Page 11 of The Dragon’s Surprise (Tahoe Dragon Mates #7)

He grunted, and Daniel rolled his eyes. “You can be a grumpy bastard, but despite it all, you keep your huge heart well hidden, and I know you always want the best for people. Judging by your look, she’s the reason you’re here.

So apologize to her, grovel, and then try to win her over. Is she your true mate?”

For a second, he thought about changing the topic.

But after so many years of being alone, of keeping people at a distance, he didn’t want to do that any longer.

Even though his job meant being around others all the time, he had never really been a part of the clan.

And he wanted that again, even just a little.

So he leaned close and whispered, “My dragon thinks so. But I fucked up, Daniel.”

He squeezed Kyle’s shoulder. “We all do sometimes. So apologize and sweep her off her feet.”

“I want to, but then there’s…my son.”

Daniel’s face softened. “I know it’ll be a little more difficult than if it was just winning your true mate. However, if you want Ethan and Lexi, it’s definitely possible. You’ll just have to work harder. Are they worth it?”

“Of course,” he blurted.

“Then you can start winning them over after the horseshoe tournament. It’s males versus females, and we need you. Despite how uncoordinated Jenny can be at times, she’s a natural at this game, and I don’t want to lose.”

At Daniel’s sulky tone, Kyle smiled. “If a female who’s seven months pregnant can beat you, I don’t think there’s any hope.”

“Some friend you are.”

“You wanted the truth.”

Daniel snorted, and Kyle realized how much he’d missed his best friend.

His dragon said softly, You have a second chance. Use it.

Kyle put an arm around Daniel’s shoulder and whispered, “Okay, maybe if we do this…”

And as they planned their strategy, Kyle’s gaze kept drifting to Lexi, but she never noticed him. He only hoped she was a little less mad at him. But even if she was, he would start winning her over, no matter what it took.

Ethan spotted him, his eyes widened, and the boy ran over. When he stopped in front of him and Daniel, he said, “Kyle, you’re here!”

He ruffled the boy’s hair. “Sorry, Ethan. I’ve been busy helping people at the clinic. But I’m here now, and Daniel tells me we’re on the same team. Have you ever played horseshoes before?”

Ethan shook his head. “No. I listened to the rules, but I still don’t know if I can throw it right.”

“Well, then let me give you some pointers. I used to be really good at this game when I was a kid, and I need some practice myself. Would you like to toss a few together, and I can help you?”

“Yes! I don’t want to make our team lose.”

Kyle took Ethan’s hand and tugged the boy off to where all the males were together, and Daniel followed them.

For the next few minutes, he taught Ethan how to toss the metal horseshoe better.

With each cheer and smile from the boy, Kyle’s earlier troubles faded a little.

While he still needed to work for Lexi’s forgiveness, the stress from his two days of surgeries melted away as he enjoyed being outside with his son.

As Lexi listened to Jenny and her sister-in-law argue about ways to distract the males to help their chances—there really were more of them—her gaze drifted, looking for Ethan.

She finally found him with the group of guys, which included Kyle. She nearly frowned. When had he shown up?

Kyle stood next to Ethan, gesturing with the horseshoe in his hand, no doubt teaching him how to throw it.

When he grinned at his son, some of Lexi’s anger evaporated.

Oh, she was still mad at him for being so rude.

But to see the dragon doctor outside, smiling and laughing with the other males, made her wonder if her words had made a difference.

Then Kyle’s eyes met hers, and she could just make out his flashing pupils. Even though they were at least twenty feet apart, his intense gaze made her shiver. She wouldn’t deny he was handsome.

And yet, attraction wasn’t enough, not by a long shot. If he couldn’t talk with her instead of shouting when he got uncomfortable, they had no future. Especially since being with him meant Lexi would have to uproot her life and maybe give up her career.

Eventually, she looked away and the game began, distracting her. Words of encouragement, cheers, and trash-talking made the time fly, and somehow, with Jenny’s skill, they managed to take the game.

Jenny beamed as her mate rushed up to her. “I told you we’d win, even with fewer players on our team.”

Daniel pulled her close. “How you do it, I’ll never understand.” His eyes widened. He moved back, and then he placed a hand over her protruding belly. “The little one is eager to come out and join in.”

As Daniel led Jenny over to some chairs, Lexi couldn’t hear any reply, but could see how much the pair cared for each other. She wondered if she’d ever find that.

However, Ethan dashed from behind her, snapping her out of her head as he said, “Next time we should hold a swimming contest instead.”

“Oh, are you good at it?”

He stood a little taller. “I was the best in my class. The teacher said I had to be part fish. Well, before…”

His face fell, and Lexi’s heart wrenched. Wanting to cheer him up, she gently raised his head with her fingers and said, “There are a lot of lakes nearby, smaller ones than Tahoe, and maybe in the summer you can swim again.”

A familiar male voice came from behind her. “I’ll take you to some of them, Ethan, once it’s warm enough.”

“Really? When will it be warm enough? Soon?”

Kyle walked to stand next to the boy and ruffled his hair. “It should be in the next few weeks.”

Ethan did a little dance. “I can’t wait! I’ve never swum in a lake before. Do dragons swim in lake water?”

“Yes, and my beast rather likes it. He might even let you sit on my belly as we float on the water.”

Lexi tried to imagine the scene, never really thinking about how dragon forms and children could interact and play. Oh, she’d slid down Kyle’s side, but part of her yearned to also sit on his belly as they drifted over the lake.

Ethan and Kyle finished making plans, and Lexi debated if she should leave them.

However, Kyle’s green eyes met Lexi’s for a beat, flashing between round and slitted, his expression serious.

Before she could ask anything, he crouched down in front of his son.

“Actually, Ethan, I want to make a lot of plans with you in the future.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “In fact, I hope to know you a lot better and have a rather important question to ask you.”

Lexi’s heart skipped a beat. Had he really decided? Shouldn’t he have talked with her first?

But as she watched Kyle smile at Ethan, she saw how much the dragonman already cared for the boy. Oh, she still had to stay around and make sure Ethan transitioned smoothly. But she sensed that if Kyle made a decision, he stuck to it.

Ethan, as if sensing something was going on, glanced at Lexi and then back at Kyle. “What? You’re not going to ask me to leave, are you?”

“No!” Kyle said. “Of course not. I wanted to see if you wanted to stay with me, Ethan. I’d like to be your new dad, if you want. You can take your time to decide…”

Ethan launched himself at Kyle, and the dragonman engulfed him in a hug. Ethan’s muffled voice said, “I want to stay with you. Please don’t send me away. I like it here.”

“Never, Ethan.”

Kyle met Lexi’s eyes, and at the fierceness mixed with tenderness, she knew he meant it.

Still, she needed to talk with Kyle privately about this, and soon. So she touched Ethan’s shoulder, and he looked up at her. She smiled. “You’ll be happy to live with Kyle, then? You can always take a little more time to make sure, if you need it.”

“No, I don’t need more time. H-he’s like me. And he likes to teach me things, and we have fun together, and I don’t think he’ll hate me for my dragon eyes.”

Lexi crouched down and placed her hands on Ethan’s shoulders. “Never. I’m actually a little jealous of your flashing eyes. It means you’ll always have a best friend.”

His pupils flashed, and Ethan gave a shy smile. “I’m trying. He’s still loud, though.”

Kyle spoke up. “We’ll work on that whenever you want, okay?”

“Okay.”

Ethan noticed Jackson and Reyna waving at him. He looked torn between staying with them and going to his new friends. Lexi glanced at Kyle, and he nodded, so she said, “Why don’t you get some dinner with your friends while I talk with Kyle?”

Ethan looked at Kyle. “You’ll come over to the table soon, too?”

He ruffled the boy’s hair. “I will.”

Ethan nodded, hugged Kyle one last time, and dashed toward his friends.

Once he was out of earshot, Lexi asked, “Are you sure? Because it won’t just be fun times if you take him in.

There will be tantrums and tempers and outright stubbornness.

He’s a sweet boy, but he’s still just a kid, and they all have their moments. ”

“I know that. But I know what it’s like to be a little apart from everyone, and I don’t want that for him. I’m not sure when I’ll tell him that he’s my son by birth too, but for now, I want to give him a home.” He smiled wryly. “He’ll probably end up helping me more than the other way around.”

They stared at one another for a few beats, and before she could stop herself, she blurted, “I’m glad you came today.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You sure about that? Because I was a complete asshole to you earlier.”

“You won’t get any argument from me about that.”

“I am sorry, Lexi.” He sighed. “You were right, of course. And coming here today, being with Daniel, Ethan, and everyone, it felt…nice. More than nice. Almost like I’d been sleepwalking for years and am just starting to wake up again.

Although there’s one thing left I need to make up for, one thing I need to fix. ”

As he moved closer, her heart thudded louder. “Oh? And what’s that?”

He traced her cheek, his finger leaving heat in its wake as he whispered, “I want a chance with you.”

Ignoring the thrill that shot through her, she whispered, “Why? Because I’m your true mate?”

“That’s not the only reason, although that’s part of it.

There’s something about you, Lexi. Something that feeds my soul and makes me wish for more.

I know there are a lot of reasons why it might not work, but won’t you give me a chance?

For at least as long as you’re here? I’ll do my best not to shut you out, I promise. ”

His pupils flashed rapidly, reminding her he was a dragon-shifter and if she said yes, her life would change drastically.

Part of her knew there must be a way she could still help the orphans if she stayed here, and part of her wanted to ensure it first.

The need for stability won out, and she finally replied, “Yes, but with a few rules.”

His hand brushed against hers, and she nearly sucked in a breath. “Which are?”

“No kissing on the mouth.”

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to you. If you stay, I want it to be because it’s your choice and not because I’ve trapped you.”

“I didn’t think you would. And yet, given my job, I needed to hear it.

There are dragonmen who have used that tactic, never telling the humans what would happen, and then later abandon the pregnant women.

Many of them give up their children instead of moving to a dragon clan, and I have to deal with the devastated or confused children. ”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “If anyone from MirrorPeak has done that, you’d better tell me.”

“I don’t think so, at least not from my cases—so many dragon-shifters visit the big cities for anonymity and come from a lot of clans.

However, if I hear about someone from here, I’ll let you know.

ADDA might not be able to do anything, but maybe if a clan leader makes an example, it’ll stop others from doing it, too. ”

He reached as if to take her hand, but withdrew. “Is there another dating rule that says we have to keep being together a secret?”

“Yes and no.” His face fell, and she rushed to add, “I don’t want to give Ethan any ideas, is all. I was that kid once, the one left behind and given false hope, and it’s even worse when you’re disappointed the next time.”

He nodded and then grunted. “I understand, and I wish I could take that pain away from you. But I don’t like hiding something so important.”

She smiled. “It’s frustrating for me, too, if that’s any consolation. Maybe it’s being around dragon-shifters so much over the years, but I want to take your hand and make sure everyone else knows to stay away.”

His finger discreetly stroked the back of her hand, and a bolt of electricity shot through her. If a brush against her skin did this, what would happen if they were finally naked?

Kyle’s voice prevented her from daydreaming. “Meet with me tonight, then. Ethan already made plans to stay with Jackson and a few other boys. Come to my house, and I’ll make you dinner.”

“You can cook?”

“What do you think I’ve done with my free time? Read, of course, but I like cooking, too. It’s relaxing.”

She scrunched her nose up. “Glad you think so. I eat the same five things because it’s easy.”

“Well, tell me your favorite, and I’ll try making it if you say yes.”

His finger continued caressing the back of her hand, and she nearly leaned closer to his heat and scent. What was it about this dragonman that made her want to throw caution to the wind?

Not that she would. Still, she wondered just how much being someone’s true mate affected things.

“So? Will you come?”

She nodded. “Okay. It’s a date.”

He smiled slowly until he grinned, and it made her belly flip. He really was too handsome.

“Good, and just in time since Ethan’s waving at us to join him. But just know that later, I’m going to use all of my dragon charms on you, Lexi Sakamoto, and you won’t stand a chance.”

With that, he walked over to Ethan, and Lexi followed, somewhat stunned. Jenny pulled her aside and whispered, “Judging by your look, you two have made up. Now, come sit with me and I’ll give you a few pointers on how to handle a dragonman.”

And so Lexi went, although she kept stealing glances at Kyle as she ate. He gave most of his focus to Ethan, but every once in a while, he’d look up and smile at her.

Yep, she was in trouble. She only hoped it was the good kind.