Page 48 of Kian

Somewhere on the distant tundra was the little town where they were headed with the sheriff’s cargo. And just beyond that was the place they would call home.

She turned back to the tents on the ice and saw Lyslee and Avril’s flap open up. But the person who stepped out did not have wild red tresses.

Kinsley’s heart nearly stopped when she realized who it was.

Kian was smiling and stretching like he had just had the best night of his life in the Grummish girls’ tent. Kinsley could smell the brew on him from here.

He claimed he wanted to be her true mate, that dragons were loyal for life. But clearly, he was like every other soldier, just looking for a bedroll to warm.

It made sense. The sisters were more his type - strong, fierce, and not needing a man to carry them bodily away in a bad situation.

And either of them could give him a baby.

Shame washed over her, and she fought back tears as Kian turned to look at her.

All she wanted was to march off, but she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from his.

His lazy smile melted away, leaving a guilty expression on his face, and he looked down at his boots as if he knew he had been caught.

Flames of blistering jealousy consumed her.

She wished more than anything that the ice would just split and swallow her up whole.

“Dogs are ready,” Bill called out.

Kinsley turned on her heel and marched for the sled without saying a word to her so-calledmate.

19

KIAN

Afew hours later, Kian pulled the sled up to the loading area of the old mine.

The dogs were eager for a break, and Kian felt some satisfaction at having made it to the point of dropping the cargo they had accompanied across Sigg-3.

He’d been looking forward to talking to her on the journey, but Kinsley hadn’t spoken to him, or even looked at him, all morning.

He glanced over at her now, but all he could see of her was that gorgeous inky mane spilling out over her fur cloak. She had turned to face away from him, and though a casual observer might have thought she was checking out their destination, he knew better.

She was ignoring him on purpose.

And that could only be for one reason.

In spite of her enthusiasm for his touch, and the seamless way they had learned to work together, now that they were nearing home, she didn’t want to be his mate.

The thought pained him, especially when he was only inches away from her sweet warmth and delicious scent.

I should talk to her.

But what would he say? Kian had always been an exquisitely, profoundly quiet man.

Was he suddenly supposed to possess the kind of verbal skills that would make a restless woman want to stay with him? And if she was to be his mate, she shouldn’t need convincing. If she was feeling the same way, there would be no need to talk about it at all.

Maybe he’d been mistaken.

“I’m going to help them unload,” he growled, hopping out of the sled before he could get his feelings hurt when she didn’t respond.

“Hey, sheriff,” he called as he approached the storage area.