Page 28 of The Dragon's Mate Proposal

“Because I’m not,” he said softly. “I’m just … not ready for the attention that would come with it. The questions. The looks. No. Not yet.”

The Maybe not ever wasn’t spoken, but it was there, nonetheless. Nor was he telling me the entire truth. Again.

“One day, Cade,” I said, reaching up to take his chin, forcing him to look at me and ignoring the tingle in my fingers where they touched him. “One day, you’re going to have to tell me the truth. You’re going to have to stop hiding and pretending I can’t see there’s more going on you aren’t telling me. You know that, right? You’re not so arrogant to assume I’m dumb and blind and can’t see there’s something else going on, right?”

“I know,” he said stiffly.

“I’m not asking you to do so today,” I said, relenting. “We’ve known each other for twenty-four hours. Trust takes time, I’m aware of that. I just need you to be aware that if we’re to make this work, somehow, crazy as it might be, you’re going to have to let me in.”

“I know,” he repeated, shifting uncomfortably from side to side.

“Okay. Fine. Let’s go, then,” I said, gesturing at the large bag of supplies. It reminded me of one of those waste-disposal bags contractors sometimes used. “Back to the house.”

“Not quite,” Cade said, already moving into the open to shift, eager to be done with the conversation.

“No?”

The giant golden dragon shook its head. “No. We need to make a tiny pit stop first. For that one other thing I traded for.”

Chapter Fifteen

Samantha

I glanced to my left for the millionth time. Finally, I could hold it in no longer.

“Hey,” I said, leaning forward, tapping a hand against the bright gold scales on Cade’s neck.

The dragon head curled around on the elongated neck, both yellow eyes watching me closely, their catlike pupils narrowed to nearly invisible slits in the sunlight.

“You said you didn’t want to tell anyone where we were going,” I said, pointedly shifting my gaze to the left again. “What gives?”

Cade’s dragon head curled around the opposite side. The entire time his body stayed perfectly straight, flying unerringly toward his home.

“Caliphon is a necessary exception.”

“Why?” I asked, trying to figure it out as my eyes ran along the faded cobalt scales of the huge monster of a dragon flying along next to us, his wings creaking with every beat, loud enough I could hear across the distance. “He seems …”

“He’s old,” Cade confirmed. “But that doesn’t matter.”

I kept my mouth shut, thinking back to our arrival at Caliphon’s house—though hut was more accurate. The old blue dragon kept mostly to himself, though he was apparently well known to the local community. They appreciated him, however, and were reluctant to give up his location to outsiders.

Yet another reason Cade should have said who he was, but he refused. When we’d landed at the hut, the snorting, startled old dragon had nearly charged us down until Cade’s shouting got through to him.

After that, they’d talked, though it was mostly Cade guiding Caliphon through a conversation. Most unusual.

“Are you going to tell me why it doesn’t matter, and what we need him for?” I asked.

“I would rather show you,” Cade said mysteriously, baring his dragon teeth in a smile that would have been terrifying if I wasn’t getting used to it. “I know that’s not very helpful, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

The eagerness in his voice was the only thing that stopped me from pushing for more details. I fell silent as he turned back to guide us in for a smooth landing. As always, he touched down without a bump.

Caliphon, meanwhile, landed heavily, his claws digging deep into the gravel landing pad as he tried to stick the landing and failed. Bouncing heavily, the ancient blue dragon spewed stones everywhere. Cade casually lifted his wing to shield me from the barrage, keeping it in place until the other dragon was firmly on the ground.

I slid off his wing, sticking close to Cade’s side. I had to remember Caliphon was a danger to me, even inadvertently. One accidental swish of his tail or flick of his wings, and I would be nothing but paste.

“Come, Old One,” Cade said almost reverently, taking Caliphon’s arm and guiding him toward the house. “This way.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Caliphon muttered, letting himself be guided. “We have a mission to do.”

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