Page 4 of Purple Protector

“Not yet, anyway,” Marlin teased. “But he’s your type.”

He wasn’t wrong. Birch stuck to short flings because he didn’t have the time or the energy for more, but if he could choose someone to have a relationship with, that someone would look like Aaron—cute, a bit clumsy, endearing, and adorable.

Birch glared at Marlin, but he also couldn’t stop himself from smiling. No matter how annoying Marlin and Killian were, they were two of the people who mattered to him the most, and he knew that they worried for him because they cared.

That didn’t mean he enjoyed it.

AARON FOLLOWED THE dragon, who’d introduced herself as Myra, down the hallway. She’d arrived while he was talking to Lucy, and as soon as he’d hung up, she’d explained that she was there to help him find his way around the palace and to guide him to his room. His luggage would be taken there separately, but apparently, the king had wanted Aaron to have time to settle in, shower off the flight, and relax.

Aaron wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He’d never met the king. He never even talked to him. They’d emailed a few times after Lucy had asked Aaron to take her place, and while the king had seemed nice, Aaron was still nervous to meet with him.

Killian wasn’t only royalty. He was also a dragon, and while Aaron had been meeting dragons left and right today, that felt different.

What also felt different was meeting Birch. Aaron still didn’t know what it was about the dragon, but he hoped he’d see him again eventually. He wasn’t sure how long he would stay with the clan, but surely, he’d have another opportunity. He didn’t want to leave Birch with the impression that he was a klutz.

Even though he was. It was nothing new for him to drop his stuff in front of a cute guy. Apparently, that extended to cute dragons.

“Here we are,” Myra said as she opened a door and stepped sideways to let Aaron in.

He walked into the room, expecting something small like the hotels where he usually stayed when he traveled for work—which wasn’t that often. He looked around, blinking. “This room is bigger than my apartment,” he blurted out.

Myra chuckled. “Killian and his consort wanted you to be comfortable. Hedley chose this room himself.”

Hedley was the king’s consort. He was human, like Aaron, and was one of the reasons Aaron was here. Aaron was supposed to interview him and ask him about his life with the clan and how he dealt with being a consort.

Aaron hoped he wouldn’t make a fool of himself, although that was becoming a theme today. “Are you sure? This feels like it’s too much just for me,” he told Myra.

“I’m sure. Your luggage will be brought to you shortly. If you want to relax while you wait for it, I can have something to eat or drink brought to you.”

“Oh, if you tell me where the kitchen is, I can deal with it myself.”

Her smile was soft, but something in it told Aaron that she thought he was an idiot. “I realize you’re not used to living with a dragon clan, but you’re a guest of the king. People will be more than happy to bring you food or whatever else you want. You don’t have to eat with us in the dining hall.”

“What if I want to?” After all, he was here to see how the dragons lived.

“Then I’ll take you to the dining hall later today. I’m sure you want some time on your own, though. The clan can be a lot, especially when you’re not used to it.”

“I guess.” It would be rude to continue refusing. “Thank you, and please make sure to thank the cook and whoever brings me the food.”

Her smile widened as she said goodbye and quickly left. Aaron was alone, so he took the opportunity to poke around. When he realized that the first room was a sitting area and that there was one more room along with a bathroom, he freaked out a bit. This wasn’t him. He wasn’t one for big hotel rooms and a bathtub that looked like it could house an entire football team. He was afraid to touch most of the furniture in case he broke it.

What the fuck was he doing here?

He swallowed and backed out of the bathroom. He supposed that the massive bathtub made sense if some of the dragons bathed in their dragon form, but still. He didn’t need a three-room suite. He wasn’t sure what to do about it, though. He couldn’t exactly bring it up to the king or his consort. It would be rude, and he didn’t want to upset them when they were trying to make him feel welcome and comfortable.

He peeked into the bedroom, his eyes widening at the sight of a nest of blankets in the middle of it. Right. Dragons slept in nests. It looked comfortable and soft, so Aaron didn’t think he’d have a problem doing the same. He didn’t think he’d have a problem with anything. This was like taking a luxurious vacation, even though he’d have to work during part of it.

He cautiously lowered himself down into the nest, smiling when it really felt as soft as he expected. He flopped back, then took his phone out again. He’d been meaning to call Lucy back, but he hadn’t had the opportunity to do so yet.

He wondered if he’d see Birch again. He was here for a while, but the clan was numerous, and the palace was massive. If Birch was just a clan dragon and didn’t have anything to do with the king or his consort, the chances that Aaron would see him again were slim. Maybe, if he was lucky, he’d get a peek of him in the dining hall.

That was one more reason for him to visit it.

Chapter Two

AARON WAS FREAKING out. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and snatched his phone from the dresser to call Lucy. He didn’t give her time to speak when she answered.

“I can’t do this. It’s going to be a disaster, and you’re going to hate me. You might even get fired because of me. I can’t have that on my conscience.”

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