Warrior Lover (Draconia Tales) by Karilyn Bentley Page A

stood in the light of the fire, “Do you understand?”
    “Yes. Where are you going?”
    “To make sure Lily is all right.” Standing, he strode in the direction Lily went. “I’ll be back.”
    “Enjoy your alone time.”
    Enar stopped and turned to see Jamie’s lips fighting a battle not to smile. “What?” What did a boy his age know about “alone time”? “Never mind.” Slicing his hand through the air, he turned in the direction he’d been heading and followed Lily to the stream.
    She knelt beside the small stream, a water bag immersed in the slow-moving water, the smell of dead vegetation thick in the air. He watched her for a moment, his claim, his exquisite woman. A snap of a twig under his foot caused her to jump, dropping the bag in the water.
    “Enar! What are you doing here?” She glared at him before retrieving the bag from the stream. “Besides getting me wet?”
    His lips twisted. Oh yes, he’d like to get her wet. Just not in the way she referred.
    Huffing something that sounded suspiciously like, “men,” Lily marched over to him, wet water bag dripping, and slapped the bag against his chest.
    “Hold that, please.”
    Turning, she marched back to where the other bag lay and proceeded to soak it in the stream, filling it.
    Enar looked at the dripping bag clutched against his chest and stared at the petite woman who put it there. His woman seemed to have a spark of fire in her. Like his mother.
    He shook his head at the thought, vanquishing it. He didn’t want to think of his mother or where she lived. Those thoughts led back to Lily’s questions.
    “Why did you follow me?”
    He shrugged and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “Alone time.”
    She pulled the bag out of the stream and turned to stare at him. Thin light dappled her face, obscuring her expression, but he thought he saw a brow rise. The water bag dripped on his ruined leather shoes as he crossed his arms and stared back. She didn’t need to know that was the second idiotic thing he’d said in the last two days, right behind, “sure you can pack a bag.”
    “Alone time?” Her lip quirked.
    “That’s what I just said.” And wished he could take back.
    “Hmm. Here? In the woods? With no invisibility blanket? Where anyone can see us?”
    He shrugged, shifting the water bag so it no longer dripped on his boots.
    “I think I need to get the water back to the campsite. Then we need to make sure Jamie gets under his blanket and stays put so we don’t have a repeat of this morning. Then we can see about alone time. All right?”
    She didn’t move, remained kneeling by the stream, her words belaying her unease. Enar dropped his arms and tried his best not to look frightening.
    “That is acceptable.” Why couldn’t he have just said he was worried about her? Because Watchers didn’t worry about their claims. “You go first.” He gestured for her to walk in front of him.
    Where he could watch the sway of her hips as she stalked past him, grabbing the water bag from his hand as she went.
    He needed to learn how to talk to her. How to tell her what he felt. How did he explain how worried he had been?
    Lily placed the water bags with the rest of their things and walked to where Jamie sat on a log staring into the fire. Enar didn’t hear what she said to the boy, but Jamie crawled into his bedroll with a glance to Enar.
    “Alone time,” the imp mouthed, grinning as he pulled the blanket over his head, disappearing from view.
    Enar shook his head. Jamie was trouble as only a boy his age could be. Good thing flying meant they’d be home in the next day or so and Jamie would no longer be his responsibility.
    Lily, though, would still be his. His. Enar grinned, watching his woman straighten her shoulders as if about to go into battle. Without meeting his gaze, she marched to the invisibility blanket and bedroll, spreading them on the ground. She sat down and pulled off her shoes.
    Meeting his gaze, she shook