Page 54 of Morel Dilemma

“He has decided,” Jildarin said without hesitation.

“Even if that’s of interest to him, it shouldn’t matter to you, right? You’re not interested in that.”

“No, it is illogical for a dragon and a human to mate when they cannot have offspring.” He frowned down at his body, as if he were telling himself that as much as informing her. When he looked up, there was a crease to his brow. “Elves and humans are, however, genetically similar enough that they can sometimes produce offspring.”

“I’m not going to have babies with him. We’re just getting coffee.”

“Should you enter a state of motherhood, your maternal obligations might distract you from your duties as a partner in the diner.”

“I’m not entering a state of motherhood.”

“Sometimes, as a result of recreational coitus, offspring are spawned.”

“Jildarin. I came in here to apologize to you, and you’re being a pain in the ass.”

Frowning again, he looked at and touched his butt. Then he leaned to the side to look at hers, though he didn’t presume to touch it.

“It’s an expression,” Rylana said, certain he’d heard her use it before. But maybe he hadn’t been paying attention then. For good or ill, she seemed to have his full attention for this conversation.

“For what would you apologize?”

“The landlord is threatening to kick us out. That’s my fault.” On the way back the previous night, Rylana had told Jildarin about her conversation with her father and her new suspicion that her brother had been responsible. “It’s my family’s fault, but they wouldn’t be bothering you if not for me.”

“That is likely so. But my family would not be bothering you if not for me.”

“They tried to light me on fire.”

“Correct. Did you not find that bothersome?”

“I did, but you don’t need to apologize for that. It wasn’t your fault.”

“And it is not your fault that your kin plot against the diner.”

His simple statement made a lump form in her throat, and Rylana forgot her exasperation with him over the recreational coitus conversation. On impulse, she stepped forward and hugged him.

“Thank you for understanding,” she said.

She was about to step back, figuring he wouldn’t appreciate the hug, but he set the fork down and returned her embrace, even leaning his chin against the top of her head. His hand came up, and he brushed his fingers through her hair, eliciting instant awareness and pleasure within her.

“I will accompany you to visit your brother,” he said. “Together, we will convince him to leave our diner and our landlord alone.”

“All right, but you can’t threaten to incinerate him.”

“No. He is your kin. As I’ve informed you, even among dragons, it is not considered appropriate to threaten kin with a fiery demise.”

“Humans have the same policy. You have to find other ways to convince family to do what you want.”

“I could bring the fork with chocolate-covered bananas.”

Rylana laughed softly and snuggled closer, wishing…

Jildarin slid his hand through her hair again. “As I observed before, this is appealingly soft. And it smells… I have detected this scent in the lavatory.”

“Yeah, if there’s not time to go to the public baths, I wash my hair in the sink. Also the rest of myself.”

He brushed his chin, or maybe his nose against her hair, and a shiver went through her. Was he… inhaling her scent? The memory of their kiss sprang to mind, and she was tempted to lift a hand to the side of his strong neck, perhaps to push her fingers into his hair to see if it was soft and appealing.

“It is floral,” he decided.