Page 90 of Dragon Charmed

“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

Good on her for throwing his own words back at him. “But, now isn’t the best time to…” His words petered out.

“To what? Kiss her like you’re performing a tonsillectomy?”

He blinked at her.

Sienna laughed. “You’ve been caught by more than one person kissing each other senseless.”

Before he could respond, she held up her hand. “There is something special between the two of you. You balance each other.”

But was that enough? “Except I’m living in limbo right now. Is it fair to start something serious with her?”

“I think that Tessa is more than capable of telling you if she feels that something is unfair. And I also think you’ve already started something serious with her and you’re in denial.”

Ben asked a question he had been afraid to up until this point. “Do you think I’m the same person I was before I lost my memories?”

Sienna stared at him for a moment as if trying to decide what to say. “Yes and no.”

“So what happens if I get my memories back and I’m different. And I feel different about her?”

Sienna sighed. “You’re worried what will happen with her if you don’t get your memories back, and in the same breath worried about what will happen if you do. Change is constant. The bigger question is, do you want to pass up a great relationship waiting for what-if scenarios that might or might not pan out? Or do you want to grab on to what makes you happy?”

He stared in wonder at his sister. “I know one thing. I was an idiot for not relying on you in the past. I think you’re smarter than Eric and me combined. But don’t tell him I said that.”

Sienna laughed. “Oh. I can’t promise you that. I can use it as blackmail in the future.”

Ben laughed with her. “So much for sisterly love. I thought we were having a moment?”

Sienna patted his arm. “We are. Doesn’t mean I won’t use your words against you. That is what sisterly love is all about. Why don’t you go for a flight? I can go see if Marcus or Eric would like to tag along.”

“You don’t want to go?”

“No. I’m good.” Had he imagined it, or did her eyes tighten for a moment when he asked her? But she had a smile on her face, so he was probably mistaken. He pulled her to him for a hug, and she settled against his chest.

He was lucky to have his family and clan, whether he remembered his past or not. He hoped that one day he would be able to truly support them like they were him.

Tessa was having a day. She’d met with Katrina to finalize the logistics for an upcoming photo shoot, and her boss decided to go in another direction, which meant starting over. Which made her late for everything else on her schedule for the day. And she couldn’t contact half the people to reschedule since she’d left her phone at the clan house. Her phone was attached to her twenty-four-seven. She remembered exactly where she left it too. She had been talking to Marilyn before she rushed out the door, and Marilyn had handed her a piece of peanut butter fudge and a travel mug of coffee. Anyone in her designer shoes would have set down her phone to hold that glorious dessert. And then she left the house sans phone.

Now she was going to be late for dinner at the clan house. And Marilyn was making one of her favorite meals—shrimp gumbo with key lime pie for dessert. If Marcus ate the last piece of pie, she would hurt him in some spectacular fashion.

Tessa dumped her bag in the car and took a cleansing breath before she was interrupted by a phone ringing. What the heck?

She dug into her bag and pulled out Ben’s burner phone. That could have been helpful earlier today. Connor’s phone number that she had saved in contacts appeared on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Sydney? This is Nadia. I’m calling for Connor. He wanted to know if you’d be able to stop at the gallery and talk to him. He thinks he has a lead on Mia White.”

That was fast. “Tonight?”

“Yes. He’s going to be traveling to an art show for the rest of the week and wanted to get you the information sooner than later.”

On the one hand she was excited. Maybe this was a breakthrough. On the other hand…key lime pie. “It’s not something he can tell me over the phone?”

“He would like to have some assurances that he will be considered for further business dealings regarding your client.”

Of course he did. “I can be there in fifteen minutes.”