Page 3 of The Last Bachelor Dragon

“Well, you shouldn’t be,” Stella said, taking her plate and filling it up and then handing it back. “There, that’s better. I know it’s none of my business, but you look a little thin, so it wouldn’t hurt you to put on a few pounds.”

After three months of living off of one meal a day at thediner where she worked until Joe had double-crossed her, she knew that Stella was right, but still felt herself blushing. “Money has been a little tight lately,” she said. “Best weight loss plan around.”

Stella smiled at her. “I lived off ramen noodles in college,” she said, then shook her head. “I sure don’t miss those days.”

She let Stella put more food on her plate before they made it back to the table to join Keith and the baby. She was sure that she’d never eat it all, but an hour later, the empty plate was sitting in front of her. Surprised when she looked down, she realized that she was more relaxed than she’d been in a long time, and relished the feeling of contentment that washed over her.

It had been a rough three months, and once she convinced Max to let her off the island, life would be difficult again. It was nice to enjoy a meal and adult conversation for a change. Deciding that she’d just enjoy herself for the rest of the night and worry about how to get him to let her go in the morning, she sat back in her chair, feeling a burst of happiness for the first time in a long time.

CHAPTER 2

***MAX***

Max leaned back in his chair,, full and very satisfied from the meal his staff had provided for the wedding. The warm air and gentle breeze off the ocean relaxed him as usual. With a contented sigh, he looked around at the small gathering, thinking how good they’d all become at putting together a party at the last moment, and realized he needed to do something special to thank the staff for all their hard work over the last few months.

They’d all been right there beside him through all the turmoil and surprises, been willing to do whatever was required of them, including keeping their mouths shut about a few things, and he knew how lucky he was. Each and every one of them had become like family to him, a crazy mixed-up family, but they were his, and he hoped they felt the same way, hoped this wasn’t just a job for them. He didn’t want to just be the boss; he wanted to be a support system for his employees. The resort would be nothing without them, and he was well aware of how much they deserved not only compensation but appreciation for how hard they worked.

With a sigh, he put it on his mental list of things to do even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it until they’d dealt with Carlos Adaloni and the threat he posed to the island. Just thinking about the slimy drug dealer made him want to punch something, but he got to his feet instead, reminding himself that he was at a partyand was supposed to be having a good time.

His mood plunged a little further when he saw Nora sitting on the other side of the terrace with Keith and Stella, the baby on her lap. She was looking down at Jordan with a look of enchantment on her face, and he felt a weird tug deep in his belly that made him feel a little strange. To his surprise, the dragon sleeping deep inside him began to stir to life, and a wave of magic washed over him, quickly followed by a flash of desire that made his entire body begin to tingle.

Cursing under his breath, angry and annoyed that Nora was having a good time while he was busy worrying about protecting the island, he stomped over to the table, determined to find out who she was for once and all so he could send her on her way. He stopped a few feet from the table and stood glowering down at her until she looked up. The smile on her face instantly vanished, and he felt a strange sense of loss, but hedidn’t back down, not even when he saw her entire body stiffen up with tension.

“Well, it looks like you’re having a good time,” he sneered at Nora. “Not telling me who you are sure seems to be working out quite nicely for you. Maybe this was your plan all along, keep your mouth shut long enough, and I’ll let you have a nice long vacation for free.”

Nora’s mouth popped open in shock and he saw a brief flash of pain in her eyes, but they hardened again in the next instant. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve been trying to leave,” she hissed at him. “You’re the one keeping me here, so youmight want to back off the conspiracy theories and take a look at reality.”

Stella took the baby out of Nora’s arms and gave him a dirty look. “Give it a break, Max,” she said. “If Nora doesn’t want to tell us who she is, I’m sure she has a good reason.”

“Well, if she was hooked up with Carlos Adaloni, it can’t be a good one,” he said. “Maybe we should have just left her in that boat.”

Nora’s eyes flashed with anger. She opened her mouth, then looked around the table and closed it again before slowly getting to her feet. “Thank you for sharing your table with me. I had a nice time talking with you and getting to know Jordan,” she said, a slight tremor in her voice that made him feel like a jerk. “I think I’ll head back to my room now. I can see that I’ve already stayed too long.”

Nora turned and walked away before anyone could say anything. A part of him wanted to follow her, wanted to take back the harsh words he’d said, but he didn’t move, wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. When she disappeared around the corner of the building, he looked over at Keith and Stella, wincing at the looks on their faces. He braced himself for what he knew was coming next.

“What’s wrong with you?” Stella asked. “Can’t you see she’s in some kind of trouble? Are you really that stupid?”

“Max, I’m sure there’s a good reason Nora won’t tell you who she is, and she’s never going to tell you if you keep acting like a bully,” Keith chimed in. “Stella’s right, she’s running from something or someone,and she’s not going to tell you about it until she trusts you.”

“I don’t have time for this,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I have bigger problems to deal with. Besides, we already saved her once. Shouldn’t that be enough for her to trust me?”

“Evidently not,” Stella said. “I’ve been in her shoes, Max. Sometimes it’s hard to know who you can trust. You’re just going to have to be more patient with her. I will tell you one thing, after spending the evening with her, it’s clear that she’s been well educated. She might even come from money, but that’s just my opinion.”

“It might help to find out a little more about her,” Keith said with a shrug of his shoulders. “You know, try to get close to her. She might let something slip.”

“You want me to spend time with her?” he asked, the thought both terrifying and exciting. “I don’t know, she doesn’t like me very much.”

“That’s because you’ve been acting like a controlling jerk,” Stella said. “Try being nice for a change, it might just work.”

***Nora***

The village was already bustling with activity the next morning when Nora got there, and the smell of food made her stomach start to growl, but she headed straight for Marie’s little shop. Slipping in the door, she stood looking around at the racks of clothing and felt a little pang of longing for her old life, but she pushed it away, reminding herself what she would be exchanging for the ability to buy anything she wanted.

She’d made a conscious decision to turn her back on the money and status she’d grown up with. It had been a shock to her system those first few weeks to live like most of the rest of the world did, but she’d survived. Now she understood the value of a dollar, knew what it felt like to work for her own survival, and she wasn’t going back to her old life. She didn’t want to be the spoiled rich girl anymore, she wanted to contribute, she wanted to have a life that was fullof more than shopping trips, fancy lunches with women she didn’t like, and the constant gossip that filled their lives. She wanted more, always had.

Letting out a long sigh, she looked around again realizing that she’d been standing there for a long time, and wondered if anyone was there. A second later, Marie came bursting out of a door in the back of the store, a stack of clothes in her arms, and saw her standing over by the door.

A smile spread across the older woman’s face. “Nora, I was just coming to see you,” she said. “You didn’t have to come all the way over here.”

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