Sasha (Dragon Isles Book 4)

by Shelley Munro

  Sasha shrugged. “I enjoyed playing with my brothers’ toys. Maybe a book.”

  “A kite,” her dragon said. “I bet she doesn’t have one of those.”

  “Noel and I have been reading a book about a boy who made a kite. Could we buy a kite somewhere plus a copy of the book we’re reading? The book has girls and boys in it.”

  “That might work,” Max said. “It sounds as if Noel would like a kite.”

  “A dragon kite,” Noel said.

  “Perhaps a book about dragons,” Max said. “Funny, I’ve been hearing a lot about dragons lately.”

  “Sasha is a dragon,” Noel said.

  “She is fierce,” Max said, sending her a wink. “Let’s get you in the shower.”

  Max ushered Noel away, leaving Sasha in the kitchen.

  Her dragon climbed her neck to peer after them. “I wonder why we didn’t scare Noel. Most humans fear dragons, even the humans in the village on Perfume Isle. Remember that girl we met at the stream? Her mother wouldn’t let her play with us.”

  “Noel differs from other kids,” Sasha said. “Maybe his differences allow him to accept our variations. Max doesn’t believe Noel saw a dragon, which is for the best. For our safety, we need to blend. I wish we could investigate the barrier more closely, though.”

  “Now that Max is home for a while, we might have an opportunity to sneak outside and fly out to sea,” her dragon said.

  Sasha hesitated before replying, “Part of me wants to do that while the other part of me prefers to stay right here. What if the air is thick again and we can get through? We wouldn’t have any way of returning to Max and Noel.”

  “I understand your fears because mine are similar. Besides, I want us to kiss Max again and maybe do some of those other things we’ve read of in the kissing books.”

  With her thoughts a thousand miles away from choosing something to wear, she picked up the chicken, placed it on a platter, and set it in the refrigerator.

  “Such a handy gadget,” her dragon said, pulling Sasha’s mind away from Max and kissing. “I’d miss the useful, timesaving things they have here on the mainland. Their lives are so different.”

  “Do you not want to return to Perfume Island?”

  “Yes and no,” her dragon said. “That’s not a straightforward question. I miss our family, but the endless social occasions and stupid dragons like Bruceous I can do without. The world here seems richer, and women of our age have more freedom. I could live here, but I’d have to fly. We haven’t done that since we arrived.”

  “I miss flying too.”

  “Sasha, you’re still here,” Max said.

  “Problem?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Max said, walking straight to her. He drew her into his arms and grinned, his blue eyes twinkling. “I haven’t kissed you yet.” With that said, he settled his lips on hers.

  Sasha curled her hands around his biceps and parted her lips, having more of an idea of what to do and what she wished to try this time. He groaned and pulled her closer until her breasts brushed the muscles of his chest. While dragons were casual with their nudity, manners still applied, and they never stared at sexual parts. Max’s man-part—his cock— pushed against her lower body, and Sasha enjoyed the pressure. The kissing books had been enlightening and bolstered the scant information she’d received from her mother and overheard from her brothers. At this moment, everything made sense.

  Max slid his tongue against hers, and her stomach flip-flopped at the intimacy of the action. She enjoyed his touch very much and was eager to try more. Unfortunately, Max pulled away, and Sasha groaned in a muffled protest.

  Max laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “If I keep kissing you, we’ll never get to dinner, and Noel will be most upset. Noel wants to explore the castle grounds since he informs me he goes to the beach most days.” Max sobered. “Sasha, I don’t deserve you. Noel and I appreciate everything you’ve done. The house looks fantastic, both inside and out. I noticed the work you’ve done in the garden and how clean the interior of the house is now. Noel tells me he helps with chores.”

  Pleasure shimmered through Sasha because Max had noticed and genuinely valued her efforts. “I try to teach Noel something new every day. He enjoys doing minor tasks.”

  “You’ve made work into a game for him. He looks so well and is happy. He’s made more friends, and he has a social life. I could tell he was doing well when I spoke to him each night, but seeing him in person—the difference in him is amazing. His room too. Thank you for thinking of giving him a picture of Mum and Dad.”

  “He misses them. I know what it’s like to miss family.”

  Max smiled. “Your family is welcome to visit you here. We have spare rooms if they’d like to stay for a few days.”

  “Thanks for the thought,” Sasha said without further comment.

  “Are you changing? Not that you don’t look incredible in what you’re wearing,” Max said easily. “I’m discarding this suit and putting on a pair of jeans and a casual shirt.”

  Sasha nodded. “I’ll meet you down here in ten minutes.” True to her word, she had a quick shower before changing into a denim skirt, a red T-shirt, and the leather jacket she’d discovered in Max’s mother’s wardrobe. His mother seemed to have kept clothes for years. Sasha didn’t know much of the fashions here, but after asking Justine, The Smart Computer, and checking on what the other mothers were wearing, she’d learned the clothes were perfect. She wore her own sandals, the pair she’d carried from Perfume Island.

  “That was quick,” Max said.

  “I told you ten minutes.”

  “Most women of my acquaintance take much longer to get ready,” Max said. “Mum was always late, and the two women I’ve dated recently were just as bad.”

  “Are you dating anyone now?” Sasha asked. Once the words emerged, she cursed under her breath.

  “No,” Max said, taking her hand in his. “We’re engaged, even if it is a pretense for everyone else. That means there is just you in my life.”

  “Is that why you kissed me?” Sasha loathed being an obligation.

  “Hell no,” Max said without hesitation. “I kissed you because I wanted to. First, I promised you a huge kiss, and believe me, you deserve a lot more than a kiss by way of thanks for everything you’ve done for Noel and for me. Second, I’m attracted to you.” His gaze held hers as he said the words. “Very attracted.”

  Sasha swallowed, feeling uncharacteristically shy. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Are you ready, Noel?”

  “Yes!”

  Max shepherded them out to his vehicle. He opened the rear door, and Sasha watched as he settled Noel in something he called a kiddy seat. Max explained it was a law for children to have this special seat. With Noel seated, he escorted her around to the other side and opened the door for her. She slid inside, uncertain for what to do next.

  Max jumped into the car and pulled a silver handle, which revealed a black strap, and he clicked it into another object.

  “We have one,” her dragon said, her tattoo peeking above the collar of Sasha’s shirt. “We should do the same.”

  Sasha copied Max’s actions and succeeded in not making a fool of herself. Sasha and her dragon had quizzed Justine, The Smart Computer, about these cars, so they knew what would happen next. A throaty roar signaled the machine waking, and in the next minute, they were off.

  “Whee! It’s almost as much fun as flying,” her dragon said.

  “How come you don’t drive?” Max asked.

  “I’ve never learned.” Nor had the need, considering she could fly anywhere she wished to travel.

  “I didn’t think to tell you. There is a bus stop not far from the end of our road. If you and Noel want to travel farther afield and perhaps visit the castle or the shops, you can catch the bus. I’ll leave you some change for the bus fare.”

  “Thank you,” Sasha said, taking a mental note to ask Justine, The Smart Computer, about ca
tching the bus. It sounded like an adventure she’d enjoy.

  “That’s the bus stop there.” Max pointed to a seat with a tiny roof over the top—a shelter of sorts from the elements, Sasha guessed.

  Sasha found lots to study on the drive to the restaurant. Another novelty since food sellers on Perfume Isle rarely had tables and seats for their customers.

  Max parked his car and climbed out. Sasha observed him, so she understood what to do and how to exit. She managed it perfectly while Max helped Noel. Once they were ready, Max took Noel’s hand and held out his other for her.

  She hesitated.

  “I don’t bite,” Max said.

  “The kissing books have a little biting,” Sasha said without thinking. “Some ladies seem to enjoy it.”

  “Kissing books?”

  “The ones with the ladies and men on the front. I’ve been reading them.”

  Max’s brows rose. “I see.”

  Sasha wove her fingers together with Max’s, the physical contact sending a prickle down her arm. Her heart beat a little faster, and her dragon released a tiny gasp. Luckily, it wasn’t loud enough for Max to look askance at her. “Where are we going first?” she asked to distract herself from Max’s touch.

  “Let’s go to the bookstore.” He sent her a grin. “You can purchase more kissing books.”

  Heat collected in her cheeks, and it seeped down to her upper chest and breasts.

  “I want to breathe fire,” her dragon said. “To release the banked heat inside me.”

  “No,” Sasha ordered. “That would out us. Take a deep breath.”

  “It hasn’t helped.”

  “Keep taking deep breaths until you feel calm. We are in a town, which is full of humans. Deep breaths.”

  “Huh,” her dragon said. “Wouldn’t it be easier to kiss Max and get rid of the heat that way?”

  “No! We can’t do that either. It will make the heat worse. Besides, there are humans everywhere. Remember what we learned from the kissing books? Humans do that stuff in private.”

  “Dragons do too. Mostly.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Here is the bookstore,” Max said, and he released her hand to open the door and usher her and Noel inside. “Noel, you can choose one book to take home, but first, we’ll buy something for you to give Tiffany at her party.”

  “Dragons,” Noel said.

  Max laughed. “Let me ask the man at the counter if he has any children’s books featuring dragons.”

  “Wow,” Sasha whispered.

  “I’ve never seen so many books,” her dragon agreed. “Can we can buy a kissing book? We’ve finished all the ones at Max’s house.”

  “We don’t have any human money,” Sasha said.

  The owner of the bookstore showed them the children’s section and pointed out several books featuring dragons, then left them alone.

  “Did you find Mum’s e-reader?” Max asked.

  “I don’t know what an e-reader is,” Sasha said.

  “I’m sure I saw it in the junk drawer in the kitchen,” Max said. “Remind me to look for it when we get home. Mum was a prodigious reader.” He winked at her. “She loved spicy kissing books.”

  Sasha lifted her chin. “What about the birthday gift?”

  “We’ll discuss these kissing books later,” Max murmured.

  In the end, they settled on a coloring book and a box of coloring pencils for Tiffany while they purchased a book on dragon tales for Noel.

  “A kite?” Noel asked.

  “Lucky for you, I know how to make one,” Max said. “Dad helped me to construct a kite when I was ten. We’ll make one tomorrow.”

  Dinner at the restaurant was a novel experience for Sasha. By watching everyone else, she thought she coped well, and Sasha enjoyed the fish and chips, a dish she’d never tried before.

  “What was your favorite thing you did this week, Noel?” Max asked as they ate an ice cream sundae for dessert.

  “Swimming,” Noel said. “In the pool and at the beach. I practice a lot.”

  “You do,” Sasha said.

  “Thank you,” Max mouthed.

  Max paid for their meal, and they walked through the village to get to the castle grounds. Sasha noticed other families ambling in the same direction.

  “Do lots of people visit the castle?” she asked.

  “During the summer, when the evenings are still light. Let me buy an admission ticket for us. Wait here with Sasha,” Max said to Noel.

  It didn’t take long before Max was back with their tickets. They wandered around the gardens, and Sasha enjoyed herself immensely identifying the different flowers and bushes.

  “You like gardens and plants,” Max said.

  Noel ran from flower to flower in front of them while they observed him.

  “Yes, I enjoy gardening,” Sasha said. “I’ve learned everything I know from my grandmother.”

  “My grandmother loved nothing more than to get out into the garden and feel the dirt between her fingers. She grew the most amazing vegetables.”

  “I found the vegetable plot. Noel and I cleared it and planted seeds. He told me he used to help and seemed proficient. He knew where to find the tools and where your mother kept her seeds.”

  Max grasped her hand and turned her so he could study her face. She blinked, uncertain of what he wanted or what he saw when he examined her so intently.

  “You are the most amazing, interesting, and mature-for-your age woman I have ever met, yet you have a playful, passionate side too. And you’re curious about everything.”

  Sasha nibbled her bottom lip while her dragon remained uncharacteristically silent. Sasha swallowed. “Ah, is that bad?”

  “No! Hell, Sasha, you’re amazing. How old did you say you were?”

  “Twenty-one.”

  “How is it that another man hasn’t snapped you up? You’re gorgeous, a hardworker. You’re sincere. Hell, I told myself I wouldn’t do this, but you’re like an itch I can’t get rid of. Our kiss before wasn’t enough.”

  “Did he just insult us?” her dragon asked. “We’re not an itch. That sounds rude.”

  “Remember when Blaze told us men are stupid?”

  “Oh! He’s having a manly moment,” her dragon said.

  “Yes.”

  “He’s going to kiss us again,” her dragon said with excitement. “Pucker up.”

  “Shush,” Sasha muttered. “I need to focus.”

  Max drew her closer, took a second to make sure Noel was okay and kissed her without hesitation. He embraced her and rested his hands on her butt while his lips caressed and teased hers.

  “Is it okay to do this in public?” her dragon murmured once Max had parted their lips and was nuzzling Sash’s jaw and her throat. “Ooh, that feels amazing. Should we have tried this with Bruceous? Maybe it might have changed our mind about a betrothal?”

  “No! No, no, no!” Sasha sent forcibly down their communication link. “Bruceous is a dirty old dragon who pinches young women on the bottom. You know, there was a rumor about him having a mistress. I bet it’s true.”

  “Max? Is that you, Max?” a woman asked from behind Sasha.

  Max tensed a fraction before loosening his grip on Sasha and turning to face the new arrival.

  The woman was beautiful with long blonde hair that fell in a tangle of curls around her shoulders. She was slim and wore a dress that came to her mid-thigh teamed with leather sandals with a low heel. Right now, her blue eyes held pain, and after a glance at their entwined fingers, she averted her gaze to focus on Max.

  “Jennifer,” he said. “How are you?”

  “I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from you,” the blonde woman said. “I thought it was because you had a lot going on with caring for your brother and starting a new job nearer to your home.”

  Sasha frowned at the underlying hurt in the woman’s voice, the same pain she’d shown on seeing the physical contact between Sasha and Max, and studied her more cl
osely.

  “An ex-girlfriend?” her dragon asked.

  Sasha didn’t reply since she was concentrating on forcing down the wave of jealousy wafting from her dragon. The truth was she suffered from the same sense of envy and had to work hard to suppress it.

  “Jennifer, I rang and left a message with your father when you were unavailable,” Max said in an even tone. “I explained to him about Noel and needing to care for my brother. Your father promised to pass on my message.”

  “He didn’t,” Jennifer said, her tone a trifle bitter “Now I understand you’re engaged. That was quick work.”

  “How did you—”

  “Your grandmother belongs to the same Women’s Institute group as my mother. I thought I’d investigate myself and go for a walk to sort out what I would say to you first. I was thinking about you, and suddenly there you were.” Jennifer seemed to have gained in confidence, and she raked Sasha with a stern glare. “Isn’t she a bit young for you?”

  Sasha decided to bail Max out. She thrust out her hand and waited for Jennifer’s manners to kick in. “Hi, I’m Sasha. I’m sorry you’re upset, but I’ve known Max for a while. We argued during our last meeting, but I decided I was stupid. We’ve been in constant contact for some time and realized that we’re better together than apart. I might look younger, but Max isn’t much older than me. My mother always said I had a wise head on young shoulders. We have a lot in common. For instance, we both adore Noel.” Sasha shot her a direct look when Jennifer failed to accept the handshake of peace. Sasha let her hand drop to her side. “I get the feeling your father failed to pass on Max’s message because he wants nothing to do with a child who some consider imperfect?”

  Heat seeped into Jennifer’s cheeks. “He was wrong to withhold the message, and I apologize for his attitude. I should’ve contacted you earlier, Max, instead of listening to my girlfriends and giving you space. You’re a wonderful man.” She turned to Sasha. “Congratulations on your engagement. I hope you’ll both be happy.”

  “Let me give you a few moments alone,” Sasha said. “Noel has questions about the fish pond he’s peering into so intently.” Sasha forced her legs to move in Noel’s direction.