Cowboy Dragon Read online

  Deep inside, his dragon was getting impatient, closer to the surface each day, certain about the fact that Marian was his mate and that he should make her his forever, and soon.

  Granted, she was the woman of his dreams. Independent, funny, thoughtful, and smart as a whip.

  Not to mention so gorgeous he couldn’t even have a passing thought about her without getting turned on.

  “What’s the news say?” Beck asked as he paused next to Harrison on the way toward doing something else.

  “Looks bad so far. Not dangerous yet, but we’ll need to keep an eye out. Any new sightings?”

  “None so far. I’ve been flying out as far as the base of the mountains way up north. Not a whiff yet. But if there’s one out there, I’ll find it.” He had a feral smile, the kind only this subject could give Beck, and Beck walked off before exchanging any more words.

  As perfect in every way as Marian was, there was just one little issue.

  The fact that he was a dragon and she was a human.

  And Harrison had been alive long enough to know how fragile and fickle they were. Changing their minds from minute to minute and being about as durable as a reed.

  Marian was different from any human he’d met, certainly. But the fact that their situation was supposed to be temporary from the get-go worried him.

  If he offered to mate her, bond to her forever, would she even accept? Was this the kind of life she would even say yes to?

  He knew how she felt about cowboys. She’d hated them from the start, and for good reason too.

  Harrison turned off the radio and looked to the sky just as it started to drizzle. Not enough to bother any rancher any day of the week. But with the footprint he’d seen out on the range, he couldn’t help but wonder if the Dragonclaw Ranch really was the right place for a woman of her caliber to be.

  It felt like everything was at the wrong time. And with the very real possibility of a giant, scaled monster out wandering somewhere not too far from here if these rainstorms picked up, Harrison had one too many things on his mind.

  Not that he and his crew wouldn’t protect her. Fight to the death for her, if needed. But even having to put her in that position was worrisome.

  He’d never stuck his neck out for a human that hadn’t earned his respect first. That was just plain foolhardiness.

  But for Marian, he’d throw everything on the line for her.

  He’d go as far as to die for her.

  Because if something happened to her… If anything happened to her, he really would die.

  Would she be safer somewhere else, living a normal human life as normal humans did? Would it be a better option to keep her safe from all the things he’d taken for granted as unproblematic just because he was a dragon?

  He shook his head, ignoring the idea for now just as Marian appeared at the top of the stairs, looking devastating in blue jeans and a green shirt and her new hat, which was already showing signs of good use.

  He was already thinking about the next one he’d get her. Along with some new boots next time they were in town.

  “Looks like rain,” she said, raising her face to look at the sky before making her way down the steps. “Howdy, partner.” She gave him a cute wink as she came to the last step, and he kissed her, still standing above her even as the stairs made her taller than she normally was next to him.

  “Since when did you go telling everyone howdy?”

  “I dunno. Just trying it on for size, seeing if it fits. Made Beck laugh at breakfast this morning when I said it.”

  “Then you should keep doing it.”

  “Why?”

  The light drizzle continued to pour around them. But whenever she was near, his worries abated.

  “‘Cause it’s sexy as hell.”

  She flushed, and he wondered again about how long this would all last.

  If he could accept the fact that he didn’t have control over the universe, then Harrison would ask her to stay. Forever. Be his. And he would be hers. And this whirlwind romance could keep going on, not hover in this uncertain place where neither of them knew what the end of the story was going to be.

  “Where are you off to right now?” he asked.

  “Going to help feed the livestock with Clancy before it gets any wetter. Just need a second pitchfork, so I’m off to the barn to find one.”

  “I’ll come with you,” he said, following next to her. It was half past noon already, and he’d already gone out to the range early this morning and come back so he could see Marian for lunch. But the closer he got to the truth of how deeply he felt for her, the harder it was to put everything out there.

  They went into the barn, and Marian made her way to the large, aged rack on the back wall that held all manner of tools. She found a pitchfork over on the side and moved over to pull it down. “Ta-da.”

  “A true rancher’s most important tool, aside from a good horse,” Harrison said with satisfaction as she grabbed it off the rack and held it over her shoulder. He was about to pull her in for another kiss when he heard a creak behind Marian. He rushed forward, just as a heavy shovel broke off its peg and fell off, along with a garden hoe and several other basic tools.

  Marian stepped back just as the tools collapsed to the ground at Harrison’s feet. His heart was racing, afraid for the first time that the whole wall or something would collapse, when it in fact did not.

  “Whoops, didn’t see that coming,” she said nonchalantly with a grin. But Harrison couldn’t stop the thudding in his chest at the idea that any one of those things might’ve hurt her if she hadn’t backed away at the right time or if he hadn’t been there.

  A simple accident, the kind of thing that happened dozens of times every day when working with old wood and horses and cattle and tools.

  Then why wouldn’t his body fucking calm down for a damn moment?

  “I should tan someone’s hide for letting those pegs come loose,” he growled. He was glad she was safe, but when would the next mishap come?

  Humans were just such fragile things.

  “Everything’s fine. No harm, no foul.” Her expression flattened a little as she saw Harrison wasn’t letting it go.

  “It’s not fine. What if something had happened to you? This is no place for a human.” Though he was looking at the tools on the ground, his mind was wandering out on the range. Thinking of floods. Storms. Spooked horses and giant creatures.

  He’d felt in control of everything before. But now his heart was wandering outside his chest, prey to a million hazards that were laughable all of a few weeks ago.

  Maybe this life just wasn’t for a human…

  “Well, this human knows her way around barns and tools, thank you very much,” she replied, annoyed.

  “Maybe I should keep the barn off-limits then.”

  She widened her stance, setting the pitchfork down and folding her arms. “This is definitely a sudden change of mind you’re having, Harrison. You had no problem letting me beg for work less than a month ago. Now you’re acting like all the jobs on the ranch are suddenly too dangerous for anyone but you and the others.”

  “Maybe they are. They’re shifters. I don’t have to worry about little accidents like this hurting my people.” Hurting my person. My one person.

  “What, should I go work off the farm, then? I’m not going to sit around being lazy just because you think a little rain and a garden hoe are going to bite me like a snake at any minute.”

  She was right. He was being ridiculous.

  But he was a dragon. With dragon-sized problems right now.

  “You’re right,” he said, taking a long breath. “I’m sorry.”

  “Like I said, no harm, no foul. Just, since this morning, when there was news of the possible storm, you’ve been hovering like a horsefly.”

  “It’s nothing.” He lied. “How about I grab you some lunch. Got to keep those curves maintained, you know.”

  She finally relaxed, smiling at him. “Oka
y, fine. I’ll go sit over here on this hay bale so you don’t go thinking I’ve run off or something.” She sat down and pulled her phone out. “See. Nothing more dangerous than dead grass over here.”

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, then made for the house, wondering what the hell was coming over him.

  Mate. Stop waiting. His dragon was pissed because not only was he being a damn fool, but because someone was going to end up in pain so long as he avoided what he and Marian really were.

  Perfect together.

  Maybe when he came back with lunch, he’d finally ask her to be his. Stop holding on so tight.

  After all, she acted like she had no intention of running off on him. Of taking her things and leaving once she had her life together, like she’d made him believe when she’d first come to the Dragonclaw Ranch.

  Maybe it was time to stop obsessing and finally make the leap.

  21

  Marian relaxed back against a pile of fresh hay, paying a few bills on her phone while she waited for Harrison to come back.

  The frustrating man had been in such a tizzy the past couple days that it was hard to keep things straight. Yes, she knew being a cowboy was stressful, especially when the elements weren’t cooperating. But it seemed like much more than just the usual problems were bothering Harrison right now.

  Like the closer they got together, the tighter the air was around them. Like a rubber band that would either pull them together forever like she hoped it would or could snap from the tension and break down everything they’d been building up.

  The last thing she wanted to be was an imposition on Harrison and his crew. She’d had enough of that in her life. With her pa. With Aunt Edith. Even the way other men had treated her long ago in the past, to be picked up when they wanted then dropped like so much baggage because they told her she was “in the way” of their free-balling, free-wandering lifestyle.

  Maybe she should see if there were any jobs in town. Now that Freddie was fixed (or at least Beck had exclaimed it was nearly done, and that was a couple days ago), she could just drive back and forth.

  But the idea was sourer than the milk that still lay dormant at the back of the fridge. She’d come out here to find peace and a second chance and, in the search, had dug up pure happiness and a satisfying way of living in the dusty earth of these wild Texas lands.

  Her phone started ringing, distracting her from her thoughts.

  “Hello?”

  “Marian!” Aunt Edith’s voice called out on her phone, but with the rain pattering the barn roof, it was hard to hear, so Marian put her on speakerphone. “How are you, honey?”

  How long ago had they spoken? A couple years now?

  It felt like an eternity.

  “Aunt Edith. How’re things for you?”

  “Peaches and cream, dearie.” She had that way of talking that made Marian feel ten all over again, even though she’d been a grown woman for a long time now. “Where’s life taken you these days?”

  “Oh, around. The usual.” She was going to get an earful if there was a single word of ranching or cowboy-ing to her aunt. Heaven knew her aunt had castigated her father a million times for his faults, both real and imagined. “Staying alive, as they say.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. Things have been hard, haven’t they?” Marian didn’t reply, so she kept going. “I wanted to keep you with me, bring you to the city to live with my daughter back then. And now that’s finally possible.”

  “Hm?” Marian knew it was best to let her aunt finish before trying to attempt speaking, or she’d be “disrespectin’ her elders.”

  “Yes. She recently remarried, and her new husband has a place down in San Antonio that’s got an extra room that’s all yours if you want. It’d been so long since I’d heard from you. I feared the worst. But you can finally come home and stay with us like proper family.”

  She scoffed internally. Harrison and the others on this ranch felt more like “proper family” than any relations she’d had in a long time. And though there was a pull inside her, like a vacuum reaching forward from the past from a younger version of herself that would have cried for joy given such an opportunity, Marian had found the strength to survive in herself long ago.

  “That’s nice to hear.” She dodged, picking up a long, straight piece of straw and folding it into halves idly.

  “Nice? It’s absolutely wonderful. So you just pack your things and start heading down now. My daughter will text you the address. We can have you moving in tomorrow.”

  “I think I like my situation where it is right now.”

  “That’s nonsense. You weren’t doing anything useful with yourself back then. What could possibly be keeping you now?”

  She’d found love. Love for a cowboy, of all things.

  Even if her cowboy had been acting strange lately…

  “How about I consider your offer, Aunt Edith. It’s mighty kind of you to call me like this, out of nowhere, since I know it’s a big sacrifice.” She was using her sweet voice, trying to butter up her aunt so she could get off the phone and join Harrison for lunch.

  “You bet it is. I won’t take no for an answer. Percy, that’s my daughter’s husband, was very specific about having you come stay with us once he saw a picture of you.”

  Marian cringed. No thanks, Percy.

  “I’ll really, really consider it, then.” She lied.

  “It’s going to be safer and nicer here than whatever mudhole I’m sure you’ve been living out of. A real roof over your head.”

  “I promise to give it some real thought.” She’d say anything right now to mollify her aunt.

  Even if she’d been grateful for a place to stay when she’d been younger, Marian was older and stronger now. And she didn’t need Edith’s or Percy’s or anyone’s charity right now.

  “You better come down.”

  “I love you, Aunt.” Her finger hovered over the end call button.

  “See ya soon.”

  Finally, she hit the red circle and let out a pent-up breath.

  Who knew talking to her aunt would be so stressful?

  Not that there wasn’t a legitimate reason for Edith to reach out. Neither of them had stayed in touch after the death of her father. But the fact that things had always been on Edith’s terms bothered Marian. And every ounce of kindness Marian had received had come with a dozen strings or lectures about the untrustworthiness of men and the sins of her father.

  No more…

  She stood, brushing her hands off to make for the house, when she saw Harrison standing in the entrance to the barn. He had a plate in both hands, but the hard look on his face made her almost jump out of her boots.

  “Harrison.” She suddenly realized the call had been on speaker and that he’d said he’d be right back. Just, getting a call from Edith had caught her completely off guard.

  “I brought lunch.” He stood there like a statue.

  “How much did you hear?” she asked, realizing that the things she’d told Edith to finally get her off the other end might’ve sounded pretty bad.

  “Enough.” He walked forward and set the plate down beside her, sapphire eyes darker than usual. He was silent for a moment.

  “I can explain.”

  “What is there to explain? Your human family is finally calling you back, and you’re planning on going to join them.”

  He made for the door, wide back barely fitting through the barn exit as she followed him. To her surprise, the rain had let up, leaving the ground moist and the air cool.

  And her heart racing.

  “I never said I was leaving, Harrison.”

  He whirled on her, body tense, the other plate still held in his clenched hand. “What part of ‘really, really consider it’ and ‘promise to give it some real thought’ implied otherwise?”

  “I was just saying it to get her off the phone.”

  But he didn’t seem convinced.

  “You said as much yourself when yo
u showed up here that you had nowhere else to go. That this was your last bet. Well, now you can go resume your normal human life.” He waved a hand, motioning off into the distance.

  Stubborn man, seeing what he wanted to see and ignoring everything else.

  “Yeah, well, a lot has changed since that day. And who are you to judge, jumping at every cricket that comes within three inches of me like it’ll break me when at first you were acting like I was just a festering thorn in your side?”

  “You’re human. I’m not. It’s different,” he said gruffly.

  “The only difference I see here is someone being unable to accept the reality of what’s right in front of them. And when I told my aunt I’d think about it, I meant just that. I would think about it. Not pack my bags and start racing for San Antonio just because some relative I haven’t seen or spoken to in years is suddenly calling my name.”

  He looked up at the grim sky. “Maybe it’d be better if you did,” he muttered. “Safer for you down there.”

  That stabbed her right to the core.

  If Harrison would rather she leave so he could stop worrying about her, instead of confronting whatever it was that was hanging over them like an invisible bear trap ready to snap at any second, then maybe she’d misunderstood him from the start.

  “You can’t really mean that.” She felt a drop on her cheeks. Whether tears or rain, she didn’t care.

  “What if I did?” His eyes creased with uncertainty as he looked at the ground, hands squared on his hips. “What if you’re better off somewhere else? At least until the rains stop.” He didn’t meet her gaze while he spoke.

  “That’s for me to decide and no one else. And what is it about rain? Is it because of the accident? Years ago?”

  “It’s not that.” He frowned stubbornly. “I run a ranch. I’ve got a lot of things on my mind. And I can’t be worrying about you every second of the day.”

  “No one ever said you had to, Harrison. I was just happy to be here with you and the others, building a life that I thought we both were invested in.” She stepped toward him, looking him straight in the eye. “But if I was wrong about that…”