Megan jumped in. “While I’m sure it’d be fun, it’s already past time for Andy to get ready for bed. I think it’s best if you two head home for the night.”
His dragon stood up taller inside his mind. Yes, I like that idea. There’s lots we can do without starting a frenzy. Maybe Tasha will be open to some of it.
As Brad tried to think of an excuse as to why they should stay longer, Tasha stood up. “I could do with some TV time and then head to bed. It’s been a long two days, and I’m sure tomorrow will be even longer, if the League has their way.”
He spoke to his dragon. See? She needs rest. No funny business.
I’m not the one who needed to run to our sister’s house. You’re the one who’s going to have to be careful.
“Brad?” Tasha said with her brows raised. “I get talking with your dragon is a part of who you are, but it really makes conversations super slow at times, doesn’t it?”
Megan snorted. “Not for most people. Just my brother.”
He shot his sister a dirty look as he stood. “Some of us like to think things through, unlike you, Megan.”
“Oh, I think things through. But I don’t overanalyze them, like you do.”
Tasha placed a hand on his arm, and he stilled, her touch like a welcome rush of warmth against his skin. She murmured, “Come on, Brad. I won’t even tease you for the walk back if you want. But I’m being honest here when I say I’m exhausted. Can’t we go home?”
At Tasha calling his house home, a longing shot through him. One where she stayed with him forever, and maybe one day gave him a son or daughter, too.
His dragon whispered, Then be nice to her.
He took her hand and loved how she instantly curled her fingers around his.
If he wanted more than just lust and sex, he’d just have to work harder at taking care of her, like he was supposed to do as her mate. “Sorry, Tasha. We can go now. I might even have some popcorn we can eat while watching TV or a movie. I probably should find out what type of things my mate likes to watch, for a start.”
She grinned. “You may not like all the choices.”
“If you’re there, I won’t care.”
Tasha’s eyes widened a fraction, but she quickly recovered. “Well, it does seem as if you’re full of surprises.”
Andy tugged on Tasha’s top, and both she and Brad looked down at the young male. He said, “You come for breakfast?”
Tasha replied, “I don’t know about breakfast. I’m really tired and want to sleep and sleep. But maybe later tomorrow?”
“Promise?”
“I’ll try my best.”
Andy nodded. “Okay.”
Megan placed her hands on Andy’s shoulders and turned him toward the stairs. “All right, mister, it’s bath time. Say goodnight.”
“G’night.”
Megan looked at Tasha. “You have my number, so feel free to call if you need to.”
Brad grunted. “I can take care of my mate.”
Tasha snorted. “Your mate is standing right here and can speak for herself.” She switched her gaze to Meagan. “Thanks. We’ll see how the next few days go.”
After all the goodbyes were done, Brad took his mate home.
Yes, home was the perfect word. Almost as if the fairly empty house had been waiting for someone so full of life to arrive and fill it.
Tasha was most definitely that person.
And if he had any say in it, she would be his mate forever and not just for a short time to protect her against the League assholes.
Chapter Eight
The next few days flew by in a blur as Tasha tried to catch up on sleep, learn little bits about living with dragon-shifters, and manage her business as best she could from afar.
While she’d told her employees they’d have to close for at least a few days, she’d given them paid vacation time for it. She might not be able to do that indefinitely—and one of them had said they might have to find work elsewhere—but it was a quick fix for the moment.
So as she finished up some paperwork on her laptop, one of the few things Brad and some of the other dragon-shifters had collected from her home, she leaned back and stretched her arms over her head.
Time for a break.
So she went looking for Brad, who had been mostly working from home.
Not that she could really tell what he did all day. The dragonman had been spending more and more time away from her again. Although why he was avoiding her, she didn’t fully understand.
From what little she knew about true mates and the needs of an inner dragon, her best guess was because he wanted to protect her from a possible frenzy.
Of course, Ashley had told her that a lot could be done without setting off a mate-claim frenzy, provided the dragon in question was strong enough to avoid kissing their true mate on the lips.
And given how her dreams were filled with one sexy, naked dragon-shifter, she was definitely open to a little fun.
If only she could convince him to do it. He was one of the strongest, most stable men she’d ever met. Surely he was strong enough to keep from starting a frenzy.
Not that she could tell him any of that without talking to him. So it was time to have a frank conversation with Brad before they became unfamiliar with one another again, which she really didn’t want.
Tasha finally found him on the back porch, hunched over a computer on the table, typing something. It was almost funny to see the huge dragonman trying to work with such a tiny laptop. “You think they could get you a slightly bigger one. I’m not sure how you can type anything on that thing with your giant hands.”
Brad grunted but didn’t take his eyes off his screen. “This one is fine. The screens and keyboards in the Protector building are bigger.”
She slid across from him and asked, “Then why don’t you go and do some work there? I mean, I’m not trying to chase you away or anything, but you said yourself that I’m safe as long as I’m in this house.”
He finally met her gaze, his pupils flashing quicker than they usually did. “No fucking way I’m leaving you alone until we’re sure the damn League isn’t targeting you.”
Still being overprotective, as always, it seemed. “I’ve only gotten one letter addressed to me here, and that was from a lawyer. I wouldn’t exactly call it a huge threat.” He grunted again and looked back at his laptop. Tasha sighed and added, “What happened to the guy who liked to tease me a little? I haven’t seen him in a couple days now, and I miss him.”
Clenching the edge of the table, Brad murmured, “Until you decide one way or the other about the frenzy, this is how it has to be. I want to talk with you, hold you, tease you, and so many other things. But my dragon is getting impatient.”
Well, then it was time to be blunt and ask some probing questions. “You say he’s impatient, but does that mean out of control? If I let you, say, see me naked and touch me, would it help your dragon or make everything worse?
His eyes met hers again, his pupils flashing between round and slitted even quicker than before. “Why would you ask that?”
She leaned forward a little. “Because of two things. One, I like you, Brad, and you’re pretty sexy. And two, if it helps your dragon and brings back the man I want to know better, I’m all for it. So it really comes down to whether your dragon can stay grounded or not.”