.”

Surprise punched through her and she waded closer to him. “You asked them to go?”

“Of course.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond to that at all. “Thank you.” She wasn’t sure what else to say because that had been so thoughtful. “Tiber, I… just thank you. That’s really kind.”

He shrugged but didn’t respond, just closed his eyes and laid his head back.

So she moved a little closer and realized there was a seating ledge that curled around his side of the spring.

“I’m sorry you missed the rest of the party.

” She sat a few feet down from him, settled against the edge, wishing she was brave enough to test the waters—metaphorically speaking.

She couldn’t get a read on Tiber, couldn’t tell if there might be something between them.

He snorted. “I’m not. I was only there for you.”

She’d assumed he would have gone since it was such a big event for the kingdom.

Though he’d probably gone to more of them than she wanted to think about.

She started to tell him that she was going to make real plans for a little trip and that he wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore, when he opened his eyes.

She forgot what she was going to say. Caught in the magnetic power of that amber-gold gaze.

“What time do you meet up with your client?”

“Lunchtime.”

He turned toward her and moved down a foot, closing the gap between them even more. And it was like the temperature rose another ten degrees.

“Before you leave for your meeting, I’d like to go over something with you.”

“Over something?” She couldn’t stop staring at his mouth, the way his throat worked when he spoke. Jesus, was she high? She felt as if she was on something—when she really wanted to get on Tiber.

No. Noooo. He’d made his feelings on humans perfectly clear. Right?

“I’d like to talk about poisons.”

Wait… what? Her gaze snapped to his as she digested his words. “Did you just say poisons?”

“Yes. I would like to show you various ways to protect yourself from larger, more physically stronger threats.” He paused, as if weighing his words carefully. “Not that I am insinuating that you are weak or—”

“Compared to you or any dragons, I’m physically weaker.

As in, I don’t stand a chance against one of you.

” She shrugged, even though she was very aware of how lethal the people she spent time with were.

Most of them were her friends and she didn’t think about their capabilities in the moment or even in the day-to-day stuff.

But the fact remained, she was still human, mortal in a way that shifters weren’t.

Though she wasn’t sure why he was bringing up poisons of all things.

He pushed out a breath, looking relieved.

“After you’ve had breakfast and tea, I would like to go over about ten different poisons, their uses and how you can protect yourself against predators.

Because you’re human and you’re smaller than most dragons, they’ll never expect you to fight back. This will be your advantage.”

She mulled over his words for a long moment. “You just have poisons lying around?”

“Of course not. They’re stored properly in a cabinet.”

She let out a startled burst of laughter at his serious expression and tone. This dragon was too much.