Chapter Four

Leah looked up at the sound of the deep, masculine voice, and into a pair of the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen. The man was huge, reminding her of a lumberjack. And, when he smiled, a dimple appeared in his right cheek, eyes sparkling with mischief. Leah was tall for a woman at 5'11", but she could tell she would probably only come up to the man's broad chest. He had to be well over 6 ½’, maybe closer to 7’.  She knew right away by his scent that he wasn’t a dragon. Dragons had a distinct scent, like firewood mixed with something that uniquely identifies each individual. This man did not have the scent of firewood at all. He smelled like apple pie with an underlying scent that Leah recognized as wolf.

She returned the man's smile, a slight blush darkening her cheeks. "Sorry. They're just really good."

The man chuckled. "Is that seat taken?" he asked, pointing to the chair next to the one Leah was occupying.

Leah shook her head. "Not at all." 

"I'm Ray Winston." He eased his massive frame into the chair and held out his hand. 

"Leah Sullivan," she responded, returning his handshake. "Nice to meet you."

Leah stared openly at Ray as he got himself situated in his seat. He crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, and she licked her lips. He ran one hand through his black shoulder-length hair, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from outright moaning. 

She had been around plenty of males in her lifetime, but, in all her thirty years, she had never felt like this. Sweat dripped down between her breast making her dress cling to her chest. Her panties became instantly soaked. She was so turned on just from looking at this man. If she were a cat shifter, she would have sworn she was in heat! She shook her head, resisting the urge to throw herself at him and demand he take her right here and now. 

Before she could analyze her feelings further, Ray began talking. "So, tell me about yourself," he stated, as if they were on a date and getting to know each other. 

"What would you like to know?" Leah frowned when her voice came out breathy and seductive. Since when do I talk like a $2 whore? She cleared her throat, smiled and started again. "Well, I am the oldest of five, and I live with my father and four younger brothers. My mother died ten years ago, so there is a severe lack of estrogen in the house." 

Ray chuckled and raised one eyebrow. "That must make things difficult when you want to bring males home." 

"Bring a guy home? I think not! My father would kill him, then he would kill me for even thinking that was okay," Leah snickered. "Once, when I was 16, I invited a boy from class over to study. Needless to say, the poor guy ran home crying and wouldn't talk to me or come anywhere near me for the rest of the school year. Nothing has changed in the 14 years since, unfortunately." 

Ray's deep laughter boomed throughout the cafe, turning quite a few heads, both male and female. "I think I might actually like your father. "

"Yeah, it was hilarious," Leah smirked. "I wasn't too upset. He was cute, but he was kind of an ass. He deserved what he got." 

Ray snorted. "I'll bet." 

Leah got quiet. She wasn't used to flirting with men. They usually saw her as one of the guys, and didn't dare flirt with her when either her father or brothers were around. Plus, Ray seemed like a nice guy. She didn't want to lead him on when she knew it could never go anywhere. Not when her father had already sold her to the highest bidder. Leah sighed dejectedly.

Ray frowned in confusion. "Is something wrong? You seem sad. Was it something I said?"

Leah shook her head. "Oh, no. I was just thinking about my clan."

Ray dropped his leg, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You want to talk about it? I have been known to be a good listener," he said with an encouraging smile.

Leah returned his smile with a sad one of her own. "How much do you know about the dragon war?"

Ray sighed grimly. "We try to mind our own business unless it spills over into pack territory. But, I have heard there were many casualties on all sides."

Leah sighed. "Yes, that's the problem. My father is the king of the Sullivan clan, so he sees it as his responsibility to do whatever it takes to protect the clan." She took a sip of her Frappuccino, shoring up the courage to come clean about her engaged status, then continued. "My father met with Queen Dominique to find an amicable solution. They decided a mating treaty would be a good idea."

"So, you're saying that they want to mate someone from your clan to someone from the other clan?" Ray asked. 

Leah couldn't look him in the eyes as she responded to his question. "Not just 'someone'. Me."