Page 17

SEVENTEEN

H er lioness surged forward, demanding she close the distance between them, while her human side hesitated, wary of complications, of vulnerability, of how very much she wanted this dragon despite all practical considerations.

“I don’t mix business with pleasure,” she whispered even as she leaned imperceptibly into his touch.

“And this was purely business?” His thumb brushed across her lower lip, sending sparks of sensation straight to her core.

“It was supposed to be.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in that devastating half-smile. “Some of the best partnerships begin with unexpected circumstances.”

He leaned down, slowly enough that she could have pulled away if she wished. Her eyelids fluttered closed as his breath mingled with hers, anticipation coiling tightly in her stomach?—

A loud laugh from exiting guests shattered the moment. Xai straightened, though his eyes still smoldered with banked desire. “Perhaps we should continue this discussion when we have more privacy.”

The promise in his voice sent another wave of heat through her body. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

As they drove back toward Purrfect Oasis, Zina gazed out the window, her thoughts churning. Severin Madrigal’s threat lingered in her mind, but so did the warmth of Xai’s protective presence, the simmering chemistry that sparked between them despite her best efforts to deny it.

Her lioness purred contentedly in her chest, apparently quite satisfied with the dragon’s interest, while her human side calculated risks and rewards, possibilities and complications.

This was supposed to be strictly business , she reminded herself. But the heat that pooled in her belly when Xai’s hand brushed hers as he helped her from the car suggested her heart—and her lioness—knew better.

As they walked to her door, the tension between them crackled like static electricity, heightening every sense. She fumbled with her key, hyperaware of his presence behind her.

“Thank you again for tonight,” she said, turning to face him once the door was unlocked. “Despite Severin’s interruption, I think it was a successful evening.”

“Indeed.” His eyes glowed molten in the dim light. “Though I find myself reluctant to see it end.”

The admission hung between them, weighted with possibility. Her lioness urged her to invite him in, to explore the chemistry that hummed between them. Her human side counseled caution.

For once, caution prevailed—barely.

“Perhaps another time,” she offered, a promise rather than a dismissal.

He studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Until then, Zina.”

The way he said her name—like savoring a rare delicacy—sent one final shiver through her body. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her cheek, lingering just long enough for her to feel the heat of his breath against her skin.

“Sweet dreams,” he murmured, then turned and walked back to his car.

She watched him drive away before stepping inside and closing the door, leaning against it with her heart still racing. Her fingers touched the spot on her cheek where his lips had been, still warm from his dragon heat.

So much for strictly business.