by Vella Day
Once she locked up, he placed a hand on her lower back and escorted her out the front door. He wouldn’t have done that if something hadn’t changed between him and Crystal, right?
Once they were in his car, he looked over at her. “I should have asked what you like to eat.”
“I eat anything.”
“Have you been to The Fishery? It opened a month ago, and I hear it’s good.”
“No, but I love fish.”
He smiled, and her dragon scratched and clawed. After a short drive into town, Blake snagged a parking spot in front and then escorted her inside. Jitters of excitement sliced through her. Greer had never had such a physical reaction to anyone before. If Blake didn’t come out and say they were mates, she might have to be the aggressor. While capable of doing so, she would prefer he make the first move.
The inside of the restaurant was quaint yet fairly upscale. The walls were decorated with photos of lighthouses and boats, and on each table sat a candle and a vase with what looked like fresh flowers. All of the tables were covered in white cloths, and the soft lighting added to the romance.
“Good call,” she said.
Blake smiled. “I’ll have to thank my friend for recommending it.”
The hostess seated them, and when the waiter rushed over to take their drink orders, Blake asked if she wanted to share a bottle of their house wine.
This was a date! “That would be perfect, thank you.”
Blake was being so polite that she wanted to push back her chair, walk around the table, and kiss him, partly to see what her dragon would do. But Greer wouldn’t. At least not yet. If she didn’t do something soon though, her animal might create a stir.
“I guess I should tell you about my talk with Crystal,” Blake began.
Greer couldn’t tell whether she’d like it or be disappointed by the news. “From the way she stalked off, she was a bit upset.”
“She was at first, but by the time we arrived back at her place, she had calmed down. After all that was said and done, I think she was relieved that she walked in on us.”
That wasn’t what she thought he’d say. “I’m confused. Why would she be?”
“From the moment we met, I told her I was a dragon shifter and that I was destined to find my mate. Crystal understood she wasn’t the one.”
Then why had he planned on buying an engagement ring? “She dated you anyway?”
He laughed. “You don’t have to sound so surprised. I’m a hundred and two years old, and during that time, you and I hadn’t even met. I had told her I doubted that I would ever meet my mate.”
Joy infused every cell in her body. “Let me make sure I understand. You’re saying we’re mates?”
He stilled. “I hope I didn’t get my signals wrong. I thought you could tell.”
Greer actually laughed. “Oh, thank goddess. Yes, I can! I thought that since you were with Crystal that you wouldn’t want to lose that affection and go with Fate’s suggestion.”
Blake reached across the table. “As soon as I met you, I knew we belonged together. I realize now that while I loved being with Crystal, I wasn’t in love with her. There’s a difference. She’s not really in love with me either. We share the same interests and get along really well. I guess I thought that was all I could expect.” He released her hand and then fiddled with his napkin. “Crystal is a lot smarter than I am. She knew to keep her emotions in check. Was she jealous when she saw us together? Sure, but only until I told her we were mates.”
This was a dream come true. “Crystal is really letting you go without a fight?” That was hard to believe.
“Apparently.”
The waiter returned with their bottle and poured them each a glass. Blake held up his, and she tapped hers against it. “To us,” she said.
“To us.”
The first sip was crisp and wonderfully dry, just the way she liked it. “Do you think Crystal was being honest?”
“My ego would like to say no, but my heart tells me she was. She plans to move to Hearndon Province since she has some relatives there. I told her she didn’t have to leave, but she wanted to.”
“She seems like a great lady.”
“She is.”
Greer couldn’t believe her luck. Because of the joy that was skittering around her body, she was almost too excited to eat, but she would for Blake’s sake. This was a date, and she didn’t want to ruin it.
Once they looked over the menu, Greer chose the fish of the day, lightly fried, and topped with capers, while Blake picked the river trout in a creamy lemon sauce.
“Tell me what you do at the store, Greer.”
To the outside world, her job was merely working as a clerk in a jewelry store, but as a Guardian, she was often called upon to help her family behind the scenes to carry out their mission of aiding others. For now, she’d keep that part of her life a secret.
“As you know, I sell jewelry, but it’s also my job as well as my cousin Tory’s to keep up the inventory. We’ll order some pieces and design others. We have a lab on site where the jewelry is made. This lab also can reset jewels, as well as adjust and fix broken items. Both Tory and I do the books, as well as man the store.”
“Impressive. That sounds rewarding.”
“It is, actually. When a man or woman buys a piece of well-made jewelry, it brings them joy, which in turn brings us a lot of pleasure. What about you? Is working in a bank rewarding?”
He hemmed and hawed before answering. “I do like my job, but it is stressful, especially when someone can’t pay his mortgage on time. I don’t do the actual repossessing, but I order it to happen.”
More proof he was a nice man. She sipped her wine. “If you had the qualifications for any job in the world, what would it be? A doctor? A lawyer? What?”
He laughed. “You wouldn’t believe me.”
This was fun. “Tell me. No, let me guess.”
He tossed back the rest of his drink and poured himself another glass. “Be my guest.”
“A fireman. Or maybe a paramedic.” Greer didn’t know why she picked those occupations, but they seemed like professions where he could help others. Kind of like the Guardians.
“You’re close. I’d like to be a policeman. A detective if you will.”
That surprised her. “Why? Because you like to help people?”
“Yes, and I think I’d be good at it.”
She liked his confidence. “And why is that?”
“Because I have this very unusual talent of being able to sense and even see a person’s essence if you will. I believe I’d make a good bounty hunter.”
“You can see a person’s essence? Intriguing.” None of the Guardians had that ability. “Tell me more.”
He leaned forward and kept his voice low. “Everyone emits a type of electric signature that I can see and follow if need be.”
“I’m not really following,” she said. “My siblings and cousins each have unique talents, but none can sense someone that way. What is it that you see exactly?”
“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s almost like the person leaves an electronic trail behind them. I’m not saying I’m a blood hound, but as long as I can remember which essence belongs to which person, I can follow them.”
“Does an essence trail have a color or a smell?”
“A color made from light. From what I’ve been able to figure out, the darker the gray a trail is, the more nefarious the person is. Not only can I see this kind of electric glow around them, when they leave an area, I can follow the trail. Mind you, it dissipates quickly, so it’s not like I could go into a crime scene a few hours after some murder and find the killer.”
Wow. He’d make a great Guardian. “That is amazing.”
Now all she had to do was make sure they mated, so he could become one!
Chapter Five
Blake had never told anyone about his abilities before, fearing others would consider him a freak. Nor had he heard of anyon
e else having a sixth sense like his. He’d told Greer because not only was she his mate, she too had magical talents—like healing. She would understand.
Greer placed her napkin on her lap. “If you want to become a detective, why don’t you take some classes in your spare time? I’m sure my cousin Anderson would love to have you on the Force.”
“I’m too greedy. I like my pay at the bank. But as my satisfaction decreases, I am more and more tempted to hang up that job.”
He held his breath, wondering how Greer would react to having a man by her side who didn’t make the big bucks.
“I think you should do whatever makes you happy. To hell with the finances.”
Easy for her to say. Her family was loaded. Okay, so was his, but it wasn’t as if his family handed him any of their fortune. “I might test the waters. We’ll see.”
“There’s enough stress in life already. Do what you love.”
He couldn’t agree more, but his definition of happiness would be making love with Greer. If he played his cards right, it might even happen tonight. While he’d promised himself he wouldn’t rush things, his body hadn’t received the memo.
They spent the rest of the date talking about growing up in Edendale, except that he left out a few important details—topics that weren’t first date material. Throughout their talk, he was surprised they had never run into each other, especially since her family did business at his bank. Maybe if his father had been in the mining business, it would have been different.
By the time they had finished the bottle of wine and eaten their meal, they had chatted about everything other than their future together. By then, the restaurant was emptying out. It was time to leave. Blake decided to let Greer take the lead whether or not to ask him back to her place. She was a classy woman who seemed to have her own way of doing things. Too bad his dragon had been scraping and shooting fire in his gut all night long.
After Blake paid the bill, they left and had just seated themselves in his car when inspiration struck. For the last two years, he’d been with a human. While he had no problem flying around with Crystal in his grasp, she’d never been comfortable with that kind of transportation. With Greer, they could both fly side by side, and that realization exhilarated him.
The question was where would she like to go at night that was romantic? Checking out the stars was the first thing that came to mind, but that sounded a bit clichéd. Or was it? “I have an idea,” he announced.
It was a little dangerous to show her this spot, but that was the chance he had to take. Disliking secrets, he’d have to tell her sooner rather than later anyway.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“It’s only ten. What do you think about flying somewhere? To be honest, I don’t want our time together to end.”
Considering how dark it was in the car, he couldn’t be positive if her eyes had turned purple or not, but her arms sure were flashing up a storm. It looked like heat lightening gone wild. Yes!
“Sounds awesome. Where do you have in mind?”
“How about if I surprise you?” Hopefully in a good way.
“I love it. Let’s park at my place, and we can take off from there.”
“Perfect.”
After he parked at her townhouse, the two of them walked around to the back. The night was clear and crisp, perfect for what he had in mind. “Just follow me,” he said. “It’s maybe a ten-minute flight.”
“I can’t wait.”
Blake shifted, and when Greer did too, his dragon shot out fire.
Stop it! he chastised.
Her colors are glorious, his dragon said.
They are indeed. Her black shiny scales interspersed with light yellow ones made her a shimmering goddess. He hoped she liked that he was mostly sand colored with black scales placed at random intervals.
Not wanting her to think he’d turned to stone, Blake shot upward. A second later Greer was by his side.
Greer had flown next to her siblings and cousins numerous times during a battle, but that experience was nothing compared to what Blake and she were sharing right now. Just being with a man like Blake did something to her soul. It also might be that she wasn’t used to seeing such a gloriously colored dragon. The black scales were just the right touch to his perfect look.
The clear skies and gentle breezes lifted her spirits. At first, she thought he’d take her to the mountains where they could watch the stars, but he was headed away from the tall hills. For once, she’d go with the flow and just enjoy being with him.
About twelve minutes later, he dipped his head and soared downward. Greer followed but was rather perplexed. The only thing below them was a huge estate belonging to Dr. Hanson Wilshire, the highly sought-after cosmetic surgeon. No one in her family had ever used his services, but many who entered their jewelry store had.
The castle interior was mostly dark, but a few lights glowed, implying someone was home. To her surprise, Blake landed on top of the main turret. As soon as his feet hit the cement, he shifted, and she followed suit.
“What are we doing here?” she whispered. “I doubt the owners will be happy that we’re trespassing.”
He laughed. “My parents are on vacation, and my two sisters don’t live here anymore. Only a very small staff is present. I’ll let them know I’m here so they won’t worry.”
Greer was speechless. His parents owned this place? How was that possible? The last names didn’t match. He walked over to what looked like a computer screen next to the door, pressed a button, and announced he was on the roof. He then asked for someone to bring up a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Blake spun around. “All set. Have a seat.”
Greer turned around. She hadn’t even noticed there were lounge chairs there. “I’m confused. Your last name is Masters. I thought this place belonged to Dr. Wilshire.”
“He’s my stepdad. My dad split when I was three, and Mom remarried two years later. Hanson is like my father. I even call him Dad.”
“That’s wonderful.” She wanted to know everything about him and his family.
“I didn’t mention it before because I didn’t want you to think differently about me. While I make a very good living as bank manager, it’s nothing compared to what my father has. His money is his though, not mine.”
She smiled as she slid down onto the padded lounge chair. “I get it. The Caspian family owns a ton of land and makes a lot of money in the mining business, but it’s not like they give it to us kids.”
“We’re more alike than I realized.”
A knock sounded and then a door that must have come from a stairwell opened. A man wearing a shirt with a logo on it stepped out, carrying a tray.
“Master Blake. Your wine.”
“Thank you, Craig. Just put it down. I appreciate you coming up so fast.”
“Of course, sir. Will there be anything else?”
Blake looked over at her. “Do you need anything?”
“No, thank you.”
“Very well, sir.” With that, the man disappeared as silently and as quickly as he had arrived.
Greer leaned her head back and studied the inky black sky. Other than the yellow light above the door leading into the castle stairwell, the area was quite dark. While she could see both her wine glass and Blake because of her shifter eyesight, the stars were easy to identify against the black backdrop. “This is incredible.”
He sipped his wine. “I used to come up here as a kid all the time and let my imagination run wild.”
She smiled. “What did you dream about?”
He chuckled. “That I was the captain of my own spaceship, flying to some planet where I would save those oppressed by tyranny.”
“You wanted to be a hero even then.”
“I suppose.”
“Why go into banking? It doesn’t seem to be your passion,” she said.
“I have my stepdad to thank for that. He was a huge proponent of education. I excelled at numbers,
and my attention to detail was, if I don’t mind saying so myself, quite remarkable, so the job of managing money seemed like a good fit. I came from a good family who taught me not to take money or education for granted.” He paused for a moment. “I do have one vice.”
“Which is?”
“I love fast cars.”
She laughed. “There are worse things you could spend your money on.”
Blake shifted to his side to face her. “I suppose so. What about you? What do you like to spend your money on?”
“I’m rather shallow. I’ve always had an affinity for clothes and makeup.” She held up a hand. “Not that I don’t have a more serious side. I help support The Spiegel House Orphanage. I know how lucky I am to have such a wonderfully supportive family too, and I want to help those who are less fortunate.”
Blake reached out and squeezed her hand, and that one touch lit her up. He was similarly affected since his black scales shown against his sand colored ones. He let go. “If we light up anymore, we might not be able to see the stars.”
His exaggerated statement made her laugh. “You are funny.”
“I like you, Greer. Really like you.”
“I like you too.”
Greer relaxed. They’d finally admitted—albeit it subtly—that their relationship could go to the next level. Wanting to enjoy the moment, she sipped her wine and studied the sky.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Blake asked.
She wasn’t sure if he was talking about the stars, the wonderfully rich, full-bodied wine, or the fact they’d more or less claimed they wanted to be together. “Absolutely.”
For the next few minutes, they sat mostly in silence, occasionally commenting on a constellation. Most of the time Blake was the one who knew the star cluster’s name, proving he had spent a lot of time in these chairs.
The longer they sat, the more comfortable she became. At the same time, her body was heating up from the inside, making it more difficult to sit still. Her dragon seemed to be pacing inside of her, if that was even possible.
Blake reached out and clasped her hand. “Thank you for coming with me,” he said.