Chapter Nine
Aaron sat inside Orla’s cottage on an old, worn sofa covered in faded flowers. It seemed all the Glenlough leaders, both former and current, liked to keep him waiting.
His dragon spoke up. She is elderly. If she doesn’t arrive soon, we should check on her.
As Aaron debated whether to listen to his dragon or not, Orla thumped down the hall and into the room. Using her cane, she maneuvered herself into a pale blue armchair. Once her arse made contact with the cushion, she gripped the top of her cane with both hands and leaned forward. “I know you left with my granddaughter this morning. Tell me why.”
Bloody hell, not her, too. Aaron raised his brows. “That is between Teagan and I. Killian asked the same. It seems your family thinks it’s okay to ask around behind Teagan’s back instead of confronting her directly.”
Orla thumped her cane against the floor. “My concern is with you, not her. Tell me.”
“No.”
Silence stretched for nearly a minute before Orla nodded. “You know how to keep your trap shut, which is a good sign.”
He resisted rubbing his brow. “Is there a reason I’m here? Because if it’s just to pass some bloody test, then I’m going to leave.”
“Hold your horses, boyo. I have a job for you.”
“Since when are you handing out assignments?”
She tilted her head. “Since when am I not?”
Aaron sighed. “And here I thought coming to Glenlough would be an easy assignment.”
Orla thumped her cane once more. “Oh, hush. In my time, we had feuds going on, plus the nonsense the humans call The Troubles. Being close to Derry is both a good and bad thing.”
“Shouldn’t you say ‘Londonderry slash Derry’ to play it safe.”
Orla frowned. “I’m too old to be politically correct. If I said that every time I talked about the city, I’d never get anything done. Derry is merely a timesaver for me.”
Aaron resisted snorting at the old female’s remark. “Then if you’re worried about time passing, why don’t you tell me why I’m here? You’ve lost precious minutes off your remaining lifespan already.”
“Cheeky bastard,” Orla murmured before she smiled. “That’s why I like you and want you to relieve some of my Teagan’s stress.”
“If this involves me being naked, then I’m going to run right out the front door. Talking about sex with a grandma isn’t high on my list of enjoyable events.”
Orla tsked. “Someone’s mind goes to the gutter fairly easily.”
Aaron gripped the arm of the sofa and managed to get out, “How did you want me to help?”
Orla rocked her cane one way and then the other. “Sneak Teagan out of the clan every few days and force her to fly. Her dragon might fancy hunting as well.”
“I’m not here to be a babysitter,” he gritted out.
“And you won’t be. My granddaughter works harder than anyone I’ve ever met, including myself. You seem to have a way of getting her to do things she wouldn’t normally do. Otherwise, she never would’ve snuck off with you this morning.” Aaron opened his mouth, but Orla beat him to it. “I don’t care what you did. Females have more freedom these days to sleep with males before marriage, even if it’s still scrutinized. Good for them. All I ask is to get her away from the bloody desk sometimes and into the fresh air. If she doesn’t learn balance, she’ll come to hate her position, and everyone will suffer in the long run. An overworked clan leader is never a good thing.”
He studied the older female. “Are you speaking from experience?”
“Perhaps. I think it’s why I accepted my beau’s proposal to be mates so easily. In retrospect, I should’ve fought the bloody ridiculous rules about females stepping down once they find a mate. But I was tired and lonely, so I capitulated.”
Since Stonefire hadn’t had a female leader in centuries, Aaron had never heard of the rule. “Let me guess, Teagan wants to challenge the rules.”
Orla waved a hand. “I don’t know if she ever thinks about it. She works all the time and doesn’t accept help easily.”
“She actually sounds like my clan leader before he found his mate.”
Her pupils flashed. “Wouldn’t that be something, if my granddaughter found hers?”
Aaron cleared his throat. “I wasn’t sent here to be a stud, and I doubt Teagan would like your suggestions.”
“Aye, I know, although it’s fun to watch you squirm. All I care about is my granddaughter’s health. Are you going to help with that?”
“And if I refuse?”
Orla pointed her cane at him. “Don’t push me, lad. This old biddy still has a few tricks up her sleeves.”
Aaron couldn’t help but smile. “If things ever calm down, I’d love to see you challenge a male your age. We might have to pad each of you to keep from breaking a hip, but it would be entertaining.”
“You are a rascal, Aaron Caruso. But I reckon a loyal one, judging by everything I’ve read about you so far. I’m going to assume your answer is yes?” Aaron couldn’t think of a reason big enough as to why he should refuse, especially given how Orla had asked him instead of ordering him to do it. Not even his dragon had piped up. So he nodded and Orla motioned with her hand. “Good, with that settled, you can go. As much as I want to be entertained, I’m sure you’re needed elsewhere.”
He stood and bowed at the waist. “Until I’m summoned again, my lady.”
Orla snorted and Aaron exited her cottage. The elderly dragonwoman reminded him a bit of his own grandmother. She had died when he was a boy, but her sarcasm had rubbed off on Aaron. No matter what else happened, he hoped to spend more time with the old woman. She hid it well, but she missed being busy and involved in everything. He could at least help alleviate her boredom once in a while.
His dragon spoke up. If you have time for that, then you have time to look after Teagan, too.
I doubt ‘look after’ is the right phrase, but I’m going to see what I can do. Bram used to be a workaholic, too, until Evie and the babies came along.
Evie became Bram’s mate. Are you planning to do the same with Teagan?
You, too? Stop being ridiculous. Aaron picked up his pace toward the Protectors’ main building. I just want her to win.
If you say so.
Aaron arrived at the Protectors’ central command and went inside. The sooner he found out his next task, the sooner he could complete it and plan Teagan’s dinner for the evening. Because even though he had no intention of ever bedding Teagan, let alone trying to woo her, he prided himself on his cooking abilities. It might make more sense to do a horrible job so she would order him to never cook again, but if he could aid Teagan in some small way to help her keep control of her clan, he would. There was no bloody way he wanted to start over negotiations or even lose an alliance if one of the other bastards won. He wasn’t going to return to Stonefire as a failure. Keeping the Glenlough leader fed was the first step to success.
~~~
The sky was nearly dark when Teagan finally entered her cottage. Even though she wasn’t finished for the day, she would complete her remaining work in her pajamas, complete with a nice cup of tea with biscuits for dinner.
However, as she laid down her stack of papers on the table in the entrance, she instantly froze at the faint clanging sound of dishes coming from the kitchen. The place should be empty, especially since she’d texted Aaron to postpone their first supper.
Her beast spoke up. He is stubborn and might have let himself in any way.
If so, then I might have to kick his arse. This is my private space.
True, the piles of crap she needed to put away covered most raised, hard surfaces. And her decorations consisted mainly of donated pictures of flowers and birds from her grandmother, so it was far from glamorous. But it was the one place she could shrug off most of her responsibilities and merely relax.
Anyone who trespassed would think twice before doing it again.
Teagan inched toward the kitchen, careful to avoid the two squeaky floorboards along the way. Just as she popped her head into the doorway, Aaron’s voice rang out. “You might have been stealthy down the hall, but a child could’ve heard you opening the front door.”
She entered the kitchen and frowned. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?”
He didn’t turn away from the cooker. “Do you always ask questions you could answer by merely opening your eyes?”
Teagan tossed her bag on one of the counters and stormed up to Aaron. “You’re on dangerous ground, Caruso.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “Is that so? And here I thought I was merely fulfilling my end of the bargain.”
“I told you I would be late and to not worry about it.”
He met her gaze. “Have you eaten?”
“No, but that’s beside the point.”
“Even considering you’re a dragon-shifter leader who needs to be in good shape, you’re too thin. Sit your arse down and I’ll feed you.”
She clenched the fingers of one hand. “I’m this close to punching you in the jaw, stripping you, and leaving you in the middle of the clan’s high street tied to a pole for all to see.”
He shrugged. “I’m sure more than a few are curious to see an English dragon-shifter and what he’s made of.”
She opened her mouth and shut it. Aaron was bringing out the worst in her. She needed to calm the fuck down and take a different approached.
Her beast chuckled. Why? This is fun.
She ignored her dragon and crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, I’m tired, cranky, and hungry. Just leave and promise not to enter without my permission again and I’ll let you off with a warning.”
“And if I don’t leave?”
“You’re under my command whilst here. You’ll suffer the same punishment for disobeying an outright order as anyone else.”
“As much as I’d rather not spend a few nights in a jail cell, you need to try this first.”
In the blink of an eye, Aaron stuffed a piece of chicken between her lips. She had no choice but to chew, but as the meat melted in her mouth, she nearly moaned.
The bastard could cook.
Smugness filled Aaron’s eyes as he said, “So you can either punish me and go hungry or sit down and eat dinner. It’d be a shame to toss all this into the rubbish bin.”
Teagan was about to tell him to fuck off when her stomach rumbled. Her dragon sighed. Just have dinner.
And let him think it’s okay to disobey my orders?
Set some ground rules. This is our sanctuary. Here he is just a male and you are just a female. Outside, he is our soldier to command. Set that in stone with him.
You just want to ogle his body and persuade me to sleep with him.
Yes and no. For tonight, just eat. Good food will help you unwind.
She hesitated. Apart from her family, Teagan rarely invited people inside her cottage. If too many of her clan members treated her as a friend rather than a leader, order would soon slip and fall apart.
It was one of the things her gran had drilled into her before Teagan had put her name into the last leadership challenge. Leaders had to make tough decisions and people needed to be willing to follow a command with few, if any, questions during emergency situations.
Aaron opened a cupboard and took out two plates. The action snapped her out of her head. “If you know where the dishes are kept, then you snooped around, too, it seems.”
He flashed a grin, and Teagan’s heart skipped a beat at how his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Of course. Although I left your bedroom alone. For now.”
She sighed. “Look, I appreciate the food and will eat it. However, only on one condition. Outside of this kitchen and dining area, you are one of my soldiers. There will be no ordering me around, no taking advantage of me, and sure as hell no disobeying my orders whenever you feel like it.”
“You forgot about our practice sessions. I can’t give you a true challenge if you punish me for bending the rules.”
She raised an eyebrow. “There’s only one more challenge. I never said anything about regular practices.”
He placed the plates on the counter, turned around, and leaned against it. “You need to be in fine form. Given what I’ve heard today of how much time you spend in your office, you need the exercise.”
“Did you just imply that I’m out of shape?”
He waved a hand in dismissal. “Stop with the niceties. I once broke my leg and spent weeks sitting mostly on my bum. It took a lot of work to get back to full fighting force. I think you need to do that yourself, if you’ll let me help.”
“Did you actually just ask my permission?” she drawled. “Maybe I should note the date and time for posterity.”
“Be serious for a minute, woman, and think about it. I’m not a member of your clan and so me discovering any weaknesses won’t jeopardize your standing. I’ve also gone through recovery myself and know what needs to be done, even if you’re in much better shape than I was back then. Give me free rein to push you to your limits, and you’ll be badder and stronger than ever.”
Teagan studied Aaron’s face. His pupils flashed once, but that was the only sign of emotion. “First tell me why you’re offering to do this. It wasn’t why you were sent to Glenlough. And you were making a big show about being assigned guard duty early. Helping someone exercise isn’t exactly a normal Protector duty.”
He smiled. “Let’s just say I made a promise to an old woman and I intend to keep it.”
Her gran and her blasted meddling. Teagan would talk with her later.
For the moment, Teagan merely studied Aaron. She could deny his words, but then she’d be lying. An extra training session or two a week wouldn’t hurt. She had already planned to increase her exercise regimes, but having someone to remind her to do it and really push her to her limits would help greatly. After all, Teagan had never served in the army like Aaron, and no doubt he had a few tricks to teach her.
Placing one hand on her hip, she pointed at him with her free hand. “Before I agree to anything, I need to extract some promises and state conditions. Will you keep them or do I need to draw up a contract for you to sign in case I need to prove you’re out of line later?”
He rolled his eyes. “You’ve clearly been dealing with the DDA too long if paperwork is your answer.”
She closed the distance between them and poked his chest. “Unless you really want to push a hungry, cranky dragonwoman, then you’d better hurry up and answer.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “I’m tempted to try just to see what happens.”
“Aaron,” she growled.
He chuckled. “Fine. I know one of your conditions is following your orders everywhere but the kitchen, dining room, and during our practice sessions. So my defiance is actually keeping to that condition since we’re in the kitchen. You should be proud of me.”
Teagan resisted rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingers. “Remember that bit about me being hungry and cranky? I’m about ready to unleash my dragon on you.”
Her beast huffed. Don’t bring me into this. I’m having fun watching.
Aaron tilted his head. “I’ll deal with her soon enough. But I won’t question your orders elsewhere, unless they truly merit it, and then I’ll do so in private. What else am I supposed to agree to?”
“No more breaking into my house. If I don’t let you in or give you a key to enter, then you stay out.”
“I can do that. Although if you miss too many meals, I’ll bring something to you, no matter where you are at the time.”
Part of her wanted Aaron’s words to be actual concern, but she quickly brushed that aside. “Good. Then can I sit and eat already?”
Aaron pointed to the two plates. “One is for me.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he beat her to it. “I’m hungry as well, so don’t even think of tossing me out of the kitchen to order me around.”
She moved to stand close to him and hopefully throw Aaron off, but he took her shoulders and put her at arm’s length. “I’ve learned my lesson about letting you near my balls. Sit and I’ll bring your food.”
For a second, neither one of them moved. His warm, strong hands on her shoulders sent a tingle through her body. Up close she finally noticed the flecks of gold in Aaron’s brown eyes. There was also a small scar near the corner of his mouth.
His lips parted a fraction, and Teagan quickly looked away. If he thought she was interested and then leaned in to kiss her, she might allow it to taste his soft lips once more. For all his sarcasm and sass, his lips were inviting and bloody well knew how to kiss a female properly.
Her beast chuckled. His kiss can be our appetizer.
Did you really just say that?
Her dragon hummed. He would taste good.
Aaron leaned forward and Teagan noted his slitted pupils. With his breath against her cheek, heat flooded her face as she remembered the last time they’d kissed.
Her dissuasion tactics weren’t working as well as she’d hoped.
Her beast sighed. And a good thing, too. Why wait for him? Kiss him already.
She tried to remember the reasons why she should walk away. But as Teagan focused her gaze on Aaron’s lips and the small scar at the corner of his mouth, she toyed with the idea of kissing the former injury before gently biting her way down his neck. After all, there was no one watching.
However, before she could decide to give in to her hormones or not, Aaron quickly released her shoulders and stepped away.
He cleared his throat. “The food will get cold. Take a seat and I’ll serve you.”
Teagan quickly turned toward the table and barely resisted placing her hands over her surely-pink cheeks. Of all the males in the world, why did Aaron have to be the one who stirred her body and her beast? With the trials coming up, she didn’t have time to deal with any male, let alone one from another clan who liked to drive her mad.
And who might still only want her because she was a clan leader.
She’d just have to eat as quickly as possible and send him on his way. She could then fortify herself against his touch and strategize how to resist his lips in the future.
Her dragon sighed. We can do more than one thing at a time. He is good for us.
You say that, and yet he’s not our true mate. We know so little about him.
Then ask him questions. It’s not like I’m proposing to mate him and have babies. A little sex would be nice.
Right, because the clan will treat that as casually as you, especially if he starts boasting to his fellow Protectors.
Oh, stop it. He went to the trouble of breaking in to cook you dinner. That’s a lot of work for a one-night conquest.
He is male after all.
Her beast huffed. Talk to him and give him a chance. Besides, if he’s here, no one will know about the dinner or more. Use the time to get to know the foreign visitor. That’s part of your duty as clan leader.
Teagan knew her dragon was prodding her on purpose. But as Teagan watched Aaron’s broad back move under his shirt as he dished out supper, she itched to trace his muscles and maybe have those huge arms hold her close as she found her release. While she loved her clan, every once in a while, she yearned to have a night or two where she was merely a female.
Placing her hands on her cheeks, she willed the heat in them to cool. She needed to be the distant clan leader for the meal. If Aaron understood how his touch affected her, he’d surely lord it over her. Or worse, he might kiss her and who knew what mess would result.
Taking a deep breath, she thought about all the paperwork sitting on her desk. Remembering her hand cramp from writing tiny letters in impossibly short boxes, her heart rate slowed a little.
Good. She should be able to handle Aaron professionally now.
Her dragon laughed, but Teagan ignored her.
~~~
Aaron turned his back on Teagan and took a deep breath. Resisting the female was exhausting.
His dragon spoke up. Stop lying. It’s fun. You’re just upset that you nearly pulled her close and kissed her.
You might fall for her pretty eyes and wit, but I have no interest in becoming a eunuch. I imagine she would be the one doing the kissing on her terms, or else sharp talons would skewer my balls.
Did you not see her flushed cheeks and flashing eyes?
He finished dishing out the chicken, potatoes, and veg. Just let me handle and survive this meal without too much commentary. Can you do that?
To Aaron’s surprise, his dragon fell silent.
Schooling his face into a neutral position, he carried the plates to the table and laid them down. Sliding into the seat across from Teagan, he motioned toward the food. “I assure you it’s not poisoned.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That thought hadn’t crossed my mind until now. Maybe I should be worried.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He picked up a fork, took a bit of everything from her plate, and stuffed it into his mouth. Once he swallowed, he held up his hands. “Ta-da.”
She smiled, and his gaze was drawn to the dimple on one cheek. At her voice, he quickly looked back to her eyes as she said, “That was easy. I expected more arguing before you wanted to prove everything was fine.”
The amusement in her eyes, combined with her bloody perfect smile, made him want to poke her temper again. He felt more in control when she argued. It was easier to resist the desire to taste her lips when she was threatening various parts of his body.
His dragon chuckled. Aaron ignored him and dug into his meal. A minute ticked by in silence as they both ate. Teagan was first to break the silence. “The food is really good. Where did you learn to cook?”
Rather than make a quip, he decided to answer truthfully. Maybe then Teagan wouldn’t tempt him with another grin. “My mum. She said all males should know how to cook.”
“She’s a smart female.”
He smiled. “Aye, she is.”
When he didn’t elaborate, Teagan asked, “What else did she teach you?”
He couldn’t tell if Teagan was merely being polite or truly interested.
His dragon spoke up. Just tell her. It wouldn’t hurt to get on her good side.
At the curiosity in Teagan’s green eyes, the words spilled from his lips. “Everything, really. My father wasn’t big on being a parent in the first place.”
Fuck. He rarely talked about his father with anyone. What the hell was wrong with him?
His dragon chimed in. She’s a leader and you know she won’t share the information.
Teagan swallowed her latest bite and looked at him again. “Was your mother a sacrifice?”
Aaron decided what the hell. “No, I was born a few years before the program started on Stonefire. My parents were true mates that somehow went wrong.”
“Care to tell me why or is that in the ‘no fucking way’ column?”
He liked that she didn’t try to tame her language. “There’s not a whole lot to tell. My father was a bastard who liked to make my mum and me feel small and worthless through words. When I was old enough to stand up to him and threatened to fight him, he left and went to America to be with some of his distant relatives. We never saw him again and he eventually died there.”
He waited for pity to shine in Teagan’s eyes, but she merely tilted her head. “Well, at least you and your mother are free from him for good.”
“Yes, but I still worry about my mum after all these years. Most of her family lives in Italy, and she would be happier there. Caruso is her surname, not my father’s.”
As soon as the words slipped from his lips, Aaron wanted to take them back. She would probably ask why his mother wasn’t there, and he didn’t want to spoil the night talking about Nerina and his own fuckup.
It had to be the clan leader in Teagan that brought out his secrets.
His beast spoke up. Or maybe you fancy her and want her to know all of you.
Thankfully Teagan’s voice prevented Aaron from replying to his dragon. “Your look turned guarded just now. Should I prod or is that a conversation for another dinner?”
“So you admit that you want me back?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. It depends what’s next on the menu.”
“I’ll keep you in suspense, and maybe the wondering will keep you from working past suppertime. Then I won’t have to talk with your gran and have her track down your whereabouts for me.”
She swallowed her latest bite. “Do I want to know why my grandmother is already your ally? She should be on my side, not yours.”
Aaron grinned. “She likes me and that’s enough.”
Teagan sighed. “Her taking a shine to you is both a blessing and curse. Although if she focuses her time on you, then maybe she’ll leave me alone for a while.”
“Leave you alone about what?” Teagan remained silent, so he added, “I poured my heart out about my father. You can surely answer one question honestly.”
She pointed a fork at him. “Telling me he dashed off to America and died is hardly pouring your heart out.”
“Are you sure you’re a clan leader? Because I don’t think you understand male dragon-shifters. That was major breakthrough territory.” She rolled her eyes and he continued, “So tell me—what does your gran go on about?”
She searched his eyes and Aaron kept his face neutral. As persistent as he could be when he wanted, there were some things people needed to explain on their own terms. Maybe this was one of those for Teagan.
His dragon snorted. Since when are you patient about anything?
Shut it, dragon.
Teagan brushed her hair over a shoulder, and his eyes moved to the graceful curve of her neck. If she wore her hair up, every male in sight would itch to trace the elegant lines. Under the table, his fingers flexed, yearning for the same.
Then reach over and try it, his beast murmured.
His hand moved a few inches before he clenched his fingers into a fist. He met her gaze again, but not before he noticed the flush on her cheeks. Blood rushed to his cock at the sight. For all her tough talk, she was extremely feminine and innocent in private moments.
The contrast made him want to kiss her all the more.
Teagan’s eyes flashed. Her voice was low as she said, “Maybe you should go.”
He leaned forward a few inches. His voice was husky to his own ears. “What did I do now?”
Her skin turned a darker shade of pink as she moved what remained of her supper around on the plate. “Your eyes keep flashing as you stare at various parts of my body.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
He reached out and took her free hand in his. At the contact, electricity raced through his body.
He should release her fingers, excuse himself, and return to his own cottage. But as Teagan’s hand tightened around his own, he met her eyes and growled at the desire shining there. Teagan’s voice caressed his skin as she whispered, “My gran wants me to settle down and find a mate. But that’s not what I want right now.”
He lightly brushed the back of her hand with his thumb. Each stroke of soft skin only made him want to kiss her more and see if she was just as soft everywhere else.
His beast hummed. Yes, yes, kiss her. No strings attached. She’ll like the idea of fucking once and walking away.
“That’s not what I’m looking for, either,” he answered. Aaron leaned over and kissed Teagan’s soft wrist. So close to her skin, he reveled in her feminine scent.
As he lightly caressed her skin with his tongue, Teagan drew in a breath. Her voice was strangled as she asked, “What are you doing, Caruso?”
He moved his lips to one of her fingers and kissed the tip of it. “I think calling me Aaron is better suited to this situation.” He flicked his tongue against another finger pad. “And I think we both need a little release without strings attached.”
He waited to see if he’d misread the situation. If he weren’t drunk on the taste and scent of Teagan’s skin, he might’ve been able to see sense and walk away.
But after tasting the female, he wanted more. Since she was clan leader and he was only on Glenlough for a short time, they could enjoy each other without forming attachments. They each had responsibilities to follow through. Hearts wouldn’t need to get involved. He wouldn’t be doomed to repeat his past. He could finish his assignment and return to Stonefire on time.
His dragon growled. Don’t be so sure. I think you’ll soon be singing a different tune.
Aaron barely noted his dragon’s words as he brought Teagan’s hand to his cheek and lightly rubbed it against his jaw. It was time to see if she was on the same page as him.