Page 47 of Red Dragon’s Heart

“That’s not going to help,” she said. “You’re all naked. I can’t think when I’m looking at you naked.”

“Okay.” A demonstration was worth a thousand words.

With a single thought, he conjured clothes. Jeans, t-shirt, work boots, leather jacket, and shades, just because he looked hot in them.

Maddie jumped about a foot, rolling her chair away from him as fast as she could. “What the hell did you just do?”

Chapter 21

He did it again, except this time he was dressed in a business suit. Then he changed to a cop’s uniform, just for the hell of it, and finished up with a full tuxedo.

He suddenly realized Maddie had gone pale. “Hey, are you okay?” He scooted his chair toward her, and she scooted away.

“How did you do that?” she whispered.

“With magic.” He said slowly, “Dragons are magic. You really didn’t get that?”

She shook her head. “I—you—”

He leaned over, reached out and touched her arm—and made her a ball gown. Rustling taffeta, low-cut bodice spangled with diamonds—she looked amazing.

She took a deep breath and her boobs almost popped out of the bodice, which looked awesome.

Maddie waved her arms in agitation. “Put me back! Put me back! No, don’t touch me! Put me back!”

Oops. He’d obviously gone too far. She was freaking out. “I can’t put you back unless I’m touching you.”

She stared warily at him, then slowly reached out one finger and put its tip against his knee.

He put her clothes back the way they had been. She frowned. “This is not my same underwear.”

“I upgraded the underwear,” he admitted. “For later?”

“Put it all back!” It was almost a shriek. She was chalk-white and looked like she was about to pass out.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Slowly he put out his hand, and she watched it warily, like it was a snake that might bite her. He touched her arm and changed her underwear back to what she’d been wearing before.

She was holding on to the edge of the desk, white-knuckled, and her breath was coming in little pants. “Why… did… you do that… to me?”

He hadn’t realized she’d be so upset. Her being upset made his stomach feel unhappy. “I thought—usually you think new things are cool. You go all sciencey and stuff, and try to figure out how they work.”

Princess Diana appeared from nowhere, rubbing against his ankle and purring. Zak scooped her up. Maddie still looked shell-shocked, so he thrust Diana at her. “Here. Have a kitten.” Kittens were soothing, right?

Maddie took Diana automatically and snuggled her against her chest, petting her. Eventually her breathing slowed down.

Finally she said, “I don’t—I can’t—” She looked close to tears. “There can’t be magic.”

“Why not?”

“Because…” She shook her head, and the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Hey, hey now.” He rolled his chair over by hers and tried to brush the tears away, but they wouldn’t stop falling. Finally he conjured a handkerchief, and she took it, sniffling.

He said, “Why is this freaking you out so hard?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Can I at least try?”