Page 72 of The Mating Claim

Frowning, he tapped the side of his head, trying to reason where that came from. Memories had surfaced more and more, signaling they had been lovers when he was amortal.

But he could not becertain.

“You got water in your ear?” she pointed to hisear.

“No. Trying to clear myhead.”

Lacey sighed. “Easy to do out here. Hey, do we dragonsfloat?”

Before he could answer, she shifted into her dragon form, displacing a lot of water and causing a large enough wake to disturb a boat racing past. Drust sputtered as her slitted eyes regarded him. Lacey began to sink below thesurface.

Then she shifted back, quickly clothing herself in her bathing suit again. “Guess that answers myquestion.”

He laughed again. There was something so innocent and joyful about her, he did not wish it toend.

Treading water beside him, Lacey gestured to the gentle waves. “So? Now are yourelaxed?”

“Very much so.” He splashed her and she laughed, splashing himback.

He liked the sound of her laughter. Carefree and light, it warmed him from the insideout.

She tilted her head at him. “Why do you wear your hair so short? Ever think of growing it out? I think you’d look great with longerhair.”

Startled, he considered it. “It is the same as when I was mortal. I never had it any otherway.”

You’re so vain. Still, he waved a hand and his hair grew to touch his shoulders and edge his cheeks, the black locks curly and shaggy. Drust touched his head. “This is why. I forgot thecurls.”

No mistaking the admiration in her green gaze. “It looks greatlonger.”

“Oh?” He considered, arched a brow. “How aboutthis?”

His hair grew longer than hers, his bangs covering his entireface.

She laughed again. “Now you look like a hippie from the Sixties. The first one wasnice.”

So he left his hair like the first style sheadmired.

A pod of dolphins, chasing bait fish, swam close to them. Drust pointed themout.

One of the mammals came closer to investigate. Drust held out his hand and the dolphin nosedit.

“Wow, I’ve never seen one thisclose.”

“Hold out yourhand.”

She reached out and the dolphin slid by, then surfaced and playfully splashed her with hisnose.

“You told him to do that,” Lacey made a mockface.

Laughing, he shook his head. “Dolphins have minds of theirown.”

Lacey tilted her head. “Is it a real dolphin or a shifter? I can’ttell.”

Unable to see the creature’s aura in the bright sunlight, Drust squinted. “A real one, Ibelieve.”

Suddenly the dolphin circled them, swimming faster and faster. Bemused he treaded water and watched the mammal carefully, lest the creature decide to harm Lacey. But the dolphin only leapt over Lacey, splashing in the water. She cried out in delight and clapped herhands.

“Beautiful!”