Page 18 of Bewitching the Dragon
“Perfect. I’ll bring a pizza, and we can dial up something on demand. Anything but ham and pineapple.”
“Actually, I still love ham and pineapple.”
He chuckled as they both climbed out of the car. “I like your spirit. Now, go inside, lock the doors, and don’t leave unless you have an escort.”
“You’re starting to sound like Aunt Pacey, except with a deeper voice and a Midwestern accent.”
“Trust me, my version of keeping you safe and hers are nothing alike.”
Becca had absolutely no doubt he spoke the truth.
“Do you need a ride somewhere?”
He shook his and pointed at the sidewalk. “The place I need to be is not too far from here. Now go, get inside.”
“We should exchange numbers. In case, you know…in case.”
“Good idea. Here, give me your phone.”
He used her phone to call himself, and then he handed the contraption back to her. “Call me if anything feels off, okay? Anything at all. Doesn’t matter. I want to hear from you, understand?”
She canted her head, sucked in a breath. She could do this. Yesterday he’d given off all sorts of positive vibes. And he’d rescued her today. And they had a date later tonight. “How about a kiss?”
His eyes widened. “You want to kiss me? Now?”
“Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“Hell yeah, but—”
“Then do it.”
“Uhh.” His gaze flicked to the porch. Was he looking at the gargoyles? Why? Who cared about some dumb stone statues when she was about to find out just how well the real thing measured up to the fantasies she’d been indulging in since yesterday morning?
“Can’t,” he said, bursting her bubble of anticipation. “Not with them watching us.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “The gargoyles? Seriously?”
“Yeah.” He took a couple of steps backward and stopped. “There are blinds to cover the glass doors leading into the courtyard, right?”
“Um, yeah. Why?”
He looked at the gargoyles again. “No reason. Now, go inside, okay? I’ll text you in a little while.”
She sighed and shuffled up the walk, then up the wooden steps, where she paused next to the newest stone statue. “I could’ve had a good-bye kiss, if not for y’all.”
She kicked it.
Chapter Seven
“We have to tell her,” Rahu said after storming into Antoinette and Ketu’s mansion and interrupting what appeared to be a meeting with the Elders of the Rojo dragon colony.
“Tell who what?” Ketu asked, standing.
“Becca.”
“Who’s Becca?” the female Elder asked. Mildred Voltaire was smart as a whip—a favorite phrase of the older generation—and Rahu was pretty sure she cheated at cards, but so far he hadn’t been able to prove it.
The Elders were actually a fun group of dragons, multiple generations between he and them notwithstanding. Every time Rahu came to visit, he lost a considerable amount of his spending money playing poker with them, late at night, long after Antoinette and Ketu had retired to their suite to do those things mated dragons did when they finally had time alone together.
