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“Don’t worry, I’m a fast learner.” She smiled brightly at him as she picked up her teacup from the coffee table. “So, when should I move in?”
This weekend!
He’d pretty much grunted the words at the ground—she’d had to ask him to repeat them.
Already Min’s brain was scrabbling to work out the logistics. Today was Wednesday. That would give her just three days to get organized, pack, work out who would run the shop and look after Gingerbread.
Min hoped her glasses hid the rising panic in her eyes.
This was going to be a roller-coaster, that was now obvious. She was going to have to be seen out with him, holding hands and goddess knew what else—in public. Go to events, and dinners out and… and… living in the same house, maybe she’d bump into him in the bathroom. Wearing only a towel.
Her pulse sped up.
Eek. She’d never seen a human guy naked, let alone a dragon. When she told him she’d never dated, she guessed by the stunned look on his face that he’d surmised she was a virgin.
To be nearly twenty-five and still a virgin. Not the best credentials for the job.
But then, it wasn’t relevant to the job, was it?
Min gathered her scattered wits as he asked her, “Does that give you enough time?”
“Oh, yes,” she said brightly. “I have a friend who helps out in the shop from time to time, and I’m sure she’ll be happy to do so for a month. She needs the money, she’s hoping to go to college.”
He frowned. “I’m afraid she can’t know that this is a fake arrangement.”
She heard herself laugh. “No problem. I’ll make something up. I don’t think she’d buy that I’ve fallen madly in love with you. She knows me too well.”
She thought he looked slightly crestfallen. “Sure. I get it.”
“I didn’t mean because you’re a dragon, I just meant, you know, it’s out of character for me to fall in love. Period.” Oh dear, now she’d probably offended him. “I guess I could tell her I’m going on an internship. With your company, to learn to manage the business side of the bookshop better. And then… if she… hears, we could say we had a whirlwind romance. Ha, a Westwind in a whirlwind.” Min winced at her awful attempt at a joke.
He laughed, a warm, genuine laugh.
But then he sighed. “If it’s any consolation, I will be doing the same and … unfortunately, my mother… you’ll have to deal with her rampant excitement.”
“Excitement?”
“Yeah, at me dating a human. It’s been her wish for a long time.”
Min grimaced. “I guess she won’t be happy when it ends then.”
“You’re right. I’m not looking forward to the fallout. But that’s my problem to deal with when you’re gone.”
Min twisted her hands in her laps. “So um, how does our relationship end?”
Another rueful, rather attractive smile tugged at one side of his mouth. “You’ll dump me.”
“Oh dear, that’s not very nice of me.”
“Min, you must understand, I couldn’t possibly dump you. It would look bad to the authorities.” He barked a laugh. “And my mom would never speak to me again.”
Min arched her brows. “Does she think it’s time you were married off, Ethan?”
“Yes, I believe so.” He seemed to stiffen, and she decided to drop that subject. Even so she couldn’t help wondering what other relationships he’d had.
“I hope I’m a good enough actress,” she mused.
“Just keep thinking of the end goal,” he said, sipping his coffee.
