Page 46 of The Dragon’s Good Girl

Usually, I say goodbye at the door.

Tonight, I follow her outside.

Margot glances at me when she realizes I'm coming all the way to the car, but she doesn't comment. I open the door for her and she pauses before getting in, one hand resting on the frame.

"The peonies were my favorite part."

I look back toward the house. "Not dinner?"

"Close second."

"I cooked for you."

"And the peonies were beautiful."

"Ungrateful woman."

She laughs as she gets into the car. "Goodnight, Soren."

"Goodnight, Angel."

I close the door and step back.

Her engine starts. She pulls away, and I stand there longer than necessary, watching until her taillights disappear beyond the gates.

Every instinct I have wants me to go after her.

The urge is immediate and primitive enough that my claws threaten beneath my fingertips and my wings twitch beneath the skin of my back, pressing to be let out. She is leaving, getting farther away with every second, and my dragon sees absolutely no reason why I should allow that to happen.

But I stay where I am.

Margot came here by choice.

She leaves by choice too.

My dragon needs to learn the difference.

When I finally turn back toward the house, Gael is waiting just inside the front door.

Her gaze moves past me toward the drive. "You walked her to her car."

"Yes."

"You don't do that."

"Apparently I do now."

Gael looks at me for a long moment before turning toward the hallway. "My office."

"I've already had this conversation with you."

"No. You've avoided this conversation with me twice. You're going to have it now."

I follow her because arguing will only make it take longer.

She closes the office door behind us but doesn't sit.

"This stopped being simple for you some time ago," she says. "I need to know whether you understand that."