Read Ever Mine (Dragon Lore) for Free Online Page B

down. No one is going to hurt you. I won’t allow it.”
    Katenia’s heart swelled in her chest as his large, strong hand wrapped firmly around hers. “I don’t understand you,” she finally admitted.
    “Yeah, well, don’t feel too bad about it,” he sighed as he glanced at her. “I don’t understand myself at the moment.”
    “But, why would you joke about cutting off someone’s hand? Is removing a limb amusing for humans?”
    “No.” His brow furrowed, and after a moment, he shook his head. “It’s a figure of—never mind. I’m sorry for scaring you.” He jerked his chin toward the front window. “We’re here.”
    She glanced to where he’d gestured, only to sit up straight as they wound through the most beautiful, spectacular garden she could ever imagine. Everywhere she looked was a riot of color; every hue of the rainbow could be seen. The flowers and plants all ran together in what looked like a messy, haphazard way, but it only took her a few minutes to realize the quiet ingenious behind the randomness. She leaned forward, excitement and hope building inside of her, her hand gripping Nathan’s.
    He glanced at her. “What is it?”
    “Each garden is designed for a specific type of fairy, or pixie—they’re kind of like fairies, only bigger and more mischievous. That’s a water sprite’s garden there, and the one with the sunflowers is the sky fairy.”
    His brow winged up. “Sky fairy?”
    She bobbed her head as she smiled. “Yes. I am an earth fairy from the Lillie Valley. We primarily live in lilies, or compatible plants and trees. The sky fairies like to be in the air, so they sleep in sunflowers.”
    * * * *
    Nathan breathed a sigh of relief as he listened to her talk. It meant his aunt knew exactly where Katenia had come from, and that was half the battle.
    But like the bastard he was, her excitement wasn’t contagious. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet. She infuriated him, challenged him and confused him with every word that came out of her perfect mouth, but he’d felt more alive in the last couple of hours than he had in years. He’d had a gaping hole inside of him since he’d been a teenager, where his emotions should have been. It was as if Katenia had shown up and had finally given him life. A need to do more than stumble through life like the walking dead.
    Forcing a smile he didn’t feel, he pulled his car up in front of his aunt’s sprawling Victorian mansion, noticing that it needed a fresh coat of paint, new stairs and new balconies. He sent her money every month to pay for the upkeep of this elephant, but she insisted on putting every penny of it into her gardens, saying month after month that one day, he would thank her for it.
    He snorted. Not likely. And he doubted she was going to be thrilled with him, either, once he accused her of kidnapping.
    Reaching into the backseat, he grabbed Katenia’s plant and slid out, walking around the car to help her to her feet. He was already braced when she stood up, her amazing body brushing against his as she leaned into his side, steadying herself. “You okay?” he asked, searching her eyes. “I’m sorry for being an ass.”
    Her brow screwed up in confusion, and her freckled nose wrinkled. “I don’t understand. When were you a donkey?”
    He laughed, he couldn’t help it. “No, ass means asshole.” When she continued to give him a blank look, he grinned. “Jerk? Bastard?”
    “Oh!” she said, relief flashing over her face, before she frowned. “Why would you apologize for being born to an unwed mother?”
    “I wasn’t—never mind.” He crooked his fingers under her chin, lifting her face to his. A mistake. She had the most kissable mouth he’d ever seen, and he could lose his soul in her eyes. Instead, to prove to himself he could do it without screwing up again, he leaned down and brushed his lips gently over hers. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”
    Her lips parted on a soft gasp, and to his