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The cat nudged her hand with his snout, purring loudly.
Min glanced down at him with a smile. “So, you approve?”
Another nudge with his furry chin. Then he dabbed his paw on her cell phone. Min decided to take that as a good omen.
“Well, Gingerbread,” she said as she brought up Adina’s number, “seems like I’m about to fake date a dragon.”
CHAPTER 4
Two days later, Min found herself seated in the reception of Midas Touch Partnerships. It had the most amazing décor; everything shimmered. The chairs shimmered, the chandeliers shimmered, even the coffee table magazines had a pearlescent glow to their covers. A plant in the corner twinkled as if covered in fairy lights—except, as far as Min could see, there were no lights adorning it.
Did that mean the leaves themselves were sparkly? She made a mental note to find out what kind of plant it was.
Once she had given her name to the receptionist, she’d grabbed a magazine off the pile on the occasional table and sat, feeling quite drab in her neat gray dress with its princess collar and her plain black pumps. She had on her mom’s pearls and frankly, felt like she was completely out of place.
Up until her father’s death, Min’s sheltered life hadn’t worried her that much. She’d been quite happy immersed in the books, helping Dad in the shop and tending her garden. As for dating, well… Min hadn’t met anyone she’d wanted to date in the human world.
But now—since yesterday, to be precise—that fact niggled at her somewhat. From his profile it was clear Ethan Blade was worldly, and handsome. He must have dated plenty of species. How would she measure up, with no experience of the game at all?
There was one other small issue related to her dismal lack of experience.
The fact that she was a virgin.
Min fidgeted, starting to feel hot in her woolen dress.
Truth was, she wasn’t averse to the idea of dating. It was just… frankly humans had never appealed to her. The few guys she’d met were all like Quentin, pale and uninteresting. Maybe it was being home-schooled by her father, raised among customers who were, in the main, monsters. She’d gotten used to seeing all kinds of species in the shop, and that had become her yardstick. She found their horns and tails, hooves and beaks, so much more interesting than humans. A young griffin had asked her out once, and she’d nearly accepted. But she’d been too shy, and missed her chance. No matter, she lived inside her books anyway. Her stash of monster romances kept her going.
So no, she had no desire whatsoever to date a human male.
But yes, if she was honest, fantasies of dating a monster… even, dare she say it, a dragon, had crossed her mind quite often, especially when in bed at night, under the covers with a racy monster romance.
The silver clock on the wall suddenly shot out a small blue bird that chirped the hour, all eleven of them. Min nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Annoying, isn’t it?” The receptionist laughed. “Pity me, I have to listen to that thing seven times a day, five days a week. Drives me insane.”
The girl was clearly fairy or elf. She had the cutest pointed ears, pierced with different colored gems all around the edges, and she was wearing a sparkly little outfit that perfectly fitted in with the decor.
“We’re just waiting on Mr Blade and then Adina will be with you.” The girl smiled sweetly.
“No problem,” Min replied, and buried her nose in an article on how to use highlighter to make your cheeks appear thinner. Clearly it was aimed at goblin and orc kind by the photos.
A moment later there was a sudden blast of hot air as the outer door flung wide.
And then… in strode Ethan Blade.
His photo didn’t do him justice, Min realized as her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
He was tall, wearing the snappiest blue-gray suit, his wings furled tightly into his broad shoulders and his scales spruced off his forehead. His ice-blue eyes held a look of determination, and his nostrils flared, letting the tiniest billow of smoke escape. A rather pleasant cedar wood scent wafted around the room.
He strode over to the desk and, flashing a smile that showed a row of sharp white fangs, said in a deep, gravelly voice, “I’m here for an eleven o’clock with Adina.”
“Certainly, Mr Blade. I will let her know you’re both here.”
“Both?” He swung around and Min found herself pinned by the most intense stare she’d ever experienced. His lips tightened, covering those impressive fangs, and the tiny scales along the bridge of his nose ruffled then flattened. His neat green horns twitched. “Ah, you must be Miss Westwind.”
“H-hello there—” Min squeaked, aware she was probably blushing. She lifted her hand and gave him a little wave. His brows lifted, his mouth opened as if to speak and then, thankfully, Adina wafted out of the door to their right.
“Wonderful to see you both, please accompany me into my office.”
