Page 5 of Billionaire Dragon King’s Rejected Mate

And her brain, which was normally very competent during work hours, suddenly filled with thoughts that were wildly inappropriate for a professional setting.

Randi forced her gaze back to the clipboard and tried to give herself a mental kick. This was not happening. Not today. Not at her brand-new job.

Because she had worked far too hard to get here.

Not long ago she had been standing on the cliffs of the Silver Snow Mountains in Stagholt watching her sister’s wedding banners snap against a gray sky, trying to convince herself that the complicated knot of emotions in her chest was actually happiness and not the quiet ache of realizing that Stagholt, the place that had quickly become home, no longer needed her in quite the same way.

Her sister had a husband now, a new life. A future that deserved room to grow without Randi hovering nearby like an overprotective shadow.

So she had made a decision.

She packed her things, said her goodbyes, and boarded the first flight south with a determination to start over somewhere warm, somewhere new, somewhere that didn’t carry memories around every corner.

Florida had seemed like a good place for that.

And this job, her first real position since leaving the Northlands, was supposed to be the beginning of that fresh start. Which meant she absolutely could not afford to get distracted by a mysterious, irritatingly handsome stranger who looked like trouble wrapped in beachwear.

Across the plaza, the park manager finished talking and stepped away. The man in the T-shirt turned slightly and walked straight toward them.

His gaze landed on her again. For a moment his eyes lingered, sharp and assessing. Then his attention shifted to the clipboard in her hands.

“You’re blocking the walkway,” he said.

The words were calm and flat. They weren’t rude exactly, but they weren’t particularly friendly either. Randi slowly lowered the clipboard. She wasn’t one to put up with obnoxious people, especially at a place meant for enjoyment.

“Good morning to you too,” she replied with a fair amount of snarky attitude of her own.

One eyebrow lifted on his handsome face as Marissa made a faint choking sound beside her. Randi ignored it and stepped half an inch to the side with exaggerated politeness.

“There, your Highness,” she said sweetly. “Walkway unblocked. Crisis averted.”

His startled expression surprised even her, and for a moment, she thought he was going to run away. She met his start and swore she read panic in his eyes. Something about the look made her want to interrogate him and find out what was inside his head. He seemed to have that whole quiet, brooding thing going on, but something in her words had spooked him.

She couldn’t deny that she was slightly fascinated.

“You think I’m royalty?” His question seemed tense.

Randi giggled. “I call em like I see em.” Was that really what had bothered him? Interesting.

Marissa cleared her throat. “Morning, Chance.”

The man glanced at her and gave a brief nod.

“You know him?” Randi blinked. “Chance, huh?” she said and tilted her head as she looked him over again. He didn’t answer immediately, which only encouraged her.

“That’s a bold name,” she continued lightly. “You know you’ve got the same name as the CEO, right?”

Marissa made a strangled noise and went into a coughing fit. Randi ignored her completely.

“Imagine the confusion,” she went on cheerfully. “Someone shouting ‘Chance!’ at a company meeting and half the room turning around.”

Marissa snorted and Randi shot her a puzzled look. “What?”

But Marissa was suddenly very interested in studying the pavement. Randi turned back to the man.

“You might want to start going by something else,” she added. “Chuck, maybe. Charlie. Saves everyone the awkward moment.”

For a brief second something flickered across his face. It was amusement. Fast and sharp, but gone almost immediately.