Taming the Dragon (Loved by the Dragon, #3) (3 page)

The two women had flitted among the varying guests, with Chloe spending the most time with the professionals from Saul’s studio. Marcy met two of her favorite actors before Chloe introduced her to a producer from a sister studio.

“Burke’s is one of the fastest growing department stores in the southern United States. There are plans in the making to expand to the eastern coast,” Marcy boasted about her job. Maybe Howard was right about the vacation after all and she’d only needed a break from the routine.

“Quite a bit of responsibility. You wouldn’t happen to be in the market for another job, would you?”

Marcy shot a skeptical glance at Chloe. As nice as the change in scenery would be, a big Hollywood business mogul offering her a job coincided suspiciously with her decision to leave her old career behind. “I may be in the near future.”

“Excellent.” The gray-haired businessman extended a card to Marcy. “This is a direct number to my personal office line. Call me if you’re up for a change.” He then excused himself from their company.

“Nice attempt,” Marcy whispered once they were alone.

“Huh?”

“You put him up to it, didn’t you? You or Saul.”

“No, I didn’t. Sweetie, you helped make Burke’s into a billion dollar company.
That
is your resume, and you don’t need me to vouch for you. Did you think old man Burke was only blowing air up your ass because he likes you?”

“No,” Marcy admitted reluctantly.

“Good, because — oh, look, there’s Teo. Try to be cordial.”

Marcy turned her head to follow Chloe’s line of sight. The handsome billionaire owner of the island approached them in a fashionable black tuxedo. His sleek black hair spilled past his shoulders, framing a brown face with chiseled features and bold green eyes.

“Good evening, Teo. It’s so good to see you again,” Chloe replied. She stepped forward to kiss his cheek.

“Good evening, ladies.” Teo bowed deeply, a perfect gentleman despite Marcy’s expectations. She swore internally at herself for wanting to stroke the immaculate waves resting over his shoulders.

Holy shit, he’s sexier than I remember.
Marcy plastered a smile to her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Mr...” Hell, she didn’t know if all dragons had surnames or if Saul was the exception to the rule.

“Arcillanegro. But you may call me Teo, as all my friends do.”

“I see.” Chloe and Marcy exchanged uncertain looks.

“How do you find the island?” Teo asked, aiming the question at them both.

“I didn’t expect the kid stuff, Teo, I have to admit,” Chloe replied. “Astrid is so excited.”

“It made good business sense to expand this resort into a more family-friendly environment. My other will remain as it is. Exclusive.”

He means for rich people,
Marcy thought. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and offered a polite smile instead. “It’s very pretty.”

“Mrs. Drakenstone,” a merry voice called. An older woman with rosy cheeks hurried up to them on unbelievable stiletto heels. “What a pleasure to meet you in person.” Her bright eyes turned to Teo and Marcy as if they were an afterthought. “Teo, when you told me you had invited only the best to participate as donors, I never dreamed the Drakenstones would be present.”

Teo’s flat expression twitched, suppressing the emotion he wanted to display. “I did inform you Mrs. Drakenstone would be among the party attendees, Mrs. Valance.”

“Um, excuse me... You seem to be familiar with me, but I don’t recall meeting you,” Chloe said.

“Cordelia Valance, dear. I knew your husband’s grandfather. We attended a benefit together many years ago. Such a shame to hear he passed.” She sighed, her lovestruck eyes telling Marcy everything she needed to know. The older woman took Chloe by the arm in the fond gesture of close friendship. “Where is he?”

“Where is who, Mrs. Valance?”

“Your husband, young lady.”

“Saul didn’t attend. He, ah, was feeling under the weather, so I’ve come in his stead to support his interests here.” In other words, Saul feared someone would find the striking resemblance between him and his “deceased grandfather” to be more than coincidence.

“Such a shame,” the older woman said. “Well then, I suppose we must become acquainted.”

“But—”

“I insist,” Mrs. Valance said as she hauled Chloe toward another group. The helpless blonde shot an apologetic look to Marcy and was swept away to socialize.

“So...” Marcy sought a topic for conversation when it became apparent Teo planned to stay. He lingered beside her with his characteristic, neutral expression firmly in place. “Your orchids all flourish here. I was telling Chloe I wish I could get mine to grow so large.”

“If you have an interest in botany, then you will certainly enjoy a tour of the hotel’s indoor garden. Shall I show you?” Teo offered his arm.

Marcy froze in place.

Damn Chloe for abandoning me for that pushy broad,
she inwardly seethed.
Now what?

“Are you afraid to be alone with me?”

The question stiffened her spine. “Absolutely not.”

“Then let us go.”

Marcy shot a look over her shoulder toward Chloe. Her friend was trapped in an awkward conversation about her elusive husband.

“Chloe will survive. They are harmless, if meddlesome mortals,” Teo assured her.

I guess he probably feels the same way about me. He’s stuck playing tour guide since one of his guests stole Chloe.

“Shouldn’t you stay here for your guests? I’d think they would want to rub elbows with the host.”

Teo shook his head. “I will return once it is time to dine. Until then, I am free to socialize with my guests as I please. You are a guest, are you not?”

“I suppose when you put it that way...” With her hand above Teo’s elbow, they walked side by side through the magnificent banquet hall and deeper into the hotel. Eventually, they reached a set of double doors with gold-trimmed glass windows. Her gentleman escort held one open for her to breeze past him into the humid environment.

Thank God for hairspray,
she thought. Self-conscious, she smoothed a hand over her sleek updo and proceeded forward. As if capable of reading her mind, Teo plucked a red hibiscus from the branches dangling overhead and tucked it into her hair, grazing her ear with his warm fingers. Her whole body became hot with sensation.

“Gracias,” she murmured.
I won’t be charmed by a damned flower. If he thinks kissing ass with a garden makes up for being a prick five years ago, he has another thing coming.

Teo led the way down a curving path of multihued river stones. Smaller trails branched off toward private nooks in the lush growth.

“Your gardens are beautiful.”

“My workers take the utmost care,” he replied with his usual haughtiness. “As is their job.”

The predictable arrogance crept into his tone. Marcy sighed. “Ah. Well, thank you for showing them to me, but I think I should let you get back to everyone else.”

“I have not shown you the best spot.”

His words intrigued her. “What spot?”

“There.” He gestured with one hand toward a glass wall ten feet away.

Marcy’s mouth fell open when she read the bold print above the translucent door.

“You have a butterfly garden!”

“Indeed. I have cultivated a habitat to sustain over seventy varieties.”

They stepped through two sets of screened doors into the inner habitat. Verdant plants filled the domed space and blossoms in multiple hues scented the air with sweet perfume. Marcy recognized most of the plants, excluding a handful of unfamiliar specimens. She leaned in toward a mossy tree and sniffed one of the strange white flowers dangling from its many vines.

“Ghost orchids,” Teo offered.

“Yes, I know,” she said. “I’ve heard of them, but I’ve only seen pictures. They’re much prettier up close.”

“You like flowers...” he ventured.

“I do. Chloe is the one with the black thumb, though Leiv is teaching her how not to kill the garden he set up for her. Every time I visit I bring her a new plant.”

“I have noticed. I paid my visit to Saul only a month ago and found her despairing over several dying plants. She did mention one came from you... Be still,” Teo said, staring at her.

Marcy blinked. “Excuse me?”

Teo stepped aside. “Look,” he urged. With the arrival of night, the garden’s glass windows had become mirrors. At first, her questioning eyes rose to Teo, but when Marcy caught sight of her reflection in the glass surface she saw a butterfly resting upon the red flower Teo had placed in her hair. Another one joined it, then a third descended to rest on the narrow strap of her dress, resembling the world’s most beautiful living brooch.

Marcy held her breath, mourning the missed photo opportunity of the year. She was torn between marveling over the delicate creatures and irritation for her lack of a camera. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath. The picture would have looked amazing on her blog.

“It is an omen.”

“An omen.” She raised her eyes to Teo’s stoic features. He stared at her in return.

“Yes. Even we dragons have our own beliefs.” He didn’t elaborate.

After a few moments the butterflies abandoned her and returned to the greenery. Disappointed, Marcy watched them fly away. “I’ll probably never have this kind of luck again,” she said. “It would have made the perfect profile photo.”

“Profile photo? What is that?”

“I take it you don’t go on the internet often.”

Teo shook his head. “For what reason do you require a profile photo?”

“For my blog,” Marcy said. “My picture goes on it near my name.”

“What is the purpose of this blog?”

“Well, I write articles and post things I’d like to share with my readers. Sometimes I post cooking recipes or the art I make.”

Teo’s impassive features never changed. “Do all mortals pursue such trivial internet hobbies?”

Marcy’s improving regard for Teo evaporated.
Trivial? My hobby is trivial?
“Right. I should go join my actual friend.” She brushed past him to return to the banquet hall in search of Chloe.

“Marcy, why do you leave?”

“I need to pursue some other
trivial
matter,” she replied. The stunned dragon watched her exit the garden, an unmoving figure behind her.

Serves him right.
Nobody deserved to listen to his smug attitude.

After coordinating their meeting by text, Marcy met Chloe in the restroom where the blonde had gone to hide.

“How was your chat with Miss Stilettos?”

“Let’s just say I met one of Saul’s oldest living admirers,” Chloe said dryly as she primped and checked out her reflection.

“Huh?”

“Remember how I told you he toyed around with humans but didn’t know what to do with them in the bedroom? Yeah... well. The old lady was a mountain of TMI.”

Marcy’s mouth fell open. “No!”

They were both in stitches by the time Chloe finished the sordid tale. Many years ago, as a dragon fresh to walking with humans, Saul had attempted to become intimate with women and often ended the act in frustration. Chloe was the first human woman with whom he’d ever finished sexual intercourse. Apparently, he’d left admirers hoping to meet him again.

“So, where’d you get off to? I’m sorry for leaving you with Teo. Did you flee and abandon him after I was dragged away?”

“No, not really. He showed me the indoor garden here.”

Chloe’s mouth fell open. “So he was polite?”

“For about ten minutes, then he said my hobbies are trivial.”

Chloe winced. “Say no more. He does the same thing to Saul, if it makes you feel any better. You don’t know fun until you’ve seen two dragons rolling across the yard clawing at each other. I imagine it’s like watching two siblings putting each other in a headlock when mom isn’t looking, except there’s... fire. And claws.” Chloe frowned. “And acid pools on the grass.”

“If it’s anything like your dragon duel, I’ll pass. Thanks.”

They settled at a round table where small cards announced the seating order. Marcy admired the elaborate centerpiece and stroked her fingers down the glossy green leaves. Someone had arranged each one with love. “These flowers aren’t cut.”

“Does it matter?” their dinner companion asked. A man settled opposite them with his wife. Neither seemed to be impressed by their surroundings.

His wife, a slender living trophy half Chloe’s size, appraised the two friends with indignance in her eyes. “I was under the impression we would share a table with Saul Drakenstone and his wife.

“I
am
Chloe Drakenstone,” Chloe said evenly.

“Ah. I expected a younger woman.”

Bitch, she’s younger than you,
Marcy thought.

“And who is this?” the husband asked. “We are Archibald and Helena Galway. I handle the financial aspect of Mr. Arcillanegro’s foundation. To whom do I owe this pleasure?” His eyes dropped to Marcy’s cleavage and remained there.

Chauvinistic pig.
Marcy wondered how Chloe put up with snobs like the Galways.

“This is Marcy Vargas,” Chloe introduced. “She is a close friend of mine and my husband’s.”

“So I gather from her presence that your husband was unable to attend? Such a pity. We had looked forward to a meeting with the elusive Saul Drakenstone,” Archibald said. “I must say, though, the change in company is rather pleasant.”

Helena glared at her husband then turned her haughty eyes toward Marcy. “Are you anyone important, or merely a plus one?” she asked.

“She is
my
honored guest.” Teo’s voice came from directly behind Marcy. His hands lowered to her shoulders, sending an electrifying tingle burning through every nerve until it reached the tips of her toes.

Helena’s mouth fell open, and her husband managed to tear his eyes away from Marcy’s generous bust for the first time since the couple joined them.

Chloe smirked. “How nice of you to finally join us. Teo is a close family friend, and godfather to our little girl,” she explained to the gaping woman. “He and my husband are practically brothers.” She then took Marcy’s hand and laced their fingers. “And Marcy is my sister. We’ve been best friends since childhood.”