Page 45 of The Dragon's Mate Proposal

I stared at him, unblinking, my rage only growing into a towering inferno.

“I’d kill you before you laid a finger on her.”

“Goodness,” Reed said, leaning to the side to give Lincoln a glance. “I think we may have touched a nerve.”

“I think you’re right. He sure does seem upset at the idea of something happening to his human.”

“He always did prefer them,” Reed added. “Probably why he spent so many years among them. But this is something else. I think he cares.”

“Yeah. Me, too. So, it would be such a shame if something happened to her.”

I bristled, but what could I do? Feeding them their lunches would only see Samantha hurt. And I couldn’t let that happen.

They might be right. I was starting to care for her.

“Twenty days, Cade,” Reed reiterated, and then the pair sauntered off down the street, leaving me against the wall, lungs heaving as I reined in my dragon and my anger at letting them go. Those who had stopped to stare shrugged and continued on. In moments, I was alone.

Less than three weeks. That was how long I had to either find the family fortune, as the mysterious letter put it, or make Sam fall in love with me. The fortune was the better bet. I knew that. Logic said it was. And yet …

Golden-blonde hair and blue eyes danced in the back of my mind.

Pulling myself together, I continued about my business. At least Idiots One and Two didn’t think to search me. So, I still had the gold to sell.

Which I did for a bit more than expected. Enough I could do the one other thing I’d wanted. After stopping there to make arrangements, I headed back to the salon. I moved quickly, eager to see Samantha and make sure she was okay.

I kept an eye out for anyone who might be a member of Kalann’s crew watching her, but either they blended in far better than Reed or Lincoln, or they were gone.

Popping in, I saw Samantha at the far wall chatting happily with the male who had greeted us. I headed toward them but was intercepted on the way by the woman.

“I just thought you should be aware,” she whispered. “Your woman friend let it slip today was her birthday.”

I stiffened. “Are you sure?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes. She remarked this wasn’t a terrible way to spend it. She wasn’t set on telling you. But I thought you might want to know.” She winked at me knowingly.

I smiled. “Thank you,” I said, my eyes returning to Samantha.

Her birthday?!

“So, what are you going to do?” the woman asked as Samantha got up and headed over, her face aglow from the treatments, her hair sparkling and draped perfectly across her face.

She looked amazing. Deserving of the best.

“I have no idea,” I muttered. “Not one.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Samantha

“I don’t have a penny, but I’d give one for your thoughts,” I said, glancing over and up at Cade.

He’d been unusually quiet since we left the spa, but it wasn’t the usual moodiness and silence that overcame him while we worked on the house. It was different. More pronounced yet he was also more present, in a way. The thoughts about his family and past took him elsewhere, but it kept his mind at the front.

The back of his hand brushed against mine as he twisted at the waist. The movement pulled his gray shirt taut against his body, revealing the outline of his pecs and the repeating ripples of abs that disappeared below his belt. I knew from experience they continued on, though I tried to push that thought aside.

My fingers insisted on reminding me of what it felt like, however, and a tingle ran down my spine. I blinked it away as best I could, focusing on the fact that Cade’s lips were moving.

“I’m sorry, pardon?”

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