Dragon with Benefits (Forgotten Dragons Book 4)

by Terry Bolryder

Trevor took a deep breath. I fight the worst things in our world. Things you don’t even know exist yet. “I work in security.”

  “Interesting,” Petra said. “Like bodyguard stuff?”

  “Not exactly,” Trevor said. “Chadwick and I have several employees and outsource a lot of work. But we keep people safe. That’s about all you need to know. I’m sure you understand I want to protect my clients’ safety.”

  He was glad he’d come up with some answer that, while technically true, didn’t give up too much about them.

  “I understand.” She ran her pink tongue over her lower lip, and Trevor felt his pants tighten.

  Dammit. Ask another question. Something, anything, to distract him from staring at her mouth.

  “So how long have you been with Chadwick?”

  Trevor waved a hand. “I don’t want Chadwick involved in any of this. Can you agree to that?”

  She frowned. “I can, but—”

  Trevor folded his arms. “That’s my one rule.”

  She sighed. “I suppose.” She marked something down on her notepad, then met his eyes with her own. “You’re quite protective of him, aren’t you?”

  “I’m quite protective in general,” Trevor said. “Comes with being the biggest and strongest.”

  “Maybe not the strongest,” she said with a laugh, though her eyes lingered on him, and the heat between them rose just a little. “But quite big.”

  Trevor nodded. And as to being the absolute strongest, maybe not. But there was nothing for thousands of miles that could beat him.

  “You’re also very handsome, which leads me to my next question.” She fidgeted with her phone, barely able to look at him as the waiter delivered their meals. “Are you married? Single? Dating someone?”

  Trevor dropped the knife he’d picked up to cut his steak in surprise at her question. Luckily, it only made a slight clattering on his plate and lay still.

  “It’s a fair question,” she said, still looking nervous. “I mean…”

  “Single,” Trevor said quickly.

  “There’s no one?” Petra looked shocked. “You wouldn’t think so, given…” She trailed off as she looked at him, and he still caught a glimpse of the open hunger in her eyes just before she turned away.

  Something was happening to them. Something that had never happened to Trevor before. This wasn’t simply an interview anymore. Maybe it never had been.

  “Given what?” he asked, unable to help teasing her.

  Her beautiful skin couldn’t hide her embarrassed expression as she flushed deeper. “Don’t make me say it.”

  “Say what?” His grin deepened.

  “Fine,” she said, standing and planting her hands on the table. “You’re hot. Well, that’s what our readers say.”

  He smirked. “And what do you say?”

  She looked flustered. “I say I’m going to the bathroom to freshen up, and when I get back, I’ve got more questions, mister.”

  Trevor hated himself for already looking forward to it.

  “Stop it. No guys,” Petra told herself, glaring at the mirror as she fixed her lipstick and tried to calm down.

  He was flirting with her. Trevor, the handsome recluse known to the world only as Sushi Douchebag, was actually flirting with her. Like he found her attractive.

  She found him attractive of course. Who wouldn’t? Those dazzling golden eyes that could seem light brown from a distance but stunned you up close. That perfect, wavy bronze hair that made him look like a fallen angel.

  And that body. That big, lean, muscular body that, even in a suit, set off a primal reaction in every woman within a fifty-foot radius. Petra included.

  She wasn’t used to feeling like this.

  She hadn’t had any use for men since her college boyfriend had left her while she’d been taking care of her dad in hospice.

  “Stick to the interview.” She scolded her reflection. “We don’t want a man. We want a promotion. So we can have an actual house and some cats.”

  “Honey, you’re going to die alone and get eaten by your cats with that kind of thinking,” the woman a few sinks down said, winking at Petra.

  Petra was mortified by the fact that someone had heard her, and the woman simply smiled as she passed Petra.

  “So get on that handsome man you’re sitting with, or someone else is going to take him.” The woman was gone with a playful wave, leaving Petra to compose herself.

  Dying alone with cats was preferable to waiting for someone to betray you, she thought as she walked out into the restaurant again.

  Her eyes fell on Trevor, and she frowned as she saw a waitress bending close so he could whisper in her ear, cupping his hand to cover what he was saying.

  The waitress smiled, laughed, and seemed utterly charmed by Trevor. She was blond and beautiful and barely legal, and Petra hated her on sight.

  But at least Trevor was killing Petra’s lady boner by being a jerk right out in the open.

  She knew she had no right to be mad, since they were just doing an interview. But really? Hitting on a waitress while out to dinner with another woman? How cliché could you be?

  As Petra came closer, she could hear Trevor’s voice as he pointed to a table across the restaurant.

  “The best you have, and make sure they know it’s on the house. I want to cover the full bill. But don’t tell them who sent it.”

  The waitress nodded, and Petra felt like a heel as she looked at the older couple who were staring at each other, terribly in love, and clasping each other’s hands too tightly to notice anyone watching.

  It was the kind of love Petra tried to pretend didn’t exist. But sometimes she just saw it in real life, and it took her breath away and made her ache for things she thought impossible.

  She eyed Trevor as he kept his eyes on the couple for another minute while the waitress walked away, looking disappointed that Trevor hadn’t wanted to say more to her.

  “You were talking to that waitress for a while,” Petra said, taking her seat. “Am I interrupting something?”

  Trevor shook his head, that little flush on his high, perfect cheekbones again. “You aren’t interrupting. And you’re just in time for dessert.” He eyed her. “You do eat dessert, right?”

  She nodded. “Who doesn’t?”

  “Good,” he said. And as he went back to eating his steak and waiting for more questions, she realized he wasn’t even going to tell her about the nice thing he’d just done.

  Even though she was a reporter and many people currently literally saw him as a douchebag.

  Here comes the lady boner again, she thought irritably.

  “So… more questions?” He set aside his plate for a moment, and his bronze hair gleamed in the dim overhead light.

  Damn, the restaurant had an oddly romantic atmosphere. And he had asked her to meet him for dinner.

  The whole situation was getting a little confusing.

  “Yes.” She pulled out her notes. “So what happened directly before the sushi meltdown?”

  “A work phone call.”

  “Ah,” she said, flustered. Just great. His hotness was making things difficult. “What happened on the phone call, specifically?”

  His gold eyes flitted to the side, staring at nothing in particular. “They asked for something impossible.”

  “Did you turn them down?”

  He shook his head. “It wasn’t a client like that. They weren’t taking no for an answer, and to be honest, work is pretty stressful right now.”

  She nodded. “I get that. It’s hell trying to get a promotion.”

  She grinned. “Not that talking to you is hell, of course.”

  “Of course,” he said, and there was that shy smile again, like the expression was rusty.

  She got the impression that he wasn’t a bad person, but he didn’t let a lot of people see that.

  “Anyway,” he said, “I don’t know if that gives you a good story or not, but it’s the truth.”
>
  “I can change it a bit to protect your privacy. Everyone understands the feeling of being helpless.”

  His eyebrows went up. “I’m not helpless.”

  She waved her hands. “No, I didn’t mean that. I just meant when someone asks us to do something impossible.” She stabbed at her steak again. “You know, like look up a mysterious, sexy recluse and track him down for an interview when no one else can find him.”

  He barked out a laugh. “You think I’m sexy?”

  She raised an eyebrow, feeling her cheeks heat. “That’s all you got from that?”

  “Maybe,” he said, shrugging a shoulder. God, his wide shoulders looked good in that suit.

  Focus, Petra.

  “Anyway, how did you feel when you found out about the video?”

  He sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, I guess how anyone would feel about having their worst moment up on the internet.”

  She eyed him. “Except you don’t really care what people think about you, right?”

  He nodded.

  “So why would it bother you?”

  “Privacy,” he said. “As I told you, it’s important in my business.”

  She pursed her lips. “And you’re sure your business isn’t being some kind of famous, reclusive model?”

  He fought back a grin. “Yes. I’m sure. I work in security.”

  She looked up at him. “You know, I can definitely see you hitting people, despite that pretty face.”

  Trevor grinned. “If I knew an interview came with so many compliments, I would have said yes sooner.”

  Petra felt her face blaze red. “Well, it’s just something everyone else has noticed also.” She poked at her steak. “It’s pretty… distracting. Not that you’d understand.”

  “Oh, I understand,” he said, giving her a knowing look that sent zings down to her hips.

  “Um,” she said because she’d gotten wet at just the thought that this man could be distracted by her.

  She’d promised herself she wouldn’t depend on a man again. But what about sex? Was sex okay?

  She hadn’t even liked it with Bill. He’d been so perfunctory, complaining about condoms and foreplay.

  What would it be like with a guy like Trevor?

  He cleared his throat. “Sorry, I keep making this awkward.”

  “No, I do,” she said, and they shared a nervous laugh and both went back to eating their dinner.

  Petra asked him a few more questions and noted his vague but at least helpful answers.

  The wine in their glasses disappeared and was refilled, and by the time dessert had arrived, Petra was warm and content and laughing as Trevor attempted once again to extol the virtues of stinky sushi.

  When the waitress set chocolate cake in front of each of them, Petra almost wanted to eat it slowly so she could spend more time with this fascinating man.

  By the way he sighed when he looked at his watch, she could tell he was enjoying his time too.

  “It’s been a fun night,” he said as he signed the slip and set down the folded check for the waitress. “I guess you have everything you need?”

  “It was fun. And as for having everything I need, I’m not sure, but I’ll let you know.” She’d have to go through her notes and see if there was anything missing.

  Already, she was regretting not having an excuse to see him again.

  “How did you get here?” he asked once they were out on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

  “A cab,” she said with a shrug. “Easier when downtown.”

  “I’ll drive you home,” he offered. “If you trust me, that is.”

  She did, she realized, as she looked up into his golden eyes, shaded by long lashes. “Thank you. That’d be great.”

  The valet pulled up with a Mercedes S Class, and Petra’s eyes widened as she stared at the ostentatious car, which was exactly what she should have pictured after seeing Trevor’s mansion.

  Now that she knew him a little better, she’d realized he wasn’t exactly a snob or materialistic, which made the constant luxury he surrounded himself with all the stranger.

  But as she settled in the soft, comfy passenger’s seat, she decided maybe he had a point. It felt amazing, especially after the tension of the day.

  The drive home was quiet, as neither of them seemed happy to part and neither seemed to be able to come up with an excuse as to why they shouldn’t.

  She wished he would. She could feel something between them, and even if she wasn’t looking for a relationship, she wished she could explore their sheer chemistry a little further.

  What did it mean when a man made you feel like that?

  He parked in front of her small townhouse and got out to open the door for her. Always the gentleman, Sushi Douchebag.

  Though, she couldn’t even think of him that way anymore. He was just… Trevor.

  When they got to the door, there was more awkward silence, and Petra couldn’t help fidgeting with her keys as she looked up at him, thinking to stall a bit for time.

  She’d seen in a movie once that jingling keys was a sign you wanted to be kissed, and she thought with a flush that it wasn’t totally off the mark.

  If he did make a move on her…

  “Can’t find the right key?” Trevor asked, stepping forward. “Want me to help?”

  She sighed because mission “jingle keys for action you shouldn’t even be seeking” was dead in the water.

  It was probably for the best.

  He should go back to his mansion, and she should go get her promotion and—

  “Well, I guess I should get going,” he said, though his eyes darted to her lips just for a moment, and the heat between them jumped.

  His gaze met hers, and it was like he was begging for an excuse to see her again. Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

  “Wait, Trevor,” she said, stepping forward to catch him by the suit sleeve just as he was about to go. He turned back to her, and she was surprised again by just how tall he was.

  He practically towered over her. “Yes?”

  “I don’t have everything I need,” she said. She needed to kiss him, with every fiber of her being.

  Even though it was stupid. Even though she was being unprofessional. The pull between them was so sexually magnetic it was almost painful.

  She needed him. At least a little more of him.

  “What do you need, Petra?” He took a step forward, backing her up toward the door.

  “Um, I…” She trailed off as he took another step forward, and she moved back until her back hit the door. Her heart was pounding.

  But she couldn’t bring herself to push him away as he came in closer, resting an arm above her on the doorway, putting her on eye level with a perfect set of pecs.

  “What do you need?” he asked again, his voice husky this time.

  She gulped, looking up at him. “I need…” She blinked, forcing herself to focus on the interview. “I still need to talk about the video. That’s right. And I still have… questions.” She knew it sounded like a pitiful excuse.

  “And that’s all?” He tilted his head slightly, a small grin curving his perfect lips as he looked down at her. “No other requests, little journalist?”

  “I’m not little,” she muttered, though she felt that way with him and she loved it.

  “To me you are,” he said, and dammit, he reached out to tilt her chin up so their lips were even closer than before. “To me… you’re perfect.” The words looked like they surprised him, but he covered it by quickly leaning forward to claim her lips in a kiss.

  It was harsh, sensual, as his lips covered hers, pressing them open so his tongue could swipe in voraciously. He swept through her like a hurricane, kissing her like she’d never been kissed, bringing his free arm around her waist to pull her in against him in a possessive way she’d never been held before.

  Just as she thought she might burst or melt into a puddle,
he released her, letting her sink against the door.

  She put her hand over her mouth, still shocked by what had happened.

  “That’s my fee for another interview,” he said, giving her a wink that said he knew he’d just paid her rather than taken anything from her.

  Goddamn him.

  “But wait,” she called out as he strode down the steps, making her jealous of his ability to still walk after a kiss like that. “We still need to set up an interview.”

  “I have your number.” His eyes ran over her slowly, caressing her from a distance. “I’ll be in touch.”

  She flushed at his words and hurried inside before he could see his effect on her.

  But as she peeked out her front window and watched him drive away, she already couldn’t wait to see him again.

  Chapter 5

  “So how’s that story going?” Karen rolled her chair over to Petra’s desk with a big grin on her face. “Manage to track down the sushi douchebag yet?”

  “Impossible,” Jason interjected, walking past their desks after talking to one of the lead writers. “I heard no one can find him for an interview.” He sent Petra a cruel smile. “Tough luck.”

  “Actually…” Petra didn’t even try to hide her triumph. “I have a second interview lined up with him.”

  Jason raised an eyebrow. “You do?” He cocked his head. “Why would you need to do a second interview? He’s just some jerk who—”

  “I guess it’s good I’m doing the story, then,” Petra snapped. “Since I can stay impartial and not judge people like that.”

  She had judged Trevor by that video initially.

  Now, though, she didn’t like hearing people talk negatively about him. He wasn’t perfect. No one was. But he was a good person.

  “Oh my God, is he as hot as the video?” Karen asked, eyes wide and mouth practically panting. “I want to meet him so bad.”

  Petra rolled her eyes, though she smiled at Karen. “He’s just like the video. I can say that much.”

  “A second interview, huh?” Jason narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “I’ll believe it when I see the finished article on my desk.” He straightened his already too tight tie and walked away with his chinos riding up his butt, as usual.