Page 17 of The Dragon's Surprise
She shouldn’t care, she really shouldn’t. And yet, she’d learned over the last few days that Kyle kept himself apart from most of the clan. Partly because he needed to, in order to treat them effectively. But partly for another reason, something no one would share.
As she dithered in front of the clinic, an older dragonwoman in her sixties stopped in front of her. Her eyes were the same green as Kyle’s, although her hair was a light blonde to his light brown.
She spoke before Lexi could even say hello. “You’re Lexi Sakamoto, aren’t you?”
“Er, yes.”
“I’m Rita Gibson, Kyle’s aunt. He’s not here, my dear. But I’m on my way to see him, if you want to come with?”
“Is he okay?” she blurted before she could think better of it.
Rita nodded. “For the most part, yes. Just tired and stressed.” She lowered her voice. “He’s had a difficult case lately, which is why I’m on my way to cheer him up a bit.” She raised the tote bag in her hand. “I made all his favorite cookies and some brownies, too. He tries to hide it, but my nephew has a huge sweet tooth. I made way too many, though, so there’s plenty for you too. Do say you’ll come.”
She should leave him alone. And yet, at the expression in the dragonwoman’s eyes, she didn’t think so she could say no. “If you think he won’t mind.”
“Not at all, I promise you.” Rita looped her arm around Lexi’s and tugged gently. As they walked, the dragonwoman added, “I know the truth about Ethan, and I think Kyle will want to raise him. He’s just getting used to the idea.”
Lexi blinked, glad no one was around to hear them. “I’m not here to force him to do anything, one way or the other. Besides, Rio said there are a few couples who might take Ethan in, and he’s setting up some meet-ups for next week, if Kyle decides he can’t do it.”
Rita glanced at her. “What do you think of my nephew?”
It wasn’t as if she could say one minute she wanted to scold him and in the next she wanted to lean closer as he whispered in her ear, surrounding her with his heat and scent, before pulling her into his lap and holding her close.
She still hadn’t forgotten her dream last night, which ended up with Kyle’s fingers doing amazing things between her thighs.
Stop it, Lexi.She’d barely known the guy a day, and it was getting ridiculous.
Rita snorted. “That complicated, is it?”
“No. Yes. No, I definitely mean no. It’s just as a DOCS employee, I have to watch and document everything, so it’s not as simple as someone being nice or not.”
“I understand that better than you think, dear. I used to work the front desk inside the Protector building, and I had to learn to judge someone’s character and determine if they were a threat or not. Things are much better these days, albeit not perfect. Still, at least the clans talk to each other now. I had to move heaven and earth to mate my Johnny back in the day, since he was from Clan SkyFalls.”
As Lexi listened to Rita tell the story about meeting her true mate, she couldn’t help smiling. No doubt the young dragonman had been surprised, to say the least.
Once Rita finished, Lexi said, “That’s quite the story, for sure. Almost like something out of a book.”
Lexi also read between the lines—with a true mate, Rita should’ve had at least one child. But the dragonwoman hadn’t mentioned any, only Kyle.
Just thinking about how this woman might’ve lost her baby made Lexi’s heart squeeze.
However, they approached a dark blue house and Rita’s voice garnered her attention again, “This is Kyle’s place. He might be asleep, but you can wait on the porch while I check.”
As Lexi sat on the porch swing, she rocked gently, admiring the view of the trees and the mostly clear skies above. A few dragons flew overhead, and she wondered what it might be like to fly somewhere with her own wings.
She’d spent so many years living close to Stockton in California and Reno in Nevada for her DOCS jobs that she’d forgotten what the mountains could be like—peaceful with clean air, dragons overhead, and birds chirping.
Rita came back out and gestured. “He’s awake, as I’d thought.” She lowered her voice. “He rarely sleeps much after long surgeries. Probably because he has no one to talk to or share his troubles, so he overanalyzes everything in his head. Not that I should mention that. At any rate, come on.”
Lexi resisted a frown and entered the house before following Rita down the hall. Since the house was older—probably about fifty years—it wasn’t an open plan like most new houses, so the kitchen and dining nook were behind a door. Inside, Kyle sat at the kitchen table, a closed book in front of him, sipping from a mug when he spotted her. “What is she doing here?”
Rita opened her mouth to answer, but Lexi beat her to it. “And to think I was worried after visiting the clinic.”
“I didn’t ask you to worry.”
“Not for you, but about Ethan,” she lied. Well, mostly. Shehadgone because of Ethan.
Kyle sighed, rubbed a hand down his face, and replied, “I know. I didn’t avoid him on purpose, I promise. It’s been a difficult few days.”
