Saved by a Dragon (No Such Things as Dragons Book 1)

by Lauren Lively

  So, no more Perky Beans for me. No more. If I felt the overwhelming need for coffee or tea – or to sit amongst and observe those I was charged with protecting – I would find someplace else to do it.

  It was probably better for everybody.

  Chapter Two

  Jessica

  “Look at you go,” my best friend, Chelsea said and laughed as we shared a glass of wine at her place. “So, you finally went for it with Aaron, huh? What about the other cutie you had your eye on? What's was his name again?”

  “Ozy,” I said.

  “As in Osborne?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Like biting the heads off live bats?”

  “Oh, he's nothing like that,” I giggled, rolling my eyes. “Think tall, dark, handsome, and built like a football player. But he's really quiet. Like he hardly says more than two words to me at a time.”

  “Mysterious,” Chelsea said.

  “Yeah, I suppose,” I said. “But I don't think he's interested. At least Aaron actually talks to me, ya know? I don't know if I could date a man who didn't talk and just walked around brooding all day.”

  “Sometimes it's nice when they keep their mouth shut and get the job done,” Chelsea teased. “If you know what I mean.”

  Still laughing, I rolled my eyes at her. “I’m not like that, Chels,” I said. “I don't want to just sleep with a guy because he's hot. I want more than that. I want stimulating conversation and intelligent discussions – along with great sex, of course.”

  “Well, if you meet a smart, charming, sexy man who's good in bed, you hold on to him, because that's a keeper,” she said. “But I don't think they actually exist. Or if they do, they're all gay.”

  “Whatever,” I said, still grinning. “I'm holding out hope for Aaron at least. He's charming and witty.”

  “But is he capable of those deep, stimulating conversations?”

  I shrugged. “Don't know yet,” I said. “It's mostly been quips and small talk at the coffee house.”

  “Has he called yet?” she asked.

  “Actually, yeah. He did,” I said, biting my lip. “He called right before I came over. We're getting together tomorrow night for a dinner and a movie.”

  “Well good for you,” Chelsea said. “At least one of us is getting some action. Or at least, has the potential to.”

  Chelsea had been my best friend since high school and we'd been through everything together. After high school, our paths separated, but we were as tight as always, our bond, unbreakable.

  Unlike me, her parents were paying for everything so she didn't have to work and go to school at the same time. Whereas I had to pick up as many shifts at Perky Beans as I could, just to afford school. And since I couldn't afford rent in Los Angeles, I was currently crashing on her couch.

  Chelsea had been great about wanting me to live with her. But I knew I couldn't do that forever. I was impacting her social life – hard to bring a man around with your best friend asleep in the living room. She never said it – and I knew she never thought it – but I hated feeling like a burden on her. I knew the time would come – and probably soon – when I was going to have to make some tough decisions about my future.

  “You'll meet someone, Chelsea,” I said. “You're beautiful, and going to college to be a freaking doctor for God sake. You're just busy right now. Soon, though. I know it.”

  While Chelsea was going to UCLA, I was still stuck at community college. At one time, we both wanted to be doctors – surgeons. But at the moment, I was in a program studying to be a nurse. Because I wasn't sure I could afford college at this rate, much less medical school. I was on the slow and steady path, while Chelsea was going full-time, taking as many classes as she could and spending what little free time she had either with me or studying.

  “So, what does this Aaron guy do?” Chelsea asked. “Is he a student? Does he have a job? I need details, lady.”

  “Well, he's a little older –”

  Chelsea side-eyed me. “How much older are we talking here?”

  “Not much. Maybe a few years?” I said. “He graduated from college about two years ago. Business major. Works in finance – a boring desk job from the sounds of it.”

  “But he makes good money, right?” Chelsea asked.

  Shrugging, I said, “I guess so?”

  “Maybe you can find yourself a sugar daddy,” Chelsea said with a sigh, as if she thought that would be a good thing.

  It was odd to think we were best friends. All things considered, we were two totally different people from vastly different backgrounds. She was fairly well-off, a little spoiled and very much into living the pampered life. She wanted to be a doctor because of the prestige and money that came with the title. Not because she necessarily liked medicine, or even people, for that matter. I, on the other hand, found medicine to be my calling. It was a driving passion in me and every day I wasn't getting closer to that goal, it killed me a little more inside.

  “I still think you should talk to Ozy,” Chelsea said. “Tall, dark, handsome and mysterious sounds sexy if you ask me.”

  There was no question about that – he was sexy alright. With his large build, toned and fit body, and dark hair that fell to his shoulders, he was the epitome of sex appeal. Not to mention, those dark eyes of his seemed to have fire behind them. It was like when he looked at me, if the light hit them just right, they seemed to glow.

  “Hard to get anywhere with a guy who won't talk to you though,” I groaned. “Besides, I don't think he's interested. He's probably married or has a girlfriend already. Or maybe gay – there's this one guy who hangs with him at the coffee house sometimes. Hot guys like him always have someone already, there's no way he's single.”

  “You never know, Jess,” Chelsea said. “Unless you ask.”

  She had a point, but I was already going on a date with Aaron. Might as well see where that took me. Besides, she was right – Aaron probably made good money, had his life together. I got the feeling that what you saw was what you got with Aaron. Not that it was a bad thing. A little stability could go a long way. Especially in a relationship.

  As for Ozy, I knew next to nothing about him, except his name, of course– and even that could be fake. About the only thing I did know for sure was, that he was gorgeous and never failed to make my heart race and my stomach do flip-flops whenever he walked in.

  “I dare you to talk to him tomorrow, Jessica,” Chelsea said. “I triple dog dare you.”

  “Chelsea, I'm going out with Aaron tomorrow, I can't –”

  “He's not your boyfriend yet, you owe him nothing,” Chelsea said. “Besides, aren't you curious? I bet you are. I can see it in your eyes.”

  I was curious – that was the problem. “We'll see what happens, Chels,” I said. “He probably won't even talk to me anyway.”

  “That's why you need to talk to him first,” she said. “Take that bull by the horns, girl.”

  I laughed. “Maybe,” I said. “We'll see what happens.”

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