“No,” she snorted, but Druze had told her that he was attracted to her. She’d pushed the notion aside because it didn’t seem like it at all. Maybe she had missed the subtle hints.
“He doesn’t check out those she-dragons in that way. It’s actually quite hilarious. He does it when you’re really busy.” His eyes widened as he remembered something. “Like the other day when you were repacking the storage cupboard. Craig chuckled. “You were in and out of that cupboard, bending over, reaching up. You got hot and took off your lab coat.” He chuckled harder. “Druze didn’t get much work done during the hour or while so you were busy. I even…” He stopped and smiled slyly.
“What?”
“No, I probably shouldn’t say. He is our boss after all.”
“Don’t be a dick, Craig. Spill!”
He laughed. “Okay, okay. You did a lot of bending over and you wore the tight black pants he likes.”
“What do you mean ‘he likes’?” Her voice was a touch shrill.
“He looks at your ass all the time when you’re in those babies. He looks at your ass when you’re not in them as well, he just looks more when you wear that particular pair of pants.”
How had she not noticed that?
“Anyway,” Craig went on, “you were in those tight numbers that day, and I swear I caught him repositioning his cock.”
“What?” She covered her mouth, laughing. “Come on, Craig. Stop talking such nonsense.”
“I’m not! He has it bad for you. I’m telling you, wear those pants and pay a little attention. You’ll soon see.”
“I won’t do that!”
“You’re such a bore, Britt. Live a little. What harm could it do?”
She pushed out a breath. “I’m attracted to Druze. I’ll admit it, but he’s got so much…baggage. Something or someone hurt him really badly. He’s definitely not in a good place.” Britt suspected that he wasn’t a bad guy even though he could act like an ass sometimes.
“Who said anything about a relationship? You definitely can’t start a relationship with your boss. I agree on that note.”
“You’re talking about sex.”
“A good, old-fashioned roll in the hay.”
“Stop it, Craig!” She shook her head. “Work and…casual sex are never a good combination. It would make things even more…awkward than they already are.”
“I swear, have sex with him once. Just once, though.” He widened his eyes. “Get it done and out of the way.” He swiped his hands together like he was dusting them off. “Then move on. Trust me, otherwise this thing between you is going to get worse and worse until it blows up.”
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“Nothing? Ha!” he chuckled. “The looks the two of you give one another are liable to set something alight one of these days.”
Was it really that bad? She’d never noticed him looking at her in the way Craig had said. Maybe she did need to put on her black pants and pay actual attention. Then again, she could do one better. She just needed to find enough courage to actually go ahead with it.
“How is your research coming along?” She pointed at the shell fragments on his desk.
“Not great.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s almost impossible. Like we’re shooting in the dark.”
They’d hoped to bring in a pathologist and to exhume some of the Feral females who had passed away. As it turned out, the Feral cremated their dead, so that was a dead-end as well.
“And so far, our current pregnancies are progressing normally. There are no abnormalities…as far as I can tell.” She frowned, feeling a touch frustrated.
“We’ll keep working on it.”
Brittney nodded, refocusing on the work in front of her. “Let’s do that.” She needed to stop thinking about Druze. The whole ‘wear a sexy outfit’ thing was stupid. It didn’t matter even if Druze was checking her out. It wasn’t like either of them was ever going to act on their attraction anyway.
Chapter 15
Four days later…
Britt pulled down on the hem of her dress. What had she been thinking? This was stupid and crazy and just plain wrong. Why had Craig told her all that stuff about Druze looking at her in a certain way? Why? She’d been paying attention since then and hadn’t seen him look even once. Not like that, at any rate.
Now she’d gone and put this dress on. Her conference dress. It was business attire, but it was sexier than what she normally wore to work. The hem came to just above the knee. It was tight, red, with a black belt just below her breasts. The shape of the garment was designed to make her boobs look bigger and the rest of her look slimmer. It worked really well. With a high neckline, it didn’t reveal anything and had a definite business feel, even though it was sexy. It also made her feel stupid for wearing it to the laboratory. What was she trying to prove?
Britt looked at her watch. If she hurried, she could make it back to her apartment to change, and then back again. She might be one or two minutes late for work, but it would be worth it. Decision made! She did a turn on her heel and walked straight into a solid wall of muscle. She put her hands out to keep from bashing into the wall. They landed, splayed on a warm chest and smooth skin. A silver tattoo glinted. One she recognized. Oh shit!
Britt quickly snatched her hands away and took a step back when she realized it was Druze.
“Careful, Dr. Baker.” He looked stern. Two hard lines ran vertically between his eyes.
“Um…sorry.”
“Where are you going?” His frown eased a fraction. “Is everything okay?”
“I just needed to…I um…it can wait. It isn’t important.” She couldn’t very well change anymore. It was too late for that.
Druze looked at his watch. He raised his brows. “We need to get to work, so, if it can wait, then I would suggest you take care of whatever it is later.”
“Yeah…absolutely.” She nodded like a mad thing and forced herself to stop.
“Don’t forget, we’re meeting at nine to discuss possible causes for clutch sickness. Each of you needs to table three possibilities.”
“I know. I have some theories ready.” As Craig had said the other day, it still felt like they were shooting in the dark, but they had to keep going.
“Good,” Druze said. “Vicky will be here this afternoon for her check-up.”
She hoped that something would show up on the tests to give them a clue as to what was going on. “I have it in my calendar.”
“Let’s get going then.” He gestured to the door.
Britt walked ahead. She glanced his way as she turned to head through the already open door and caught a look in Druze’s eyes, which were on her body. He was checking her out.
Just then, some guys walked past. “Hi, Dr. Baker,” they said almost in unison.
“Hi.” She waved, smiling.
“That’s a great dress,” Guy Number 1 said.
“An amazing dress, it brings out your eyes,” Guy Number 2 added. Funny how he stared at her chest while he said it.
She bit down on her lip to stop from laughing. They were young and…starved for women. “Thanks.”
Druze growled low, reminding her of how Stone had growled at the guys when Cordia had been in the clinic for an examination. It was a warning. It was scary sounding.
The guys quickly moved off, heads bowed in submission.
She looked back at Druze, who looked angry. His eyes were stormy. They were narrowed on her.
“What is it?”
“That dress.” He let his gaze drift down her body. It caused things to tighten and pucker.
“What about it?”
“I’m not sure it’s appropriate.”
“Come on!” She felt irritation rise. “This is business attire. I wear it back home quite regularly. The hem is on the knee and the neckline is high.” She ran her finger along the upper edge.
“It is also tight and…” his eyes moved down to her chest, “it makes
your breasts look even more plump. It might give the males the wrong idea.”
“That would be their problem,” she countered. “Not mine! Next thing you’ll tell me to wear a hessian sack, or to put a bag over my head. Or both.”
His muscles eased, looking far less tense. His jaw too. The look in his eyes softened. “You’re right. I worry. That’s all!”
“Will someone hoist me over their shoulder and carry me off?”
His mouth twitched. “Nothing like that. I don’t want to have to fire you, Dr. Baker, you’re doing good work. Our males can be persuasive.”
“Maybe you should give me a little credit here.” She looked him straight in the eyes.
His jaw tightened. It took several long seconds before he finally nodded. “You are right. I should not have said anything. It’s just that…well…you look…good.” His voice was deep; goosebumps rose up on her arms.
“Thank you, Doctor.” Her heart beat wildly against her chest.
His whole body seemed to grow and bristle. His hands closed into tight fists at his sides. For a moment it seemed like he might do something.
In the end, he said, “Let’s get to work, Dr. Baker.” His voice was deep and gruff. His eyes were intense. “I’m sure some of the theories have changed since we found out about the stalled labor.”
“It certainly makes a difference when coming up with likely causes of clutch sickness.” Her voice was a little shrill. Her mind worked furiously, but unfortunately, her thoughts were not purely work-related as they should be.
“Shall we head inside, doctor?” Druze urged, his voice still deep.
She swallowed thickly. “Of course.” Then she turned and headed into the lab, a lump in her throat. She could feel his eyes on her the whole time. Druze was checking her out again. She just knew it. Shit! Craig had been right. Not about them sleeping together but about everything else. They could not have sex. Not ever!
Chapter 16
Five days later…
He was fucked if he could get her off his mind. Completely fucked! Her smile. Her frown. The way her hair escaped from her bun by the end of the day. The way she got little frown lines across her forehead when she was trying to concentrate on something. The way she sucked on the end of her pen when she was deep in thought.
That fucked him up.
It fucked him up royally.
That, and the red dress. The way she had looked. The way she looked every day. What was it she had said? A sack and a bag over her head. Hell, she’d look good any which way. Her ass, her breasts. Her! That fucking dress. He’d wanted so badly to put her over her desk and to…
Stop!
What the fuck was he doing?
What was he thinking?
Again!
It seriously needed to stop.
It might be his day off, his one day a week to unwind, but here he was pacing in his chamber. Up and down. Up and down.
He pushed out a breath, sounding as frustrated as he felt. There was a team going out soon on a patrol. Maybe he could join them. Burn off some energy.
Yes!
He needed an outlet. Druze felt wound up in knots. They seemed to tighten more and more by the day. It was driving him insane. Exercise. The outdoors. It would help. It had to!
Druze half slammed the door behind him, walking fast. It didn’t take him long to reach the main balcony.
There were a couple of males arguing. The one pushed the other. “I saw her first,” he growled. “I get to approach her. I get to—”
“Fuck you!” the other countered, shoving back. “I’m stronger. I can take you! I get a chance at her first!”
“Screw both of you.” A third approached. “I am—”
“What the hell is going on?” Druze asked a male close to him as fists began to fly. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the area.
“It’s the human female.” The male looked excited, his eyes darted from Druze to the fighting males and then back again.
“What about her?” Druze snarled. What the hell had Britt done now? Another sexy dress? Had she forgotten to take her contraceptives? He didn’t think so, she hadn’t scented any different the day before. Then again, he thought she always scented fucking amazing. Maybe he’d had his head too far up his own ass to notice any subtle changes. Maybe she had forgotten her contraceptive and was going into heat. That would do it.
“She’s sunbathing.” The younger male bobbed his brows.
That would do it too!
“I’m planning a fly-by myself. I’ve been told she looks amazing in a bikini. Her…” He put his hands in front of his chest as he spoke, like he was holding invisible coconuts. Druze knew exactly what the male was picturing when he did so. Knew what he was about to say. Druze felt everything in him tighten as his blood boiled.
He shifted in less than a second with a loud snarl.
Was in the air in another half a second, flying so hard he was sure he might hurt himself. He was out in front of her apartment in no time.
Fuck! He hovered for a second as he caught sight of her. Her hair was down, fanned above her head on the towel she lay on. She wore sunglasses and the tiniest green bikini he had ever seen. Green. His new favorite color. Her pussy was barely covered. Her tits. Fuck! It was one of those bikinis where the parts that covered the beasts were triangles. They weren’t very big compared to her voluptuous anatomy. The material was thin. No wonder the males were fighting. Didn’t Brittney…Dr. Baker realize they could see her as they flew by? She obviously didn’t realize that they would fight over her. Fists and claws. Then again, maybe she knew. Maybe she was completely aware. Maybe it was something she was banking on. The thought was maddening. One thing was for sure, if he didn’t get her to safety, she would be bombarded. Druze roared as he dive-bombed for her balcony.
He landed and shifted. Adrenaline coursed through him. It made him breathe heavily, even though he had barely exerted himself.
Dr. Baker jumped up; her tits gave this glorious bounce. The thin straps on her bikini doing sweet little to hold everything in place. Her face was a mask of confusion. “What? Why?” She frowned, shocked and bewildered.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he exploded, unable to keep his anger in.
“Excuse me?” She shook her head, still frowning heavily. “Maybe I should ask you the same. It’s my day off…” She licked her lips, her gaze wandering down his body. Her glasses did shit to hide where she was looking, namely at his dick. They snapped back to his face but not before she’d swallowed thickly. Not before he became enveloped in her sweet scent of arousal. “I’m minding my own business. In my own apartment.”
“If you’d been in your apartment it wouldn’t be an issue. But you weren’t and so it is.” He growled, glancing over his shoulder, expecting to see a whole horde of males descending on them. He wouldn’t be able to blame them either. She looked that fucking good. Her cheeks were slightly rosy from the sun. Her hair cascaded down her back in thick, dark locks. In short, she was breathtaking.
There were no males…yet. There would be when they were done fighting over her. It wouldn’t be long.
“What are you talking about? Why are you here? You can’t just drop in like this.” She put her hands on her hips and thrust her chest out.
Fucking hell!
He was just a male. A weak male at that. She was killing him. He could make out her nipples through the thin fabric.
His balls pulled tight. He needed to get her inside and then he needed to get the fuck out of there. “You’re practically naked, Dr. Baker. Do you realize that?” He allowed himself to glance down one more time. Big fucking mistake. It took effort to pull his gaze from her sensual body.
“Duh, Doctor, I’m sunbathing, so yeah, I realized. It would be kind of hard with my clothes on. Like I said, I’m in the privacy of my apartment.”
“You’re not in anything. You’re out here.” He gestured around them. “The males can see you. You should hear what they are saying.
”
“I don’t give a shit!”
“Well, you should.”
“No, I shouldn’t. They can all go to hell! I’m—” She yelped when he picked her up.
Unfortunately, that meant pulling her up against him as he walked. All of her lushness mashed up against him. Druze was going to ignore the hell out of that fact. Just like he was going to ignore her amazing scent. It dripped with arousal. So sweet yet spicy. Utterly intoxicating. His mouth watered. He needed to get her inside stat because she wasn’t listening to reason. It needed to happen before those males descended on them.
Druze walked fast, slamming the door behind them. Dr. Baker fought, trying to tear herself free. “Let me go!” She writhed against him. Her nipples felt hard against his chest, just a thin scrap of fabric between them.
Fuck!
He stopped moving and so did she. Dr. Baker gasped when she realized that all that hardness pressing against her belly was his cock. His fully engorged, throbbing member. His balls hurt they were so tight. His breathing came in ragged pants, as did hers. Their eyes were locked. Hers were stormy and yet…filled with need. Her hair was tousled. He eased his grip on her and she slowly slid down his front, her hands on his shoulders. Dr. Baker whimpered.
“Fuck it!” he growled, picking her back up. He held onto her hips, his fingers denting her soft flesh.
Druze covered her mouth with his, tasting her sweet lips. Devouring them. She moaned into his mouth, threading her hands around his neck. He walked them to the bed, which was in the center of the room. He broke the kiss for a second as he put her on the bed, covering her with his body. She was panting, her eyes hazy with desire. “I’m not nice, Dr. Baker. Or sweet, or any of those other things.”
She nodded, reaching up to kiss him.
Druze should stop this, but he couldn’t. Instead, he growled again as he returned her kiss, it was hard and messy. It was exactly right. He tore at her bikini bottoms, loving the sound the material made as it ripped from her body. “Legs around me,” he barked.
Doctor Dragon: Earth Dragons Series: Book 6 Page 10
