Read Online Heart of the Dragon by Deborah Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Deborah Smith
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“It’s only six!”
“I’ll be up in five minutes. We have a lot to do. A lot to learn about each other, isn’t that right?”
“Umm, the first thing you should know is that the last time I willingly got out of bed this early, I was having my diapers changed.”
“Well, if you insist, I’ll bring the talcum powder and—”
“Don’t expect me to speak or walk normally for hours.”
“This is somehow different from last night?”
“Santelli, it’s not nice to make fun of a person who’s still asleep.”
“You’re probably smiling. It seems to me that your natural inclination is to smile often and for no apparent reason.”
She frowned at the easy way he found her strings and pulled them. “Try it sometime. You might learn something nice about the world.”
“I’ll settle for learning more about you.”
“Just more, not something nice? I am a nice person, Girl Scout material, honest, kind, brave, and trustworthy. I swear. My half sister will like me. So introduce us, hmmm?”
“It’s only one minute after six, and she’s already starting,” he said ruefully. To her he ordered, “Turn in that merit badge for patience.”
“I bet you were never a Scout.”
“Noooh,” he agreed, with a grim edge to his voice. “Not even close. I was busy stealing, fighting, and trying to stay alive.”
She made a soft, startled sound. Before she could think of anything to say, he added brusquely, “Put a robe over your cookies, Miss Scout. I’m on my way upstairs.”
Rebecca felt a little stunned as she hung up the phone. A second later she was staggering around, remembering that she’d sent her skirt and blouse to be laundered, that she had no hairbrush, makeup, toothbrush, or a gun to threaten Kash with for arriving so early and putting her in this addled condition.
When she opened the door to him, she looked up stoically into his freshly shaved face, then down slowly at his handsome chest, covered in a soft blue pullover. Cream-colored trousers encased his long legs, ending at soft gray walking shoes. Today he was as sporty as any tourist, but with this exotic, self-composed tower of masculinity,
sporty
was a panther wearing a house cat’s collar. Her heart hammered in her throat. Under the curling black lashes his dark eyes examined her intently, and the look on his face was more serious than she’d expected.
“I couldn’t comb my hair,” she mumbled, gesturing vaguely. She hugged her robe tighter over her bare chest. “I have no clothes. I have underwear, but that’s all, except for the robe, of course. I sent my clothes out.”
She felt each nerve ending come alive at the thought that the glance he flicked down her body meant he was thinking what she thought he was thinking.
“I hate to spoil this enticing view, but I brought you something to wear,” he said finally. His tone was neutral, but she knew he must be joking. The only enticing view at the moment was
him
, and he probably realized that she was captivated by the sight. He lifted an expensive and new-looking leather tote. “For you. Inside is an outfit for you to wear while we shop for more. And a hairbrush. And various other items I assumed most women would want. Oh, and a bottle of perfume. A cinnamon fragrance. I hope it makes you feel secure and, hmmm,
homey
.” He said the last word as if it were foreign to him, and slightly suspect.
Rebecca shot him a rebuking look. “You still think of me as a silly cinnamon bun?”
“Now, now, I wasn’t trying to insult you last night. I happen to like perfumes that make me think of eating. ” He scanned her flushed face and arched a brow mischievously. “You really want to smile. I think you would if you weren’t convinced I’m making fun of you.”
“You are.”
“But not in the way you think. I’ve never met anyone like you before. Not anyone from Iowa, not anyone so
gosh-darned
cheerful. I enjoy ruffling your corn silk. But as I said last night, I like you just
“I’ll be up in five minutes. We have a lot to do. A lot to learn about each other, isn’t that right?”
“Umm, the first thing you should know is that the last time I willingly got out of bed this early, I was having my diapers changed.”
“Well, if you insist, I’ll bring the talcum powder and—”
“Don’t expect me to speak or walk normally for hours.”
“This is somehow different from last night?”
“Santelli, it’s not nice to make fun of a person who’s still asleep.”
“You’re probably smiling. It seems to me that your natural inclination is to smile often and for no apparent reason.”
She frowned at the easy way he found her strings and pulled them. “Try it sometime. You might learn something nice about the world.”
“I’ll settle for learning more about you.”
“Just more, not something nice? I am a nice person, Girl Scout material, honest, kind, brave, and trustworthy. I swear. My half sister will like me. So introduce us, hmmm?”
“It’s only one minute after six, and she’s already starting,” he said ruefully. To her he ordered, “Turn in that merit badge for patience.”
“I bet you were never a Scout.”
“Noooh,” he agreed, with a grim edge to his voice. “Not even close. I was busy stealing, fighting, and trying to stay alive.”
She made a soft, startled sound. Before she could think of anything to say, he added brusquely, “Put a robe over your cookies, Miss Scout. I’m on my way upstairs.”
Rebecca felt a little stunned as she hung up the phone. A second later she was staggering around, remembering that she’d sent her skirt and blouse to be laundered, that she had no hairbrush, makeup, toothbrush, or a gun to threaten Kash with for arriving so early and putting her in this addled condition.
When she opened the door to him, she looked up stoically into his freshly shaved face, then down slowly at his handsome chest, covered in a soft blue pullover. Cream-colored trousers encased his long legs, ending at soft gray walking shoes. Today he was as sporty as any tourist, but with this exotic, self-composed tower of masculinity,
sporty
was a panther wearing a house cat’s collar. Her heart hammered in her throat. Under the curling black lashes his dark eyes examined her intently, and the look on his face was more serious than she’d expected.
“I couldn’t comb my hair,” she mumbled, gesturing vaguely. She hugged her robe tighter over her bare chest. “I have no clothes. I have underwear, but that’s all, except for the robe, of course. I sent my clothes out.”
She felt each nerve ending come alive at the thought that the glance he flicked down her body meant he was thinking what she thought he was thinking.
“I hate to spoil this enticing view, but I brought you something to wear,” he said finally. His tone was neutral, but she knew he must be joking. The only enticing view at the moment was
him
, and he probably realized that she was captivated by the sight. He lifted an expensive and new-looking leather tote. “For you. Inside is an outfit for you to wear while we shop for more. And a hairbrush. And various other items I assumed most women would want. Oh, and a bottle of perfume. A cinnamon fragrance. I hope it makes you feel secure and, hmmm,
homey
.” He said the last word as if it were foreign to him, and slightly suspect.
Rebecca shot him a rebuking look. “You still think of me as a silly cinnamon bun?”
“Now, now, I wasn’t trying to insult you last night. I happen to like perfumes that make me think of eating. ” He scanned her flushed face and arched a brow mischievously. “You really want to smile. I think you would if you weren’t convinced I’m making fun of you.”
“You are.”
“But not in the way you think. I’ve never met anyone like you before. Not anyone from Iowa, not anyone so
gosh-darned
cheerful. I enjoy ruffling your corn silk. But as I said last night, I like you just
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