Page 36 of Kidnapped By The Messy Dragon

Lamar stands there. Then he unfolds his arms and pushes back through the swinging doors without one word.

“Damn,” I say. “I’m sure he deserved it, but that was kind of harsh.”

Jalen groans and rubs the bridge of his nose. “My dragon is a bit grumpy.”

I sip the lemon water Shelly dropped off with my coffee. “Don’t ever let me get you that mad.”

His face softens. “I would never, Zuri.”

I don’t answer. Men have made me softer promises than that and lied. He can probably smell exactly how much of it I believe. He frowns at whatever the answer is, but he says nothing.

Then he picks up his tea and takes a slow sip. “You’re wrong, Zuri.”

I stare at him. I didn’t say one word out loud. He answered me anyway.

“I can read your mood in your scent. You don’t believe me.” He sets the mug down. “You’re wrong, and I’ll prove it.”

All my life I’ve kept my business behind my face, and it worked on everyone. It’s not working on him. I don’t know whether that terrifies me or relieves me, and whichever it is, he’s getting a noseful of it right now.

He looks away first. It might be the politest thing anyone’s ever done for me. My neck goes warm anyway.

Then he’s done being serious. He turns to Shelly. “Where’s Andy, anyway?”

“Took the day off,” she says, topping off my coffee.

Jalen sips his tea. “Mmhmm.”

I bet there’s a whole episode inside that mmhmm.

15

JALEN

Idrive us back up the mountain with a case of Shelly’s herbal tea in the back seat. Zuri rides beside me with her shopping bags from Lena’s Crafts crowded around her feet.

She went crazy in there, and it was the best thing I’ve watched all year. She bought yarn, paint pens, and a little wooden box she wouldn’t explain. Every time she held something up, I said yes. She checked the price tags anyway at the start. By the back of the store she’d quit checking.

My kind dreams about treasure. Watching my mate grab whatever she wanted beat every vault in this mountain.

We park in the garage, and I gather every bag while she’s still unbuckling. She watches me do it, grinning.

Under the grin, her scent still runs a thin line of caution. She likes me plenty. She’s also waiting for the day I turn cruel, because someone in her old life taught her that day always comes. I keep my face easy about it. My dragon wants to burn something.

One cup of Shelly’s tea in and my sneezes are already backing off. The itch stays.

She reaches for some of the bags anyway. “I’ve got it,” I tell her.

“You’re being grouchy,” she says.

I groan and look over at her. “Let’s go inside.”

She shrugs and follows me in.

Dorian meets us in the main room and takes every bag off me without a word. Brandy is already coming down the hall, and she’s glaring at me. I know why.

Malachi comes in behind her, sneezing, smoke curling off his nose and both ear points.

“I’m already catching this shit,” he says. “Did you find out what it is?”