Page 44 of The Mating Claim

Good for you, kid. I feel like I’m about to lose allmine.

“Why are you here, wizard?” she blurted out. “I’m not breaking anylaws.”

“I am not here to punish you, LaceyMcGuire.”

After setting the marbles down for the children to play, he walked over to Ciara and the baby. The kiss he dropped on Ciara’s cheek brushed a cobweb of jealousy over Lacey. She untangled herself from Willow and urged her to join theothers.

Sonia clamored and held out her arms. “Dragon!”

He picked her up, cooing to her. Something in his practiced stance, the tender way he cradled the baby, and his rapt attention told her Drust had done this before. Maybe he’d been a father several times over in his mortallife.

“That’s right, Sonia. I’m a dragon. Are you havingfun?

The cherubic child put a finger in her mouth and babbled, “Dragons can fly and touch the sky and they are pretty, and so amI.”

A deep laugh rumbled from Drust’s chest. He bounced the baby up and down. “Smart Sonia. I wonder who taught her how to saythat?”

Ciara stood, and gestured to Lacey, whoflushed.

Drust looked at the lovely woman in the green gown, grinned. “So that’s how she’slearning.”

Confused, Lacey noted the exchange of glances. Clearly Ciara and Drust knew each other. Were theyfriends?

Ormore?

The thought occurred to her that perhaps Drust had a mate. Maybe he was cheating on his mate. Not that it was her business. Jealousy flashed through her, an emotion so strange she almost didn’t recognize it. Then she bit back a laugh. Drust meant nothing to her. He was a powerful wizard and she was a mortal. There could never be anything between them. In fact, there wasn’t anything between them now, except he was a pain in her bottom and she needed to avoidhim.

Ciara gave her gentle smile. “Lacey is a good teacher. She’s excellent with the little ones and has a real passion for teachingthem.”

“Of course. Lacey does have many passions,” hemurmured.

The look he gave Lacey was pure heat, his blue eyes smoldering. So much for the theory there was nothing between them. Lacey felt a heated flush creep up herneck.

After the dream last night and Drust’s kisses, she had to put distance between them. Maybe a mile would suffice. Because this wizard had the real power to hurt her, and not only physically. He held the power to shatter her heart into tiny pieces like so many in her life had alreadydone.

Drust was an immortal with incredible magick to destroy her if she didn’t follow the rules. She was already vulnerable enough with him. Sex would only empower himfurther.

Her defenses sprang up like a porcupine’s needles. Lacey scowled atDrust.

“Why are you here, wizard? Need to learn how toread?”

Drust kissed the Sonia’s forehead as she patted his cheeks. “I am here checking on you, Lacey McGuire, and wished to inquire why you ran away from me this morning. You were not in bed when I returned and I was expecting to find youthere.”

Ciara looked interested. Lacey felt herself redden more. Goodness, now this woman, who obviously knew Drust and maybe was an immortal herself, would think they were sleepingtogether.

“I didn’t run away. It’s my house. I have a shop. Duties and responsibilities. I need to make money, because unlike you, I can’t just conjure a bag of gold to pay mybills.”

“I have no bills.” An impish light gleaned his eyes. “All my expenses are paid for. One of the benefits of being a member of theBrehon.”

Ciaragiggled.

Annoyance swept through her. Fine for Drust to joke about money when he only had to wave a hand and get whatever he truly wanted. Well, life wasn’t so easy for the mere mortals living onearth.

For once, she had no smart comeback, no sarcastic reply. Instead, she turned her back on him and dropped to the floor to watch the childrenplay.

A pair of doeskin boots appeared in her vision. Drust set Sonia down and then squatted next toher.

Two fingers on her chin tipped her head up to meet his penetrating gaze. “Lacey, we will continue our discussion from last night. Not now. But later.” He cocked his head in that way of his, as if listening to a distant cry for help. “I have a call I mustanswer.”