Page 117 of The Dragon's Mate

She purred to him and slipped her handsunder his shirt to stroke his lean abdomen. “Do you really need to ask?”

“Not really,” he said with a cute grin, “butI like hearing how hot you are for me.”

She groaned, and he laughed. “Unintentionalbad pun, I promise.”

She kissed his neck again, liking the wayit made his stomach muscles quiver against her fingertips. “Why don’t we goback to bed?”

He shut the fridge door. “I am one hundredpercent into that idea.”

The front door opened and Kaida stared atBren when they heard Tyler say, “Whatever, Dad. My chemistry test is moreimportant. God, why can’t you be like a normal dad for once.”

“Shit,” Bren said in a low voice. “Sorry,Tyler has his own key to my place.”

“Bren? Hey, Bren! Are you awake?” Tyler’svoice moved down the hall. “Can you please tell Dad that I’m not… holy crap!Kaida! Hi!”

Kaida pulled her hands out from under Bren’sshirt and took a step back. Shit. She was wearing one of Bren’s t-shirts and heryoga pants, and her hair was a rat’s nest on top of her head. Telling herselfit could have been worse – she could be braless - she smiled at Tyler. “Hey,Tyler.”

Tyler glanced at her and then at Bren, hisgaze taking in Ben’s bedhead and her own disheveled look. A huge smile crossedhis face. “Oh my God, are you guys, like, together?”

Bren grimaced. “Ty, don’t -”

“Hello, Bren.”

A tall man with dark hair and blue eyesstepped into the kitchen. Despite never meeting him before, Kaida knew who hewas. She’d seen the senator on TV and online enough times.

“Hello, Dad.” Bren’s voice had turned icecold.

There was awkward silence and when Brendidn’t introduce them, the senator stepped forward and held out his hand. “RobertMatthews.”

“Kaida,” she said and gave his hand a quickshake.

The senator stared steadily at her. Hiseyes might have been the same colour as Bren’s, but they held none of the warmththat Bren’s did. Her dragon growled out a warning and she swallowed the smokedrifting up her throat.

“You didn’t tell me you were datingsomeone, Bren,” the senator said.

“I didn’t know it was any of your business,”Bren said.

His father’s smile didn’t thaw the ice inhis gaze. “You’re my son, your life is always my business.”

Bren didn’t reply and Robert looked her upand down. “You’re big for a female.”

“Dad!” Bren snapped. “Are you fuckingkidding me right now?”

His father ignored him. “Are you a shifter?Is that why you’re so tall?”

Heat was rising in her chest. Her dragonpaced restlessly, growling at her to show the ignorant human what she could doto him.

“Oh please,” Tyler scoffed. “Like Bren orI would ever date a shifter. We’re not stupid. You’d lose your shit and endup in a damn mental hospital or something.”

His father glared at him. “Watch your language,Tyler.”

“Whatever.” Tyler rolled his eyes in theuniversal language of teenagers and started texting on his phone.

“Why are you here?” Bren said to hisfather.

“Can’t I visit my son without aninterrogation?” Robert replied. He smiled his icy smile at Kaida. “I assure youI’m not the monster Bren has undoubtedly told you I am.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Bren said. “I don’ttalk about you at all.”

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