Mrs. P, I desperately told myself in an attempt to keep from ravishing Rowan the second he released me. I had to remain focused on her.

But when his hand slid up higher, under my leather skirt, and his fingers dove into the very parts that were pleading for him, I just about came unglued.

“Put me down!” I shrieked, kicking my legs wildly.

To my surprise, he did just that.

“Goddess above, man, you can’t do that to me,” I said, stuffing my breasts down into my Xena corset. “At least, not out in public where someone could see us. And just what do you think you’re doing by abducting me in that manner?”

“I’m arranging for us to have a private talk. It’s only fair you know what’s going on, since you have taken up the role of Mrs. P’s protector,” he said, opening his cabin door and tugging me inside.

“Oh, no sir,” I said, clinging to the door frame. I glanced over his shoulder, noticed the bed sitting smack-dab in the center of the cabin, and immediately my smutty thoughts went into overtime. “I know what’s going to happen. I won’t be able to resist you, and then May and Gabriel will run amok all over poor Mrs. P, after which you’ll propose to me, get me to agree to marry you, and then die, leaving me alone again. Well, I won’t have it, do you understand? I simply will not have it!”

Rowan paused as he entered the cabin, giving me the oddest look I’d ever received. “Did you… I’m not sure… did you just propose to me?”

“Don’t you dare be adorably confused at me!” I said, shaking a finger at him. I wanted to pounce on him, and yet, I needed to protect Mrs. P from the predatory dragons on the deck above us. “I refuse to fall for your charms! The steamy, mind-blowingly fabulous sex will have to wait.”

“Sophea,” he called after me as I spun around and marched up the stairs. “Wait a minute. I’ll explain.”

“I don’t want an explanation. Aha!” I stopped at the sight of the two dragons with Mrs. P between them. I pointed dramatically at them. “I knew it! You’re trying to steal Mrs. P’s valuables!”

“My shinies,” the old woman said, clutching at her marabou-lined harem top.

“Unhand that woman this instant!” I demanded.

“Unhand her?” May looked faintly amused. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that before.”

I pulled my sword from the scabbard and waved it about in a manner that I hoped was suitably impressive. “You are not going to steal anything from her, do you understand? Mrs. P, come over here where I can protect you.”

“I’m tired,” she said and with a little sniff walked past me to the stairs. She took Rowan’s arm—he had arrived at the top of the stairs and was watching the scene—and demanded that he escort her back to our suite.

“Stay!” I told May and Gabriel, waggling the sword at them.

Gabriel turned to May with an indescribable expression on his face. “Did she just give us a command as if we were dogs?”

“She did,” May said, nodding. “I think she’s upset with us.”

“You have no idea,” I snapped, then sheathed my sword and trotted after Mrs. P and Rowan.

Ten

“And to think,” I said when I caught up to Rowan and Mrs. P, “if I had let you seduce me as you planned, even now Mrs. P would be in the clutches of your nefarious friends.”

Rowan stood back as Mrs. P and I entered our suite, following after us. “I’m not sure what I can do to reassure you that May and Gabriel are not going to take anything from Mrs. P, so you’ll just have to trust my judgment about that point. And yes, I’m aware of the irony of that statement.”

“Dammit. You pulled the trust issue. Not fair, dude, not fair at all given what I was thinking earlier.” The leather straps that made up my skirt swung out in an arc when I spun around and gawked at the room. It was filled with luggage, and from Mrs. P’s room came a babble of conversation. I trailed her into the bedroom. “Wow, it’s like a can of sardines in here.”

There were models everywhere… lying on the bed, lounging on the two available chairs and the window seat beneath a porthole, and seated cross-legged on the floor.

“The room is safe for you, my sister,” one of the models called out. Ahset, I think it was. “Ipy is verifying that the shower contains no scorpions or asps.”

“Good news! We are asp free, ladies,” Ipy said, emerging from the bathroom. “You may bathe at will. I see the mortal is here.” Ipy nodded toward me.

“She is a dragon’s mate,” Mrs. P said corrected.

“Ah. We would welcome you to the sisterhood, but we do not have time for the initiations. Know that you have our gratitude, however.”

“Er… thanks. It’s all in a day’s work.” I sidled over to where Mrs. P was admiring one of the ladies’ necklace. “I take it you don’t need me to help you get settled?”

“No, go off and be with your man,” she said, putting the necklace around her neck and easing herself onto the bed. “If he can’t make you happy, I don’t know what will. He has quite an admirable set of buttocks.”

“He does, doesn’t he?” Ipy said. “You are to be congratulated on your choice in men.”

“Thanks. I’m not… uh… never mind.”

Ipy frowned. “You do not think your man has a fine set of buttocks?”

“No. I mean, he does. His behind is awesome, not that I stare at it, but what I saw of it last night was pretty damned spectacular.”

“A man with a good pair of buttocks is a man worth keeping,” she said sagely.

I couldn’t help but do a little bragging. “His hands are nice, too. And his chest. Oh, that chest! I swear, his chest would make a nun weep. With joy, obviously. And lust. Lots and lots of lust, just touching it and petting it, and maybe even licking the little round nipple nubs. I love his nubs. I wonder if he’s a nipple man. Hmm.”

Mrs. P snorted from where she sat on the bed.

I pulled my thoughts back from the land of Rowan. “Sorry, what was that?”

“I snorted at you.”

“Ah.” I glanced around. “You’re sure you’re going to be okay with this many people in the room?”