Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chloe

"Which one do you like?"

I peered around his dragon's neck, watching the coastline come near as we slowly descended toward it. Ahead of us was a set of docks. Several dozen or more boats of various sizes were moored to them, including more than a handful of larger yacht-sized craft. I'd wondered how we were going to reach our destination because flying in on the back of a dragon definitely wasn't it. Now, I had my answer.

"Does it matter?" I asked. "Are they all yours?"

"Not mine, no," he said, his voice slightly distorted as the wind pulled at it before it reached me all the way at the base of his neck. "They're communal, for all dragon shifters. So, pick one."

"Ummm." I glanced over the ships until my eyes landed on a sleek vessel that was a mix of black and white trim. "That one there, with the black patterning on it. Looks kind of like a stormtrooper."

Silas made a beeline for the craft, and I smiled. He knew what a stormtrooper was, apparently, since he hadn't questioned me on it. That was good because I'd always been a sucker for Star Wars. Princess Leia was kind of a badass. Royal, diplomat, spy, general, wrangler of Han Solo. I admired her a lot.

Maybe I've found my own scoundrel …

The thought came unbidden as I rested my head on Silas' scaled neck, eyes half-lidded, the warm sun beating down on my back. Things were complicated but healing. The two days it'd taken for him to arrange our outing had helped to stabilize us. We hadn't slept together since the fight, but that wasn't going to last.

I resolutely shoved my other thoughts to the back of my head. The ones about what I should do once I was back among humans. The job I'd been sent to do. The mission I'd yet to complete …

When Silas set down at the edge of the docks, I slid from his back. The knife strapped to my side tugged at me with its added weight. A reminder I couldn't escape, threatening to overbalance me if I gave it too much attention. I would have to decide. I couldn't put it off forever. Either I told them what I knew, or—

I cut myself off, yet again trying to shove the stray thoughts back into the box they'd escaped from.

Was I really entertaining the idea of not reporting in?

"Come on," Silas called, waving me out onto the docks toward our vessel. "Let's go, sun and sand and relaxation await!"

"Aye, captain," I called with as grizzled a voice as I could manage. "Yarr, hoist the mizzen and tiptop the whoosewhatsit, fasten the barnacles and avast ye landlubbers!"

Silas paused, staring at me in mock-horror.

"What?"

"You know this is a motor vessel, right?" he asked slowly. "There are no sails, no mizzen to hoist."

I blinked slowly. "Of all the mumbo-jumbo I just said, that's what you choose to focus on?"

He shrugged.

"You're so walking the plank first," I muttered playfully.

"Why am I walking it at all?" he protested. "And what plank?!"

"No gold doubloons for you."

"Doubloons? Who says that?"

We were halfway down the docks, and the walkways were getting narrower. Pausing to let Silas catch up, I stuck my hip out low and hard as he passed. It bumped him right in the knee.

"Now, that's just mean," he pouted as he lost his balance, pirouetting gracefully before plunging into the water.

"Man overboard!" I hollered, and jumped in after him. "I'll save you!"

"I don't need sa—"

"He's not breathing! Starting mouth to mouth!"

Silas' eyes went wide as I wrapped my arms and legs around him, but he caught on fairly quickly and kissed me back hard. His legs slowly treaded water, keeping us both afloat as we renewed our physical acquaintance for the first time in days.

"You know," he said when I came up for air. "You didn't have to push me in if you wanted to make out with me. I would have gladly kissed you on the dock. Then on the boat. In fact, there are a lot of things I would have happily done to you on the boat."

The water was suddenly a few degrees warmer.

"Like what?" I teased playfully, fully aware of what he meant.

"Such as ripping off your bathing suit, bending you over the bow of the ship, and grabbing your hips before I make your entire body shake by slamming deep inside you while anyone going past can watch."

"Oh," I whispered, staring deep into his eyes, seeing the flames of his desire be lit.

"But now I'm all wet, so I guess I can't do that."

I leaned in, arms tight around his neck, and ran my tongue across his ear. "You're not the only one who's wet."

His entire body stiffened, and he leaned in closer, one hand sliding down my back.

At that moment, something in the water nipped at one of my toes.

"Something bit me!" I shouted right into his face, clutching at him wildly, trying to get out of the water.

He grunted in surprise, recoiling backward. His arms were still locked behind me, so I was yanked after him. We overbalanced, and I pitched over his head and into the water face-first.

Splashing and spluttering I made my way to the surface, where Silas was already waiting for me with a grin.

"Get me out of here," I said, trying not to look down. I was supposed to be a fierce, highly trained spy. Unflappable.

But something bit me, and I wanted out. Now.

Silas laughed heartily, snatching me up in one hand, while the other reached up and grabbed the dock. His bicep flexed, and he lifted us both from the water with ease, hoisting me until I was near level with the dock. Scrambling up onto it, I lay there, water dripping away while Silas hauled himself out.

"Oh, no," he said.

My eyes popped open to see him staring down at my feet.

"What is it?"

"It's bad, Chloe. It's really bad. Oh, man, this is horrible."

"It is?"

"Yep. I think we're going to have to take it off."

"Are you serious?"

He nodded. "We should probably just cut it off at the neck. To be certain we get it all."

I flopped back onto the wooden docks, staring at the sky. "Very funny."

Silas chortled to himself. "Come on. Let's get on board. Sun and sand await. I need to see you in a bikini ASAP."

"You've seen me in less," I pointed out.

"It's not the same," he said. "Both are sexy but in totally different ways."

"So, you never need to see me naked again if I just wear a bikini?"

"That is not what I said," he growled. "And if you remember that part where I said I'd rip your bikini off and fuck you over the bow of the ship …"

I licked my lips. "Oh, right."

"Exactly. Now, come on. We've got to get a move on!" He walked away without waiting for me to get up. "And this time, don't trip me. Or the only booty that will plundered today will be yours. By me."

I was halfway to my feet when he made that promise, and I nearly lost my balance. He wanted to fuck my ass?

"Not with that thing, you won't," I said. "Sorry, it's too big."

He shrugged, turning his head over his shoulder. "I guess you'll have to settle for me licking it and filling it with a finger while I play with your clit."

The wicked promise in his voice scattered my thoughts once more. Including the ones about my mission that were trying to assert themselves. Questions I wasn't ready to answer.

Questions I wasn't sure I had an answer for.

My arousal flickered and died.

I had no idea what was I going to do or whether I could live with myself after I chose. Would I feel like I'd done the right thing, or would the guilt already gnawing at my stomach eat me up for the rest of my life?