Page 45 of Must Love Dragons
He was taking her on a proper date.
Their first date.
Something normal that had nothing to do with warlocks, fire, or near-death experiences.
Behind him, Rorik leaned against the door jamb, arms crossed and an amused expression on his face.“You know she already likes you, right?”
“I know,” he said with a huff.
“I just mean you don’t have to keep fussing with yourself.You look great.You remind me so much of your dad at your age.I remember him being really nervous when he and your mom first got together.Hell, I felt the same way when I met Matilda.There’s something familiar but also new at the same time.”
“I just want it to go well.I want her to know that I care about her and I’m not taking anything for granted.”
“I get it,” Rorik said.“But it’s clear she’s already all-in.From what I’ve heard about how you two first got together, if she didn’t care about you, she would have just left your butt on the side of the road and gone on with her life.”
That was a hell that Zay didn’t want to contemplate.
He left the bathroom and Rorik followed.Zay picked up his phone from the dresser and checked the time.Kinsley was getting ready with Lyra in her room.They’d agreed to meet in the kitchen at six, so he had a few more minutes before he needed to head downstairs.
A chance to let his nerves settle.
“So where are you taking her?”
“That little diner near the park.”
“Romantic.Very nice.”
Zay smiled.He tapped his fingers on the dresser and resisted the urge to fiddle with his tie again.
Rorik gave his shoulder a squeeze.“Your parents are looking down on you two tonight.Our whole clan is, my Matilda included.You’re the leader of the clan for a reason, and every step you’ve taken since you took over has kept us safe.Now you’re starting a new chapter for yourself and the clan.”
The words hit Zay harder than he expected, an ache settling in his chest.If his parents were alive, his mom would be fussing over Kinsley as she got ready for their date, and his dad would be with him, giving him the same pep talk Rorik was.
“Thank you,” Zay said, giving his uncle a quick hug.
“I’ll see you later,” Rorik said.“Ronan and I are going to see a movie.”
“Have fun.”
“You, too.”
Zay headed downstairs to wait for his mate.Wherever the night took them, he knew one thing for sure—he was falling hard and fast for Kinsley.
And this time, he wasn’t going to fight it.
* * *
“Okay, so wait, tell me again,” Kinsley said as she sat on Lyra’s bed after getting ready for her date.
“Female dragons initiate the permanent mating bond, not the males.”Lyra leaned against her dresser and folded her arms.“You said you felt strange all day like Zay wanted to talk about the future but didn’t.I think it’s probably because he’s waiting for you to claim him.”
“But we’re already truemates.”
“Yeah, but that’s not the same thing.Not to our dragons.”
Kinsley mused on that.When Lyra asked if Kinsley had decided to initiate the mating bond with Zay, Kinsley didn’t know what she was talking about.Zay hadn’t mentioned anything about mating to her.She’d assumed that since dragons had fangs, he’d bite her at some point.
She’d been wrong.
