Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
But this was all getting blown out of proportion. Yeah, it had been scary as hell and one of the world’s worst ways to wake up, but now that Luka had confirmed he wasn’t in any real danger, Samuel was happy to let it all go. He wanted to return to sleep, even though he wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to close his eyes now. Pain in his chest mixed with memories of the frightening red eyes left him thinking that sleep might be impossible.
Stepping in front of Dimitri to stop him glaring at the other dragons, Samuel patted the bigger man on the chest a couple of times. “Hey, let it go. I’m okay. We’re all hot and tired.” He glared at the cool air that still swirled around Dimitri and frowned. If all the ice dragons were self-cooling like Dimitri, then he was the only one who was hot. “Whatever. I’m hot and tired. Let’s go back to bed. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow.”
Dimitri’s fingers relaxed on Samuel’s elbow but didn’t release him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No. My chest fucking hurts.” He rubbed it lightly, glaring at the man who was keeping him standing in the middle of the camp. “But I’ve got ibuprofen in my bag. That and sleep will work wonders.”
“I’ve got something better. Go get in my tent. I’ll grab your gear and move it there.”
Samuel jerked his elbow free, eyes widening. He thought he heard a snicker and the sound of the others moving off, but he ignored it. “I’m not interested in your ‘something better.’ My tent is fine,” he snapped.
Okay, maybe he wasn’t entirely thrilled with attempting to sleep alone in his tent, but he wasn’t going to climb into a sleeping bag with this dragon after a cheesy line like that.
“It’s not what you think,” Dimitri said with a smirk. He stepped closer and Samuel wanted to sigh in relief at the cold air. Could he keep that up all night? Maybe there were benefits to sharing a tent with the ice dragon. “Besides, I might have broken the zipper on your tent. We won’t be able to sort it out until morning. It’s safer if you share with me.”
“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” Samuel muttered, while inwardly celebrating. No reason to sound like he was capitulating that easily.
Instead of going directly to Dimitri’s tent, he went to his own and helped to gather his things, which the dragon refused to let him carry. Bossy bastard. Samuel stood back and allowed Dimitri to settle things inside the tent before crawling after him. He was not surprised in the least that Dimitri had placed his sleeping bag at the far side, positioning himself between Samuel and the entrance.
Samuel flopped down on his sleeping bag and tried to take a deep breath of relief, but it was cut short by the sharp pain that shot through his chest. Shit. He’d forgotten to snag the pills from his bag. Dimitri had distracted him. If his “something better” turned out to be his dick, Samuel was going to slug him in the mouth. He was hot, tired, and sore.
Lanterns were extinguished and darkness descended on the camp again. Dimitri’s hulking shadow loomed over him as the dragon got settled on the sleeping bag next to him. Samuel jerked when he felt something pulling at his T-shirt, trying to lift it. He batted Dimitri’s hands away.
“What are you doing?” he hissed.
“Helping. Stop fighting me,” Dimitri grumbled.
The dragon had to have more than two hands, because one of them slipped past Samuel’s guard and settled right on the center of his chest. Blissful coolness settled over Samuel’s flesh, wiping away the bone-deep ache and the sweltering heat. For the first time since he’d woken with the pisadeira on his chest, he could draw in a deep breath.
“Better?”
Samuel hummed his pleasure, letting his eyes fall shut. Now that he was lying still, he noticed that it wasn’t just where Dimitri touched him that was cool. The air all around him felt so much more comfortable.
Dimitri’s fingers carefully moved across Samuel’s ribs, inspecting each one. “Any of this hurt?”
“No. I don’t think anything’s broken. Only bruised.”
“Not ticklish either,” Dimitri murmured, sliding his hand back to the center of his chest.
Samuel felt one corner of his mouth tick higher. “Not there.”
“Oh, Sam Jam, that just makes me want to find where you are ticklish.” Dimitri’s voice had become a low rumble of pleasure that was turning Samuel’s sleepy brain to goo. He was even willing to let the stupid nickname go this time.
“This is so nice,” he mumbled, barely able to get the words out. “Can you do this all night?”
He was answered with a devilish chuckle that had him mentally rolling his eyes. Stupid dragon. “I can definitely go all night.”