Page 4 of Always Say Yes to a Dragon

“Here you are.” I set the check on the table and left, my shoulders relaxing completely. Maybe dragons weren’t that different from humans. Competing for the check with a friend was pretty normal behavior, although their method was admittedly unconventional.

The tail end of their exchange floated across the restaurant as I turned to check on Blondie and Bug-eyes.

“I’m the better treasure finder,” Az’zael said. “I’ll always find the best gift.”

“You still can’t organize a library for shit.”

Az’zael replied, “Well, I have to leavesomethingfor you knowledge-sniffers. But I’ll be generous and take care of the tip.”

Was his voice a little louder than it had been a few minutes ago? I was a handful of steps away and could still hear him perfectly.

When they looked like they’d finished bickering, I picked up the check with another strained smile and ran the card. When I returned with the credit card and slip, I almost dropped them on the floor.

Az’zael had placed his wallet on the table. He tapped it. “Take whatever tip you think you deserve, Elle.” He said my name slowly, like he was savoring it.

2

Elle

My eyes darted between his hand, the wallet, and Niemrin, who covered his eyes. Then they went back to the wallet.

“Is this a prank?” The words popped out without consulting my brain. It had been a long hour, and this kind of shit only happened on social media.

“Nope. No prank. Take whatever tip you think you deserve.”

My attention darted between the wallet, leather with a few green bills poking out, and Az’zael, who fixed me with his slit-pupiled gaze.

I’d had the occasional customer ask me how much of a tip they should leave me. I told them twenty-five percent. If they were really persistent and claimed they wanted to leave me even more, I’d tell them a hundred percent. Was this the dragon version of that?

Granted, that was usually from a regular. And they never had me take cash directly out of their wallet.

“You heard him, right?” I jerked my head at Niemrin.

“I did.” Niemrin stared at me. Az’zael bared his teeth at the other dragon.Nota smile.

“You aren’t going to stop him?” I asked.

Az’zael’s eyes narrowed on Niemrin, who shook his head. “He wouldn’t want me to.” The tightness around Az’zael’s mouth softened a fraction.

I kept my eyes on Niemrin. “And if later he says I stole from him, you’d back me up? Say he gave me permission?” I tilted my head toward Az’zael. As if Niemrin would really back me up against a fellow dragon.

Although, what did he need Niemrin for? He could roast me where I stood. Sweat prickled my forehead.

“He won’t,” Niemrin said.

I glanced back at Az’zael.

“I won’t.” He leaned forward, eyes wide. “I’m just giving you a tip.”

I brushed the buttery-soft leather of his wallet, testing his reaction and recalling their bizarre gift exchange. This could all be some unfathomable dragon nonsense.

Az’zael’s eyes stayed fixed on me, his red claws digging into the table. The tendons in his forearms flexed under his scales and sent flutters through my belly. It was almost like hewantedme to clean him out.

I chewed my bottom lip as my gaze returned to the wallet. Az’zael wouldn’t have offered if there was anything in there he wasn’t willing to lose, right? And he was loaded, so it wasn’t like he’d miss it, but even if I hustled for the next few days, I’d still be a few hundred short on rent. And…Mama. She wouldn’t admit it, but things had been tight for her recently.

Fuck it.I grabbed the wallet and pulled out every single bill, while Az’zael’s golden eyes bored into my hands, urging me on. Then I shoved the cash in my apron. “Thank you,” I said, as if this were the type of interaction I had every day. I walked off before I could come to my senses.

I heard a low “holy shit” from behind me and hoped I hadn’t made the worst mistake of my life. He’d offered, right? And dragons didn’t horribly murder people.

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