Fire In Their Hearts

by Lilly Wilder

  “I’m sorry but after our little race, I’m way too sweaty to be seen in public.”

  “I hate to tell you this but we’re in public now.” He held out his arms, motioning to the park.

  “Yeah, well, this is different. No one is sitting close enough to smell me.”

  “So, I'm chopped liver now?”

  “Pretty much.” This whole interaction was so bizarre, it felt like a dream. This guy couldn’t be real. No one actually acted this way. He was like some hunk out of a movie. So, why was I playing along with his little game? Perhaps I had finally lost my mind.

  To keep my sanity, I continued on my run but like a bad curse, there he was again.

  “I’m starting to think you’re a stalker.”

  “If you did, you would have called on the police to help you.” He pointed at the foot patrol officers as we ran past them.

  He had a point. For whatever reason, it was almost like I trusted this man. I had no reason to but I guess it was his easy going and playful manner that had me reeled like a bass on a hook.

  “Alright, well, I really need to get going. I can’t have you following me home.”

  “Drats, and just when I thought I was making progress, too.” He snapped his fingers together before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a permanent market.

  Before I could stop him, he took my arm and wrote his number on it. “I work at Thirsty Sage Lounge.”

  “The bar on the avenue?” I asked.

  “That’s the one. So, if you ever want a drink, you know where to find me.” He snapped the cap back on.

  I was about to ask him something but all of a sudden, he had vanished. I blinked, thinking maybe it was just a figment of my imagination but no, he was really gone. This day was just getting weirder and weirder…

  Chapter 2: Ari

  I came home and took a much-needed shower. It felt incredibly good to feel the water cascading down my body. I scrubbed away the sweat and grime that had accumulated during the day.

  As my hands passed over my breasts, I gasped. A vivid fantasy of Vern popped into my head. He was standing there with me. Plastered on his face was that wild grin of his. And below that… well, let’s just say my mind conjured up the body of a Greek god. His skin was taut with the muscle hiding underneath and his abdomen seemed to be chiseled from the finest stone.

  My cheeks burned as my mind wandered further south to the package between his legs. I bit my bottom lip.

  Suddenly, the water turned cold and my little daydream came to a halting end. Quickly, I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body.

  What was that?

  Sure, Vern was handsome but was he really that handsome that I would start fantasizing about him in my shower? Something was seriously wrong with me.

  I tried to push him away from my mind but he kept cropping back up again. It was like he had infected my head with that smile of his. I had honestly never felt an attraction this strong before.

  As I tussled my hair dry, I realized I had scrubbed away his number from my arm. Well, there goes that idea. Now, if I wanted to see him again, I’d have to go to the bar and I really didn’t like bars all that much. Most of the time, the counters were all sticky and the men even sticker.

  “I just need to forget about him,” I whispered to myself. “Today was a fluke. In all honesty, I’ll probably never see him again.” But those words dismayed me. My heart ached like a boa constrictor had wound itself around the organ. It was almost like he had taken a piece of me that afternoon and now he was the only person who could make me whole again.

  I chastised myself for acting like such a teenager. I hadn’t been this caught up on a boy since…

  My thought was interrupted by my own clumsiness. I tripped on my bedroom carpet and face planted right into the bed. As a result, my towel unraveled and I was left exposed.

  If only Vern were here…

  I slapped my own head. This was getting out of hand.

  Resolved to shove him to the furthest recesses of my mind, I got dressed into something comfortable. After all, I didn’t have a job to go to.

  Speaking of which…

  I shuffled over to my laptop and turned it on. It took a while to boot up. I was due for a new one soon but I had a lot more pressing things to worry about like my electricity bill, for example. I could mentally picture the stack of unopened mails on the kitchen table. I knew running from my responsibilities was not the proper thing to do but honestly, I was at the end of my rope. When my severance package ran out so did my money. Now, I was scrambling to find a job and my experience as a bank manager wasn’t getting me much of anything.

  “You’ve got mail!”

  The nostalgic greeting from my inbox did little to cheer me up. With my breath held, I clicked on the envelope icon. The subject lines were not very promising.

  Rejection after rejection.

  My shoulders sagged.

  If I didn’t find a job, I’d be out of a home.

  Sure, my friend, Becky would let me couch surf at her place, but it wasn’t a permanent solution. I couldn’t live off her generosity for the rest of my life.

  Frustrated, I slammed my laptop shut. With all my pent-up energy, all I could do was pace around like a cornered animal.

  What was I supposed to do?

  I went to the kitchen to get a snack but instead of finding comfort, I found only emptiness. Without the funds to go grocery shopping, I was surviving off of ramen noodles and scrambled eggs. Both options were starting to get really sickening.

  Maybe I should have accepted Vern’s offer to head down to The Shoppe…

  “That’s it,” I said aloud. “I’m going to see him again. It’s crazy, but I have to.” With this thought in mind, I changed into some jeans and a tight-fitting tank top. Was I trying to impress him by wearing such form-fitting clothing? To be honest, I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that I would lose my mind if I stayed in that house another minute.

  I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

  The second I stepped onto the porch, I was bombarded by bright sunlight. I stopped and checked my phone for the time. It was only four. The club probably didn’t open for a couple more hours.

  I huffed. Now, what was I supposed to do?

  With no other choice, I marched back inside and started filling out a few more job applications. At this point, I was applying to anything and everything. I even went so low as to apply to work for the local trash facility.

  Each time I sent one off, I whispered a silent little prayer. Right now, I needed all the help I could get or I’d be living inside a cardboard box underneath the bridge.

  And I just couldn’t let that happen.

  Chapter 3: Vern

  The night was a typical one.

  As always, a live rock band was playing on stage. They had succeeded in getting some people off their chairs and moving but, for the most part, people cradled their drinks and stared into the distance.

  Humans had strange habits, that’s for sure. They were so easily intoxicated and yet, they insisted on it. Sometimes, it even looked like they enjoyed it despite the agony it brought them the morning after.

  “What are you daydreaming about?” Came a familiar voice.

  I looked up and saw Lyle sitting at the counter. Strange. He never came to my neck of the woods unless something was troubling him. “What’s up?” I asked.

  “Nothing.”

  I poured him a drink. “Oh, come now! We’re mating partners, you can’t lie to me.”

  “Don’t say that so loudly,” Lyle hissed. “Someone might get the wrong idea.”

  “What? That we’re gay?” I laughed and motioned to the overflowing tip jar. “I’ve had almost every girl in this place hit on me. Even if I were gay, I don’t think they would care all that much.”

  Lyle growled.

  “Someone’s in a bad mood.”

  “Something’s be
en bugging me but I don’t know what. It’s like an itch I can’t scratch. It keeps burning just underneath the skin –”

  “You might want to have that checked out –”

  Lyle smashed his glass into the counter, nearly shattering it. His loss of temper caused his eyes to slit.

  “Your dragon is showing,” I teased. I was definitely pushing my luck but sometimes it was just too much fun to toy with him. He was always so serious all the time. He really needed to lighten up.

  “I don’t know why I bother to come here,” Lyle muttered underneath his breath.

  “Because, like it or not, I’m the person – or should I say dragon – that you trust the most and when something is bothering you, you like to talk about it.”

  Lyle rose from his seat and left without a single word more. Sometimes, his alpha nature made him so unapproachable. A lot of people would consider him an asshole, but I’ve known him all my life and he’s much more than that. It just takes quite a bit to warm up to the guy.

  Now left alone, I took to cleaning the counters. There wasn’t much my rag could do to get rid of the years of grime but I certainly tried my best.

  I was really starting to break a sweat when Ari walked through the doors. She stopped and looked around, wide-eyed like a deer caught in headlights. It was pretty obvious that she wasn’t the sort of girl who came here often. I liked that. In a way, it was almost like I could smell her innocence wafting through the air but realistically it was probably some stud’s overactive cologne.

  She finally got her bearings and approached the bar. I flashed her a smile. “I didn’t think I would see you so soon. This is such a lovely surprise.”

  “What can I say? You made quite the impression.”

  “Good or bad?” I asked. I tried to be subtle about it, but I couldn’t help myself from peeking at her cleavage. I mean, you can’t blame me. It was on display for all to see!

  Luckily, she didn’t catch me in the act and luckily, I had the bar to hide my obvious excitement.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure yet.”

  “I’ll take that as a good thing. At least I’m not on your shit list yet.”

  “Not yet.”

  “So, what will it be?” I asked.

  “What’s your cheapest drink? I’ll have that.”

  “Cheapest, hmm?” I rubbed my chin as if deep in contemplation. “Well, we have this draft beer that tastes like piss…”

  She screwed up her face with disgust. “And how, exactly would you know what piss tastes like?”

  “Let’s not talk about it.” I leaned forward. “Because if we do, I’ll be forced to kill you.”

  Ari laughed. It was a pleasant sort of sound that filled me with happiness. In all my years, I had never heard anything quite like it.

  “How about this? I’ll buy you a drink.”

  “Not going to happen. You’ve already hit on me enough for one day. I don’t need you getting the wrong idea.” I could tell she was the stubborn type. She had even crossed her arms over her chest which only obscured my wonderful view.

  “There has to be a reason you came over to visit me.”

  “Maybe I just wanted a drink,” she returned, her voice as clipped as she could make it but I could see the blush creeping behind her skin.

  “Sure, sure. But I doubt you came here for the draft beer.” I took one good look at her, eyes narrowing in scrutiny. “If you ask me, you’re a vodka and Sprite kind of girl.”

  “How did you know…?” she stammered.

  “I’m a bartender. It’s my job to know these things.” As I spoke, I whipped up her beverage and placed it on a coaster before sliding it in her direction. It stopped right in front of her.

  “Whoa… that’s a pretty neat trick.”

  “I like to think so.” I grinned. “And so do my adoring fans.”

  “Hmm?”

  To make up for the free drink, I took the money from my tip jar and placed it in the register.

  “Oh…” It was like she was in a balloon and someone had just poked her with a needle. “I bet you have a lot of girls in here who think you’re pretty cute.”

  “But there’s only one girl whose opinion matters right now.” I dropped my voice to a husky whisper, “and I believe her name is Ari.”

  This time, her cheeks became bright red. “I’m not falling for it. There are plenty of girls in here that are way more attractive than I could ever hope to be.”

  Without warning, I cupped her chin in my hand. “Shh,” I said. “I don’t want you talking about yourself like that. You’re a gorgeous woman and there’s really no need for you to put yourself down.”

  Now, her whole face was the color of a cherry tomato. It was incredibly cute. If I were a younger dragon, I would have kissed her right then and there. But with age, I had learned that to do such a thing usually resulted in a slap to the face. Human women didn’t appreciate sudden shows of affection very much.

  “Anyway, what’s the problem?”

  “Problem?” She asked.

  “You look like you’ve got something weighing on your shoulders and as a bartender, I’m pretty much a certified therapist.”

  “What makes you think I would tell you my problems?” She sipped on her vodka to avoid looking me in the eye. “I don’t even know you.”

  “All the better. I’m a stranger. What does it matter if I judge you?” I tossed my rag over my shoulder. “It’s just an offer. You don’t have to tell me a thing, but I can promise you that it’ll make you feel better.”

  She nibbled her bottom lip in contemplation. “You promise not to judge?”

  “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

  She downed the rest of her drink, as if to muster courage. Whatever was bugging her – it was serious. My body tightened like it wanted to spring into action. My arms yearned to hold her – to soothe her. I imagined myself whispering sweet nothings into her ear and telling her everything would be okay.

  Now, I’ll admit, I’ve flirted with my fair share of women. Some of them might even call me a playboy. But in all my time, I had never felt this way before. There was something about this woman that instilled in me a strength I didn’t know I had.

  “Well, about eight months ago, the bank I worked for had to cut some of its staff. They decided I needed to go. So, they gave me a severance package but it ended about two months ago. In all that time, I haven’t been able to find myself a job. So, suffice to say, I’m a little strapped for cash.”

  I listened to her story and watched as she ran her finger along the rim of her now empty glass. I refilled it for her before resting a hand on her shoulder. “I have one of two options for you.”

  Ari raised an eyebrow in my direction.

  “One, you could work here.”

  “At the bar?” She looked around. “I don’t really know if it's my sort of work environment. Besides, I don’t have much experience mixing drinks.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way but I figured as much. And, not to mention, you’re a klutz. They definitely wouldn’t want to hire someone who might break all the expensive bottles.”

  “Hey!” She protested, hand on her hip. By doing so, she drew my attention to that particular part of her body. A surge of excitement ravaged my body. She had the perfect hourglass body. Mmm. And the worst part? I don’t even think she was aware of how damned sexy she was. “I’m not that clumsy.”

  I blinked. “Huh?”

  “Forget it. What’s the second option?”

  “My roommate.” I paused, slightly hesitant to give this gorgeous girl away to Lyle. I knew his nature and I didn’t want Ari to get hurt by his crudeness. But, at the end of the day, us dragons needed to be in agreement before mating someone. If I liked Ari, then Lyle had to like her too. Since he wasn’t one for dates, this was my best way of getting them inside the same room together. “He needs a personal assistant and I think you’re just his type.”


  “Just his type…?” She repeated. “What does that mean?”

  “Sorry, that came out a bit wrong.” I held out my hands in apology. “What I mean is –” Luckily, my need for an explanation was interrupted by a bunch of burly men sitting down at the bar. I tended to them despite the jealousy that coursed through my veins when they looked over at Ari. One man, in particular, had no qualms about making his intentions very clear.

  To block his view of her, I grabbed a rack of cups and placed them on the counter. I pretended I was very busy cleaning them even though they were already spotless. Only then did I return to Ari. “So, yeah, as I was saying, my roommate needs a personal assistant.”

  She frowned. “I mean, I appreciate the offer but I really don’t have any experience with secretary work.”

  “Why don’t you send him a resume anyway? It won’t hurt. Besides, I’ll put in a good word for you.” I fished through my wallet and pulled out one of Lyle’s business cards. It was dogged eared in all four corners and the ink was a little faded. “Sorry, they’ve been in here a while.”

  “I can tell.” Nonetheless, she took the card and tucked it into her purse. “In any case, why are you doing this for me? I mean, you don’t really know who I am. Why would you stick out your neck for me?”

  I smiled and leaned forward so only she could hear my voice. “Because I have kryptonite for cute girls.”

  She laughed. “Where’d you learn that pick-up line, Casanova?” With that, she jumped down from her stool and slung her purse over her shoulder. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”

  “Would you mind texting me when you get home?”

  “Why?” She asked.

  “Because I’d just like to know whether you got there safe and sound. I swear, I’m not trying to make a move.”

  “Oh, alright.” She handed over her phone. “Do you mind punching in your number. The one you wrote on my arm washed away after I showered.”

  “Sure thing,” I answered but my mind was already far, far away. I imagined her naked body standing underneath a stream of hot water. Oh, what a wonderful sight. “There you go. And if you’d like to call me sometime –”