“And they didn’t see that coming?” A variety of expressions passed across Maya’s face. “That seems … really dumb.”
“You will soon discover, if you haven’t already, that dragons have a great propensity for beingreally dumb.” Corin heaveda sigh. “Gold-lust makes fools of us all. And if that wasn’t bad enough, we build a culture of grandstanding and hoard-theft that turns our foolishness into something to strive for. And you discovered all this about me before you even knew what I was.”
“Spreadsheets and gossip.” Her eyes danced.
His heart was full of stars. “I was a fool to lose you,” he murmured, and suddenly her mirth melted away, replaced by a sharp look that pierced his conscience. “You already hold the key to my heart. Maybe I should be thanking whoever stole my clan’s treasure, not trying to hunt them down.”
“That doesn’t sound very draconic of you,” she murmured.
“Neither is playing the big, bad dragon for a hatchling. But here we are.” He nodded towards the pile of gold.
Tomás was curled up on top of it, soundly asleep.
Maya’s eyes widened. “Oh god,” she whispered. “Is this really happening?”
“He’s asleep.”
“I don’t think I can dare to breathe. It’s not even nine. It’s—” She checked the clock on the bedside table. “It’sseven thirty.”
He leaned closer to her, until the heat from her body made him feel drunk. “What are we going to do with all this time?”
21
Maya
She knew what he was suggesting. She would have been interested, too, except the single mouthful of pasta she’d managed to get in her own mouth at dinner was not enough to fuel any activities more strenuous than napping.
Luckily, Corin agreed. Food first. Then … other things.
“I’ll call Avi,” he said, his phone already in his hand.
“No, no. I’ll put something together. Leave the poor guy alone.”
“Leave him alone?” Corin raised one perfect eyebrow at her as he dropped his phone back in his pocket. “I brought him here to cook for me. The man’s barely glanced at the kitchen since he arrived. I think he’s taken upsurfing.”
“Let him enjoy his vacation.”
“Which I am paying for.”
“That’s how vacations work, sir. You let people out of your sight, and keep paying their wages.”
“Sounds like a scam.” He moved to join her as she pulled things out of the fridge. “How can I help?”
“You know how to work a microwave?”
He stared at her sternly. “Yes.”
“Don’t look at me like that. You dragged a whole chef here to boil your eggs in the mornings.”
“He does an excellent scramble. And I’m not that incompetent.” He paused, eyes scanning the kitchen. “Which one is the microwave?”
She laughed and showed him which cupboard it was in.
The thought of sitting at the table again made her eye twitch, so they took their plates to the living room and settled onto the sofa. With the drapes pulled and the lamps on, the room was cozy and snug. Everything shedidn’tassociate with Corin Blackburn.
Except, when she looked across at him, he fitted perfectly.
“You don’t mind that it’s leftovers?” she asked, because apparently if nobody else provided a rod for her back, she was happy to make one for herself.
