“I guess so.” She didn’t ask what she wanted to ask, what she should have asked. She didn’t ask about the other woman. Was she out of the picture? Would he tell the truth? Would it matter? The deed was done; they can’t take back what they did. “Alistair?”
“Hmm?” he mumbled, sleepy.
“I think I’m in love with you.”His eyes opened and he smiled at her. He didn’t say a word, but he smiled at her.
“I know, it’s stupid.” He kissed the top of her head. “Love isn’t stupid, Sarai. It’s just… complicated. Give me some time.”
“Time. Ok. I can give you time.”
“I’ll tell you what I want. I want you. I want this to be the beginning of something, but I don’t want to promise that if I can’t make it so. Let me do what I need to, come back to the gym, work out there, and we’ll take it from there. I do know I want to see you again, and that I’ll be missing you when I can’t. I do know that you’ll be on my mind, and I’ll think about tonight fondly.” He hugged her tighter and kissed her.
“You just can’t because of your love of the other woman?”
“It has nothing to do with loving another woman; it has to do with family tradition. Just let me figure things out, let me deal with what I need to deal with.”
“So, then was it, is it an arranged marriage type thing?”
He fell asleep before he answered her question. His heartbeat lulled her to slumber too, completely satisfied and certain that there would be no unexpected surprises later.
Chapter 8
Alistair
Alistair called her cell phone a week later. “Hi, so it’s been a few days.”
“Yeah, I know, I’ve been swamped at work. I’m hoping to get over to the gym tonight. I just have one more order to fill.”
“Ok, well I’ll stay open late, if you want to wait till after work to swing by. You can work out and then we can grab smoothies, maybe, I don’t know, catch a movie, if you wanted to.”
“Yes to the workout, yes to the smoothie. I’m not sure about the movie. There really wasn’t any I wanted to see, and I have to get up early tomorrow to make sure I’m at the shop for some big deliveries.”
“Ok, not a problem. We can do a movie some other time, or maybe I should find a rock concert.”
“Yeah, now that I can get behind.”
“Ok, I’ll see what I can find.”
“Not tonight though, rock concerts and early mornings don’t mix.”
“Right. Next weekend?”
“Next weekend is the marathon.”
“Right. We could go after the marathon.”
“I always just crash after I run like that.”
“Oh yeah, of course. Ok, well then I will see you tonight.”
“See you tonight.” He paused as if wanting to say something. Then he didn’t and so he hung up without saying it. He still needed to figure out the Phoebe situation. He knew he should figure that out soon, which meant the confrontation with his father couldn’t be put off anymore. It wasn’t fair to Sarai to be strung along, and it wasn’t fair to Phoebe either. He should let her go. She deserved to find love too, though more than likely she’d just be given to the next available dragon. He hoped she would be well provided for. She was a nice girl, and deserved the best life could offer her. He just couldn’t be the one to provide it for her.
Alistair put his phone away and returned to his client. A she-wolf shifter. She was tall and strong, and today he was working with her to tone her legs. Though he was sure there was nothing better at toning her legs than a good run in wolf form. He was jealous that the wolf shifters and other animal shifters had more freedom, more chances to shift without people knowing, because they could just blend in with nature. A dragon, flying through the sky, was something people would notice, so he had never done it, whereas the wolf shifters could run free in the forest when they felt that call to nature, that itch that all shifters got on occasion. He longed for a world where he could shift, and it wouldn’t be a big deal. He would have to figure out a place to take Sarai when he showed her his dragon, if he wanted her for his mate. He was going to have to show her his true self and explain everything. How would she handle it? She seemed like an open-minded person, but would she be open minded enough to handle this?
“Looking good Teagan, keep it up!” he said as he stood watching his client pick up her pace on the treadmill.
“Thanks, Alistair.” The woman smiled.
“Alistair, I need you to sign for the new equipment,” a man said, walking over with a clipboard.
