Page 34 of Hungry Like A Dragon
Chapter 7
Petra texted Rebecca to ask if she could watch Sadie tonight, while Noah lay on the floor in the living room and played with the baby. The glass dragon was perched on the coffee table.
In an attempt to distract herself from the way her heart fluttered at the total adorableness occurring on her rug, Petra swept up the figurine and lifted it to eye level. It was made of blown glass, dyed red, with horns and wings and a clubbed tail. Pretty, certainly, but valuable to a dragon? To the influx of dragons they’d observed buying the little trinkets?
Petra didn’t see it.
She turned it over, looking for an inscription, an artist’s stamp, anything, but there was nothing. It looked like something she’d hang on their Christmas tree. Placing the ornament on the kitchen counter, she dismissed it in favor of the other, far more important bit of information they’d gleaned today.
Delilah was, in fact, Dahlia, Gabe’s mother. She was certain of it. And tonight, they were going to confront her about the curse, convince her to lift it, and then Petra could go home.
And she and Noah could figure out how they were going to go about raising Sadie, together yet separately. Her heart was heavy and her dragon was displeased with the notion, but really, their little affair should probably stop once they went back home. As soon as they found out she had a baby, her family was going to pressure her into mating with Noah. And since that was never going to happen, it would be best to cut ties with him, other than whatever was necessary to take care of Sadie.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Rebecca. “She says she’ll be here at 9:45 to watch Sadie,” she said to Noah.
“Good. I’d rather not take her out that late, plus, I don’t trust Delilah or Dahlia or whatever her name is. It’s bad enough you’re going.”
“You arenotabout to go all alpha male on me, are you?”
“Nope. Just expressing my thoughts.”
She wandered over and dropped onto the couch. “She’s definitely quirky, but I don’t think she’s dangerous. She would have done something way worse than a fated mate curse if she were, don’t you think?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. But I do know that those dragon trinkets still bother me.”
Petra waved her hand in the general direction of the kitchen. “Like her associate said, it’s a local Pokémon fad or something.”
Sadie yawned and rubbed her eye. Noah scooped her into his arms and stood. “I think she’s ready for a nap.”
“Here, I’ll feed her and put her down.”
Half an hour later, she returned to the living room to find Noah lying on the couch, his head resting on a pillow, his knees bent, his feet resting on the arm, as he flipped through a cookbook they’d purchased on their way home from the antiques store visit.
He looks yummy.
She chuckled. Noah lowered the book and cocked his brow. “What?”
She moved closer. “My dragon thinks you look yummy.”
“Oh yeah?” He closed the book and tossed it onto the coffee table, then he reached for her. She took his hand, allowed him to pull her toward the couch, where she straddled him before lowering her face for a kiss.
He wrapped his arms around her back, holding her tightly for a few seconds, before his hands began to roam south until he cupped her ass, grinding her into his erection.
She nipped at his bottom lip. “I’m in the mood for a little afternoon delight.”
He lifted one hand and grasped her chin, staring into her eyes as he said, “I’m in the mood for you.”
Damn, the man knew how to rev her engine. She growled, impatiently pulling at his shirt until he flipped it over his head and tossed it over the back of the couch. When she reached for his belt buckle, he covered her hands with his own. “We need a condom.”
“Right.” She scrambled off his lap and hurried down the hall to the bedroom, returning a moment later with a square, foil packet in her hand.
“Good girl,” he said. “Now come here so I can reward you.”
“Oh, yes, please.”
She moved toward him, but he lifted his hand. “Wait. Stop.”
She froze. “What?”
