Trust Jeff Tyler to make use of any chance to get some publicity for his gallery.

Naomi blinked into the blinding flashes of the cameras, smiling nervously at the waiting reporters. Jeff had told her to dress nicely for Mr. Mysterious Billionaire—but Jeff had failed to mention that he’d invited the press.

Naomi had put on her favorite black cocktail dress for the occasion. These days, it was also her only nice dress, but it hugged all of her curves in just the right way. And the mysterious buyer wouldn’t know that it had lasted her five years already, after she got it on clearance.

“Smile, baby!” Jeff hissed in her ear, grinning triumphantly at the cameras.

It went on for way too long, but a moment later, she was saved from all the attention when a newcomer entered the gallery. Flashes went off again, and the man froze for a moment, a displeased look on his face.

Then he strode forward, disregarding the gathered journalists—coming straight towards where Naomi and Jeff were waiting.

That has to be the mysterious buyer.

Naomi felt her knees go weak. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting. Eccentric billionaires, in her mind, were old and feeble, with white hair and flashy glasses, spending their afternoons by a pool, where they made bids at art auctions from their phone.

But there was nothing old or eccentric about this man.

He had to be in his thirties, with the broad shoulders and incredible biceps of a man working at a construction site, and not someone who lazed around on a patio all day.

His hair was a peculiar color somewhere between blond and brown, as if he spent enough time outside that the sun had bleached strands to gleaming gold. It looked a little windswept, although surely someone rich enough to drop twenty thousand dollars on a painting wouldn’t walk here.

Perhaps he’d just stepped from the private jet that had brought him here—or a helicopter. She couldn’t quite pin it down, but there was something about him that made her think of gusts of wind tugging at his hair, and the warmth of a gentle summer breeze.

But right now, there was nothing gentle about his expression.

He strode forward with powerful steps, exuding an air of command. He stopped in front of Jeff, displeasure on the handsome, rugged face that made something inside Naomi tighten with unexpected need.

“I said I wanted to meet the artist,” the stranger said, his voice accompanied by an angry rumble in his chest. “I said nothing about reporters.”

“Now, now,” Jeff said breezily, turning to beam at the gathered reporters once more. “Just a bit of fun for the press, won’t take a minute, and then I’ll let you and Naomi have a chat.”

The stranger gave Jeff a disbelieving look, his eyes narrowing with obvious displeasure when another flash went off—and then he turned, and for the first time, Naomi looked straight into his eyes.

She felt as if lightning had struck her. As though someone had pulled the ground away from beneath her feet. She was falling, falling... and yet she was still aware of standing in the gallery, next to Jeff, looking at the stranger in front of her.

The stranger had her dragon’s eyes.

She gasped very softly. She couldn’t look away. His eyes were a light gray—the color of storm clouds, filled with the distant illumination of lightning.

She’d never seen anything like it. She’d never felt anything like it.

No, that wasn’t right. She’d felt it once—that one night of overwhelming inspiration, that final night before the constant worries and work drained away what was left of her creativity.

That entire night, she’d felt as though she was carried along by an incredible force—a storm that had picked her up and pulled her along. She’d imagined riding through thunder and clouds and laughing at lightning, filled with a deep, overwhelming joy at the powers of nature.

That had been the image she’d seen in her mind, the picture she’d painted with bold strokes and little dabs for detail: a dragon, master of the elements, a powerful creature commanding the wind.

Freedom.

That was what the dragon had been—and that was what she also saw in the eyes of the stranger.

“I’m sorry,” he now said, his voice a little hoarse. “I’m Gregory Drago. You must be the artist.”

“Naomi Edwardson.” She gave him an overwhelmed smile.

Again a flash went off far too close, blinding her for a moment so that she flinched.

A heartbeat later, he’d taken hold of her elbow, shielding her from the cameras with his body. At the contact, another shiver went through her. For a moment, she could feel the wind on her face, taste the freedom that had seemed out of reach for so long now...

Then the reporters came forward, clearly overjoyed at the chance to get a picture of the mysterious billionaire protecting the artist.

“Jeff!” Naomi called out, frustrated by the way he’d yet again used her success to orchestrate this ridiculous PR event for his gallery.

But Jeff didn’t answer. As the reporters came crowding closer, she couldn’t even see him anymore. Hadn’t he been right beside her a moment ago?

“Wait a moment—here!” Gregory said triumphantly, still pressed so close that she could feel the heat of his body.

He reached out behind here. There was a sudden click—and then something opened, and she found herself pushed through into what was revealed to be a tiny storage room, crammed full of boxes.

Another storm of flashes was let loose, and Gregory firmly pulled the door close behind them.

And just like that, everything was dark.

She could still hear the sounds of the journalists outside. The door was rattling now, but fortunately there was a key on the inside, which Gregory used to lock it.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the room has a key because Jeff’s having an affair with that new secretary of his, Naomi thought, and then her mind fell silent when she became aware that she was trapped in a cramped space with the most incredibly handsome and charismatic man she’d ever seen.

A man who was forced to stand so close, thanks to the towering stacks of wooden boxes, that her breasts were brushing against his chest.

Naomi felt herself flush, glad of the darkness now.

“I’m sorry,” Gregory murmured. “That wasn’t how I imagined our meeting would go.”

“Oh?” she said lightly, trying to hide the fact that her heart was hammering in her chest. “And do you do this often? Spend ridiculous amounts of money on unsuspecting artists?”

He laughed softly. She shivered again at the way she could feel his breath against her cheek.

“I do collect... and you could say that I have a special interest in dragons. But it’s mostly the older masters. Medieval works too. You know, back when people still thought dragons were real.”

“So mine is an exception?” She swallowed, barely daring to breathe, simultaneously afraid and excited by the way her body kept brushing his in the tiny space.

“It is.” He spoke very softly, although his voice was earnest. “I don’t know how to explain it, but in your painting I saw the same emotion I see in those older paintings.”

“Back when people thought dragons were real.” She felt herself smile at the thought. “I guess you could say that for one night, that dragon was real for me. When I painted him, it was as if I saw him. His power. His joy. His command of the elements. There was something so primeval about him, something ancient. He was the storm. He was freedom.”

Gregory drew in a shuddering breath.

Then someone rattled at the door handle, and Naomi flinched instinctively. A moment later, she became aware of the heat of Gregory’s arm that had wrapped protectively around her shoulder. It was too dark to see him, but she could still feel the heat of his breath.

“Ignore them,” he murmured. “They’ll leave when they get bored.”

“I assume you’re very familiar with being stalked by reporters.” She didn’t move, her heart beating in her throat at the way his arm hadn’t dropped away either.

It was nice. More than nice. When was the last time a man had embraced her?

With the way her life had gone to hell, she hadn’t even thought about dating in quite a while. Perhaps she was only feeling like this because it had been so very long... But something about him felt strangely familiar.

The scent of the night air clung to him, something wild and daring and adventurous. And beneath it all, there was a warm sensuality that seemed to whisper that he would protect her from any storm.

Freedom. It felt like freedom, being held in his arms.

All of a sudden, she saw possibilities opening up again before her.

It wasn’t just the money. But with the money she could pay her rent, and she wouldn’t have to worry for at least a year. She could go out and see a movie with a friend if she wanted. She could paint again. She could even try and date.

But with Gregory so close, all she could think of was the way his body felt against hers.

Was he interested too? Or maybe this was all just in her mind, and this was an everyday occurrence to him. He probably got stalked by reporters wherever he went, and hid in closets all the time, and he probably had beautiful women throw themselves at him...

“Oh,” she gasped when the door rattled again.

Shock had made her jump a little, just as his other arm came forward—and all of a sudden, it was no longer just the heat of his breath she could feel against her cheek.

His lips had brushed her skin, just the smallest bit, but the gentle touch was enough to sizzle through her like lightning.

Another gasp escaped her.

Gregory had frozen. He didn’t push forward, he didn’t claim a kiss, even though all of a sudden, she yearned for it in a way she hadn’t wanted anything or anyone in a long, long time.

Once more she thought of the dragon. She breathed in deeply, inhaled the clean night air that seemed to cling to him, that scent of endless skies and wind. Before her mind, the painting of her dragon rose up, the creature’s eyes lit by a supernatural gleam—and then the dragon’s jaw parted as if in a laugh as it spread its powerful wings, racing off to conquer the skies.

Freedom, Naomi thought, her heart beating wildly. Freedom to follow your dreams. Perhaps... perhaps this is my last chance to dream.

She did not have to fling herself forward like the dragon. Gregory was too close for that. All it took was to turn her head a little and lean forward, and then she felt his lips against her own, hot and surprisingly soft.

A groan escaped Gregory. As if this was all he’d been waiting for, he drew her closer, his arms possessively tight around her as he drew her into a kiss that left her dizzy.

No one had ever kissed her like this.

Her knees went weak. He kissed her gently but demanding, his arms tightening around her until she was fully pressed against him.

It was the most amazing feeling. His muscles were hard against her body. Even through the layers of clothes, she could feel the heat of his skin.

What would it feel like to feel that powerful body slide against her own...?

Something inside her tightened with need, her body already throbbing with arousal. Her nipples were drawn up tight and aching as they brushed against his hard pecs, and still he kissed her until she felt that she was drowning in his embrace, the night wind surrounding them, even though they were still hiding in the tiny closet.

“Sorry,” he whispered when he finally drew back. His voice sounded rough, just as overcome as she felt. “I should have asked first.”

A small laugh escaped Naomi when she realized that he had no reason to apologize. “I think... I was the one who kissed you first.” She blushed a little, glad of the darkness. “I’ve never done anything like this before. Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” His voice was a delicious, reassuring rumble. “I’ve wanted to kiss you from the first moment I saw you. At first I was only curious because the painting intrigued me—but the moment I saw you I knew you were special.”

His words were like a cold shower. A shiver went through Naomi, and she moved back a fraction. “There’s nothing special about me,” she said, not quite able to hide her bitterness. “I haven’t even painted in a year. I’m your average mediocre starving artist. There are thousands of us. I work in retail; these days I can’t even afford paint for a project, and if I did, I wouldn’t know where to find the time—”

“You just sold a painting,” Gregory reminded her gently. “For a good price.”

“You paid too much. Way too much,” Naomi said quietly.

She was aware that what she was doing was stupid—and she really was in no position to say no to the money. But something about him unsettled her. She couldn’t bear it if it was just charity. She couldn’t even say why it mattered—money was money. But somehow, it was different now.

“Because your friend out there thinks dragons are cheap entertainment for children?” Gregory asked. “Because they’re not Real Art?”

She could hear him capitalize the words as he spoke, and it brought a reluctant smile to her lips.

“I told you,” he continued softly. “I collect. I know true art when I see it. Art that has the painter’s soul in it. And do you know how many dragons there are in the Met alone? If anything, I paid too little.”

Another shiver ran through Naomi. Even though she’d withdrawn from his embrace, they were still close enough that she could feel his heat. And something inside her yearned for him, so fiercely that it almost hurt.

It’s because I haven’t kissed anyone in so very long...

But even as she thought the words, she knew it was a lie. Kissing had never felt like this. Like she could just sink into him. Like she could take his hand and step off a cliff and just spread her arms and fly.

Something in her longed for freedom, something that had long been buried. Something in her wanted to feel his arms around her again, feel that hard, masculine body claim her as he covered her with a thousand kisses.

It couldn’t be real. It couldn’t last. Nothing that felt so extraordinary could last... Hadn’t she been burned before by trying to follow her dreams?

Suddenly she became aware of how quiet it had grown. The rattling at the door had stopped. She couldn’t even hear the hum of voices from before. Had the reporters left?

Gregory must have had the same thought, since he now felt for the door handle. Carefully, he unlocked it and opened it a small crack.

“I think your friend got rid of them at last,” he said after he’d taken a look. “Of course, he already had what he wanted.”

”Free publicity,” Naomi muttered with a grimace. “He said he’d do me a favor by accepting my painting for his exhibition. I should’ve known it would come with a price.”

Slowly, they stepped out of the closet. Naomi’s heart was still beating in her throat, and she forbid herself from lingering on his soft, warm lips or that chiseled, square jaw.

“Time for the formalities then,” Gregory said. He gave her a searching look.

Naomi’s heart gave another jolt when their eyes met.

He really has a dragon’s eyes... It’s that freedom and the wild joy of my storm dragon, she thought helplessly, unable to look away.

“I’ll go and find Jeff,” he added. “You can wait here if you like. I’ll be back in a moment. And maybe... Maybe you’d let me invite you for dinner afterward?”

A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. She could see what he was trying to do, giving her a few minutes to gather herself. It was sweet, especially given that she’d been the one who’d initiated the kiss.

It might not last, but it would be foolish to say no to what was probably her only chance at dinner with a billionaire. She knew it wasn’t going to lead anywhere, but at least she’d have a story to tell.

“I’d like that,” she said quietly.

She watched as he walked through the door at the back of the gallery, where she knew Jeff had his offices. The gallery was quiet now; he must’ve invited the reporters back to give an interview—no doubt embellishing his own role in discovering and supporting the young and upcoming local artist Naomi Edwardson.

With a sigh, Naomi wandered towards the front of the gallery, looking out through the windows.

What sort of car does a billionaire drive? A Ferrari? He doesn’t seem the flashy type. Some sort of black limo with a driver?

A sudden, loud crash directly in front of her made her scream.

Splinters of glass were flying everywhere. The window had exploded.

Everything was happening so suddenly that Naomi stood frozen, watching with terrified eyes as a giant, black hand with sharp claws reached in through the destroyed window.

It closed around Naomi, whose heart was racing so fast she feared it would burst.

Then she was pulled out through the hole, and up, up into the sky. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the impossible sight of a dragon’s large, black wings stretching above her.