Page 4 of Never Feed a Dragon

I didn’t want romance.

I didn’t want love, either.

I’d been engaged before. Nearly got married, too. And all it led to was heartache.

So I didn’t want that. Not even a little.

But companionship… I did miss that. Maybe I even envied it.

Though it could be difficult for me to get along with other people, I didn’t want to be alone all the time.

Maybe I needed to go out and make some friends who were also single.

Or find a sex buddy or something.

Since I was at a packed wedding reception, maybe it was the perfect time to make a new sex friend.

Eli’s groan ripped me out of my thoughts. “This is not spaghetti.”

My attention snapped to him. “Of course it is.”

“Spaghetti doesn’t taste this good,” he protested, gesturing to the bowl with his spoon.

The remark wasn’t an insult, but considering the nickname he’d given me, it kind of felt like one.

I forced myself to let out a slow breath instead of insulting him back. After I made peace with him, I’d just stay away from the asshole so I wasn’t tempted to argue with him anymore.

Or to feel offended anymore.

“When the right person makes it, it does.” I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms over my chest.

A woman sashayed up to us, her elegant dress flowing around her. She wore the red silk a hell of a lot more comfortably than I wore my blue chiffon bridesmaid dress.

“Hello, Elijah,” the woman said, extending her hand.

He didn’t reach back.

My eyes narrowed at her.

He had spread the word that we were mated, but she didn’t seem to care.

“He goes by Eli,” I said.

She blinked at me for a moment before looking back at him.

Her hand was still outstretched.

He busied himself by putting another bite in his mouth instead of touching her.

Huh.

Interesting.

Guess it was time to play into the fake relationship bullshit he’d spewed.

“Are you hoping my mate will kiss your hand or something?” I drawled.

The woman jerked backward. “I thought…”

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