Page 77 of Always Say Yes to a Dragon

My wings flicked at Dwayne, who blanched. Only Elle’s fingers clutching my arm kept me from giving the human a proper response.

Dwayne sucked his teeth. “I turned down two hours of overtime for dinner where some asshole shoves his fancy shit in my face, and he wants to talk aboutrespect? He won’t even let a man pay his own way.”

Betty sank down in her chair, face red.

Elle stared at her mom, then at Dwayne. Scrubbing a hand down her face, she said, “I think this dinner is over.”

“Agreed. I’ll pay for everyone but you.” I directed the last at Dwayne.

As soon as we were both in the car, I said, “If Betty swore off marrying Dwayne, I can’t blame her. What an ungenerous man.”

“I asked you to let Dwayne pay for him and Mama.” Elle’s eyes were on her phone, her thumbs flying. She didn’t curve her body into mine like usual.

“I’m courting you. I’d never expect my intended mate’s parents to pay—”

“When I meet your parents, do you expect me to pay for dinner?”

“Well, no.”

“Why not?” She turned toward me, her face hard.

“Because you’re human.”

She drew herself up in her seat, and somehow that didn’t seem like the right answer, even though it was true.

“The custom is different,” I fumbled. “Besides, my parents are hosting dinner. It’d be ridiculous to ask you to pay for that.”

“What if we met up at a restaurant?” Her lush lips pursed tight.

“We’d exchange gifts and decide who pays based on that.” And I’d make sure that I won the exchange, as I usually did with my family. “It’s dragon custom.” I felt like sand was shifting under my feet as I spoke.

“If you expect to follow dragon custom when we meet your parents, why can’t you respect my request to let Dwayne pay for himself and Mama? Itoldyou he wouldn’t take it well if you tried to pay.”

The idea of her family not even expecting me to handle such a measly bill when they were trusting me with their precious Elle… “What if they think I’m poor?”

Silence stretched between us while she watched me through cold eyes. Chills broke out across my scales.

“Would that be so bad?” she said. Something dangerous lurked beneath her icy-calm tone.

“Um. Maybe not for humans. But I’m a dragon.” I groped for the right words. “I can literally smell treasure if it’s nearby. A poor dragon, one with no treasure and no library, is a pathetic dragon who does not deserve the title.” And my library waspitifullysmall, so I had to make up for it with treasure.

Elle blinked once. It felt like she was weighing my soul. “And what do you think about poor humans?”

“Humans can’t smell treasure.” My breaths came quick and fast. I wanted to pull her to me, hold her close until she understood. “You have other jobs. Artist and server and city councilor. Dragons have two: treasure-sniffer and knowledge-sniffer.” Niemrin and I divided up city management duties along those lines. “If I don’t even bringwealthto the table, why should your family approve of me?”

Elle’s face softened. “Az, you are so much more than your wealth.”

“You haven’t met many dragons yet.” They would clear up that misunderstanding.

“Humans aren’t like dragons. We value lots of things, and money isn’t at the top of the list.”

I scoffed.

“I’m serious. Sometimes your wealth makes me a little nervous because it comes with all these extra rules I don’t know how to follow.”

“Oh, that’s simple. Do whatever the hell you want, and I’ll roast anyone who doesn’t like it.”

Her eyes went wide. “Um, thanks? But what I meant was, I like you for lots of reasons, and my mom does, too. She cares that you’re sweet and you treat me well. And I love that you paid enough attention to what I said to get my mom and Dwayne thoughtful gifts. The gifts themselves are kind of secondary.”

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