Page 75 of The Dragon Recruit
I might burn it before that happens.
Oh, come on. It’ll be fun to see the put-together, charismatic secret agent in a homemade dragon jumper. Maybe we should suggest she knit wings on the back, too.
Don’t even think about it.
Her dragon sniffed.You’re no fun.
Her mum’s voice prevented Iris from replying. “I won’t stay long, like I promised. But I need to meet my future son-in-law before the rest of the clan.”
“I told you, we haven’t discussed mating yet. So don’t bring it up, aye?”
Her mother glanced at her before looking back at her needles. “Even Finn speaks well of him. He’ll stay, I think. And mate you, too.”
“Just because you say it doesn’t make it true.”
“Maybe. But you want him—both to stay and mate you—so I’m going to wish with my whole heart for it to become reality.”
Sometimes she forgot how perceptive her mother could be. “Thank you, Mum. I do love him, but it’s still early days.”
“Don’t worry, if he hurts you, I’ll get the sons of my friends to teach him a lesson.”
“Mu-um, no!”
Her mother smiled. “You are so easy to rile, Iris. I’ll wait until after I know him a bit better before I ask my friends’ sons. But it’s always an option.”
As Iris tried to think of how to dissuade her mother—telling her to stop would probably make her dig in—there was a knock on the door and Cooper walked in, with Antony right behind him.
Everything faded away as her eyes met Antony’s. He winked at her, and she stood and rushed over to him. He engulfed her in a hug, and uncaring about the others watching, she merely listened to his heartbeat as his presence eased her tension away.
Her dragon spoke up.We should definitely mate him.
Cooper cleared his throat, and Iris raised her head. Her friend smiled. “I’ll leave you to it, then. And don’t worry, I’ll take over your liaison duties with the DDA for as long as you need. Spend some time with your male.”
With that, Cooper left, and Iris took a deep breath. Because now she would have to deal with her mother.
Stepping back, she turned and gestured toward Antony. He immediately took her hand as she said, “Mum, this is Antony Holbrook. Antony, this is my mother, Jhanvi Mahajan.”
Her mother put down her knitting and studied Antony. He bowed and said, “Delighted to meet you, Mrs. Mahajan.”
Her mother snorted. “Iris said you were a charmer. Come here, son, and let me get a good look at you.”
Antony gave Iris an amused glance before going over to her mother. Jhanvi was short for a dragon-shifter, at about five-foot-nine, making her quite a bit shorter than Antony. And yet, she wasted no time taking out a tape measure and wrapping it around Antony’s chest.
“I need to make sure the jumper I’m making you will fit. Now, stand still.”
Iris bit her lip to keep from laughing as her mother measured Antony’s chest, arms, neck, and waist. The whole time he attempted to look stony-faced, except his lips twitched every now and then.
Once her mother finished, she stepped back and nodded. “For a human, you’re a nice, strong male. Good. Let’s hope that means you’ll give me strong grandchildren, too.”
Antony quirked an eyebrow as Iris groaned and then said, “Mother, stop. You promised.”
Her mother waved a hand in dismissal. “Your father is getting on in years, Iris. I don’t have time to beat around the bush.” After patting Antony’s arm, her mother gathered her stuff and said, “Make sure he comes to dinner tonight. Your fatherwants a turn to question him, although I think he’ll do, as the Scots like to say.”
Before she could think of how to reply to that, her mother left. As soon as the door clicked closed, Antony chuckled, came over to her, and hugged her close. After kissing the top of her head, he said, “I like her.”
Iris laid her forehead against his chest and shook her head. “Please don’t encourage her, aye? Otherwise, it’ll only get worse.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I assure you, I can handle your mother. Former secret spy, remember?”
