“Okay, then we’ll talk again soon. Bye, Tasha.”
“Bye.”
As she ended the call, Tasha put away her phone and let out a sigh.
All of her years of planning, working hard and saving to open her own place were about to go out the window. If she wanted even a chance at a normal life again, she was going to have to mate a dragon-shifter.
Which meant closing down her bar for the foreseeable future and instead switching her focus to learning everything she could about dragon-shifters.
After a few more seconds to try and calm herself—her life was about to change in a huge way, after all—Tasha stood and went to the door. It was time to tell her future fake husband the news.
Chapter Five
About half an hour later, Brad guided Tasha inside his cottage and into the living room.
Ever since she’d said yes to being his mate, everything had passed by in a blur. David saying he’d get things in line with ADDA, how he’d coordinate Tasha’s first lesson with one of the clan teachers, and then David ordering Brad to take the day off to help Tasha adjust and get to know StoneRiver.
With everything going on, he’d barely said more than three sentences to Tasha. But as she sat on the couch and raised her eyebrows at him, he knew they’d finally have a chance to talk alone.
And Brad had no damn idea what to say.
His dragon sighed. Ask her how’s she’s doing or if there’s anything she wants to know. It’s not that hard.
Tasha’s voice prevented Brad from replying to his beast. “The flashing pupils mean your dragon is talking, right? How does that work exactly? No one has explained it as more than dragon-shifters have two personalities inside one head.”
He grunted. “Pretty much. The dragon starts to talk to the human half at six or seven years old. Getting along with the inner beast isn’t always easy, but if you don’t make it work, things can go wrong really fast.”
She frowned. “Wrong how?”
His dragon growled. You’re scaring her.
I doubt it.
Still, Brad sat in the recliner opposite the couch and said, “Well, if an inner dragon goes rogue and takes control, they can cause all kinds of damage. But it’s rare to happen, and it’ll never happen with me.”
The corner of her mouth ticked up. “So sure of that, huh?”
He sat up taller in his chair. “Of course I am. My main job is to protect the clan. A crazy dragon would make that impossible.”
She tilted her head, her hair spilling over her shoulder, and it took everything he had not to reach over and brush it back. Because then he might trace her shoulder, the side of her neck, and finally cup her cheek.
And he most assuredly couldn’t do that. Tasha showed no sign of wanting more than his protection—arousal didn’t equate wanting a future together—and he wasn’t going to assume anything.
Which means I’ll have to be the one to tell you when she’s ready, his dragon stated. Because you never notice anything about females.
Not wanting his beast to rehash discussions about their ex—and how his beast had seen the signs that Amber didn’t love them the same way—Brad focused on Tasha. He cleared his throat. “You clearly have more questions. So ask them.”
“Is that an order or a request?”
“Does it matter?”
She snorted. “Maybe not in this case. But as long as I’m here, we’re to be equals, Brad. This is your clan, but I’m not going to do everything you say just because I’m in the minority here.”
He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his thighs. “I’d never order you around, Tasha. Unless we were naked.”
Fuck. He hadn’t meant to say that, but it seemed his brain and his cock weren’t on the same side right now.
To her credit, Tasha didn’t frown or instantly admonish him. No, instead she also leaned forward—maybe purposely to show off her cleavage, because he had a clear view—and replied, “If we’re ever in that situation, I look forward to it.”