Page 30 of Dragon Me Through Space

“I’m sorry,” Wayne said through the door. “I warned you that I’m not very good with talking to people and I was only trying to be helpful.”

Helpful? He considered offering to sleep with someone helpful?

“The others explained why what I said was inappropriate and how it could have made you feel. If I’d known you would take it that way, I wouldn’t have said it,” he continued.

How was he so bad at understanding others when the other three weren’t? Had he only recently joined their group? Was he raised differently than the others? I knew so little about Dragonkin.

“I’m really sorry and hope you’ll forgive me,” he said. His voice sounded completely sincere and like he genuinely felt bad for upsetting me. These Dragonkin were so weird.

Instead of continuing to hide, I opened the door and said, “I’ll forgive you if you make me a hammock in the jungle room.”

He reached out and pulled me into a hug.

I tensed at first, unused to hugs since being separated from my parents, but his clean but fire-like scent and warmth surrounding me made me relax into his hold. It was the first time that I felt safe since I lost my family and tears started to well in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away.

“Deal,” he whispered against the top of my head. He finally released me and walked away without looking back.

These Dragonkin were so wonderfully strange.

CHAPTER SIX

The longer I spent with these Dragonkin, the worse my hormones behaved.

Preston taught me a few fighting moves and every time his hands were on my body, I couldn’t help the instant lust that built.

I’d taken three cold showers in two days and it wasn’t helping.

“What are you up to?” Zeke asked when he spotted me skulking down the aisle, pouting at my inability to even bring myself to climax.

“Nothing,” I admitted. “Just walking around.”

“Want to go on our date?” he asked.

His eyes were bright and yet vulnerable.

“Okay,” I agreed. He was the first one to ask me.

“Did you decide what you wanted to do?”

I nodded. “I want you to teach me how to cook something.”

His eyes widened momentarily before he smiled. I never thought seeing a huge Dragonkin – who could crush my head in one hand – smile would be quite so alluring. “Okay. Meet me in the kitchen in ten?”

“Sure.”

He walked away and I swore there was more pep in his step than earlier, but that was likely my imagination.

I didn’t really need to go to my room for anything, so instead, I headed to the kitchen.

Wayne and I almost ran into each other as I entered at the same time he was exiting. He backed up a step and smiled. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

“Sorry,” I apologized back. “Um.” I stepped out of his way and let him walk out.

“I’m going to get your hammock set up,” he said as he walked backwards out of the kitchen. “I just wanted to bring a snack with me while I did it. Do … do you want to come with me?”

“Sorry, but Zeke asked to do our date now.” For some reason I was embarrassed and ashamed to leave him to build the hammock for me. “You don’t have to do the hammock right now, I can⁠—”

“It’s okay,” Wayne said quickly. “I’ll get it done tonight so you can use it tomorrow. Um, speaking of tomorrow. If you’re already doing the dates with us, can we do ours tomorrow?”