Dragon's Heart [Dragon Love 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
Dragon Love 4
Dragon’s Heart
Being overweight is hard enough for a young woman. But when Cinda Warner finds out that she has a failing heart, her life goes from bad to awful. Just after hearing her diagnosis, she broadsides a car, knocking it off the highway. Her heart skips a beat during the collision, but it almost stops completely when she sees Hank, a man she met a year earlier, walking unharmed from the blazing wreckage.
Weredragon Hank Jannsen is thrilled to find the girl he’d lost track of a year earlier. Taking her back to his ranch, he and his two weredragon friends, Walken Hardgrove and Grant Richman, think Cinda might be the curvy mate they’ve waited centuries to find. Yet when they discover she only has a short time to live, they’re heartbroken. Changing her isn’t an option so how can they save her?
Will she die before she accepts them as her mates? Or will finding out what they are break her heart for good?
Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Rubenesque, Shape-shifter
Length: 44,657 words
DRAGON'S HEART
Dragon Love 4
Jane Jamison
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
DRAGON'S HEART
Copyright © 2015 by Jane Jamison
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-829-5
First E-book Publication: November 2015
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
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DEDICATION
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my Dragon Love series including For the Love of Dragons, Dragon’s Flight, and Fire and Flames. Writing them was a labor of love, one that was made more special because of supportive readers like you.
Thank you,
Jane Jamison
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
About the Author
DRAGON'S HEART
Dragon Love 4
JANE JAMISON
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
“Don’t look now, but one hell of a gorgeous man is watching you.”
Cinda Warner took a quick glimpse in the direction her best friend, Kiley Landon, was looking. Of course the man was hot as hell. Kiley wouldn’t give the time of day to a man if he wasn’t. But this one was so much more. She focused her attention on the control panel of the stair stepper and hoped he hadn’t noticed them checking him out.
The man’s black hair gleamed under the gym lights and curled around his earlobes like obsidian fingers caressing his skin. He was dressed in a simple blue T-shirt and sweat pants that not only hinted at his great body but also practically shouted that he had six-pack abs. The man either spent all day at the gym or worked in a physical job that helped keep his shape. Although it was difficult to judge his height with the motion of the stair stepper moving her up and down—not to mention that he was lying on a bench and lifting weights—she was willing to bet he was at least several inches over six feet tall.
“Damn, I’d pay good money to walk over and straddle him right now. I’d bounce up and down on him until he screamed and creamed.”
Cinda kept her mouth shut. Being a beautiful blonde with a great body, Kiley didn’t lack anything in the self-esteem area. If Cinda told her to live out her fantasy, Kiley was likely to go and sit on the man’s face. She dared another quick glimpse at him.
Amazing silver eyes met hers.
She sucked in a hard breath—which was hard as hell to do since she was already puffing and panting—and darted her gaze back to the control panel. Was he watching Kiley or her?
Stupid. There is no way a man like him would pay any attention to me. Not with Kiley, every man’s dream girl, around.
And yet, when she couldn’t resist the urge any longer, she took another look. This time he added a smile she was willing to bet was all for her.
He’s probably a chubby chaser. Damn, how I hate those guys.
She forced her mind back to the task at hand. Working out every day was what she’d promised Todd she’d do. Even if it killed her. If the workout didn’t kill her, eating only salad and lean chicken every day might.
Dizziness hit her. “Damn it.” Why did she keep getting dizzy? Was she overdoing it? As her head cleared, she shoved away the worrying nag and studied the hot man.
Todd Edwin wasn’t anywhere near as good-looking as the man bench-pressing an impressive amount of weights. Even other guys watched him, talking amongst themselves about how much he was lifting. Todd was an average guy with average brown hair and eyes. He lived up to every stereotype an accountant could have
. Stable, conscientious, reliable—and boring. But he was her Todd, and they were getting married.
As soon as she lost the thirty-five pounds she’d packed on over the past year.
She groaned as sweat stuck her shirt to her back. She’d let the weight creep up on her. Was it the stress of planning a wedding? Or was it simply because she was bored out of her mind? Or maybe it was her body telling her who she really was? Didn’t everyone have a pre-determined size when they were born?
Fuck the excuses. You ate, and you got fat.
She’d been skinny, relatively speaking, when she’d met Todd two years earlier. The sex between them had been mind-blowing. But then she’d stopped working out every day, stopped starving herself, and had been crazy enough to live her life like a “normal” person. She’d stopped thinking about every little thing she put into her mouth and had started enjoying life again.
Little by little, the weight had packed on.
Still, wasn’t Todd supposed to love her no matter what size she was? Her mother had always told her a simple rule when deciding if she wanted to marry a man. She could still hear her mother’s voice.
“Cinda, once you find the man you’re meant to be with, ask yourself these questions. Would you love him if he looked differently? Would you love him fat or thin? Walking or in a wheelchair? If you can say yes to everything, then you know he’s the right one for you. The man he is, the man inside, is what counts.”
When she’d asked herself those questions regarding Todd, she’d said yes. But that had been almost a year earlier. Did she still feel the same way? Had she ever really felt that way? Or had she only been fooling herself? Could he give the same answers? She’d never asked him to answer the questions. Maybe she should now. And yet, didn’t she already know the answer?
Little by little, their relationship had changed. In the past six months, he’d stopped paying her compliments. He no longer brought home flowers, and she hadn’t seen a box of chocolates in ages. Worse, the intimacy they’d once shared was gone. At times, she felt as though she had to be the aggressor to get him to make love. Once, she’d ended up crying because he’d told her he “just can’t get it up with all your flab.” She should’ve walked out of their apartment, leaving him, but she hadn’t been able to make herself do it. Instead, she’d promised she’d lose the weight.
“Shit. He’s leaving,” whispered Kiley.
Cinda jerked her head up. The hot-bod strode toward the men’s changing rooms. She sighed. He hadn’t been looking at her. He’d probably simply darted his gaze toward her while he was wondering how to approach Kiley with her “designated fat friend” near her.
“I’ve had it.” She wasn’t only talking about the workout as her gaze once again slid his direction. But he was gone.
“We haven’t worked out long enough. Besides, we’re scheduled for the Pilates class in fifteen minutes.”
Cinda groaned and turned off the machine. “I can’t, Kiley. I just can’t.” Tears sprang to her eyes. It was hard enough coming to a gym and watching skinny girls working out in skimpy outfits, but to watch her friend get all the admiring glances was just too much. Usually, she wasn’t jealous, but today the differences between them hit too hard. The thought of having to stretch and pull in front of wall-long mirror was, at best, sickening and, at worst, gut-wrenchingly horrifying.
“You promised Todd.”
“Screw Todd.” The funny thing was that she meant it. Why did she have to do what he wanted? He wasn’t exactly the buffest guy in the world. At thirty-five, he had a good start on a “dad bod,” belly pooch and all.
She half-stumbled off the machine and started for the door. She’d clean up at home. There was no way she was going into the women’s changing room and seeing all those perfect bodies walking around in towels. Or, worse, naked.
“You don’t mean that. How about we get a smoothie instead? I’ll pay. You can rest up before class.” Kiley hooked her arm in Cinda’s, pulling her toward the smoothie bar.
“Those aren’t smoothies. They’re green gunk that cost twice as much as a real smoothie.”
“They’re good for you.”
Damn, how I hate that phrase. “Yeah, I know. That’s why they taste like grass.”
Yet, she allowed Kiley to shove her onto one of the high stools at the smoothie bar. The stainless steel counter reflected the neon lights beaming around the small café-inspired area. Although Smoothie Heaven boasted coffee drinks, she knew Kiley wouldn’t let her have one. Especially not one of the ones with whipped cream on top.
She propped her head on the bar and let Kiley order for them. The zero-body-fat waiter took their orders, giving Kiley a bright smile and ignoring Cinda.
“Will you perk up? Don’t you feel better after working out?”
She loved Kiley. Really she did. But sometimes she felt like punching her in the nose. “Not really. I’m tired and sweaty. And I’m hungry.”
“But you had a big breakfast.”
“I had a half of an English muffin and a few strawberries. That’s not what I’d call a big breakfast.”
“But isn’t Todd worth it?”
Was he? She had to think before answering. “Shouldn’t he love me for being me? I’m a good person, and I work hard at being a good realtor. I’m not fat or lazy or stupid. Shouldn’t I be enough for him just the way I am?”
The sexy waiter slid their smoothies toward them. Even with the glasses being frosted, they couldn’t make the green stuff look appealing. At least not to her.
“Here’s to you, girly.” Her friend lifted her glass into the air and grinned her infectious grin.
Kiley could always make her smile, even when she called her “girly.” She tipped her glass against Kiley’s and started to drink. Yet when the smell of the smoothie hit her, she put it down fast enough.
“They aren’t the best smelling drinks, are they?”
Cinda turned around in sync with Kiley then almost fell off the stool. The hunky weightlifter stood right behind them. He was even hotter up close. His hair was damp, and his chin sported the perfect amount of dark stubble. For a moment or two, she forgot where she was. And that she was engaged.
“Hi. I’m Kiley.”
His mesmerizing gaze slipped away from Cinda to her friend. “Name’s Hank.” Yet his focus soon came back to her. “And you’re…”
When Cinda couldn’t get her name out fast enough, Kiley came to her rescue. Or was it more to regain his attention?
“Cinda.” Kiley took him by the arm. The very buff, strong arm. His sleeveless tight body shirt highlighted every muscle. “Ooh, you are strong. We saw you lifting weights earlier.”
“Yeah. I know.” He smiled, and yet it lacked any real warmth. “I saw you, too.” Again, he was back to her, the warmth finally showing in his smile. “Both of you.”
Cinda had been there before. Guys trying to pick up Kiley played nice to her. Once they got Kiley hooked, they acted as though she’d disappeared.
Yet he threw her when he slid onto the empty stool beside her instead of sitting next to her pretty friend. Suddenly, she felt strange and uncomfortable, yet excited.
“So what do you do, Hank? Are you a professional trainer?”
Cinda tried not to roll her eyes. She’d heard Kiley’s spiel before. But guys ate it up.
“Shoot no. I don’t want to live in a gym.” He leaned in closer.
Damn but he smells good.
Yet, she knew his aroma didn’t come from a bottle. His was a mix of sweat and his own unique and very masculine scent. Todd always smelled like cheap aftershave.
She frowned, not liking the way she was thinking about the man she loved. She did love him. Right?
“I’m a rancher with a purpose.”
Intrigued, she shifted on her stool, turning his way. “Don’t all ranchers have a purpose?”
“Yeah, but mine’s a little different. I run an equine therapy ranch.”
She stared at him. “Seriously?”
His smile was perfect. Not too toothy, yet still bright. “Seriously.”
“Okay, what’s that?” Kiley’s light tone had definitely taken a nosedive.
“It’s a ranch where we use horses to help people with life-threatening illnesses or disabilities.” He regarded her, his gaze searching. “And for people having a tough time with life at any age.”
“So you’re a psychiatrist?” Kiley’s interest was renewed. She’d always dreamed of marrying a doctor.
“Yes.” He shook his head at the waiter, refusing any smoothie. “What about you?”
Was he asking her or Kiley or both of them? Cinda’s attention flicked downward to the jeans he wore so well then jumped back up when she realized what she was doing. Assuming he was asking Kiley, she took a sip of the nasty-tasting smoothie and tried not to grimace.
“I’m a personal assistant to a CEO.” Kiley edged forward until she was practically resting on Cinda’s back. “And Cinda’s in real estate.”
“Real estate, huh? That’s a rough business nowadays.”
Why was he paying so much attention to her? Was he toying with Kiley?
“The financial climate’s getting better, and home sales are up.” She darted her gaze away and tried not to groan. She sounded a lot like Todd. Boring as hell.
He continued to talk, politely, and showing more interest in her than in Kiley. Although she answered him with short responses, she couldn’t help but feel flattered. No doubt he was after Kiley, but until he made his move, she’d pretend he liked her, too.
Kiley, however, had grown tired of not being the center of his attention. She slipped off her stool and took Cinda’s arm. “It was nice talking to you, Hank, but it’s time for our class.”