Page 11 of Desired By the Dragon

Kiernan nodded, playing with the wavy ends of her red hair. “I just got back to town from Arizona.”

“I’ve never been,” I mused, mouth twisting at the reminder. “Is it nice?”

“The place? Yes. The people? I’ve met better.” She grinned and a warmth lit her eyes that took me aback. Was she… flirting? Did she remember me or not? “Oh, hey, my friend just arrived. It was nice to meet you, Max.”

I swallowed, inwardly cursing that I now knew what my name sounded like coming from her lips. “Yeah,” I managed to choke out. “See you.”

What the fuck was wrong with me?

Chapter Five

Kiernan

“He’s cute.” Tazmin eyed me as I left the cover of the large oak tree and headed in her direction.

“Yeah,” I murmured. There was something about him that I couldn’t put my finger on. Maybe it was just the heightened instincts and emotions of the heat, messing with me. “How was your shifter?”

Tazmin grinned before sipping from her disposable coffee cup. “Big.”

“As in…?”

She nodded. “Big.” We laughed and I followed her over to a bench that wasn’t too wet from last night’s rainfall. “And you? How long did you stay in the bar after I left?”

I shrugged. “A while.”

Taz folded her arms across her chest. “And?”

Ugh, I never could keep anything from her. “I hooked up,” I blurted and she cackled.

“With who?”

I bit my lip before slowly admitting, “I’m not sure. I’d had some moonshine.”

“What happened to good decisions?” she teased and listened when I told her about the whole encounter. “Well, welcome to your first heat.”

Groaning, I stole her coffee from her hand and took a gulp before handing it back. “It’s all kind of a blur. I only really remember that he had tattoos.”

And that he’d given me possibly the best orgasm of my life inside a bar restroom. Though, I opted to keep that tidbit mostly to myself.

“Oh well.” Taz shrugged. “What happens in the heat…”

“He made me an offer.” I wasn’t sure what prompted me to tell her, except that it had been weighing on my mind. “To help me through the heat.”

“And?”

“And I turned it down.” I looked away and caught Max watching us from beneath the tree, hands in the pockets of his dark coat. He had a kind of hot professor vibe, prim and proper in a way that made me want to rumple his hair and undo the buttons on his pristine coat.

“You regretting that choice?”

I shrugged and looked away, pretending I hadn't seen Max staring. “Maybe. It was good, Taz. Like, really good.”

“Was it big? Because I’d wager my wolf’s was bigger.” She grinned and then squinted suspiciously when I stayed silent.

“I don’t know,” I said quietly. “He didn’t… We didn’t…”

“Oh,” she murmured. “And it was that good? Even without—” Taz looked up and opted to raise her brows as my mom came within earshot. “You know?” I nodded and she blew out a long breath. “Damn. Now I’m curious too. Can’t you just tell him you changed your mind?”

“Sure, if I knew his name or remembered anything besides the tattoos on his arms flexing when he made me squirt.” I blushed, not having intended to blurt all of that out, and Taz giggled. “I think I missed my chance.”