by Rinelle Grey
Lisa looked her up and down.
Olivia’s severe black suit and pinstriped blouse were perfect for the office, but they did nothing to accentuate her curves or hide the little extra weight she was carrying.
She had plenty of professional presence, but now that Lisa thought about it, she didn’t really hang out after work or mingle socially at all. And try as she might to remember it, Lisa didn’t think she’d ever heard about her having a date.
Was she shy?
It seemed like it.
Lisa couldn’t help feeling a little protective.
Trouble was, Lisa wasn’t sure she was qualified to give this sort of advice. If Olivia had just wanted sex, that was easy. Lisa could have coached her on exactly the right things to say and do to get a guy into bed.
But Olivia wanted more than that.
And Lisa had no knowledge of how to get a guy to commit to a long-term relationship. It’d never occurred to her to try.
It couldn’t be that hard though, could it? It all started with the same thing. Getting that first impression just right.
Lisa could certainly help her out with that.
“Where you go and who pays doesn’t matter,” she said firmly. “What you need to worry about is what to wear.”
Olivia looked down at her clothes, her face uncertain. “But… I don’t have time to change. I was going to go straight from work.”
“Change that,” Lisa said firmly. “Tell Kevin… tell him you have to go home and feed your cat.”
Olivia hesitated. “But… I don’t have any other clothes that I could really wear out. What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Lisa bit back a sigh. Olivia really didn’t have a clue, did she? What she needed was a makeover, but Lisa didn’t have time for that. She had a dragon shifter waiting for her at home.
Instead, she pulled out some magazines from the bottom drawer of her desk. “You need something sexy. Like…” she flipped through a few pages until she found something good. “Like this.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t wear that,” she protested. She hesitated, then said slowly, “I wouldn’t be game. I’m not… well, I’m not skinny like you. I couldn’t wear something like that.”
She really did lack self-confidence. She needed help.
A few weeks ago, Lisa would have brushed her off and told her what she was wearing was fine. What did it matter to Lisa whether Olivia succeeded or not? It was no skin off her nose.
For some reason, it was different today.
Maybe because Olivia’s lack of self-confidence reminded her of Verrian.
His problems were far larger than Olivia’s, and far more complex. She didn’t feel like she could help him at all.
But Olivia, her problems were simple. Something Lisa had plenty of experience with.
She checked the time. “Look, it’s only half an hour to lunch. I just need to finish filing these court documents, then we’ll go shopping. We’ll find something perfect for you to wear, I promise.”
Olivia’s eyes lit up. “Really, Lisa? Are you sure that’s not too much trouble?”
Her happiness made Lisa feel good inside. “Not at all. I need to do a little shopping myself.”
*****
Of course, the reality was, shopping was the least of Oliva’s worries. What the woman was severely lacking in was self-confidence, something they couldn’t buy in any store.
Lisa did her best, finally managing to convince her that a figure hugging black dress that showed off some of her ample cleavage was the perfect attire, that it accentuated Oliva’s curves, and didn’t make her look fat at all.
Personally, she didn’t think Oliva was going to have any trouble hooking Kevin. The little IT tech wouldn’t know what hit him.
The real problem though, was going to be getting her new friend dressed, her makeup done, and getting her out the door without her chickening out and going back to her old, familiar attire.
“Look, why don’t you come back to my place and get changed there,” Lisa offered. “I’ll help you do your makeup, and it won’t take as long if you don’t have to go all the way back to your place.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears, and she gave Lisa an impulsive hug. “Thanks, Lisa. You’re the best friend ever.”
Her comment made Lisa feel like a fraud.
She might have helped Olivia today, but she hadn’t before. Olivia had tried to befriend her a couple of times, but she’d always taken Lisa’s rebuffs with good grace.
Lisa couldn’t claim to have been a friend at all, much less a good one.
Chapter 28
When Verrian heard the key in the lock, he jumped up, trying to ignore his heart doing somersaults. He wasn’t excited to see Lisa. Not like that. It wasn’t that he’d missed her dreadfully. It was just that he’d grown tired of experimenting with his sound magic over an hour ago, and he had nothing else to do.
So he wasn’t sure why he felt a stab of disappointment when he realised she had someone with her.
“Hi, Verrian.” She gave him a distracted smile. “This is Olivia, she’s a friend from work. She has a date tonight, so I said she could get changed here. You don’t mind, do you?”
Why was she asking him? It wasn’t as if this was his house. He couldn’t expect her to pause her own life just because he was here.
Even if he had been looking forward to having Lisa home. Even if he wanted to tell her what he’d discovered with the ultrasound, and see if she had any ideas on how he could focus it more. And he wanted to tell her about the band he’d discovered, and ask her about going to see them. But he couldn’t really say anything in front of her friend. And he wasn’t sure how long she was going to be here.
He couldn’t say any of that. He was a guest in Lisa’s home. So instead he said, “Of course not.” To prove it, he gave her guest a smile.
The young woman blushed heavily and ducked her head.
Had he done something wrong?
Lisa heaved a sigh.
He had done something wrong. If only he could figure out what.
“I can’t do this,” Olivia blurted out. “I don’t know what made me think I can.”
“Sure you can,” Lisa encouraged. “All you have to do is get dressed, call a cab, and go pick up Kevin.”
Olivia shook her head mutely.
Verrian wasn’t too sure what the problem was, or if he’d somehow inadvertently contributed to it. He was beginning to think it was unlikely though, since he didn’t even know who Kevin was, or why Olivia was so scared of him.
Frustration flashed in Lisa’s eyes. She gave a small, barely audible sigh. Then she turned to him. “Help me out here, Verrian. Doesn’t Olivia look gorgeous?”
Verrian hesitated. Was this a trick question?
He’d heard from other dragons about women who tried to trip them up by asking what they thought of other women, but he’d never personally been in this situation.
Probably because he’d never had any hesitation in admitting that he found all women attractive. He’d been careful never to give any woman the impression that she had a right to be jealous.
Now, everything was different. He didn’t want to make Lisa jealous. He didn’t want her to think he found anyone but her attractive.
The reality hit him like a ton of rocks.
He didn’t find Olivia attractive.
Oh, it wasn’t that he couldn’t, objectively, see that she was. She was quite pretty. A few weeks… well, a few hundred years ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated in giving her a cuddle.
Somehow, that thought held absolutely no appeal anymore.
What was wrong with him? Had the long Mesmer sleep changed him somehow? The thought concerned him.
He must have taken too long to answer, because Lisa elaborated without him asking her to.
“Olivia is going on a date with a guy from work tonight, and she’s worried he won’t find her attractive,” she explained.
Oh, that was al
l. She wanted his help to boost the woman’s confidence.
Verrian was glad to have something with an easy answer. He could totally do that.
“If he cannot see your beauty, then it is his loss,” he said gallantly.
Olivia’s face went bright red. “I… thank you,” she stammered.
For a moment, Verrian thought he might have overdone it, but when he glanced over at Lisa, she was nodding approvingly.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps now the woman would get dressed and leave, so he could talk to Lisa alone.
Lisa seemed to be thinking along the same lines. “Right, let’s get you dressed then,” she told Olivia bracingly.
Olivia didn’t look convinced. She glanced from Lisa, to Verrian, then back again. Her face brightened. “I’ve just had a great idea.”
Lisa’s face registered the same wariness Verrian was feeling. “What?” she asked.
“Why don’t we go on a double date? You guys could come and hang out with me and Kevin.”
Lisa opened her mouth to reply. Verrian was sure she was going to say no.
But an idea had occurred to him. “I did want to go and see this band that’s playing at a local tavern…” He looked at Lisa over Olivia’s head, an eyebrow raised.
Lisa’s frown was immediate. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You’ve had a big couple of days, coming to the city for the first time. A quiet night at home would be better.”
He could hear the words she wasn’t saying—he should lie low, and not draw any attention to himself.
He really couldn’t argue with that point.
But the pull of seeing Wings of Ebony perform live was just too great.
“I’m not tired at all,” he said immediately.
He was pushing it, he knew, but he couldn’t help it.
Lisa stared at him, then heaved a sigh. She shook her head, but she was smiling.
He’d won.
And she wasn’t even angry.
“Well now you’ve done it,” she said. “You’re going to have to wait while both of us get dressed.”
She looked Verrian up and down briefly. He was wearing the jeans she’d bought him yesterday, and a purple button up shirt. Would it do?
She nodded approval.
Olivia had brightened up, her nerves gone. Seemed like everyone was happy, even Lisa.
She threw him a smile and then bustled Olivia into her bedroom and closed the door.
Verrian sat back down on the couch and stared at the TV. He turned it on, just so that he didn’t look like he had nothing to do, but he wasn’t really seeing it.
In reality, his mind was in turmoil.
He found it hard to remember a time when he’d looked at a woman and not found her attractive. He’d never been one to have a ‘type’ of woman. He loved them all. All shapes and sizes. That was one of the reasons he’d had no interest in mating. How could one choose just one to settle down with when there were so many gorgeous women out there?
He might have blamed the lack of attraction on being in a strange place with danger just around the corner, except for the fact that it hadn’t dampened his attraction to Lisa at all. In fact, just the opposite. He could barely stop thinking about her.
What was wrong with him?
It had to be what they’d shared together, didn’t it? Lisa was the only one around him right now who knew who and what he truly was. He could be himself with her. That had to be why she was the only one he was attracted to.
The thought calmed him a little, but not completely. No matter how much he tried not to, he couldn’t help feeling that he might be fooling himself.
Olivia and Lisa were in the bedroom for quite a while. Occasionally he heard giggles. Mostly from Olivia.
What were they doing in there? Lisa had said getting dressed, and that they’d be a while, but he hadn’t imagined it would take this long.
He was relieved when the door to the bedroom finally opened and rescued him from his thoughts.
Lisa’s friend certainly looked different. The black dress hugged her curves, and her eyes looked larger and wider. He should be finding her attractive, but she did nothing for him.
Verrian’s eyes went past her though, to rest on Lisa. She too wore a black top, but one that pulled tight around her chest and had no straps to hold it up. The expanse of bare shoulders was strangely alluring, even more so than nakedness.
The faded blue pants she wore were tight around her legs, showing off her shape perfectly.
Of course he was more attracted to her than Olivia. She was the most stunning woman he’d ever seen. And that wasn’t in the least bit subjective.
“What do you think?” Lisa asked, waving at Olivia, who instantly blushed bright red.
Verrian was at a loss for words. He could see that she’d worked hard on her friend, but to him, she was far more beautiful.
He somehow didn’t think that was the right thing to say right now though.
He compromised with, “You both look fantastic.”
Lisa flashed him a smile. “I’ll just call a cab, and we’ll get going.”
Verrian couldn’t take his eyes off her as she walked over to the phone, her hips swinging, and picked up the phone and dialled. When she started talking, her words drew his attention. It didn’t sound like she was having a conversation with someone, she started with numbers.
Numbers that Verrian recognised. They were the ones on her front door. That must be how she was telling the cab, whatever that was, where they were.
She put her hand over the phone, then asked him, “Where’s the band you want to see playing?”
Verrian’s mind went blank. They’d said they were playing at some sort of tavern. He told Lisa the name, hoping it would be enough. It wasn’t as long or complex as the information she’d given the people on the phone.
She just nodded, and repeated it into the phone. Apparently it would do.
Verrian’s heartrate picked up.
He was doing this. He was going to see the humans play live.
With Lisa.
He wasn’t sure which he was more excited about.
Chapter 29
Lisa knew she probably shouldn’t take Verrian out in public, especially since she’d slipped up and called him Verrian in front of Olivia. Her new friend hadn’t batted an eyelid though. It was probably just because Lisa knew how the dragon names worked that it was such a dead giveaway to her. She’d certainly heard stranger names.
Even so, it was risky enough having him here in the city, far from all the other dragons and possible help. They should be being extra careful, and no matter where they went in the city, there was a risk something could go wrong.
If they were going into a tavern, there was a possibility Verrian would be carded, and seeing as he lacked any ID, that would stop this little excursion dead in its tracks.
That, of course, would be minor compared with the fact that Ultrima could show up. Or another reporter.
Somehow though, this didn’t feel risky. Not like running from her parent’s place in the middle of the night back in Mungaloo.
Here, in the busy city, they were just another face in the crowd.
If he was carded, they could just leave. Plenty of people tried to get into bars without acceptable ID. No one would really think anything of it.
If Ultrima turned up, there was pretty much nowhere in the entire city where they’d be truly alone. He wouldn’t dare try anything here. Not if he wanted to keep the dragon’s existence a secret, and from his actions so far, it appeared he did.
They’d already put Rita off the hunt, and as long as Verrian remained in human form, no one would see him as anything out of the ordinary.
Well, aside from being the most gorgeous hunk in the bar.
Was that why she’d said yes?
She had to admit, going out in public with everyone thinking Verrian was her boyfriend was an alluring thought. They’d all be furiously jealous.
Olivia already was. She’d asked Lisa at least fifty questions about him while they were getting changed and she’d been rather amused by Lisa’s evasive answers. She was sure that Lisa and Verrian were an item and that Lisa was just being coy about it.
Which was better than the alternative. Lisa could see the way Olivia was eyeing the dragon shifter, even now.
It almost made her feel a little jealous.
She had to remind herself that she wasn’t jealous. Not at all.
Besides, she had no reason to be. She’d seen the way Verrian’s eyes flicked across to her as soon as she’d opened the bedroom door. And the way they’d widened in appreciation.
As though he had eyes only for her.
No one had ever made her feel quite the way he did when he looked at her like that.
She wanted a little bit of fun. She deserved a bit of fun. They both did. Without anyone threatening them, or just plain out attacking them.
“Let’s go,” she said, sliding her arm into Verrian’s.
A jolt of attraction flashed through her.
That was a mistake. She should have known better.
She did know better.
Subconsciously, she must want to feel the tingle of excitement that rushed through her every time she touched him.
Okay, so it probably wasn’t so subconscious.
She could outright admit that she craved that feeling. It reminded her, just a little, of how amazing it had been to make love with him.
Just because she wanted it though, didn’t make it any less of a mistake. Just like going out with him, pretending he was her boyfriend, dancing with him…
A shiver of anticipation ran through her at the thought of being so close to him.
This was all a big mistake.
Yet she couldn’t convince herself to back away.
It had been a long time since she’d felt this happy and excited about something so simple. All they were doing was going out to a bar, and yet, it felt like Christmas morning.
Besides, if she pulled her arm out of his now, then Olivia would wonder what was going on. The excuse of it being a ruse made her feel better about continuing to enjoy the warmth that flooded through her as they took the elevator down to the street.