didn’t budge. “You’re staying here, even if I have to tie you up to make sure of it.”
“When did you develop this kinky streak? You aren’t in charge of me, bub. I can do what I want when I want and there’s nothing— Hey!” Lois screeched when he hoisted her up and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and pounded on his back. “Put me down!”
He carried her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. Xan stood in the entrance, more rigid and solid than any door. “If you try to take them on, they will eat you and spit out your bones. I will not allow you to foolishly risk your life.”
Lois propped herself up on her hands. “So I should just let you go off and foolishly risk your life?”
The way she looked with her hair mussed and legs sprawled called to life a desire he hadn’t felt since his teen years. No, this was something much more. It burned furious and hot, and it was only for one woman. He was suddenly not so comfortable in his jeans.
“I’ve trained my whole life for this. I am a warrior. You aren’t.” Though he found the voice to respond, it was roughened by his arousal.
But he was wrong.
“I don’t care. I’m not going to sit around when I can do something.” She was a warrior. “I’m going to go with or without you. It’s your decision.”
“I’ll lock you in here.”
“No, you won’t.”
“I will.” Xan took a step back, making room to shut the door.
“No, you won’t.” Lois’ lips thinned with her smile. “You rescue princesses. You don’t lock them up. So stop pretending. You’re not a very good actor.” She slipped off the bed and boldly strolled out of the bedroom by ducking under his arm. A smirk on her face the whole time. “We need to work out a plan, but maybe you ought to have a cold shower first. You’re about to burst out of those pants.”
----
CHAPTER 9
“We’ve been watching the gates for hours. Why don’t we just drive up? I’ll say I’m with the paper and you’re my photographer. They can check me out. It’ll be true, and they won’t know who you are anyway.” Lois was surrounded by five empty Grande coffee cups, a can of half-eaten Pringles, and a bag of untouched grapes. The fruit was the stake-out snack he’d brought.
“I watched the Governor’s estate for months trying to figure out the best way to get in. Security is tight and they always check everyone coming in thoroughly. No one gets in without an invitation, and since you weren’t invited … .” Xan lifted his night vision binoculars and surveyed the grounds again. Nothing. Not even a squirrel.
“It’s the middle of the night. The guard is probably sleeping in the booth.” Lois sighed, squirming in her seat.
“He’s not sleeping. In four minutes, he’ll come out and check the front gate as he has a cigarette. They run on a rigid schedule.” Xan checked his watch again and nodded once. There was no easy way to do it. He’d have to break in one way or another, and the dragon would know he was coming.
“Well, how about this? The guard comes out for his cigarette and a beautiful woman just happens by. She’s a little tipsy and lost. Someone stole her purse so she doesn’t have her cell. She flashes some leg and asks to use his phone. He opens the gate and POW! You come out of nowhere and you’re in.”
“You’re not going in.” Xan stated in a hard tone. “I can do the same act. Without flashing some leg.”
Lois snorted as she laughed. “Yeah, right. Your acting skills suck. And besides, who would believe a big guy like you got his wallet stolen? Seriously, I’ve done stuff like this before. It’s a piece of cake.”
She opened the door and was out before he could protest again. Xan growled and pushed his door, stepping out. He was ready to shove her back inside again, but peeked at his watch once more. Time was of the essence.
He rounded the car and laid a hand on the roof as he whispered to her. “You wait in the car. If you see
“When did you develop this kinky streak? You aren’t in charge of me, bub. I can do what I want when I want and there’s nothing— Hey!” Lois screeched when he hoisted her up and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and pounded on his back. “Put me down!”
He carried her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. Xan stood in the entrance, more rigid and solid than any door. “If you try to take them on, they will eat you and spit out your bones. I will not allow you to foolishly risk your life.”
Lois propped herself up on her hands. “So I should just let you go off and foolishly risk your life?”
The way she looked with her hair mussed and legs sprawled called to life a desire he hadn’t felt since his teen years. No, this was something much more. It burned furious and hot, and it was only for one woman. He was suddenly not so comfortable in his jeans.
“I’ve trained my whole life for this. I am a warrior. You aren’t.” Though he found the voice to respond, it was roughened by his arousal.
But he was wrong.
“I don’t care. I’m not going to sit around when I can do something.” She was a warrior. “I’m going to go with or without you. It’s your decision.”
“I’ll lock you in here.”
“No, you won’t.”
“I will.” Xan took a step back, making room to shut the door.
“No, you won’t.” Lois’ lips thinned with her smile. “You rescue princesses. You don’t lock them up. So stop pretending. You’re not a very good actor.” She slipped off the bed and boldly strolled out of the bedroom by ducking under his arm. A smirk on her face the whole time. “We need to work out a plan, but maybe you ought to have a cold shower first. You’re about to burst out of those pants.”
----
CHAPTER 9
“We’ve been watching the gates for hours. Why don’t we just drive up? I’ll say I’m with the paper and you’re my photographer. They can check me out. It’ll be true, and they won’t know who you are anyway.” Lois was surrounded by five empty Grande coffee cups, a can of half-eaten Pringles, and a bag of untouched grapes. The fruit was the stake-out snack he’d brought.
“I watched the Governor’s estate for months trying to figure out the best way to get in. Security is tight and they always check everyone coming in thoroughly. No one gets in without an invitation, and since you weren’t invited … .” Xan lifted his night vision binoculars and surveyed the grounds again. Nothing. Not even a squirrel.
“It’s the middle of the night. The guard is probably sleeping in the booth.” Lois sighed, squirming in her seat.
“He’s not sleeping. In four minutes, he’ll come out and check the front gate as he has a cigarette. They run on a rigid schedule.” Xan checked his watch again and nodded once. There was no easy way to do it. He’d have to break in one way or another, and the dragon would know he was coming.
“Well, how about this? The guard comes out for his cigarette and a beautiful woman just happens by. She’s a little tipsy and lost. Someone stole her purse so she doesn’t have her cell. She flashes some leg and asks to use his phone. He opens the gate and POW! You come out of nowhere and you’re in.”
“You’re not going in.” Xan stated in a hard tone. “I can do the same act. Without flashing some leg.”
Lois snorted as she laughed. “Yeah, right. Your acting skills suck. And besides, who would believe a big guy like you got his wallet stolen? Seriously, I’ve done stuff like this before. It’s a piece of cake.”
She opened the door and was out before he could protest again. Xan growled and pushed his door, stepping out. He was ready to shove her back inside again, but peeked at his watch once more. Time was of the essence.
He rounded the car and laid a hand on the roof as he whispered to her. “You wait in the car. If you see
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