Dragon Soul(28)

"They aren't stalkers. Gabriel and May are here to protect Mrs. P," Rowan argued.

"So they say, but do you know for certain?"

"I know they are not trying to harm anyone, yes." I reached the top of  the stairs and turned to go out on the open part of the deck when Rowan  scooped an arm behind me, and hefted me over his shoulder, one hand  holding onto my legs as he descended to the floor below.

"What the hell?" I squawked, and slapped him on the back a couple of  times before I realized that my boobs were perilously close to falling  out of the Xena bodice. "Eek! Put me down! This costume wasn't meant to  defy gravity in this manner."

"We're almost there. You'll be fine," he said, and when I struggled to push myself off him, grabbed my legs with his free hand.

It was as is if I'd been touched by fire. Warmth swept up my legs,  pooling in secretive parts of me, parts that wanted Rowan to revisit  their depths. My breasts, nearly bursting free from their upside-down  confines, were sensitized and heavy, the nipples rubbing on the soft  interior of the corset cups making little shivers flicker down my arms.  When the thought of Rowan's hands and mouth on my breasts flashed into  my mind, it was all I could do to keep from whimpering.

Mrs. P, I desperately told myself in an attempt to keep from ravishing  Rowan the second he released me. I had to remain focused on her.

But when his hand slid up higher, under my leather skirt, and his  fingers dove into the very parts that were pleading for him, I just  about came unglued.

"Put me down!" I shrieked, kicking my legs wildly.

To my surprise, he did just that.

"Goddess above, man, you can't do that to me," I said, stuffing my  breasts down into my Xena corset. "At least, not out in public where  someone could see us. And just what do you think you're doing by  abducting me in that manner?"

"I'm arranging for us to have a private talk. It's only fair you know  what's going on, since you have taken up the role of Mrs. P's  protector," he said, opening his cabin door and tugging me inside.

"Oh, no sir," I said, clinging to the door frame. I glanced over his  shoulder, noticed the bed sitting smack-dab in the center of the cabin,  and immediately my smutty thoughts went into overtime. "I know what's  going to happen. I won't be able to resist you, and then May and Gabriel  will run amok all over poor Mrs. P, after which you'll propose to me,  get me to agree to marry you, and then die, leaving me alone again.  Well, I won't have it, do you understand? I simply will not have it!"

Rowan paused as he entered the cabin, giving me the oddest look I'd ever  received. "Did you …  I'm not sure …  did you just propose to me?"

"Don't you dare be adorably confused at me!" I said, shaking a finger at  him. I wanted to pounce on him, and yet, I needed to protect Mrs. P  from the predatory dragons on the deck above us. "I refuse to fall for  your charms! The steamy, mind-blowingly fabulous sex will have to wait."

"Sophea," he called after me as I spun around and marched up the stairs. "Wait a minute. I'll explain."

"I don't want an explanation. Aha!" I stopped at the sight of the two  dragons with Mrs. P between them. I pointed dramatically at them. "I  knew it! You're trying to steal Mrs. P's valuables!"

"My shinies," the old woman said, clutching at her marabou-lined harem top.

"Unhand that woman this instant!" I demanded.

"Unhand her?" May looked faintly amused. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that before."

I pulled my sword from the scabbard and waved it about in a manner that I  hoped was suitably impressive. "You are not going to steal anything  from her, do you understand? Mrs. P, come over here where I can protect  you."

"I'm tired," she said and with a little sniff walked past me to the  stairs. She took Rowan's arm-he had arrived at the top of the stairs and  was watching the scene-and demanded that he escort her back to our  suite.         

     



 

"Stay!" I told May and Gabriel, waggling the sword at them.

Gabriel turned to May with an indescribable expression on his face. "Did she just give us a command as if we were dogs?"

"She did," May said, nodding. "I think she's upset with us."

"You have no idea," I snapped, then sheathed my sword and trotted after Mrs. P and Rowan.





Ten




"And to think," I said when I caught up to Rowan and Mrs. P, "if I had  let you seduce me as you planned, even now Mrs. P would be in the  clutches of your nefarious friends."

Rowan stood back as Mrs. P and I entered our suite, following after us.  "I'm not sure what I can do to reassure you that May and Gabriel are not  going to take anything from Mrs. P, so you'll just have to trust my  judgment about that point. And yes, I'm aware of the irony of that  statement."

"Dammit. You pulled the trust issue. Not fair, dude, not fair at all  given what I was thinking earlier." The leather straps that made up my  skirt swung out in an arc when I spun around and gawked at the room. It  was filled with luggage, and from Mrs. P's room came a babble of  conversation. I trailed her into the bedroom. "Wow, it's like a can of  sardines in here."

There were models everywhere …  lying on the bed, lounging on the two  available chairs and the window seat beneath a porthole, and seated  cross-legged on the floor.

"The room is safe for you, my sister," one of the models called out.  Ahset, I think it was. "Ipy is verifying that the shower contains no  scorpions or asps."

"Good news! We are asp free, ladies," Ipy said, emerging from the  bathroom. "You may bathe at will. I see the mortal is here." Ipy nodded  toward me.

"She is a dragon's mate," Mrs. P said corrected.

"Ah. We would welcome you to the sisterhood, but we do not have time for  the initiations. Know that you have our gratitude, however."

"Er …  thanks. It's all in a day's work." I sidled over to where Mrs. P  was admiring one of the ladies' necklace. "I take it you don't need me  to help you get settled?"

"No, go off and be with your man," she said, putting the necklace around  her neck and easing herself onto the bed. "If he can't make you happy, I  don't know what will. He has quite an admirable set of buttocks."

"He does, doesn't he?" Ipy said. "You are to be congratulated on your choice in men."

"Thanks. I'm not …  uh …  never mind."

Ipy frowned. "You do not think your man has a fine set of buttocks?"

"No. I mean, he does. His behind is awesome, not that I stare at it, but  what I saw of it last night was pretty damned spectacular."

"A man with a good pair of buttocks is a man worth keeping," she said sagely.

I couldn't help but do a little bragging. "His hands are nice, too. And  his chest. Oh, that chest! I swear, his chest would make a nun weep.  With joy, obviously. And lust. Lots and lots of lust, just touching it  and petting it, and maybe even licking the little round nipple nubs. I  love his nubs. I wonder if he's a nipple man. Hmm."

Mrs. P snorted from where she sat on the bed.

I pulled my thoughts back from the land of Rowan. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I snorted at you."

"Ah." I glanced around. "You're sure you're going to be okay with this many people in the room?"

"Our dormitory was much smaller and not nearly so grand," one of the  ladies (Bunefer?) said on her way into the bathroom with a big towel.

"It'll be like a slumber party," Ipy said, nodding. "You may rest easy  that we will guard our sister well so that you may do your job."

"Awesome. Well, good night, I guess."

"Keep your sword handy," Mrs. P said, removing her circle hat. "We may need it before morn."

"I will. Be sure to lock up after me, and yell if you need anything, okay?"

"Enjoy molesting your man's superb buttocks," Ipy called as I opened the door to leave.

Rowan stood right outside.

I frowned at him. "Hey, were you eavesdropping?"

"Yes." He had an odd expression, a combination of pleased and exasperated. "Do you really want to lick my nipple nubs?"

My cheeks, as per usual in these situations, heated up instantly. But  I've learned not to give in to the fact that I blush at the drop of a  hat and I met his gaze. "As a matter of fact, I do. Does that bother  you? Are you repulsed by the idea? Are you sickened and disgusted and  outraged that I, a mere woman, should lust after your chest, reversing  the normal roles of men and women and sexual attraction?"         

     



 

"I like that you're wordy," he said, his head tipping to the side a  little. "Some women never tell you what they're really thinking. With  you, I don't have to guess."