Stolen By Dragons (Dragons Nursery) by Rose Thorne Read Free Book Online

Stolen By
Dragons

    “ Clarissa Sawyer, Head
Nurse,” I murmured, looking at my reflection in the full length
mirror in the locker room. The green eyed, auburn haired young
woman in the crisp scrubs staring back at me nodded in
agreement.
    Yeah, maybe someday… after years of
internship and more training. I glanced at my wristwatch—my shift
was almost over. I’d gotten the lucky draw of the straw, the
training shift for this week a good one, from six in the morning to
six in the evening. Which means that I had the full evening to
myself. I was excited to go home and spend another evening doing
absolutely nothing with my best friend, silence. Face down in a tub
of Ben and Jerry’s, here I come.
    But that was not going to get me down,
it never did. There were so many things to do other than finding
love and being swept off my feet. Prince Charming was confined to a
fairy tale, and I’m sure he’d overlook me if he ever came my way,
but a girl can dream.
    Six O’clock at last, I hurriedly
changed out of the scrubs and got into my jeans and T-shirt. I
smoothed the clothes down over my body, the chest too snug. At
twenty-three, I had a good figure, a bit on the curvy side, but I
liked it. No aspirations to be a willowy, starving model ever took
me hostage, and I know any man would love to be with me. But then I
wouldn’t want to be with just any man.
    Unfortunately, I wasn’t entirely
certain my ideal man existed.
    I stepped out of the hospital, the sun
bright and warm against my face. Sliding my shades on, I walked
straight into something huge and hard that seemed to appear out of
nowhere. I took a step back, gasping, and peered over my shades. I
was sure my eyes had just popped out of their sockets…
    Standing before me was a man, and not
just any man, but the tallest, most powerfully built man I had ever
seen. A diffident smile creased his ruggedly handsome face. Silky
hair fell in waves of midnight to his shoulders, framing chiseled
features, and his eyes, azure as a stormy night, were the most
inviting pools I could see myself drowning in.
    I waited for the heavenly chorus to
start as he looked down at me, his nostrils flaring as if he liked
what he scented.
    I steadied myself, my limbs like
rubber. He held up both his hands in apology. I looked around… no
one was in the immediate area… perhaps he were lost and looking for
direction?
    “ I’m terribly sorry, Miss.”
His deep voice drew my eyes to his perfect lips. He had a strange
accent, unusual but seductive. I felt a flutter in my belly and
took a deep breath, realizing I had been holding it.
    “ That’s all right.” I
offered him a clumsy smile. “I should have looked before rushing
out of the building.”
    “ No.” He held out his hand,
palm up as if I were some maiden that needed assistance stepping
from the carriage. “The fault is mine. Perhaps I can make it up to
you?”
    “ Oh, that won’t be
necessary.” I smiled and shook my head.
    “ But I insist.” He looked at
me intensely as he picked up my purse and handed it back. “Let me
take you out to dinner or at the very least, coffee.”
    “ Uh… I’m flattered, but I
don’t usually go out with strange men… um, strangers,” I managed to
stammer. His intense gaze made me nervous but an excitement I had
long forgotten blossomed in my belly, the kind a girl gets when
she’s thirteen and speaking to the boy of her dreams.
    “ Pardon me, my dear. Where
are my manners?” He bowed elegantly. “I am Dante Firestone, and I
suppose you can consider me a stranger in a strange land. I am a
visitor to this place… A foreigner to your customs. Please excuse
me if I have imposed in any way.”
    “ Clarissa Sawyer,” I replied
and hesitantly accepted his hand. His firm grip and strong fingers
enveloped my small hand and I my knees trembled. I let my eyes
feast over him once more. He cut an imposing figure—he was easily
over six and a half feet tall with broad shoulders, a wide