Only For Her Dragon (Dragon Guard Series Book 6)(8)

She patted his chest before turning and heading out of the room. As she crossed the threshold into the hall, she chuckled over her shoulder, “I could use some iced tea. How about you?”

“And a cold shower,” he grumbled.

Charlie knew she should be sorry since she was the one that started whatever it was that had just happened between them, but she wasn’t and knew she wouldn’t be. For once in her life, she’d let her heart run the show. Had given her head a rest. And it felt good…really good.

Tea poured and Aaron’s shirt back on, the two retired to the deck behind the house. Several seconds of companionable silence passed before Charlie asked her first question. “How old are you?”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished them back in. Thankfully, he chuckled, lessening her embarrassment.

Dad always said my mouth was gonna be the death of me.

“I’ll be a hundred and one in about six weeks.”

“Holy…seriously?” Charlie spun in her seat to face him.

“Seriously.” He leaned towards her and laid his hand on hers. “I will always be honest with you. I’m truly sorry we had to keep secrets from you, but that’s all in the past. You ask, I’ll answer.”

“Cool, but back to your age… Sam said you guys live really long lives and age slowly, but I guess I had no clue you were that much older… I mean you were… Well, hell, there’s no way to say this delicately. I had no clue you were that much older than me.” She stopped and then immediately continued, “Are you the oldest?”

He smiled and shook his head, obviously enjoying her questions. “No, I’m actually one of the youngest you’ve met. As you know, Aidan and I are twins. I was born first, so technically Aidan’s the youngest of our Force.”

Charlie slid back into her seat, deep in thought. One of her favorite quotes from freshman English came to mind, there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Nobody said it better than Shakespeare. It was one thing to have Sam tell her how old they were, it was another thing completely to get the information straight from the horse’s… oops… dragon’s mouth.

Apparently, she was lost in thought, because the next thing she knew Aaron was kneeling next to her chair and asking, “Are you okay? Did I freak you out?”

“No, not at all. Just thinking,” she quickly answered. “You’re gonna have to excuse me. I’m the daughter of a cop and a doctor, so it may take a beat for me to absorb everything.”

“I understand.” He stood and held out his hand. “Will you take a walk with me?”

Taking his hand, Charlie stood. “Sure.”

As they approached the steps leading to the yard, Charlie stopped and pointed at the daisies in the large terra cotta pot. “Did you do that?”

“Guilty.” She enjoyed the shy look of a little boy busted that crossed his face.

When her feet hit the grass, she pointed to the rose bush. “That too?”

“Yep. That too.”

“Thank you,” she chuckled.

He shrugged. “I was trying to think of anything that would make you forgive me and at least speak to me. Did they work?” he asked as they started towards the trail behind Sam’s cottage.

“They are beautiful, but I have to admit that I thought Sam had sent Lance over to plant them as an apology.”

“You were half right,” he responded.

“How did you know I liked daisies?”

“I saw…It was a guess.” He quickly corrected.

“Nope, you don’t get off that easy, dragon man. What were you going to say?”

He sighed and glanced ahead before looking back at her and finally answering. “One of the days when I was at the hospital with Devon while Anya was in a coma, I passed by the nurse’s station. You were there. One of the volunteers was passing out flowers. Her cart was piled high with a variety of blooms, but out of all of them, you leaned down and smelled the daisies. Figured that was important, so I tucked it way.”

Charlie was amazed to think that he’d noticed one insignificant event and even more that he’d remembered it. Something deep inside her heart that had been stirring since they kissed at Devon and Anya’s wedding clicked into place. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but knew it was something she’d have to think about when she had some time alone.

They walked on, talking about anything and everything. She was shocked at how many things they had in common. When they reached the lake, Aaron steered them towards a huge rock, sat down, and pulled her into his lap.

“But…” She started and Aaron interrupted.

“Charlie, I will take every chance I get to have you in my arms. Now, sit here and watch the sunset with me.” He kissed the top of her head and together they watched the sun go down.

On the walk back, Charlie asked, “Wanna stay for supper. There’s not much, but I’m sure I can whip up something.”

He smiled and nodded. “I’d love, too.”

As soon as they reached the cottage, Charlie scoured the refrigerator and the cabinets. “I have two chicken breasts, a jar of Alfredo sauce, some noodles, and the stuff to make a salad. Sound good?”

“Sounds great. Garlic bread?”

“I don’t know, check the freezer,” she answered, grabbing a skillet to sauté the chicken.

Aaron slid in behind her and reached round to lay the garlic bread on the counter, placing a kiss on her cheek before backing away. Charlie took a bowl from the cabinet, handed it to him, and pointed, “The knives are in that drawer. You’ve got salad duty.”

He chuckled as he washed his hands and proceeded to do as she instructed. Almost three hours later, they’d talked, laughed, and eaten. Aaron had even washed the dishes. He’d answered all her questions without hesitation and had even asked a few of his own. So when he got a faraway look in his eye for just a moment and missed what she said, Charlie felt comfortable enough to ask, “Something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” He laid his index finger to his temple and said, “Royce was telling me our meeting was in thirty minutes and I’d better not piss Rayne off.” He snickered, letting Charlie know he regularly pissed off his friends.

Nothing surprising there.

Standing, he once again held out his hand. She laid hers in his without hesitation. They walked to the front door where he proceeded to kiss her to within an inch of her life before pulling back and looking deep into her eyes. “I’ll be back, Dr. Gallagher, and you better be ready.”

It wasn’t until she watched him straddle his Harley and ride off into the darkness that her brain reengaged.

That man is gonna be the death of me…but what a way to go!

She grinned and locked the door.





CHAPTER FOUR

Aaron flew back to the lair, not literally, but definitely figuratively. His Harley roared over hills, took curves like it was on rails, and damn near broke the sound barrier…. and he owed it all to one special woman. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. There’d never been a question that Charlie was attracted to him, especially after their first kiss, but the few stray thoughts he’d been able to pick up from her confirmed she was falling just as hard and fast as he was. Their mating link was growing and as much he’d thought he didn’t want that to happen, he couldn’t be happier.

A few times during the amazing hours they spent together, Aaron pondered telling Charlie she was his mate, but he was just enjoying their time together too much to start an intense conversation. Not to mention, he’d almost lost his head, as well as other important body parts, when he’d had to throw cold water on their passion. He knew he would have to tell her soon or she would see it as another betrayal…one he didn’t think she would get over. It was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.

He smiled, thinking about how pissed she’d gotten. Not something most men did when the woman they wanted to spend forever with was trying to murder them, but then Aaron was no ordinary man, and his mate was no ordinary woman. She had an inner fire and a strength that matched his in every way. Whatever doubts he’d had in the past were wiped away after just a few hours with Dr. Charlene Gallagher. She was his…that’s all there was to it.

Lance’s voice sounded in his head just as he turned into the lair. “Where you at, Bro?”

“Just turning in.” He glanced at his watch. “What’s up? I’m not late, yet.”

“Just making sure you didn’t get…caught up.” He heard the smile in his brethren’s voice and thought about giving him shit, but decided he was in just too good of a mood.

“Oh, I wanted to, but tonight is too important.”

“So everything’s cool with Charlie?”

“Everything’s cool,” Aaron chuckled. “And tell Sam thanks.”

Lance laughed, “Guess you knew she was listening in?”

“I figured as much. It’s all good. I’m pulling in now. See you at the meeting.”

“See ya there, and Aar?”

“Yeah?”

“’Bout time you manned up.” His laughter rang through their link.