Page 43 of The Dragon's Dream Mate (Savage Shifters Special Ops 3)

“Finally,” Jared said as I left.

As I headed out, I wondered if Rainey still had the original ring I’d given her. This time, I wanted to give her something different. Something that better represented who we were as adults and the stronger, more mature love and respect that we had for each other.

A friend of ours runs a jewelry store. She is a shifter as well.

“I heard that you might be coming to see me,” she said.

“Who’s been running their mouth?” I asked her.

“I’ll never tell. What do you have on your mind?”

I asked her for a pencil and paper. Then, I drew the design I wanted.

“Can you give me a day? This is pretty intricate,” she asked.

“I can do that. About this time tomorrow?” I asked her.

She nodded.

This was going to be the longest twenty-four hours of my life.

19

Rainey

Kami and Bobby were terrific to get to know. However, they had experienced a pretty hard life even before they were sold by their mother. By the way they acted, they were afraid to eat unless invited to. They were pretty much afraid to do anything without being told to. Otherwise, they hid in their bedrooms, quiet as mice.

I asked Simone to help me bring them out of their shells. She dove into her assignment with enthusiasm.

“I think she is going to be a professional who works with kids who have had trauma in their lives,” I told Nora. “Look at how good she is with them.”

Nora smiled and nodded. “I’ve thought that too.” Then she looked at me out of the corner of her eyes. “So, when are you going to grow some cojones and go get your man?” she asked.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” I said. Although I tried to sound nonchalant when I said it, my heart actually did a couple of flips at the merest hint of Lucian.

“You have loved Lucian since you were a little girl. The night he asked you to marry him, you were on cloud nine. When he left, you were devastated. I saw the way you two looked at each other at his office. Don’teventry to tell me that you don’t know what I am talking about,” she said.

“I don’t think that it would work between us. He didn’t like the idea that I was going to put myself in dangerous situations to accomplish the mission. If he’s going to freak out every time I do something he thinks is dangerous, he’ll be dead in a year,” I told her.

“You don’t think that he could adjust? I know he loves you. I could see it all over his face.”

I laughed a bit, but it had no mirth in it. “The day we parted, we had sex. Then, he didn’t say anything. No ‘hi,’ ‘bye,’ or ‘kiss my patootie.’ He just walked out the door and was gone.”

“Considering the situation, what could he say?” Nora asked.

“Before we left his room, he could have said anything - ‘Let’s talk when we get back home.’ Or how about, ‘I’ve missed you, and I would love to start seeing you again.’ He didn’t say a word. He just walked out the door.”

“Give him time to sort out his feelings. Men are a little slow in that area, you know,” Nora said.

I laughed.

I was very grateful to see the three kids coming in to stop that conversation. Simone had them in the kitchen and was teaching them how to make chocolate chip cookies.

Kami was bringing out a plate of cookies that were still warm. Bobby brought out two – one in each hand. He was covered in flour, and I suspect there was a bit of cookie dough stuck in his hair. Simone had milk for all of us.

“These look delicious,” I said. “Thank you.”

“Some of them got a little burnt,” Kami said shyly. “I’m sorry.”

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