Page 48 of Dragon Unleashed
“That dude is creepy,” she announces in a voice that has me shushing her in case he’s still around.
“He’s clearly from a much different world than ours,” I say, not sure why I’m defending him. Hewascreepy. More times than not.
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “What’s Mag’s excuse then? He’s creepy too.”
I smile ruefully. “Unrequited love?”
She snorts. “No way. That asshole doesn’t love. He lusts. Crudely and unashamedly.”
“I heard my name.” Mag steps out from the stacks like a jack-in-the-box, and I gasp.
Blossom glares at him. “Did you hear the part where I called you crude?”
“All I know is you’re thinking about me when I’m not around.” He smirks, and I glance between them, a plan forming.
A horrible fucking plan, but it’s all I’ve got right now.
“You know... Blossom has a birthday coming up,” I say, and Mag’s eyes light with the information.
“What the hell,” Blossom hisses at me. “That’s not his business.”
“Isn’t it?” I ask innocently. “We work together, spend a lot of time together—I think that makes us friends.”
Blossom’s face flushes. She’s going to kill me. But if this works...
“Anyway, we should all go out for a drink. Toast the birthday girl.”
Blossom’s anger turns smug as she says, “You know as well as I do that we’re not allowed to socialize outside of work. Or have you forgotten the rules a keeper must follow?”
“Relax, I know a great little bar where no one would know us,” I tell her.
“You know a bar?” Mag asks, and I school my features so he doesn’t see my irritation at the jab.
“Just because I haven’t been anywhere doesn’t mean I don’t hear things,” I say. “There’s this world called Astronia. It's without modern technology and untouched by the other worlds, meaning they can’t detect keeper magic. We’d be flying under the radar the whole time.”
“Astronia, huh?” Mag looks like he’s actually considering it. “What do you say, Blossom? Birthday shots for the birthday girl? I might even luck out and get you in your birthday suit.” He winks.
“I am not drinking with him,” Blossom declares and stalks off.
My disappointment is nothing compared to what flashes in Mag’s eyes before he schools his features. The look of hurt is gone so fast, but it’s surprisingly real.
“I’ll talk to her,” I say.
“Don’t bother.” He slips back into the stacks without another sound.
Alone, I head upstairs, thoughts buzzing around my failed idea. If there is a way to convince them to open that portal, then there's also a chance I can get Aries through it too. No one will ever have to know about my mistake.
The problem is convincing Blossom to go anywhere with Mag.Especiallyon her birthday. But I’ve done harder things. Like resisting morning sex with the hot, well-endowed dragon king in my bed this morning.
If I can do that, I can do anything.
Right?
* * *
My apartment isquiet as I let myself in. It's also a complete mess. Bowls and cups are stacked and strewn across the coffee table. Hats and jackets from my hall closet are in heaps on the floor.
Annoyance burns through me as I follow the trail of items into my bedroom where I find even more mess.
