Page 8 of Dragon Daddy's Second Chance

“And you should, from what I hear, that was a very daringrescue,” Max said. “I’m just glad that everyone is all right. I may have to think about hiring some lifeguards after all.”

“It might be a good idea,” she said. “But I’m happy I was there to help.”

“Of course I’m going to refund the cost of your stay. It’s the least that I can do,” Max said, then paused, an embarrassed look on his face. “I usually meet all my guests at some point, but I don’t think we’ve met yet.”

“I’m Wren, and this is my friend Susan,” she said. “You don’t have to give us a refund. That’s unnecessary, I was glad to help.”

Max was looking at her strangely, his mouth hanging open a little, and she began to wonder if there was something wrong with him. “Did you say Wren?” he finally asked. “Your last name wouldn’t be Bennett, would it?”

“Yep, that’s me,” she said, looking over at Susan. “I really am feeling better. Maybe I’ll just go back to my cabin.”

“It’s you,” Max said, his eyes wide with shock. “He really did see you, I can’t believe this…I have to go get him…he wants to talk to you.”

Before she could say anything, Max spun around and left the room. They could hear him barking orders as he walked down the hallway, and she suddenly just wanted to get out of there. She wasn’t ready to see Blake, and she couldn’t remember a single one of the lies she’d made up in her head. A wave of panic shot through her, making her gasp.

“I’m not ready to see him,” she said, trying to keep her breath steady. “And no matter what else you do, don’t tell Blake about Theo. He can’t know about him.”

Susan looked over at her. “Wren, are you sure?” she asked. “Doesn’t Blake deserve to know that he’s a father? Doesn’t Theo deserve to have a father?”

“It’s not Blake I’m afraid of, it’s his parents,” she said. “They’ll try to take him away from me. I know it, please just don’t say anything. I’ll explain later, I promise.”

Just then, the doctor came bustling into the room.

“Well, now, you don’t look so bad,” she said. “Couple of fools you two, swimming out after that float like that, could have gotten yourselves killed, but I guess it all worked out okay.”

CHAPTER 5

***BLAKE***

Blake ran into Max as he was coming through the front door of the infirmary. “You were right,” he said. “It’s her, Blake, Wren is on the island.”

“I know, I saw her on the beach,” he said, giving his friend a dirty look. “You took her away before I could talk to her. Where is she?”

“Inside, but I saw the doctor come in right before you got here,” Max said, following him inside. “What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean?” he asked. “I’m going to talk to her. What else would I do?”

Max pulled him to a stop. “When we were on the beach and you thought you spotted her, you got really angry, and you’re not exactly calm right now,” he said. “I just don’t want you to go charging in there and making a fool of yourself or worse. I mean, maybe she doesn’t feel the same way you do; maybe she hasn’t been missing you for all these years.”

That made him pause for a second. He’d never considered Wren’s feelings; had been so focused on his broken heart and longing for her, he hadn’t seen past it. It was like beingpunched in the stomach, and he staggered back a step; in his mind, he’d always assumed that she still loved him. The idea that his infatuation might be one-sided hadn’t entered his mind. What they’d shared had been so powerful, he’d never imagined that it could die away that easily.

The hope that had been slowly building in his chest began to fade away, but then he remembered the look in Wren’s eyes on the beach, he’d seen the love simmering just under the surface, had felt the warmth of what they shared. Shaking his head, he started down the hallway again, trusting what the creature deep inside him was telling him.

“She still loves me,” he said over his shoulder. “I saw it in her eyes. I let her get away once, I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

Max sighed and followed him down the hallway. “You can’t just go bursting into the room,” he called. She’s still worn out from the crazy stunt you two pulled today.”

Susan was standing guard outside the door when he walked up, and that summer came back to him in a rush. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she said, glaring at him. “Have you come to ruin Wren’s life some more?”

“What do you mean?” he asked. “What’s wrong with Wren’s life?”

“Nothing and none of your business,” Susan said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Now, go away. She doesn’t want to see you right now.”

He looked past Susan at the door. Wren was so close that he could smell her unique scent, and the creature inside him began to stir, recognizing its mate. If there had been any doubt in his mind over the last six years, it vanished instantly as his magic flared to life, and it took everything in him not to shove Susan out of the way to claim the woman he loved.

“I just want to make sure that she’s okay,” he said. “I promise I won’t upset her.”

Susan studied him for a second, then shook her head. “Just seeing you will upset her,” she finally said. “Why don’t you go away and leave her alone? All that stuff between you was in the past; let it go.”

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