Page 21 of Hungry Like A Dragon
Chapter 5
Rebecca didn’t seem inclined to leave once they made it back to the guesthouse, and Petra welcomed the distraction she provided. At least, until she started flirting with Noah. Then Petra’s dragon wanted to beat the girl over the head with her tail.
Which sucked, because once she ushered the clueless college student out the door, she was left alone with Noah and Sadie. And since Sadie was content to sit in her swing in a breast milk coma and watch the world rock by, Noah was provided with ample opportunity to grill Petra to within an inch of her life.
“For the last time, I am not pulling you into this assignment,” she snapped when he asked yet again for her to share the details she’d gleaned from Carlos, the guy she’d met for dinner and drinks.
Damn Noah for his meddling. She’d excused herself to use the restroom with every intention of quietly slipping out of the back door of Oyster House and heading to Royal Street to peruse the antique shops. According to Carlos, Gabe’s mother might very well own one of them. Petra had never been this close to her goal before, and Noah had gone and ruined it.
“Why did you feel the need to spy on me anyway?” she asked when he returned to the living room with two glasses of wine. She was a hard liquor girl, normally, but she hadn’t had any sort of alcoholic beverage since she figured out she was pregnant. Probably best to ease back into the saddle with something less potent than vodka or whiskey.
We could have hopped right onto that horse when we were in that graveyard, her dragon commented.
Shut up. That isn’t happening.
Meanie.
Yeah, she could say that again. It was self-preservation.
He shrugged and dropped onto the couch next to her. She scooted away until her hip pressed into the arm. Being within touching distance of Noah Ladon was dangerous. His close proximity tended to melt her self-control and panties.
“I don’t know. I was curious, I guess.”
“About what?” She sipped her wine. It was good. Sweet and tangy. “What is this?” she asked before he could answer her first question.
“Sangria. I made it.”
Petra stared at the red liquid. “I had the ingredients to make sangria?”
One corner of his mouth lifted into half a smile. “Not remotely. Rebecca offered to go grocery shopping while we were both out this evening, so I took her up on it and put together a list for her. You now have a stocked fridge.”
Huh. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d had a stocked fridge. It was possible it had never happened before, at least not since she moved out of her parents’ home.
“It’s good,” she said, taking another sip. “Thanks for sending her shopping. I hate to do it, so I always put it off until the cupboards are bare and I’ve been eating out for three days straight. How much do I owe you?”
“You can pay me back in answers.”
Wonderful. Now he’s the Great Negotiator? She rolled her eyes.
He turned sideways on the couch and leaned toward her. “Petra, I only want to help. Why won’t you let me? I thought you wanted to go home.”
She did. Sort of.
“What do you expect in return?” she asked.
“Nothing. Why are you so damn suspicious?”
She stood and paced over to the sliding glass door that led out to the backyard. Brick pavers formed a small patio that bled into a path leading up to the big house. A fountain, also made of brick, and a veritable jungle filled the rest of the space. Pacey had recently been making noise about clearing away some of her beloved plants to build a play area for Sadie. Petra hadn’t the heart to tell her she didn’t plan to stay here that long.
“I’m worried about your intentions,” she admitted with her back to Noah.
“My intentions?”
She nodded and continued to watch out the window. “I don’t want you to think we should be together just because we have a child.”
Fabric rustled. She could tell he stood up and was moving closer. She could actuallyfeelhim. She flinched when he placed his hand on her shoulder.
“I have every intention of being involved in my daughter’s life, but I don’t want to mate with you, Petra.”
