Page 22 of The Mating Claim

“Come on.” She tugged at his arm. “Tommy’s overhere.”

The owner and general manager was behind the bar, checking on the liquor. He caught sight of them in the mirror behind the shelves of bottles andturned.

Tommy wasn’t a bad sort, but he was all business. When he spotted Drust, his face broke into a beaming grin. Tommy wasn’t afraid of Drust. He saw everything as a business opportunity, and a wizard in his bar would give him braggingrights.

Tommy vigorously shook Drust’s hand. “Welcome, welcome. Can I fetch you a drink, Mr.Drust?”

The wizard looked amused. “JustDrust.”

“Just Drust, what do you like to drink? We have a full bar,” Tommy nattered on, pointing to the array ofbottles.

Drust walked behind the bar and studied the assortment. He selected a bottle filled with amber liquid. “Who is this Jack Daniels? A patron ofyours?”

Biting back a smile, she watched Tommy launch into a lengthy explanation on the process of making the whiskey in barrels and aging it. Drust’s mouththinned.

“I understand. I have no desire to drink whisky. Perhaps anale…”

The owner practically tripped over his own feet to snatch a cold IPA Lacey knew instinctively the wizard would detest. She shook her head, dug a Fat Tire out of thecooler.

“Here. Try this. You like your ale not as bitter, perhaps a little fruity.” Lacey blinked in confusion. Where the hell did that knowledge comefrom?

Drust tilted his head. “How did youknow?”

A shrug hid her nervousness. Terrific. Now he’d think she was stalking him. But she truly could not understand how she knew, only that the knowledge came to her, as if buried deepinside.

“I read it in the Daily Rag on Wizards. They had a feature on what you wizards like todrink.”

“I doubt it,” he said softly. “I have not imbibed alcohol in several hundred years, not since I wasmortal.”

Curious, she gazed up at him. “And you think now is a good time to stop being sober? Damn wizard, and here you were, a poster boy for Alcoholics Anonymous. You disappointme.”

Drust chuckled, the deep sound sending a pleasurable tingle down her spine. “You drive me to drink, LaceyMcGuire.”

He watched her pop the top and then their fingers brushed as she handed him the bottle. Lacey jumped back at the shock of electrical energy jumping between them. It didn’t hurt, but potent and raw, it felt sexual and throbbing withchemistry.

As if they’d shared a similar moment longago…

“Need a glass?” Why was her voice so breathless? Sheesh, she sounded like a damn starstruckgroupie.

He shook his head and sipped. Nodded. “Not bad.” Drust set the bottle on thecounter.

“You don’t like it?” Tommy asked, his forehead beading with droplets ofsweat.

“No, it’s quite good. But I do not drink on thejob.”

Drust winked. Lacey smirked. Tommy lookedconfused.

“I have work,” shemurmured.

To her dismay, Drust followed her outside as she went to her only remaining table with the lecherous dragon who copped a feel. The wizard sat at the bar, talking with the bartender, a Lupine shifter. Terrific. She could only hope these asses behaved and not humiliateher.

Tonight was not her lucky night, for not only were they drunk, another dragon shifter joined them. Seeing her, he smirked. Lacey’s heart dropped to her stomach and she wanted toretch.

Yeah, this really was her lucky night.Not.

Why of all the nights did Mike have to show up? She hadn’t seen him in months, not since their last date ended with her clawing at his face when he’d tried to rip her blouseoff.

Best to pretend it never happened, and be as professional as possible. One of the dragons waved herover.