“Hopefully you can come up with a proper moniker for me over that coffee.”
“Since we’re going with nicknames, my friends call me Bria instead of Sabra. Not sure why my father named me that, but it is what it is. Sabra sounds too much like the Saber sword weapon. So, I prefer to go with Bria when around friends and family.”
“Bria. I like it.” The way he said her name landed like the last puzzle piece clicking into place.
All she wanted to do was fall into him and never come up for air. Then that damned adulting responsibility whacked her over her senses. She nearly snatched her hand from his and took a step back.
People began to file around them, some stopping to commend her on the speech, others to say that they looked forward to seeing her again soon. The latter was strange since they proclaimed this after looking between her and Colson.
What was that about?
When there was a break in the flow of people, Sabra reclaimed the ability to speak as a professional. “I hate to do this, but I have to decline that offer for a coffee tonight.”
Gray eyes narrowed but only for a split moment
“Is there anything I can do to make you change your mind? I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds. I promise I have no intentions of behavior unbecoming a gentleman.”
“I wish you did,” slipped passed the guardrail of her thoughts to a mumbled utterance before she could catch it.
He didn’t appear to notice her slip. Whew.
Wanting to assure him it had nothing to do with him, Sabra offered up an explanation.
“It’s not that at all. You see, I have a pressing issue back at my studio that must be completed tonight.”
His face gave up no hints to whether he believed her or not.
Colson smiled. Her body loosened a bit of tension.
“Is it something I can help with?”
“I doubt it. I have movers coming first thing in the morning, and I’m not finished packing.”
“That sounds exactly like something I can help with.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t ask you to do that. I have to change, and you’re not dressed to do manual labor.”
“It’s just a suit.” His deep voice massaged away further protests. “It’s not like I can’t have it cleaned or get another.” He waited only a split second for her to respond before adding, “Besides, this will give us time to chat. I’ll even spring for coffee on the way.”
“That won’t be necessary. You don’t understand. I haven’t made much of a dent on the office. I couldn’t impose on you.” There was no way Sabra wanted this man to see her soul laid bare in all the crap in the office that still needed to be packed.
“I insist.” He stepped closer and leaned in. This time Sabra’s body responded by leaning in too. “Please, let me help you. You can use me in whatever way you see fit. I’m yours for the rest of the evening.”
“Are you sure you’re not drunk? I think there was a bit of bourbon in the bread pudding.”
“Miss Patterson,” he leaned in again, “I assure you I’m not drunk. All I ask is that you allow me to assist you in meeting your deadline.”
“Well, I…”
“That settles it,” he pounced on her weakened reply quick, fast, and in a hurry.
It felt great to have a man of his caliber so ready to be at her beck and call. Sabra could get used to this.
Hypnotic baritone words lulled her into compliance as he added, “Let’s grab a ride and get out of here.” His warm breath, sweet as any dessert invited her to come closer. “Yes?”
“Yes.”
She allowed the intriguing man to guide her out of the event and into a waiting limo.
* * *
What the smitten couple didn’t see was a gleaming Nina Hassenberg nod in approval. She located her mate, a smiling Petrov, and her ever faithful assistant, Jon, and sent thanks to them.
The night had been an enormous success.
Jon might not be much to look at, but the unwanted offspring of a half-Hobgoblin and Homonculous was her best assistant. He’d used his ability to lure and lead to marvelous effect. Sabra and Colson were well-met.
Petrov smiled back at Nina. Yes, she had the perfect mate for him as well. He was patient, and that would be what it took to mate with the woman destined to be his. Nina had an idea of who it might be. She’d have to do her best work to cage that spitfire long enough for them to meet. She smiled as that internal tingle of excitement of mounting another mating encounter began to take shape.
Nina’s mate came close and smiled. The two were well-met and had been routing lovers’ chance meetings for a long time. They basked in the fruit of the labor. This had been a fruitful night indeed. Two couple matings beside Colson had been seeded, and it was a record night in donations.
8
Cole
“I see what you’re thinking of doing from here,” Colson paused for comedic effect and added, “don’t do it.”
“Do what?” expressive dark chocolate eyes simultaneously challenged and held him in her unwitting web.
“Wait, let me help you.” He flexed a dress-shirt clad bicep for emphasis. “Don’t let all this muscle go to waste.” The light tease trailed off in more throaty sensuality than he intended. Colson prayed she didn’t think he was a bragging jerk with the muscle comment. He launched a fake cough for cover.
She didn’t even spare a second glance his way. Instead, Sabra kept stuffing things into a large cardboard box. She spoke, not breaking her movements. “You are helping—a lot. More than I could have hoped for.”
Colson couldn’t tear his eyes away from her plump lips but managed to discern her words. “You’re not fooling anyone,” he said just above a whisper.
“Why, whatever do you mean?” This time she did look up, and the result rendered him speechless. Her open facial expression gave him a glimpse of an unguarded Bria. He wanted more of that—way more. The sweet softness she applied to her question enticed him to come closer.
Stay back.
He couldn’t tempt his resolve, or they’d be mated before she had a chance to realize the thrall weaving itself around them. His Dragon had never been easy to deny. Unlike Ava’s mother who was a good friend who’d been there at a time of weakness, Sabra was his mate—his.
She deserved to know everything before he made any overtures. Matings were powerful, binding, and intensely sensual. When a Dragon found his true mate, all it took was one sexual interaction, just one, and the deed would be done.
Ava’s easy conception during a one-night tryst added to the probability that a true mating would produce offspring on the first encounter.
“I mean to make sure you don’t try to take down that unit by yourself.”
Instead of snatching her up into his arms, he kept a safe distance. Everything she did held his interest. Currently, she fussed with an oddly shaped item that refused to fit into the box. A hearty chuckle escaped as he continued to watch the entertainment. Sabra stopped and looked up forcing her eyes over to him, and not the large shelving unit he’d emptied.
“Why not? You’re not the boss of me. Don’t you know by now I do what I want?”
Ah, so she had spunk. Sabra’s quick comeback coupled with her uniquely exotic features made his cock ache with desire.
She’d threatened to start taking the large shelving unit apart a few times already. He’d seen her eye the rickety shelving unit again and couldn’t stop himself from saying something about her intentions.
Colson doubted she could tell that he could hear her throaty mumblings. Her little habit of talking to herself was a charming quirk. The bonus for him was that her mumbles were both endearing and educational.
When he didn’t respond in enough time for her liking, she added, “Why do you think you know what I’m thinking?”
Because I can hear you plain as now. You’ll learn about Dragon hearing soon enough, my heart’s treasure.
Colson pushed down the carnal need to reach for her i
n a connecting touch. Instead, he focused on vocally explaining himself. “I see how you keep looking at that large shelving unit over there.”
Her arms crossed accentuating full breasts under the thick fleece material, “And?”
Her mood was on the verge of souring. He had to tread lightly while not bruising her independence. “And,” he stressed the word to mimic hers. “What I’m asking is for you to wait until I move this group of boxes. I’ll tackle that shelf while you make headway on the items over there.” He pointed to a group of faceless dummy heads and other lighter equipment he was sure she used in her trade.
She wasn’t convinced.
“Please?” he asked of the woman he now knew as Bria to her family and close friends. When she didn’t seem to want to relent, he lowered and softened his voice like he did when trying to get Ava down for bed, “Please, Bria? Use me to move the heavy, no-brainer stuff while you figure out how we’ll pack up the more intricate and expensive items over there.”
Bria. He liked how the name flowed over his lips.
He’d made progress to get to use that name. Colson and his Dragon wanted more, much more. Greedy bastard he might be, but this woman revealed more curiosities to be explored by the minute.
“I’ve got it,” she waved him off. “Can’t have you doing all the tough stuff.”
“I assure you, it’s not a problem. I enjoy working with my hands.”
“You don’t say,” he heard her say under her breath.
Another something to like about her. Bria had an interesting private monologue that was funny and sexy. By the things she’d said under her breath, he was confident that she’d never had to deal with Dragon hearing before. A good thing was he knew she liked his beard. That was such a huge plus in his book.
“This one is ready to move,” she motioned to a newly filled box. As for that shelf, it’s lightweight, and I can move it.” A smile beautiful enough to make him agree to just about anything spread across her face. “Trust me, there’s plenty more to do here, and you’ve already done so much. We’re only an hour in, and you’ve managed to do what I couldn’t in an entire day.”
It helps that your atelier isn’t large.”
“My what?”
From her tone, he paused hoping he hadn’t offended her. “I meant no harm. It’s just that your studio is quaint and inviting.”
“No, go back to that big word you used. What is an at all yay?”
“Oh, you mean an atelier?” He smiled, loving the way her interest in him soothed his Dragon. “That’s another word for an artist or designer’s workshop or studio.”
“Hmm,” she appeared to ruminate on the words for a moment. “I like it. Never heard the word before but we can call this my atelier for the few remaining hours I have it.”
“Noted.” He’d asked so many questions already but Colson’s desire to know everything about his potential mate was insatiable. “Where are you planning to move? A larger space? Looks like you’ve almost outgrown this one.”
The smile on her face deflated and he wanted to kick his own ass for prying. He was about to apologize when she spoke.
“This is embarrassing, but I’m not going to lie about it. I’ve lost my business due to some missteps on my part. I’m taking the time to get the lesson and regroup.” She sighed and gave up on trying to put that weird object in a box. Once the object was put aside, Sabra grabbed more unrelated items and started stuffing them in. “Cole, I’m a business failure. I did something stupid, and it backfired. Now, I’m out of business.” The perfumed air soothed him and clung to her words as she took her time forming them. “To be honest, I don’t know what my next move will be. I know I want to make perfume, but I don’t know how that will happen.”
Colson quashed the faint smile that tried to emerge. His grant would hopefully help with her next move. As soon as he could raise Nina on the line, he’d make sure that Sabra got access to his endowment.
His Dragon wisdom tickled his awareness. That was right, she needed comfort, and he would give it to her in abundance.
“Bria look at me,” he wanted to make sure he had her attention. She complied. “I don’t want you to beat yourself up another moment about the past. This situation looks like it was what you needed to return to your true passion. You’re a perfumer. That skill and talent need to be expressed. What better way to do that than without any lingering obligations or guilt to another business endeavor?” He was on a roll now. “After tonight’s speech, I’m sure many people in that audience will be happy to contribute to your new business ventures. You’ve already proven that you understand how to set up and run a business. You’ve done that for years. Now, it’s time to reach your full potential.”
She looked down and away. His heart lurched as Colson fought with everything in him not to run over and take her in his arms.
“Thank you,” the simple words were muffled and muted.
He didn’t like that they were full of teary emotions. He hadn’t wanted to make her cry. Before he could catch himself, the words punched their way out. “You don’t ever have to worry about anything anymore. I’m in your corner.”
Huge chocolate-drop colored eyes glistened with swollen unspilled tears. She managed a smile that reached his heart and stole it.
“Again, thank you.” She swiped the tears away before they could spill. “Now, how about we keep the momentum going? We’re making good time getting packed up. I don’t want to throw a wrench in that with stuff that doesn’t matter anymore. You’re right. Onward to better things. I’m back to work now.” He could tell she tried to sell that she was fine with a small laugh on the end.
Colson let the conversation go.
She was right. Back to work. He squatted to place a large box by the door. When he stood and turned back, the beautiful woman was working fast to tape up another box. He had to agree with the time frame comment by human standards. Less than an hour in and they had managed to make a major dent in the work.
“Watch out for that glitter ball,” Sabra warned as he went for another packed box. “My friend threw them earlier and failed to pick up after herself.”
He kicked the spherical nuisance out of the way never breaking pace in his trek to the entrance. “No need to explain. I’ve been able to dodge them so far.”
“You shouldn’t have to. Lying about like this, they’re dangers in waiting.” Sabra zeroed in on the one Colson had just maneuvered. She stared down the ball that was a tad bigger than a softball. “I need to round them up before you trip on one of them. I can’t risk blemishing my impeccable insurance rating on my last few hours.”
“Not to worry, dear Bria, I wouldn’t go after your insurance. I’m here of my own free will and insurance coverage,” he tried to assure her. “We’re making great headway. Like you said, got to keep the momentum going, and we can be finished in the next hour.”
“Look at Mr. Optimism—I like it.”
“I like hearing that,” he didn’t try to remove the intention behind his words.
He liked how well they worked together, but it was the way the atmosphere around them hummed with excitement that he loved. There were no traces of lingering male anywhere either. Sabra’s can-do attitude reinforced his hypothesis that she’d been sans male entanglement for a while.
Good, I won’t have to crush any guy trying to step in.
Colson tried to erase the thought. He was not in the habit of objectifying and claiming anyone. Until now, he’d been a live and let live Dragon. In less than twelve hours of meeting Sabra, Colson had morphed into a brute with the single mind of claiming his mate. He really had started acting like his cousin, Mac. This Dragon mating thrall was no joke.
Colson made a mental note to apologize to and get some advice from Mac as soon as possible. Without a boost to his common sense, he could see how easily he could blow any hope of mating with Sabra.
Everything about Sabra interested him. She’d specialized in little girl pageants. Even though she
made light of it, he felt how kind and patient she was to deal with little girls in such a stressful capacity.
“Put the tools over there, and I’ll get to the shelves next,” he instructed her.
“Nope, I don’t want you doing any more damage to your suit clothes. Plus, you’re trying to boss me again. I told you, I do what I want.”
Sabra wore a loose set of sweats and crawled around the floor with ease. She’d changed as soon as they made it back to her office space. He, on the other hand, worked with rolled up sleeves and dust-clad suit pants. His Italian shoes had remained unmarred, but it didn’t matter. Colson never wanted their shared time together to end.
Sure, she might run if she knew he intended to mate with her after seeing her walk around a room and chit chat for a few hours. Of course, that would be considered questionable behavior in the human world, but he was a Dragon. Dragon’s always knew when they’d met their perfect mate.
Sabra was his, and his Dragon would do whatever to make that mating as comfortable for her as possible. If he needed to build Igloos in Antarctica, he’d do it to make his intended mate happy.
Taking in their progress, there was no way she would have been able to get this done by herself in time. Providing the labor tonight had been an easy way to make inroads into winning over her heart. Little did she know that he could have done the entire task alone in a smidgen of the time.
Colson didn’t rush. It translated into more time getting to know her. He continued to press his case on keeping her away from the heavy work, and especially that rickety shelving.
Dragon’s Curvy Patient Page 9
