Chapter Fifteen

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Warrick had gone out with Bianca every night for almost a week, and sometimes for lunch if she could make it. Having his own business meant he could set his own schedule, within reason, so they worked around hers.

They’d listened to music and danced at her place.

Another night, this time at his place, he’d walked her to her car by way of showing her a very cool gazebo he’d built near the edge of the trees on his property. Beyond it, a trail led to a babbling brook that filled a very small lake. They sat on a carved bench he’d also built and tossed stones into the water, sending ripples across the lake in the moonlight.

Last night they’d gone for a quiet dinner out.

Tonight, they were back at his place, and he’d steeled himself to take the next step with her. Warrick wanted to show her his full dragon form and she agreed. After a while.

It was a perfect night for skygazing. The sky was clear, the moon bright, but not so bright as to diminish the stars’ brilliance. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the trees and frogs and crickets joined the nightly chorus.

Bianca perched nervously on a boulder at the edge of the clearing he favored for his full transformation. Her fingers tangled in her lap and she bit her lip. He strode to the center of the clearing and faced her.

Warrick gave Bianca a reassuring smile and let the magic flow over him. Her jaw dropped as his perspective changed, moving higher, then higher until he looked down on her delicate little form on the boulder. The quality of his vision changed, too, as his eyes detected a wider spectrum than human vision. He’d never seen himself change into his full dragon form, but he’d seen other shifters do it and had to admit it was pretty spectacular. Her beautiful blond hair flew back from her face as he spread his wings and gave them a couple of gentle sweeps, not strong enough to lift him into the air, but enough to set stray leaves and the long blades of grass dancing around them. It felt good to stretch. He lowered his snout closer to her and inhaled appreciatively. She smelled even more delectable to his dragon senses.

He heard her heart hammer as she licked her lips. He considered that it was one thing to know your boyfriend was a dragon, but quite another to see it.

Warrick lowered himself until his belly almost touched the ground, angled the wing closest to her down and out of the way, then held out a clawed hand. He teasingly waggled one claw in a come-here gesture, ready to help her onto his back if she wanted a ride.

Bianca spoke as if she didn’t notice his willingness to carry her into the air. Her butt stayed firmly on the boulder. “Well, that was really something, Warrick. Um, can you change back just as quickly?”

A week ago, Warrick wanted nothing more than a girl who didn’t care that he was a dragon who could fly her wherever she wanted to go. Now, he felt a little deflated that the girl he loved acted like him being a dragon was a quirk she could do without.

He snorted at his own contrariness, a thread of smoke curling from one nostril, and changed back to his human form.

“There you are,” she said.

“I was always here,” he said, taking her hands and pulling her to her feet.

“Can you understand me when in your full dragon form?”

“Yes, of course. Why didn’t you climb on my back?”

Bianca looked surprised, but quickly pointed to her clothing. “I’m wearing thigh boots, a mini dress and my best faux fur jacket, which is white and difficult enough as it is to keep clean. I wasn’t really dressed for climbing tonight. Know what I mean?” Her eyes flitted away from his and she licked her lips.

Was she still afraid of him? Was the love spell wearing off? Should he grab her and spirit her away to his mother’s house so she could keep the spell intact? No. Stop panicking. Don’t be an idiot. Just chill.

“Good point.” He tried for a grin. “Maybe next time.”

“Maybe.” She smiled back, but she didn’t seem excited about the prospect of climbing onto his back anytime soon. Warrick told himself he was happy about that. He hoped her restraint wasn’t because she feared his dragon self.

“Are you ready to meet my mother tomorrow night?”

Bianca nodded. “Yes. I can’t remember if I told you, but I did meet your mother one time. I didn’t mean to keep it from you, I just forgot.”

He frowned. “You met my mother?”

Bianca nodded. “She came into Bubba’s place last week. I did a reading for her.”

“Am I allowed to ask what happened?”

“You can ask. I won’t reveal anything specific, but it’s not like attorney-client privilege or anything.”

“Could you read her thoughts? If so, I’m very sure there are only two things to see. First, I want grandchildren and second, how can I marry off my sons.”

Bianca laughed. “Actually, I can’t read your mother. Bubba thinks it’s because she’s a witch. Apparently, witches are difficult for aliens to read. And I don’t mean your mother’s a witch in a derogatory way.”

He chuckled. “In this town, ‘witch’ is never a derogatory term. And the truth is, my mother is a witch. But she’s a good mom and I love her.”

“I’m glad you have a family you love. I have good family back in Arkansas.”

“Do you miss them?”

“Sometimes. But I like living in Nocturne Falls. It’s becoming my second home. And Bubba and Astrid are like my family away from home.”

“I am very glad you moved to Nocturne Falls. If you couldn’t tell, I’m very serious about you.”

“I’m very serious about you, too.”

“Tomorrow, once you meet my mother—formally, this time—and we talk about the matchmaking contract, I’m still going want to keep dating you.”

“Good, because I feel the exact same way. Is your brother going to be there?”

“He can be. As long as it’s after dark.”

“Oh, right.” Bianca leaned closer. “Does he really flame to a cinder if he gets hit by sunlight?”

“No, but the light severely impacts his thinking and brain waves. By that, I mean he gets really stupid. He can’t walk and he can’t really function. I suppose that if he spent a really long time in the sun, eventually he might crisp up and blow away. We’ve never tested it.”

“That’s horrible.”

“It’s not so bad, to hear him tell it. He lives a very good night life and makes it a point not to be out in the sun unless every bit of his skin is covered and smeared with lots of sunblock.”

“Well, if you haven’t, invite him. I’ve seen him a couple times this week, but I get the feeling he’s ducking me.”

“He is?”

“Yes. Both times I tried to talk to him, he seemed really busy and in a hurry and on his way someplace else fast. In his head all I could hear was, ‘Rubber baby buggy bumper,’ over and over.”

Warrick forced a laugh. “Maybe he’s trying to keep you from reading his mind.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. I didn’t take offense. Probably I don’t want to know what he’s thinking.”

“Probably. Even so, I’m glad you understand.” Warrick did a mental dance of joy that his brother had been smart enough to figure out a way to keep his thoughts hidden from Bianca.

Maybe this was going to work out after all.

Warrick would face his darkest moment tomorrow night. He was in love with Bianca and was afraid he’d find out that only the love spell bound her to him.

He even loved being in love with Bianca. They had so much in common. They finished each other’s sentences. How would he ever find anyone as perfect as his beautiful spellbound alien?