Page 5 of Desired By the Dragon

“I keep telling you to get a microfiber hair towel,” the owner of those gentle hands said, and I grinned before snarling when a particularly large knot was yanked. “Something you forgot to tell me?”

I looked to my left and offered a smile and big puppy eyes to the dragon standing behind me. “Surprise?” I tried and she narrowed her green eyes. “I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”

“I can see that,” she said blandly, and I knew she was likely taking in the makeshift nest of blankets on my bed, stained with orange Cheeto dust. “A simple Hey best friend I totally didn’t forget about, I’m back in town would have sufficed. Instead, I learn that you’re back home from your mother, of all people.”

Fair. “You’re right. I’m sorry Taz.” Now knot free, Tazmin handed back the comb and then spun me around so she could squeeze me into a breathless hug. “I missed you.”

“I know,” she said and I rolled my eyes. She was such a Star Wars dork. Admittedly, I might have been too. “This is worse than your mom said,” she added, nodding behind us to the aforementioned pity-nest. “We need to get you out of the house and back on the dragon,” she added, mischief sparkling in her eyes when I gently shoved her.

“Not happening.” It was true. I was done with bad decisions, bad men — and unfortunately, that meant all men, because I had yet to be attracted to one that hadn’t broken my heart.

Taz waved her hand in the air. “Fine, fine. Girls’ night, then. Anything that revolves around getting you out of those sweats.” My lips twitched and she smacked me lightly. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Kier. You’re like my sister,” she said with a shudder.

“How’re things going with Liberty?” I followed Taz back into the kitchen and gratefully accepted the hot coffee cup she pressed into my hand. If there was one thing Indigo Cove did right, it was their coffee. The Crow’s Nest had some of the best in town.

"They’re not.” Taz frowned. “I don’t know what to do with her. I love her, obviously. But all we do is fight, and screw, and fight some more.”

I took my first sip of coffee and felt all my muscles turn to goo at the flavor of warm hazelnut and just the right amount of cream. “I’m sorry. Maybe you guys need a break. A proper one.” They’d tried that in the past, but they rarely made it more than three days apart before falling back into bed again.

Taz nodded as she sipped her own coffee, her light brown skin aglow in the weak sunlight even as she looked morosely out of the window. “Yeah she’s going upstate to visit her sister for a while.” I raised my eyebrows while I sipped my drink and Taz elaborated. “Six months. Maybe permanently. I’m not sure.”

Well, damn. That was a pretty long break. “Are you… okay?”

“No,” she said frankly and I reached over to squeeze her hand. It was one of the things I loved most about Taz, something I’d missed: we didn’t lie to each other. “So, girls’ night? You can tell me all about your misadventures in…” She paused and scrunched her face in concentration. “I’ve lost track. Where were you this time?”

“Arizona,” I supplied and she shook her head, mouth curling. “What? You know I get itchy feet.”

She snorted. “Well, let’s hope they let you rest here for a while.”

I drained the last of my coffee and set the paper cup down with a thud. “Yeah, well. I’m here for the foreseeable. Are you nervous?”

Taz stared at me blankly. “For what?”

I grimaced. “The heat,” I muttered and her eyes widened before she smiled, the look full of trouble. “I know you had your first one last year.” We’d practically grown up together, with only a year separating us, so Tazmin had already experienced the heat once before but we hadn’t really spoken much about it.

Then again, Taz didn’t have the same shitty track record as me. Why would she be nervous?

“It’ll be fun,” she said. “You’ll see.” When I still looked unconvinced she sighed. “It’s a good chance to let loose, maybe get over a certain shady ex. Besides, I’ll keep an eye on you. If things start looking dicey, I’ll intervene.”

My breath left me in a rush. “Thank you.”

“We should probably talk about your limits though. Remind me, threesomes — yay or nay?”

Of course, that was when my mother decided to rejoin the room. “Discussing the heat are we?” Her grin was wolfish. “Did I ever tell you about how I met Kiernan’s father?”

“You know, I think we’ll go out after all.” I stood hastily and curled my hand around Taz’s elbow. “See you later.”

The peals of my mom’s laughter made Taz giggle as I strode for the front door, grateful that my fine hair had dried already even if the curls were a little less controlled than I’d have preferred. Left to do their own thing, they were capable of running wild.

I paused to push on a ratty pair of sneakers and dragged Taz out of the door behind me as she called goodbye to my mom. It wasn’t until we reached the elevator that I slowed. Taz giggled, like she could tell the dilemma I now faced. Where were we going next?

The ding signaled its arrival and we stepped into the warm lighting and wood paneled walls, hitting the button for the first floor.

“We could go to the waterfront?” Taz suggested and I considered that for half a second until we stepped out of the apartment building’s doors and a stiff breeze washed over us. I ran hot, not typically needing more than a light jacket, but if it was this cold here then down by the marina it was bound to be worse. “Or the bar?”

I grinned. “Why didn’t you start with that option?”

“Because I promised to help you make good decisions.” She snorted and looped her arm through mine. “Kraken’s Keep has a new burger on the menu that I think you’re gonna love.”