Page 43 of Dragon Tempted

He glared for a moment, and she scrunched her eyebrows down and glared right back at him. She hadn’t been afraid of him before, and his prickly exterior wasn’t going to scare her off now. He sighed, dropped his arms, and crossed the small yard to grab the cooler. Sienna picked up the bag from behind her seat to bring in the items that didn’t need to be refrigerated. She held the cabin door for him as he carried the cooler inside and set it on the table.

Sienna unloaded the loaf of bread, box of pasta, and container of oatmeal from the bag while John started to unload milk, eggs, and other items that he placed in the refrigerator. Sienna reached into the cooler and pulled out the boxed meals. “Marilyn sent you lasagna, pork chops and scalloped potatoes, and her famous chili and cornbread.”

She held them out to John, who stared at her for a moment before finally taking them from her and placing them in the refrigerator. “Didn’t Ryan tell you I said I don’t need meals?”

She shrugged. “He mentioned it.”

John frowned. “Marilyn didn’t have to make all of that for me.”

“Don’t feel too special. The lasagna is left over from last night’s house meal, and the pork chops were left from the guards’ dinner.”

“And the chili?”

“Today’s lunch.”

“Glad you didn’t let it go to my head.”

Sienna smiled. “That’s what I’m here for. I do have something that was made for you.” She held up her arm to show him the two beaded bracelets around her wrist. She pulled off the bigger bracelet and held it out to him.

He froze like she was handing him a snake.

“It won’t bite. It’s from Lily.”

He took the bracelet from her and examined it. There were beads with letters that spelled out his name and others with various designs. Hearts, swirls, and dots decorated the colorful beads. She held up her arm and twisted it back and forth. “I have one too. It’s a friendship bracelet.”

She watched his face closely. It softened for a moment, and then Grizzly John came back into play.

“You give these to your friends,” he said more as a statement than a question.

“Oh yeah. These are from a kit. She loves making them. And they get more elaborate as the kids get older. They can use different threads and weave them. It’s a whole thing.”

He wrapped his hand around the bracelet for a moment before putting it in his pocket. “Tell Lily thank you.”

“You could tell her yourself,” she said.

And resting grinch face had returned. “I would think Ryan could have delivered the groceries. I’m sure you have plenty to do.”

He was so prickly and for some reason that just made her all the more determined. “I’m busy, but Ryan is adamant about me taking a break. He actually builds it into my schedule. I would forget to eat if he didn’t pester me.”

John frowned. “Did you eat today?”

Was he actually worried about her? And why did that make her chest warm? “Yes. No one misses Marilyn’s chili.”

He nodded and then started walking to the door. His not too subtle hint that it was time for her to go? She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I wanted to show you this too.” She clicked on her gallery and brought up a picture of one of Megan’s whiteboards. “Megan has been putting together a timeline of your notes. This is only one of three boards she is filling up.”

John took the phone from her and expanded the picture. “She has been busy. I would think she would be done with the journals soon.”

Her heart sped up. “Meaning?”

“Meaning I can be on my way.”

“I thought we’d come to an understanding?” Sienna’s stomach dropped. “You don’t have to leave here. We can figure this out together.”

“I agreed to stay and show you my journals and share what I know. I’ve done that. And now the Templars are back again, more than likely watching your compound because of me.”

She scrambled for words. “That just means we need to work faster to figure all of this out, right? I’m sure Megan is going to have more questions for you.”

“Has Adam had any response from Mia?”