Dragon Heat 1 - Dead Sexy Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page A

dangerous. Cora wasn’t
    the girl for him. The rules of the Brotherhood of the Green
    Hide were painfully clear. Other dragons in the general
    population might stray across species lines but it wasn’t
    allowed among the Brothers. The very act that had made
    the Brotherhood necessary and that had put the Knights of
    St. George on the hunt for them had been caused by a
    human woman and a dragon. It simply wasn’t done.
    Even if Stig’s blood oath to the Brotherhood hadn’t
    stood in his way, Cora belonged to another world and
    deserved things he could never give her. To protect her
    from the danger that always surrounded him, he should
    send her away. His dragon was already sniffing around
    and trespassing into her dreams. It was only going to get
    worse.
    Unfortunately, a very real threat to her existed outside
    the safety of his home. Until it was sorted out, he had to
    keep her close.
    “You can stay until we sort this out.” Stig rose quickly
    and cleaned off his plate. “You’ll be safe here.”
    Cora stood and caught his hand as he turned to leave.
    Her touch branded him and sent electric arcs up his arm
    and across his chest. His breath arrested in his lungs as
    Cora slid her arms around him and hugged him. Stig didn’t
    know what to do. His arms dangled uselessly at his sides.
    Her curvaceous body pressed against him in all the wrong
    —and right—places. He could so easily cup her cheek and
    tilt back her head, finally claim that pink pout for his own.
    Arms still around his waist, Cora smiled up at him.
    “Thank you, Stig.”
    “Anything for Hector’s sister.” He quickly pecked her
    forehead and stepped back. “I’ll be in the shop if you need
    me.”
    Lips on fire and pulse sprinting, Stig spun on his heel
    and left the house. He had to get away from her before he
    made a colossal mistake.

    * * *
    Anything for Hector’s sister. The words echoed in her
    mind, rubbing a raw spot as they bounced around. She
    gulped back her disappointment and started to clean up the
    kitchen. For a second there, Cora had been sure Stig was
    debating whether or not to kiss her. She’d heard the uptick
    in his heartbeat as she’d hugged him. There was no
    mistaking his body’s response to her closeness. He wanted
    her.
    But he was afraid. She’d sensed that clearly. Of what,
    she couldn’t say. There was some line he wasn’t prepared
    to cross. Cora’s mischievous side wondered what it
    would take to get him to throw caution to the wind and
    take the leap. She supposed a little aggressiveness on her
    part might work.
    Was that a good strategy? Probably not, she admitted.
    Stig didn’t seem like the type to be led into anything he
    didn’t want. He was principled like that. She mentally
    crossed off any plans to strut naked around the house or
    display any sort of seductive behavior. The last thing she
    wanted to do was alienate or annoy him. She needed to
    stay in Stig’s good graces. He was the only thing between
    her, the streets, and some very bad men.
    Disappointment seemed to be Cora’s default setting as
    of late.
    She cleaned up the kitchen and headed upstairs to
    change out of her pajamas. A pair of jeans and a simple
    yellow tank top were the first things she spotted when she
    opened her suitcase. Once dressed, Cora found her laptop
    and cell phone and moved downstairs. A comfy brown
    leather couch in the living room called to her. She nabbed
    the corner seat, stretched out her legs, and started making
    phone calls and typing notes.
    The detective in charge of her case gave her an update.
    There were no leads on the arson at the bakery, nor were
    there likely to be any in the future. None of the witnesses
    were talking.
    “Where are you staying?” he asked.
    “I’d rather not say.” Cora didn’t want to risk anyone
    finding out where she was. The kind of people who would
    burn down her bakery were the kind of people who
    probably had someone on the inside. “You can reach me
    on my