Monsters Under Mistletoe

3. My Nose Said So

Chapter 3

My Nose Said So

D illian had imagined this moment so many times over the past month that he had lost count. But now that Cait was in front of him and not going anywhere, he couldn’t remember any of the things he had planned to say. He was mute. Motionless. He could only watch and breathe in the human female who had stolen a piece of his scaled heart.

She smelled like lilies, an exotic spice, and a pinch of adrenaline. Like on that special night he had aborted his mission to save her from Edinburgh Castle’s security guards.

He had been flying over the castle grounds in search for the perfect opportunity to sneak in, when that most enticing scent had hit him. He was not one to help humans escape the authorities, and yet he had plucked the masked female from the ground and flown her to safety.

That same scent had made him throw caution to the wind and invite her for a drink, despite having recognized the magic containment pouch hanging from her utility belt. A dangerous MUW agent though she might be, Dillian knew to always trust his dragon senses. And his nose’s opinion of Cait was pretty clear.

“You smell good enough to eat, tesoro .”

One of her dark eyebrows shot up.

Fuck. He said that out loud, didn’t he? His primary tail curled anxiously, and he quickly hid it under his robe. He gave Cait a confident smile. “It’s true. Not what you’d hear often from a human guy, but you’ll hear it a lot from me.”

Her second eyebrow joined the first near her chestnut hairline. “When? During the limited time we are forced to spend together before we never see each other again, unless you have a death wish?”

Dillian chuckled. Ah, but she was magnificent in her ire. “This is not the last time you’ll see the scaled face you once described as uniquely beautiful, mon trésor . In fact,” he flashed her one fang, “today was the last day of us being apart.” That torture had come to an end, thank the Fire God.

Her rosy lips formed a tight line. “Cut the crap, Dillian. You won’t fool me again into thinking you consider me special. You saved me back in Scotland because you wanted the spearhead.”

His primary tail slapped the floor under his robe in frustration. “That’s not what happened. I didn’t know you had succeeded in getting the spearhead out of the museum. I saved you because my nose said so.”

“Bullshit.” Cait crossed her arms over her black blouse. The form-fitting clothing was nearly as distracting as the charming freckles on her sun-kissed face. “Enough about the past. You want the orb, I want the orb – that’s what matters now. When the sunrise comes, only one of us will leave this tomb with it.”

Dillian couldn’t help it: he laughed. “ Meu tesouro , you can’t defeat me in close combat.” Unless she was wearing nothing but her disarming smile, that was. “Good thing I’m not here for the orb.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’m here for the greatest treasure of them all.”

Confusion crept into her warm brown eyes. “The mistletoe?”

“No, Cait.” Dillian grinned. “You.”