“What?”
“The box was moving as if there was something inside it, and I guessed it could be something alive, and I was scared it wasn’t getting enough air, so I just went and opened the box, and then the dragon jumped on me and I didn’t get to read the label and?—”
“Whoa.” Dom put his hands up. Her eyes were wide, her breathing labored from the intense speech she sputtered. She bit her lip and fixed him with expectant brown eyes. Waiting for him to say something. Anything.
Dom didn’t know what to say. Honest to the gods, he had no idea what he would have done if he had received a moving box. Well, he would have at least checked the label. But he wasn’t heartless, or so he liked to think. Unpleasant, grumpy, and easily inconvenienced, sure. But not heartless.
And it was impossible to blame the beautiful Witch when she licked her dry lips before speaking again.
“Please let me keep him for a few days,” she sputtered. A boy? “I’ll go to the Institute and ask them about him. I promise Ekko will not bother you once.”
“You named him?” Somehow, Dom found this was the most natural outcome, and he had to fight the smirk that tried to crawl on his face.
“Everyone should have a name.” Alecsandra said this with so much poise and conviction that he was embarrassed he’d asked. He took in her determination, the soft pink flush under her freckled cheeks, and the lock of hair that had broken free from her bun and hung by her ear.
“Keep him for a few days,” Dominic agreed on a long breath.
What else would this woman convince him to agree to? He was afraid of that answer.
Then again, what was one more fire hazard under his roof?
Chapter 12
BE FRIENDLY ON YOUR OWN TIME
Watching Dominic and Ekko get acquainted must have been one of the most endearing moments Allie had ever witnessed. Dominic stood still, arms crossed at his chest, feet apart, while Ekko flew tentative, curious circles around him, getting closer and closer with each lap. When the dragon was within arm’s reach of the unpredictable, broody man, he flew away and hopped on Allie’s shoulder.
“See? He’s harmless,” she said, scratching his soft belly. Her boss huffed and turned around, heading for the kitchen.
“Keep him in your room,” he shouted across the hall.
Allie snickered and ran back to her studio room, setting Ekko down on the sofa.
“Be good, okay?” He nodded and plopped down on his butt. The other day Allie hadn’t found anything wrecked or misplaced, so she trusted Ekko to continue to behave himself, especially now after meeting Dominic. “I’ll bring you something to munch on later,” she said, and left the creature alone.
Allie and Dominic fell into a comfortable rhythm after that. She felt relieved now that her boss knew the truth about her power, and her dragon, and seemed to accept both. He made itclear he wasn’t happy about it, but he had accepted them, and it was more than Allie could have asked for.
So for the next couple of days, she woke up and turned on the ovens, made coffee for herself and Dominic, cleaned the bakery, and helped him whenever he asked. Ekko was a delight when he wasn’t crowding her pillow at night, and he kept her room intact, with the exception of a potted plant he’d knocked over on the desk.
Allie had conflicting feelings about the weekend when it finally rolled around, which came after what felt more like a month than just a working week. The bakery closed after lunch, and she was excited to explore the town during the day, but she dreaded going to the Institute to ask about Ekko. She’d heard both good and bad things about Mystical Creatures Institutes and she would have loved to postpone this visit for as long as possible.
But she’d promised Dominic.
And Allie quickly found out that she wasn’t willing to threaten the trust she was beginning to build with him. Even if she was only here for a short time, she would be eternally grateful to him.
“Morning.” A thick voice halted Allie’s train of thought. She looked up to find Brandon, who she hadn’t seen ever since the night he had saved her from sleeping under the stars. He leaned over the counter in a worn, brown leather jacket, his short black hair tousled from the wind, the same kindness she remembered from almost a week ago lining his dark eyes.
“Brandon, hi!” She gave him a wide smile. “I didn’t get a chance to say thank you for helping me. I truly appreciate it,” she babbled.
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” He waved her off, looking around the bakery. “Are you sure you’re thankful?” He laughed.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Have youmetDom?” he teased her. Allie couldn’t help but laugh.
“I have?—”
“Are you getting anything or just distracting my staff?” Dominic’s gruff voice came from behind her. Allie shifted to the left to make room for her boss in front of the register, and in front of his friend.
