Page 61 of The Dragon's Mate

Her eyes widened and she looked at hermother before looking back at Bren. Bren laughed. “I don’t think she’simpressed by my growling.”

“Honestly, if anyone but Bishop growls toher, she looks at them like they’re crazy,” Ava said. “I can only imagine – oh,hey, Bianca! Come here for a second.”

The woman walking past them, pivoted andjoined them. She was slender with sandy-brown hair and hazel-coloured eyes.She was very pretty, and she smiled warmly at Bren. She wore eyeglasses thatwere sliding down her nose and she pushed them up with one finger. “Hi there.”

“Bianca, this is Detective Bren Matthews.He’s a good friend of ours. Bren, this is Dr. Bianca Dartwell. She’s a friendwho I work with at the hospital.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Bren shook Bianca’shand.

“You as well,” Bianca replied.

“Bianca is one of our best doctors in the emergencyroom,” Ava said.

Bianca smiled at her. “That’s very kind ofyou to say, Ava.”

“It’s true,” Ava said. “She saved a woman’slife yesterday after the woman came in with appendicitis. Bianca got herdiagnosed and sent up to surgery just in time. Even an hour later and thewoman’s appendix would have ruptured.”

“Impressive,” Bren said.

Bianca shook her head. “It sounds cliché tosay this, but I really was just doing my job.”

“Yes, but you do your job much better thatmost,” Ava said. “Exactly like Bren. Did you know he’s one of the youngest detectivesin his precinct?”

“Wow,” Bianca said. “Good for you,Detective.”

“Call me Bren,” he said as Lila reached upand grabbed his nose.

“Only if you call me Dr. Bianca,” she replied.

He laughed and Bianca grinned at him. “Justkidding. Call me Bianca.”

“Ava?” A redheaded woman joined them. “Wehave a party emergency.”

“Uh oh,” Ava said. “Bren, this is my sisterAmy. Ames, this is Bren.”

“Nice to meet you,” Amy said with a brief smile.“We’re out of cheese, Ava. Like completely out of cheese.”

“One – that’s not a party emergency, and two– there’s more cheese in the fridge,” Ava said.

“There isn’t,” Amy said. “I looked twice.”

“There is.” Ava glanced at Lila who wasresting her head on Bren’s chest with her eyes closed. “Bren, would you mindholding Lila for a bit longer?”

“Not at all,” Bren said.

“Great, thanks. I’ll be right back.” Avafollowed Amy into the house.

Bianca smiled at Bren. “So… human orshifter?”

“Human. You?”

“Human,” she said.

Bren shifted Lila a little and the babymade a soft sleepy sound. He rubbed her back and inhaled her sweet scent as anawkward silence descended.

“Do you think it’ll ever get less awkward whenyou’re blatantly set up with another single person at a party?” Bianca asked.

Bren laughed. “I don’t think so.”

---