Aiden released the doorframe. “Jace and I will get dressed and meet you there.”
“You don’t—”
“Yes, we do.” His jaw set, he shut the door and stalked away. He didn’t get to see the obscene gestures she directed at his retreating back, which was sort of a let down.
Ripping a bite out of her bagel, she shifted into reverse and backed from the driveway.
She spent the majority of the next forty minutes trying to decide what she longed to do more—knock Aiden on his cute little buns or take that gorgeous cock of his in her mouth and bring him whimpering to his knees. Unfortunately, the second choice was getting a resounding thumbs up from her overtaxed hormones.
Flushed and uncomfortably aroused, she wheeled the Suburban into the Ren fair’s lot and parked in her customary spot in the vendor section. At least there were two bright spots on her day. She didn’t have to worry about carting a bunch of stuff across the fairgrounds, and Calvin didn’t seem to be stalking her in his customary fashion. Maybe he really had gotten the message yesterday.
Waving to the pickle hawker, she strolled to her booth. Haddie met her in the entrance, her brown eyes glittering with curiosity. “There you are. I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show.”
“I overslept.”
“Let me guess. Someone kept you up late last night?”
Dana wondered what the deal was with Haddie’s wicked cackle but then she remembered the taunting she’d given Haddie yesterday about the oracle. “Nope. I’m happy to report there were no visitations from Elvis’s ghost.” At least she didn’t think so. Truthfully, she’d been sawing logs shortly after her head hit the pillow. A herd of rhinos wearing rhinestone jumpsuits could have charged through her room and she would have been oblivious.
“What about those handsome twins?”
Haddie’s casual question nearly bowled Dana over. She gawked at the older woman. “How in the world do you know about them?”
“Sheesh, how many times do I have to say it? Dear, I’m psychic.” Haddie threw her arms skyward. “You’d think the outfit would be a dead giveaway.”
Dana did a quick sweep of Haddie’s assemble. Today she wore a bright pink crushed velvet cape. “Well, yeah. But I thought your ability was limited to tarot cards.” A thought suddenly occurred to her. “Wait, so does this mean you know what they are?”
“Yes, dear. They’re the lovers the oracle promised you.” Haddie’s expression turned naughty. “Still convinced you’re going to turn your back on those strapping young men?”
“Hell yeah. Because they’re not men. They’re freakin’ dragons.”
Haddie’s lips dipped into a frown only to be replaced a second later by a toothy smile. She snapped her fingers. “I knew there was something off about their auras.”
Why was she not surprised that Haddie didn’t find it the least bit odd there were living, breathing dragons walking the face of the earth?
“Dearie, don’t hold their genetics against them. We should all embrace each other’s differences. The world would be such a better place.”
“This isn’t a matter of them possessing a different set of chromosomes. Aiden and Jace are a whole other species.”
Haddie looked like she wanted to argue the subject into the ground. Fortunately, the insistent strains of Bewitched came from Dana’s dress, saving her from a potential migraine. Digging in her pocket, she pulled out her cell and peered at the display. Emmaline. Dana groaned. So much for no headache. She clicked the talk button. “Yes, I forgot to call. I’m sorry. No, I still have all my body parts. Of course I didn’t sleep with them. What kind of floozy do you take me for?” Jeez, good thing she didn’t see me last night. “Oh wow, a horde of customers just showed up. I’m going to have to call you later. Love you. Bye.” Feeling slightly guilty, she hung up. It was either that or the alternative—staying on the line and risk being busted by Emmaline. Her aunt was scary when it came to ferreting out things better left unrevealed.
“Hah, speak of the devils.”
Stuffing her phone in her pocket, Dana turned, following Haddie’s stare. Aiden and Jace were striding toward her booth. She gulped, overwhelmed all over again by how big and utterly delicious they were. The sweatpants had been replaced by jeans and a long-sleeved crewneck on Jace, and khakis and a camel-colored Henley on Aiden. They were both eyeing her with that predatory look she was beginning to think of as their personal hallmark. Must be a dragon thing.
She stacked her arms over her chest. “What’d you do, lay on the gas the entire way over here?”
Jace chuckled. “Sounds like my brother wasn’t the only one who woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Interesting coincidence, eh?”
Dana seared Jace with a death glare and his unrepentant grin widened. A gust of wind jostled the overhead leaves and Jace’s nose twitched. He jerked his head around.
“I smell pie. Must go investigate.” Swiveling, Jace loped in the direction of the bakery.
Haddie shook her head. “Amazing. That stand is clear across the fairgrounds.”
“Trust me, if there’s food within a ten-mile radius, my brother will sniff it out.”
“My grandson is like that,” Haddie said with a laugh. “A bottomless pit. The kid works real hard at eating me out of house and home.”
Listening to Haddie, Dana started to germinate a seed of a plan. If she played her cards right, she just might encourage Aiden and Jace to rethink the wisdom in making her their sacrifice.
Chapter Nine
Spending the entire day within a few feet of Dana and not touching her was torture for Aiden. Particularly when flashes of the previous night kept replaying within his head like an endless, X-rated movie reel. The softness of her skin beneath his hands. The tight, wet clasp of her pussy around his fingers. Her sweet cries bouncing off the walls. He’d nearly come right along with her.
He needed to get a grip before he completely lost it.
“Bro, what’s up with you?”
Aiden met Jace’s concerned expression and whistled out a breath. “Nothing. Guess I’m just a little restless.” Jesus, that’s an understatement.
“Why don’t you take a walkabout? You could use a change of scenery, since you’ve been stuck here all damn day.”
“No, I’m fine,” Aiden said quickly. Maybe a little too quickly.
Jace scowled. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her.”
“I know that.”
“Then prove it and take a fucking walk.”
Gritting his teeth, Aiden pushed from the exterior wall of Dana’s booth and stalked down the narrow lane of artists’ huts. Though it was less than two hours until the close of the festival, the crowd remained at full capacity. Dana had received a steady flow of traffic throughout the day, but he hadn’t missed the way her shoulders drooped a fraction lower every time someone strolled away without purchasing anything. It killed him to witness her dejection.
Didn’t these people recognize talent when they saw it? Idiots, the whole lot of them.
The glint of metal across the way caught his eye. Taking a shortcut past the jousting field, he entered a wood-shingled booth nestled in the trees. Exquisitely crafted swords lined a long oak counter. A prominently displayed sign pronouncing Touch and lose a finger at your own risk hung nearby. For those who doubted its sincerity, a hawk-eyed vendor diligently patrolled the cramped space.