Fired by my Grumpy Dragon (Grumpy Monster Bosses #3)

TWENTY EIGHT

Loren

There’s something heavy draped over me.

I blink open my eyes to discover what it is, only to find Kivrayn sprawled next to me, tail curled over my hip and leg.

Well this is new. I wonder if he meant to spend the night.

My question is answered in increments as he begins to stir. First, he turns onto his side. Next, he reaches out to locate me without opening his eyes. Once his fingers encounter the skin of my arm, he grunts, scoops me against him and lets out a long, contented sigh.

I have to stop myself from laughing when he throws a leg over me as if to prevent my escape.

I’m not inclined to escape. He’s so warm, I don’t even need the blanket. Not to mention, it’s pretty damn nice to be tucked up against all that firm, masculine power.

I am just starting to wonder what he’s done with his other wing, and how a monster with wings sleeps comfortably in a bed anyway, when he inhales sharply and opens his eyes. “What are you doing in my bed?”

“I think you’ll find it’s my bed.”

“No it’s not.”

“OK, technically, I guess all the beds are yours since it’s your suite, but you insisted I come here. ”

He lifts his head—still holding me—and looks around. His head drops back to the pillow, and he groans. “I slept in your bed?”

“Oh, he can listen.”

He must choose to ignore this piece of sass. In fact, he’s silent long enough I start to wonder if he’s gone back to sleep. He still hasn’t let go of me. I wriggle my ass experimentally.

All of a sudden, he pushes me away and rolls over. “Enough. There are things to do today.”

I laugh. “Something to hide, Kivrayn?” I felt those erections.

He sputters. “No. It’s just going to be a busy day. We need to find a doctor for you—”

“Not happening.”

He growls. “What if the wound is infected?”

I sit and gingerly peel back the dressing he put on it last night. I can’t see well, but it looks OK to me. “It’s fine.” Then give myself away by wincing when I move my arm. “Fine. It’s a little bit sore.”

He gives me an ‘I told you so’ look.

Just then, there’s a soft knock at the door of the suite. “Good morning, sir. The breakfast you ordered.”

I glance in surprise at Kivrayn. He only snatches a towel from the bathroom and slings it around his waist to answer the door.

Huh, so apparently it’s just me he likes to walk around naked in front of. I file that little piece of information away and sit, tucking the covers up to my chest and trying to peek around the door to see .

When the breakfast is delivered, he shuts the door again and I venture out into the living area, stomach rumbling, hoping there’s something I can snag. It’s been a long time since dinner and my stomach is small.

“Sit,” he says gruffly. He pulls out a chair and I sit, only to realize he’s ordered a full meal for me. Maybe more than one. The table is full of fresh cut fruit, juice, coffee, porridge, a deep purple acai smoothie, croissants, toast, eggs, and half a pig’s worth of bacon.

“Eat.” Kivrayn puts a plate in front of me and doesn’t need to tell me twice. I shovel food onto the plate and tuck into an enormous piece of watermelon.

“What are you having?” I’m trying to provoke him, but he only gives me a serious look.

“I will order more if you can finish all of that.”

I have to cover my mouth to stop the food flying out with my laugh. “Kivrayn, do you honestly think I could eat all this?”

He shrugs. “It’s been a long time since I had any reason to notice how much a human can eat. I could eat this in one sitting.”

I stare. “All of it?”

“Yes.”

Geez, where does he put it all? His figure is lean and toned, with just enough muscle to be completely sexy without being huge and bulky. I guess anything with wings isn’t built to be bulky.

He watches me intently as I eat, and I’m not blind to his change of mood .

“What’s wrong?” I ask him between bites of croissant. “Please eat some of this too.”

He picks up a piece of bacon and chews it thoughtfully. “You remind me of her sometimes.”

This seems to surprise him almost as much as it surprises me. “Your mother?”

“Mmm. Not the way you look per se, but the way you move. Perhaps it’s a human thing.”

“How does that work, then? How can you be full dragon if you have a human mother?”

“Dragon blood is strong. As is our seed. We can reproduce with many species and yet produce full-blooded dragons.”

I almost choke on my coffee. “Did you just talk about seed while I’m eating breakfast? Also, really? Should we have talked more about birth control?”

He grunts. “A dragon can only reproduce within the mate bond.”

“Huh.” I take a bite of toast thoughtfully and chew. “Good to know.”

There’s a pause while we eat. It’s peaceful though. I am curious. “Do you look like her at all?”

He shakes his head. “No. My father used to say I have her heart, but... I doubt it.” He goes quiet after that, watching me eat and only speaking to admonish me when I’m stuffed completely full and he thinks I should eat more.

I’m starting to see that a whole lot of his grump is actually about protecting me, or his misguided perception of what that looks like. Which is actually kind of sweet. Though I hate to admit it .

I still wish I knew what his deal was, but I guess I’ve unlocked one layer, and that’s satisfying. It doesn’t really matter in the end, I suppose. Not like we’re going to keep in touch after this. Which is a shame really. I could count on one hand the number of guys who can make me come half as hard as Kivrayn.

“So have you decided to give up on Jenny’s collection yet?” I ask him, before I start down that distracting train of thought.

“Of course not.” He folds his arms across his chest and gives me a haughty look.

“You know, I feel sorry for Jenny. Us fighting is the last thing she needs to deal with right now.”

“There’s a simple solution for that, Loren.”

“Not going to happen.”

I’m quiet for a while. Eventually, I get up and begin clearing away the breakfast things, but Kivrayn stops me.

“So you feel sorry for Jenny. Fine. You know what I think she really wants? She wants her kids to show some gratitude and come see her. Be there with her while she’s dying. If we can make that happen, will you give up on this?”

“If we reunite her with her kids, she’ll probably leave the collection to them in her will instead of selling it,” I tell him frankly.

There’s a pause. I can’t read his expression perfectly, but he seems to be deciding how much to say. “There’s only one piece of the collection I really want.”

My eyes widen. Finally, something useful. “Which one? ”

“You think I’m going to tell you that?” Kivrayn shakes his head. “Suffice it to say that I will negotiate with Jenny if and when that happens.”

It’s better than nothing, I suppose. “So are we actually agreed on something?”

He laughs. “Yes. I suppose we might be. It’s not too late to start an irrational argument, though.”

I poke my tongue out at him on impulse. “For you either. I think it’s your specialty. Better think of something to say quickly that will piss me off. It’s been a whole two seconds since the last time.”

His frown has just the hint of laughter. “Brats who don’t watch themselves get spanked.”

Oh no he didn’t. “You’ll have to catch me first!” I dart out of my chair and away toward my bedroom, not even really expecting to get away from him.

He catches me before I get through the door, and he’s not gentle. He throws me on the bed and proceeds to carry through with his threat to the letter of the law. Which is why it’s almost lunch time before we get out the door to see Sarah Burbage.