Page 7 of Billionaire Dragon King’s Rejected Mate

“A tactical what?” She laughed and pushed off the railing. “Please explain the strategy behind that, I’m dying to hear this.”

He stepped closer and lowered his voice like he was about to share classified information. “Intimidation.”

Her grin widened. “You were intimidating the slide?”

“Absolutely. Establish dominance early.”

“Over a piece of fiberglass.”

“It knew what it did.”

She laughed again, full and unrestrained this time. Something in Chance’s chest loosened. It had been a long time since someone had laughed around him like that without a trace of nerves or expectation. His decision to avoid her was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated.

The problem was, he didn’t want to stay away from her. He slung the towel around his neck and studied her. “So, what about you? You just hang out at the bottom of slides all day judging people, or is this a special occasion?”

“Please, this is a public service,” she said. “Someone has to keep egos in check.”

“Ah, so I’m your latest project.”

“Oh, you were an easy target,” she shot back. “You walked in like you’d never seen a water park before.”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, just long enough to make it feel real. “Maybe I haven’t.”

She tilted her head and squinted at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Even though he still couldn’t believe that she had no idea who he was.

“Huh.” Her expression softened and he watched curiosity slip in as she pursed her lips. “Okay, that explains a lot.”

“Like what?”

“Like why you stared at the map for five full minutes,” she said. “And why you asked if the lazy river had, and I quote, ‘rapids.’”

He winced. “Have you been stalking me?”

“It’s literally my job to notice details about the park,” she answered. “You just happen to be a detail.”

“In my defense, the lazy river is called Winding Rapids. The name is misleading.”

She pursed her lips again. “Okay, I’ll give you that one. You’re not wrong.”

“Well, I was hoping for a little adventure.”

She gestured toward the towering slide behind him. “You literally just flung yourself down that thing. I’d say you found it.”

“Barely survived it,” he corrected.

“Yet here you are. Alive. Thriving, even.”

“Thriving might be a stretch.”

She smiled at him, warmer now, and for a moment, neither of them said anything.

Chance became very aware of the fact that she was still looking at him. Not assessing. Not sizing him up like she had at the entrance.

Just… looking.

“So,” she said finally, “what’s next, Slide Guy? Going back up for round two?”