Page 10 of No Room at Dragon's Landing

“Boen, are you heading out to the fest?”

“I will later, but for now, I thought maybe I could lend a hand? Looks awfully busy around here.”

Of course, being a gentleman and a perfect host, he protested, but in the end he accepted. It was too soon to tell him, I’d rather wash dishes with him in the room than do just about anything without him.

Chapter Seven

Cyrus

Boen didn’t have to help me, but after explaining that he wanted to and didn’t feel compelled to since he was sharing my room, I allowed it.

Besides, what better way to spend the day, even doing everyday things, than shoulder to shoulder with my omega.

I introduced him to everyone, and Arnaud put in a special batch of red velvet cookies with cream cheese chips just for him. Boen charmed everyone he met. I didn’t blame them. He charmed me at first sight.

“What else can we do?” my mate, who didn’t know he was my mate yet, asked after a stint of taking calls at the front desk. He deferred to me on most questions, but he did a good job, keeping his cool even when the guests were not.

“I was thinking you and I would have lunch after we go help Sandra.”

He pushed his glasses farther up his nose. His brow furrowed. “Sandra? Did I meet her?”

I shook my head, wanting to kiss his pouty lips and barely refraining. This was tough on my dragon. Dragons weren’t known for their patience and calm. When my parents met, they were mated and marked that night. Then again, they were both dragons.

When a dragon found their mate, the rest of the world fell away.

Humans liked to date and be courted, but I only had this week to not only convince him that he was mine but also tell him that I was a dragon—then get him to stay. A tall order, but my dragon had confidence we could do it.

“You didn’t. Sandra is one of the hardest working unsung heroes on our staff. She works in the basement of all places.”

Boen smiled revealing a dimple on his left cheek. “Is that right? I happen to love unsung heroes. Show me the way.”

I led him down to the laundry room and let him go in before me. “Oh, there’s my favorite boss,” Sandra said loudly over the hum of the machines.

“Sandra, this is…this is Boen. He’s here for the week. I told him I wanted him to meet the most important person in this place.”

Sandra came over with a beaming smile and shook Boen’s hand. “Nice to meet you. And yeah, I’m pretty much the best. You’re hanging around this one?” She hooked her thumb at me. “What is there, an investigation? Criminal? Federal? Sexual harassment?”

Poor Boen. All the color drained from his face while his mouth opened in a large O. “What?”

He took two steps back and I had to stop it before he got too far. “Sandra. You’re scaring the omega.” I pushed a little alpha snarl into my voice. Sandra was a dragon as well.

“Oh, I was only kidding, Boen. Sorry. I kid around when I meet new people. Sometimes my jokes border on inappropriate. Really. I’m sorry. Cyrus is the best boss. And I’ve seen him help ducks cross the road. Really, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Boen looked up at me with his mint-green eyes. “You did scare me but I believe you. He’s been very kind and don’t worry about the joking. Sometimes I blurt things out at weird times. It’s a thing with me.”

“Welcome. Cyrus will show you the ropes. Folding laundry is his therapy session.”

I shrugged. With my hand on the small of my mate’s back, we made our way to the pillowcases piled up on a table. The smell of laundry detergent and disinfectant clouded my senses,but nothing was strong enough to taper the scent of peach cobbler coming from the omega next to me. “Forehead lines are sexy?” I asked, nudging him with my shoulder.

“Yeah. That. And they are sexy. One day, I might write a dragon romance, in fact.”

Cyrus turned to me. “A dragon romance? I like the sound of that. What kind of books do you write now?”

Boen smiled, folding some things but didn’t immediately answer. “I write dragon fantasy graphic novels.”

I turned to him, all the folding forgotten. “Are you serious? I read some. What’s the series name? Maybe I’ve heard of it.”

“Oh, um…” he looked down. A new blush covered the back of his neck. “I’m sure you’ve never heard of mine.”

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