Page 21 of The Mating Claim
She went outside, her stomach rumbling with hunger again. All her energy fueled by the earlier meal had vanished with shifting intodragon.
As she picked up empties from the corner table and delivered an extra-large piece of prime rib, the big, burly dragon who’d tried to cop a feel earlier clapped a hand on her ass andsqueezed.
“I like females with lots of meat on them,” hepurred.
She slapped his hand away and grabbed his steak knife. “Touch me again and I’ll serve you your balls on a platter, extracrispy.”
A cold mist crept over the parking lot. Lacey nearly dropped the platter as she stared at thefog.
“Fog in Florida?” A Lupine shifter sitting at the outdoor bar shook his head. “Something wicked this waycomes.”
No, something wizard this waycomes.
The dragons sensed it as well, for all of them turned to look at the spooky fog, snaking over the asphalt, blurring the excellent water view and blocking out glimpses of the expensive yachts preening as they cruised up and down thewaterway.
Now the thunder boomed, and the wind blew hard, scattering napkins, knocking over the salt and pepper shakers. Everyone ran inside. She heard frightened murmurs of “ColdfireWizard.”
Aw damn.Seriously?
“I don’t have time for your scaly hide,Drust.”
Barely had she muttered the words when said owner of the scaly hide materialized on the deck a few feetaway.
“Scaly hide?” he asked in a deep, silkentone.
Lacey’s heart banged against her chest. She shrugged. “You are a dragon. What else would youhave?”
The wizard gazed around at the nearly deserted patio deck, empty but for the corner table of boisterous dragons eating tacos and a drunk dragon at the outdoor bar nursing a tall glass of whiskey. “What is this place you’re workingat?”
“It’s a taco restaurant. Some of us have to work for a living, Drust. We can’t just wave a hand and have a sack of goldappear.”
“Cool trick,” the drunk said. “Can you top off my glass with somewhiskey?”
Ignoring him, Drust gently laced his fingers around her wrist. “Come. I wish to meet the owner of this establishment who employsyou.”
Unless she wanted to make a fuss, she had little choice. Still, she couldn’t help but push his hot buttons. “And if I say no? You going to cart me inside like a sack of potatoesagain?”
He tilted his head, those amazing blue eyes sparkling with humor. “Potatoes at a taco restaurant? Truly Lacey, how uncouth do you think Iam?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. What a rogue. Charming and annoying at the sametime.
Inside the restaurant, the dragons clustered around tables devouring the Every Day Is Taco Tuesday! special lifted their heads. Drust pulsed with pure power and they feltit.
Every one of the dragons paled, suddenly focused on their food and ate faster, as if they could not wait to leave. Some actually did, tossing bills down on their tables and hurrying for theexit.
A few shifted into their dragon forms and flewoff.
The Coldfire Wizard swept his gaze over the crowd. A shadow crossed his face. For a moment Lacey felt bad for the guy. It must be terribly lonely, knowing everywhere you went, your own people feared you and didn’t want you around, even if they did nothing wrong. She didn’t know if he had friends. Perhaps in Tir Na-nog, but still, here on earth he must feel like the guy no one wanted at theparty.
She scowled at the other dragons. “Wusses.”
Maybe Drust could be a big PITA, but he didn’t deserve this cold shoulder stuff. And she’d always had a soft spot for theunderdog.
Although…
Looking at him, she couldn’t see him ever as being an underdog. He stood over six feet, had a quiet, commanding air and practically bristled with enough power to take out the restaurant and the rest of thecity.
And yet, she knew she hadn’t imagined that glimpse of vulnerability in his intenseeyes.
