Dragon Tamer

Chapter 13

We rolled down the hill in a heap of limbs and curses until we finally came to a halt at the base of the mountain in the meadow. Lucky me, my fall was cushioned by Cam's hard chest. A pained look in his eyes, he moaned and covered his face with his arms.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, sitting up and taking a quick inventory of his body. Aside from a few scrapes from rocks and the bruises I'd given him earlier, he seemed okay.

He shifted an arm to peer at me from underneath. "Aside from my guide trying to kill me? Just peachy."

"It wasn't on purpose, you brat," I chided, poking his ribs playfully. "If I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead."

"Said the last guy who tried to kill me," he teased, removing his arms from his face, which revealed a gash just above his left eyebrow. His eyes swept over me, finally landing on my face; concern flitted across his features. "Are you okay?"

He wasn't thinking when he reached up to cup my cheek. Right? He couldn't know that his thumb was s warm and tender when it brushed under the scratch on my cheek. Men who had their faculties about them wouldn't even think of touching me with such concern--let alone actually do it.

He caught a droplet of blood as his thumb followed the length of my scratch. Frowning, he looked around us. "Where's my shirt?"

I peered further up the hill where Elesor was still sitting, watching us smugly.

That conniving little dragon. . . . She hadn't pushed too hard at all. She knew exactly what she was doing.

My face flamed, and I suddenly couldn't bring myself to look at the prince sprawled beside me. "I don't know where it went. Sorry. I'll buy you a new one."

Shaking his head, he sat up. "I don't care, I was going to use it to clean up your cheek."

That made me give him a dubious look. "What? Oh, this thing? Don't worry about it." I used the hem of my shirt to wipe the blood away. "Here, you can use mine for your wound." His was much deeper than mine and blood kept dripping precariously close to his eye.

Before he could protest, I was removing my shirt and dabbing his eyebrow. Once he got over the fact I was shirtless, he grabbed my wrist. "Kali, your shirt's ruined."

"Well, so is yours and missing. We're even. Here." I made him hold the shirt to his head while I crossed my arms to keep my heat in. Man, he'd made it seem a lot warmer out than it actually was. At least I had a bra on to keep a tiny bit of semblance of warmth--he had nothing.

He smiled. "Thanks. . . . You really don't mind being shirtless? If you were any other woman, I would have been slapped for scheming this by now."

"Did you scheme this rather elaborate plan to undress me, Prince?" I used his title mockingly and batted my helpless eyelashes at him. If he had somehow devised such a plan, there were far better bodies to undress in the village.

He rolled his eyes. "No."

"Then I don't need to slap you. I think I've beaten you up enough today. Come on, let's find you a healer before my dad gives me heck for kicking your ass." I stood up and offered him a helping hand.

"Only because I let you."

I patted his chest in mock-comfort. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, princeling." So sassy it'd make Elesor proud, I spun on my heel in the direction of the village--and stopped dead with a groan loud enough for the Gods to hear me.

Amber was skipping her way over here. She shoved passed me, going straight to the prince. Taking advantage of his shirtless state, she laid her hands on his chest, very conspicuously feeling him up. "Your Highness! What did Kali do to you? Are you all right?"