Dragon with Benefits (Forgotten Dragons Book 4) Page 8

  “All right, all right, I’m leaving the room,” Xander said. A few seconds later, he seemed settled, and the other end of the line was quiet except for Xander’s voice. “So what’s up?”

  “I’ve met someone,” Trevor said hesitantly, still hating that Xander was the only person to talk to.

  “Great. Has Chad met her yet?”

  “That’s the thing…” Trevor paused, not sure how much he should say. He didn’t feel like he had a choice at this point, so why hide it? “I’m going to tell you something about me and Chad, and I need you not to talk about it with anyone. Including Chad. Promise?”

  “Whoa, sounds like a big deal,” Xander said. “But I promise. I swear. Not a peep.”

  Trevor sighed. “Chad and I… we won’t ever be able to share anyone. Because of me.”

  Xander was quiet for a long moment, and when he spoke, his reply surprised Trevor. “To be honest, I don’t know how any double dragon puts up with it. I could never share my mate.”

  Trevor rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve seen many happily mated triads. They’re in love and they have extra support, and they all just seem to be made that way. It doesn’t seem like any of them were unhappy or forced.”

  “You’re right,” Xander said. “I have seen the other triads in your territory, though not often since they don’t need us much. They do seem happy. I also thought it was a little weird they’d found mates before their leaders. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen that before.”

  “Right,” Trevor said. “And that’s my fault. Chad would bring women home, and at first, I thought they just weren’t my type. They were amazing women, but I just couldn’t bond with them. But I started to realize that the more I liked a woman, the more I couldn’t stand when Chad touched her, let alone anything more. Something’s wrong with me.”

  Xander sighed. “Nothing’s wrong with you, Trevor. You’re just not quite like the other double dragons.”

  “Ironic, right?” Trevor asked. “We were chasing you two down because you were outsiders. Double dragons who didn’t belong. But maybe I’m the one who doesn’t belong. You know?”

  “I don’t think it’s that,” Xander said. “We’re just proof that everyone is different. Not everything works for everyone else. That’s okay. So tell me about this mate you’ve found.”

  “I said I met someone. I didn’t say she was my mate,” Trevor said nervously.

  “Please. You coming to me for help? You’re serious about her.”

  Trevor exhaled roughly. “I suppose.” It felt good to hear the truth from someone else. He was tired of being alone with it. “She’s amazing, Xander. Incredible. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

  “But?”

  “But I won’t be able to mate with her. If I couldn’t stand to share even women I barely knew, how could I ever share the woman who means everything?”

  “Damn, so you’re sure she’s your mate.”

  “I don’t know how to be sure since I’m not even supposed to have a mate of my own,” Trevor said. “I should be introducing her to Chad already. Seeing what he thinks. Instead, all I can think of is wanting to get her alone. Wanting her all to myself. I’m too possessive, Xander.”

  “That’s not a bad thing as long as she likes that too.”

  Trevor paused.

  “Does she like that too?”

  “She said she wants to be friends with benefits.”

  Trevor frowned as he heard a snort, then muffled laughter on the other line. When Xander got back on the phone, he sounded a little bit hoarse.

  “Sorry, Trev, but this is hilarious. You like her and don’t want to share her, but you can’t be with her because of Chad. Meanwhile, she just wants your hot bod and no commitment… Wait, doesn’t that work really well actually?”

  Trevor frowned. He supposed it did work, but it didn’t feel good to know his mate didn’t want him the way he wanted her.

  There was a difference between wanting something you couldn’t have and just not wanting something.

  “Look, I honestly think you should just go with it,” Xander said. “Enjoy the weekend at least since mister purple pants will be gone.”

  Trevor shook his head at the expression Chad would make if he heard Xander call him mister purple pants. “But then what happens after? How do I let her go?”

  Xander sighed. “I guess that’s when you decide what’s more important. Being a good dragon or being with your mate.”

  Trevor thought for a moment about having to choose between working with Chad and choosing a mate for himself, which might ruin everything.

  But could he really live without Petra, the only woman who’d ever made him feel alive? The urge to protect her rose far above his already strong concern for most humans.

  “I can practically hear you overthinking it, Trevvy,” Xander said.

  “I’m sorry,” Trevor said tersely. “Not all of us can just live in the moment. Then again, not all of us end up wrapping our motorcycles around a tree.”

  “If you recall, that was because I thought you and Chad were going to make me share a mate with Taylor, and I wasn’t having it.”

  Trevor sighed. “But we weren’t going to force it, because that’s wrong. So you went too fast in your decision to speed off into trouble.”

  “Why is it wrong?” Xander asked. “Why shouldn’t you make me share a mate with Taylor?”

  Trevor thought for a moment. “I don’t know. It’s just wrong.”

  “Then it’s wrong for you to walk away from this woman when she needs you.”

  “Needs me?” Trevor hadn’t thought about it like that. She did need him as a friend and for her interview and—

  “She needs that hot bod,” Xander said. “And that dragon di—”

  “That’s enough.” Trevor interrupted quickly. He didn’t want to hear any more of Xander’s deranged thoughts.

  Xander was right, though. Why should anyone be told who to love? It was fine to make suggestions, and sharing a mate had worked for the two other pairs in their area.

  But if it didn’t work for Trevor, if he loved Petra, why should he walk away from it?

  He had just one life, and while he was immortal, it felt like things would be pointless without his mate.

  He froze as he realized she might not get a dragon power, even if he did walk away from his world to mate her. She might not share his lifespan like she would if she mated both Trevor and Chad.

  But it might not even come to that. He barely knew her. And besides, she might end up not wanting to be with him. She might just be someone special who walked beside him for a time.

  Though, the thought was physically painful.

  “All right,” Trevor said, resigning himself to his task of having something wonderful and normal, at least for a weekend. “So how do I woo a human mate?”

  Xander snorted. “Sounds like you’re doing just fine if she wants to be friends with benefits. Oh damn, I wish I could tell someone about this so bad. Of course you’d find a woman who only wants your dick.”

  Trevor frowned for a moment, wondering if that was true.

  “She doesn’t only want your dick, dumbass,” Xander said. “Go on a date, okay? That’s your next step.” He paused for a moment. “And you can call me anytime, give me an update, get more advice.”

  Trevor let out a sigh, relieved this hadn’t been too hard, all things considered. And for once, Xander had been helpful, and Trevor was actually grateful. “Thank you, Xander.”

  “Aww, you know I wuv you, Trevvy-wevvy—”

  Trevor hung up immediately because that was definitely enough Xander for the day, and Trevor had things he needed to do.

  Like figuring out a date with Petra.

  Chapter 10

  Petra sighed in relief as she walked down the stairs that led out of her building after work.

  Karen was next to her, still congratulating Petra on even better social media numbers that week, and Petra couldn’t help b
ut be cheered that she seemed to be doing well, even without the article on Trevor.

  As she followed Karen through the revolving door, Petra nearly ran into the glass in front of her as it stopped suddenly.

  “Karen?” Petra called. “You okay?”

  Karen had frozen, but at Petra’s call, she sent an apologetic look over her shoulder before pushing the door forward so they could exit.

  When Petra walked out into the early evening sun, she was surprised to see Trevor standing on the sidewalk, wearing a wool trench with tailored slacks, his bronze hair blowing slightly in the winter wind.

  “Hey,” she said, flushing as she walked closer.

  “Oh my God, that’s Sushi Douchebag, right?” Karen poked out from behind Petra. “You’re Sushi Douchebag?”

  Petra braced herself for an angry glare from Trevor, but to her surprise, he merely laughed and extended his hand.

  “I prefer Trevor, but it’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking Karen’s hand as she looked like she was struggling to contain her urge to drool all over his fancy shoes.

  Karen fanned her face once she’d pulled back. “You’re even hotter in person.”

  He smiled. “Thanks.”

  Petra felt like she was in the twilight zone, seeing him be so easy with people. Still, she was a bit grateful. “This is Karen, my friend and co-worker.”

  Karen flushed as she put an arm around Petra’s waist. “Petra’s amazing. You better take good care of my girl.”

  Trevor raised an eyebrow at “my girl,” and Petra bit her lip, telling herself it couldn’t be possessiveness. They weren’t like that, after all.

  She’d told him they couldn’t be. This time, she would be the one in control. This time, she wouldn’t leave herself open to be abandoned.

  She wouldn’t be the one with feelings, watching someone else walk away.

  “Petra’s one of a kind,” he said, putting out a hand to Petra. “Are you ready to go?”

  Petra wanted to say, “Go where?” but Karen was already clucking and waving a hand at both of them.

  “You two enjoy yourselves. Goodness, what I would have done with man like that in my day,” she said, still bright red over her cheeks. “I expect a report, Petra! And not the kind that would go on our news site.”

  Petra didn’t think she could get any more embarrassed as she gave Karen a wave and Karen turned the corner to head for the parking lot, joining up with some other workers as she went.

  Trevor was just watching Petra. She could feel it even before she turned back to him.

  When she did, she saw a teasing glint in his golden eyes.

  “Think she suspects us?” His tone was playful as he led the way to his Mercedes, which was parked along the street.

  Petra felt her cheeks burn. “Suspects what?”

  Trevor leaned down to whisper near her shoulder. “That we’re having illicit relations.”

  Petra giggled and turned to pull him in by the collar of his jacket so she could press a kiss to his lips.

  He wrapped an arm around her waist, upping the ante by pulling her flush against him, her body soft in contact to his muscles, his lips so warm compared to the icy winter air.

  When they pulled back, he was smiling and grabbed her hand to lead her the rest of the way to the car.

  When they were buckled in and headed out, Petra turned to him.

  “Wait, so how did you know where I worked?”

  He kept his eyes on the road but smirked. “You’re a reporter. You told me the site you report for. It wasn’t hard to find their physical address.” He frowned. “Given what you guys do, maybe it should be harder. Maybe I’ll tell your boss to look into some better security.”

  She gaped. “What? No, Trevor, it’s fine. We’re just a tiny news site. Not a target for bombers. We do local puff pieces. That’s all.”

  He sent her a quick look. “Is that all you want to do?”

  “No. Yes? I don’t know,” she said quietly. “The truth is I’m just trying to get by and pay the bills. Dreams are for later.”

  “Dreams?” He glanced over again. “What are your dreams?”

  She sighed. “A home. Something safe that’s my own. Being able to stand on my own two feet, with a good job that pays for more than a paycheck-to-paycheck existence.”

  He nodded. “But nothing about love?”

  She bit her lower lip, wondering when they should talk about something like that or if they should, considering their situation. “Nothing about love. For now.”

  For the foreseeable future as well, as long as she could keep from falling even harder for Trevor.

  It’s just sex, she told herself. Just sex and friendship. Nothing else. Stay focused.

  “I sort of get what you mean, though,” Trevor said, keeping one hand resting on the steering wheel. A muscle ticked in his jaw. “We have the things we want for our lives, the things we’d have if there were no rules about everything, and then we have reality, the things we actually have to do.”

  “Right,” she said. “Like paying bills.”

  He nodded. “Right.”

  She sighed. “Except you don’t have to worry about that. If you have all that money, why do you work in security? You can’t have made it all there.”

  “It’s old money,” Trevor said. “And I work for a, well, an organization. Because I believe in what they do and because I guess I can’t help it.”

  “So you protect people, not as your career, but just because you feel you have to?”

  “It’s not that simple,” Trevor said. “Let’s just say that the way I protect people isn’t something other people could do. I’m special.”

  She grinned at him. “That’s for sure.”

  He scowled. “Hey…”

  “No, I mean it,” she said. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. Thanks for being so nice to Karen.”

  “Of course I would be nice to your friends,” he said. “Honestly, I get along with most humans.”

  She laughed. “Just not delivery drivers?”

  He slanted her another glare. “Only the ones who don’t follow directions.” He sighed. “Then again, that had been a really bad day. It wasn’t long after I’d first seen the video.”

  “I’m sorry about that by the way,” she said. “Now that I know you better, I feel bad for invading your privacy.”

  “Well, now that I know you better, I feel bad about slamming the door.” He clenched the wheel a little tighter. “I think the video was a good reminder for me to get in control of my temper. No matter how frustrating things get, I can’t take it out on the world.”

  “You should have been able to have a private moment,” she said, feeling oddly protective of him again. “But I think the world will give up soon, go on to the next sensation.”

  “Better get your article out, then,” he said.

  “I guess so,” she said, looking out the window. “So wait, where are we going?”

  It had felt so natural to just go with him that she hadn’t even thought about the fact that they hadn’t made plans.

  “I thought we’d do some fun winter activities.” he said. “Have you eaten?”

  “No. Not since lunch.”

  He reached behind him and handed her a bag. “I brought us some dinner. You mind eating in the car before or after?”

  “After,” she said. “As long as you don’t mind me sullying your Mercedes.”

  He was stopped at a light, so he had time to turn and pin her with a devastating smirk. “Depends on how you’re sullying it.”

  She flushed so deeply it felt like her head might explode and then gave him a light shove. “Not like that, jerk.”

  But her mind was now wedged in the gutter, and she had to press her legs together to counter the tingling that began when she thought of them in the backseat of his Mercedes, “sullying it,” as he’d said.

  “Sorry,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “My bad. We’re skating. Pure, clean skatin
g.”

  “Right,” she said. “Nothing naughty.”

  “Nope,” he said as they pulled into the parking lot of a huge indoor rink. “That’s for later.” He sighed. “I’ve never skated before, but people seem to enjoy it so hopefully our time will be well spent.”

  “I’m sure,” she said, giggling at the thought of the big man on ice skates.

  Then he got out of the car to come around to her side, and Petra took a few seconds to compose herself.

  Just skating as just friends.

  Except every time she looked at him and her heart skipped a beat, it sure didn’t feel like “just” anything.

  Chapter 11

  Curse this ice.

  Trevor feared he’d made a grave error in selecting ice skating for their date. How did humans enjoy this?

  Only one person in the world could possibly be worth bearing such indignity.

  “How you doing over there, big guy?” Petra called out to Trevor, sliding to an easy stop only a few feet away from him as if the oblong ice rink were her domain.

  “I’m fine,” Trevor said tightly, one hand gripping the waist-high barrier separating the rink from the sitting area while his feet shuffled forward, constantly trying to betray him on the slippery surface. “Just figuring things out.”

  As a dragon, he wasn’t really used to being terrible at anything. Of course humans would come up with a sinister, humiliating activity to cause his downfall.

  “Hey, we can just hang out. I’m just enjoying being here with you.” She grinned, looking Trevor over from head to toe. It instantly made his skin warm and aware of her presence every time she did it.

  “No, no.” He waved his free hand, then felt his feet almost slide out from beneath him. “I don’t give up that easily.”

  Petra giggled, covering her mouth even as the smile continued to reach her eyes, making their dark depths sparkle.

  “How do you make this look so easy?” Trevor asked. He slid forward a few feet and, for a moment, let his hand go.

  “I did a lot of roller blading when I was younger. It’s pretty similar. Just do this.” Petra put her hands behind her back, swishing her legs forward and making a little circle to show Trevor what she meant.