Page 110 of The Mating Claim

“Did you roast the veggies yourself? Dragon fire makes everything tastebetter?”

Drust laughed at her joke. “No, my chef did. He was trained in France. He much rather would work for me than his last employer, a mean-spirited ogre who liked to dine on recalcitrantdragons.”

At her stare, he laughed. “I’m teasing. Olaf worked for a dragon lord in England and he works for me at times when I’m onearth.”

“I may be recalcitrant, but I don’t taste very good, wizard. In case you get any ideas about feeding me to the lions or theogres.”

“I think you taste exquisite.” His voice was deep and his gaze heated. “I have no intentions of letting any other male sample you, mylove.”

The endearment, and the sexual chemistry crackling between them, warmed her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. She knew how this night would end, and eagerly anticipated being in his bed, in his arms, feeling that passion and fire and the thrill of being alive. Morning, that wasn’t going to be sogreat.

It was going to be a right bitch, but at least she hadtonight.

Drust swirled the wine in his glass. “Is everything to your taste,Lacey?”

She sipped the red liquid. “Excellent. I can’t believe your wine cellar. Seems like you have a collection dating back to medievaltimes.”

“Not quite. The wine back then was swill compared to the past century.” He winked and shelaughed.

They talked through dinner of food they both enjoyed, wine and being a dragon andflying.

“I love flying at night.” Lacey threw out her hands, reaching upward. “It feels like I can touch the stars. I don’t know what I’d do without my wings. Wings give you freedom to go wherever you wish, whenever youwish.”

“A dragon’s wings are a gift from the goddess herself. Only the goddess can grant them and only the goddess can restore them if they are removed.” Drust leaned back in his chair. “They are precious tous.”

“More than the ability to breathe fire. I always thought fire breathing was overreacted. Just makes other shifters think you have badbreath.”

Drust chuckled. “Ah, Lacey, Lacey. You make me feel youngagain.”

When dinner was over, they strolled through the moonlit gardens. Sprites flitted in and out of the roses, their red, pink, blue and green glow sparkling likefireflies.

Suddenly he stopped and looked at her, his expression somber in the silvery moonlight. “Lacey, I fulfilled one wish of yours. “Will you fulfill one wish ofmine?

No way would she deny him, not this, their last night together. “Yes.”

He held out a hand. “Dance withme.”

She studied her jeans and Western shirt. “I’m not dressed for aball.”

“Nomatter.”

Suddenly they were in the ballroom, the crystal chandelier twinkling like fairy lights. Lacey looked down. A cobalt blue gown with a low cut necklace decorated with diamonds covered her body. The skirt swept out as she twirled. Fabric so light and soft it felt woven fromair.

“It’s lovely.” She thrust out a foot and saw it clad in silver slippers, soft andcomfortable.

But it was Drust who truly took her breath away. In a black and white tuxedo, he was urbane and elegant, his black hair combed back, his smilewide.

“I have a gift foryou.”

He squeezed his palm and upon opening it, showed her diamond earrings made of bluestone.

“Oh Drust, they’re lovely! You can make diamonds bymagick?”

“Not diamonds, my love. Frozencoldfire.”

When she clipped them one Lacey tilted her head. “How do Ilook?”

He lifted her hand to his lips. Warmth flowed through her at the gentle brush of his mouth against her knuckles. “Breathtaking,anamcara.”