He wasn’t sure there was any timeline that would work. He focused on cutting tomatoes for an omelet, figuring that fate would just have to help him out.
When the ding signaling the last order sounded, he let out a sigh of relief and reached up to wipe sweat from his brow with his forearm.
“I got this one,” Mario said with a wink. “Why don’t you make yourself some breakfast and take it out there to eat.”
Chromium didn’t have to be told twice. His stomach was grumbling, and his hairnet was driving him crazy. It definitely wasn’t designed for as much hair as an elite warrior from Drakkaris possessed.
He made himself a quick omelet and a glass of juice and walked out into the restaurant to sit in a booth where he could watch Helen and the last few diners.
He’d always enjoyed the environment here, with the calming music, the warm smells, the smiling staff. And now he was a part of it.
The royal bodyguard of Drakkaris now an employee of a food service establishment. The thought of it made him chuckle as he worked on his breakfast.
“What’s so funny?” Helen asked, sliding into the booth across from him.
Heat rushed into his neck at her nearness, and he set down his fork. “Nothing.”
She leaned back in the booth with a sigh. “So nice to get off my feet. What a morning.”
“Good thing I was here,” he said calmly.
“Yes,” she said, sitting up slightly. “I’m really indebted to you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you letting me stay at your place?”
She nodded.
“Then you owe me nothing.”
She looked at his plate. “I’m glad you’re eating. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before. I hope you didn’t get too hungry.”
He shrugged.
She grimaced. “You do that so much. It’s impossible to know what you’re thinking.”
A grin spread over his face. “Really?”
“Yes.”
He was pleased that she looked a little frustrated by it. That meant she at least wanted to understand him a fraction of how much he wanted to understand her.
“So we have a break now. Steve called to say he’s coming in to do prep.”
“I thought he was sick.”
She sighed, putting her chin in her hand. “In Steve’s world, sick may just mean hungover. But he’s talented and a hard worker, so we put up with it. It doesn’t happen that often.”
“Hungover?”
“You know, drank too much the night before. He’s kind of a partier.”
“Right,” Chromium said. “So what about the remaining customers?”
She looked around the diner at the two remaining tables. “Both regulars. I trust them to be in the restaurant during prep. I don’t have to be here. Is there anything you want to do? Anything to pick up? How do the clothes fit?”
He looked down at himself. “All right, I suppose.”
“We can go get you more. That’s what he could bring by on short notice.”
Chromium made a mental note to thank her cousin when he met him.
“I think I want to get a haircut.”
Her cheeks colored slightly as she looked up at him. “What? But it’s so beautiful.”
He touched the end of his braid, testing his own attachment to the length there. He was surprised to find none. After all, he would never be going back to Drakkaris. At least never to stay. He might visit, but he would probably never need to have the look of a warrior again.
Now that the other dragons had found mates and were happily settled on Earth, he supposed it was a good time to make a move that reminded him he would be doing the same.
And settling on Earth with her would be no great hardship.
So yes, it was time for the hair to go.
“I’m going to cut it.”
She sighed. “If you’re sure.”
“It’s hard to cook with.”
“I don’t want you to lose your hair over helping me,” she said nervously. “I’m sure it took a long time to grow.”
Yes. It had. Hundreds of years, hundreds of haircuts to keep it at this length, but she didn’t need to know that. “It’s fine.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure. It’s in my way.”
“Okay.” She stood reluctantly, reaching for his plate, but he took it instead and headed to the kitchen to put it in the sink.
He was going to stay and wash it, but she patted him on the shoulder and shook her head.
“It’s fine. The staff will get it. We need to go see if my cousin can fit you in. She’s a hairstylist down the block.”
Another cousin? How many cousins did she have? How much did humans proliferate?
“Come on,” she said, taking his arm. “She’ll do great. I promise. And if the hair has been bothering you, it will be great to have it off. But we need to hurry if we’re going to be done in time.”
He smiled to himself as she pulled him along, loving the feel of her fingertips on his skin. It felt like he was burning in a way that he loved.
He wanted to burn all over with her.
He let her lead him down the road, in no way worried about the skill of her cousin in regard to the haircut.
After all, it was bound to turn out better than if he did it.
He’d been planning to use his sword.
Helen knew she’d made a big mistake the second Chromium had sat in her cousin’s chair.
Her cousin Sally had made a huge deal of the handsome man and hadn’t been able to take her hands out of his hair even after the haircut was done.
She had to admit Sally had done a good job. Instead of being almost waist length, Chromium’s hair was now layered in soft waves around his face and collar, accentuating his nearly beautiful features.
He was a lot to take in right now, in the blue button-up and white tee that was much tighter on him than on her bodybuilder cousin.
His jeans looked as if they could barely handle the task of encasing his muscular legs.
As they walked down the sidewalk back to the restaurant, with Chromium touching his hair absentmindedly and catching his reflection in store windows, they drew many admiring glances.
And despite her having no right to be jealous, she was.
A bit.
He was just so attentive and kind and handsome. And maybe she was imagining it, but his focus seemed to be on her at all times. Even when Sally had been exclaiming over him, he’d been looking only at Helen for signs of approval.
Perhaps it was just her, but it felt as though something was happening between them.
Then again, maybe he just happened to be around to stop a robbery in front of her place and just happened to know how to cook and needed a place to stay and…
He was probably above her grade as far as dating went anyway. At thirty-five with one divorce under her belt, she’d kind of resolved herself to spinsterhood.
Perhaps if she’d had a good relationship with her ex, even though it had gone sour. But no, the whole thing had been a farce and a lie, an attempt to get money out of her, and as a result, she had a hard time trusting men now.
Especially beautiful men like this one.
She trusted him just fine to help out. She didn’t trust him with her heart.
And probably, he didn’t want her to.
Who’d want to be with a fat bitch like you?
Her ex’s cruel words lingered in her head more often than she liked, and she folded her arms as she walked forward, determined not to stare at Chromium any longer than necessary lest impossible fantasies take root.
And she doubted any woman could look at him without wanting to fantasize.
He stopped to look at his reflection, and his expression seemed puzzled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just haven’t seen myself like this in a long time.”
“Probably been a couple years, right?”
He nodded.
“It’s a big change.” She looked at his reflection with him since the storefront was empty at the moment. The prior business had recently moved. The neighborhood was gentrifying around them, and her place would soon be one of the few to have been there for more than fifty years.
She realized Chromium was staring down at her rather than at his reflection. “Yes?”
“What do you think about it?”
She swallowed, heartbeat picking up rapidly at the way he was looking at her. So intent. She didn’t know if she’d ever been really looked at that way before. “Huh?”
“My haircut.”
She felt a traitorous blush work its way across her cheeks. “It’s… handsome.”
He stepped closer until it felt they were only inches apart. His huge chest was right at her eye level, and she had to tilt her chin to look up.
He cocked his head, and his lips curved into a smirk. “You like it?”
She nodded. “Of course.” She waved a hand. “You’d look good with any haircut.” Oh damn, what was she saying? Oh well, anything to get out of this situation.
Why did it seem so important to him that she like his haircut? Why would he care what a plain woman like her thought when there were so many younger, thinner women walking by giving him looks of appreciation?
But as usual, he had eyes only for her.
He caught a curl of her hair and gently wrapped it around his finger, giving a gentle nod. “Good.”
Her jaw fell open, and he released her hair with a smirk, walking ahead of her toward the restaurant, hands now shoved in the pockets of his pants.
She followed after him, feeling slightly faint from even that short moment between them.
“So am I helping again tonight?”
She nodded. “Sure, you can help Steve with prep. You can go see if they can use you now if you want.”
“And you?”
“I’ll be front of house again.”
He considered it thoughtfully, then turned and strode toward the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.
She let out a sigh at the relief combined with disappointment when he was gone.
She was glad she’d be working out front tonight. Being in the kitchen with him would be a little too much heat.
Chapter 5
Chromium narrowed his eyes at the man who wouldn’t let him touch the lasagna.
Was he aware he was turning away one of the highest ranked warriors in Drakkaris? Bodyguard to kings? He rose to his full height and glared down at Mario, who was only an inch or two shorter and a fairly big male himself.
“I don’t care how you puff up at me,” Mario said. “The lasagna is our signature dish, and no one goes near it but me. You can eat some after your shift, but the recipe is strictly secret.”
The thought of eating the lasagna appeased Chromium slightly, but as to the recipe being secret, he would see about that.
“So who’s the hulk?” A man entered the kitchen. Unlike Mario, he was slim, clean-shaven, medium height. His brown hair was carefully groomed, short on the sides and longer on the top, propped up with some kind of gel substance that made it shiny.
Chromium cocked his head, trying to figure it out.
The man smiled at him, then winked.
Chromium took a step back in shock, and the guy laughed.
“Keep looking at me like that and my pants aren’t going to fit right. Ouch!” The man ducked as Mario whapped him across the back of the head, making him stumble.
“Don’t harass the staff,” Mario snapped. “I’m sorry about my nephew.”
Chromium stared at them both, puzzled about how they could be related. And he was confused about the man’s comments about his pants.
“I’m gay,” the man said, stepping forward and putting out a hand, which Chromium reluctantly took. He wasn’t sure why this man had winked at him.
The man held his hand a little too long, and Chromium pulled it back with a frown, wondering what that was about.
“I think your name would be more relevant right about now, Steve,” Mario said, rolling his eyes. “And hurry and get changed so you can work.”
“Fine. I’m Steve.” Steve gave Chromium a dazzling smile and then flounced off to the back room, presumably to change.
Chromium watched him go, and his eyes darted to someone who was standing back by the dishwasher, watching with wide eyes.
A girl he realized as she let out a small squeak and ducked back out of sight.
“That’s Jenny,” Mario said. “She’s only sixteen, so don’t get any ideas.”
Chromium shook his head, washing his hands and putting gloves on as his gaze wandered through the serving window to look at Helen. “I won’t.”
Mario followed the direction of his gaze. “Ah, I see. Helen is an amazing woman. But be careful with her.”
“Careful?” Chromium turned to him curiously.
Mario held up a large, threatening knife. “Because anyone who hurts her will answer to me.”
“Fair enough,” Chromium said. “I don’t intend to hurt anyone.” Except for the men who had threatened Helen’s restaurant and anyone else who thought to do the same.
“Don’t mind Steve,” Mario said. “He’s a flirt, but he’s harmless. And considering how you look, I’m assuming you haven’t seen the last of your problems there.”
“Problems?” Steve cut in, tying an apron around his waist, now dressed in all white just like Mario. “Working alongside a gorgeous specimen like this one is no problem.”
Mario rolled his eyes, sharing a commiserating look with Chromium, and Chromium just looked out at the dining room again, searching for Helen.
He could swear they’d had a moment earlier when he’d asked her about his hair. She’d gone so red, so still, and he could actually see her pulse racing in her neck.
Her skin there looked so soft, so touchable.
She was attracted to him. Of that there was no doubt. But she was holding herself back in a big way and almost seemed to be scolding herself whenever he caught her checking him out.
What was that about? He cut some zucchini as he tried to figure it out with no luck.
Suddenly, yelling in the dining room caught his attention as he, Steve, and Mario all looked up to see what was happening.
He scowled as he realized someone was yelling at Helen in the middle of the room.
She was standing next to a table, nodding understandingly as some idiot human in a suit ranted at her, looking almost spitting mad.
He said something, then picked up his plate of lasagna and threw it at Helen’s feet, making her jump back.
She put up her hands, trying to placate the man, but he simply looked redder as his hand darted forward and caught her by the wrist. She looked up at the kitchen, shaking her head in Mario’s direction, and Chromium saw the big man standing there with clenched fists, face going slightly red.
The message from Helen was clear. Don’t make a scene.
But judging by the anger between him, Mario, and Steve, a scene was about to be made.
And who better than a dragon to do so?
He took off his gloves and grabbed a plate of lasagna from the serving area, looking at Mario for approval.
Mario just gave a sharp nod.
Chromium headed out to the dining room, walked over to the man who was holding on to a struggling Helen, and raised the lasagna over his target’s head.
The man was too busy yelling at Helen to see the immediate danger he was in.
Chromium grinned darkly as he tilted the plate and watched with satisfaction as sauce and noodles rained down like hot, slimy justice on the insolent man who’d dared insult his mate.
Helen looked up in shock at the angry blond man towering over them. Then her eyes tracked down to the man who’d been yelling at her and grabbing her wrist.
An errant noodle slid down his face, leaving a thick trail of sauce, and the man drew in a shuddering gasp with enough anger to make Helen want to f
linch back.
She didn’t often have terrible customers. But every once in a while, she came across someone who was just plain angry in their life and wanted to use any tiny amount of power they could grab to make someone else miserable.
This customer was one of those guys.
He drew in a deep breath and got ready to bellow another yell as he looked up to see who’d dumped pasta on him, but he let out a choked noise when he saw the rage on Chromium’s face.
She’d never found Chromium particularly scary before, despite his size, because there was a very real kindness about him, as if he made a continuous effort to be gentle and put others at ease.
No so much now.
Energy was practically radiating off of him, and she guessed that if the customer didn’t make a swift apology, Chromium planned to do much more than pour lasagna on him.
“Let. Her. Go.” His tone was calm, but his jaw was tense, his teeth gritted.
The man sputtered, then slowly released his hold on Helen’s wrist. She jerked her arm back, rubbing over the skin he’d held. Ew.
His cowering date looked at her apologetically and then took off. Hopefully, she wasn’t more than casually associated with this douchebag.
“Now get out,” Chromium ordered in a deep voice, stepping between Helen and the table.
The man continued to sputter, then stood, his face so red with rage that it was starting to blend in with the pasta. “You’ll hear from my lawyers about this! All of you!” Then he jabbed his finger threateningly at the restaurant in general and went storming through the door, letting it slam behind him, leaving sauce trailing in his wake.
Helen watched him go out of sight and had to suppress a snort at the whole situation. She looked around at the shocked diners, wondering if she should say something. Instead, one of her regulars started a slow clap. Then everyone joined in, hollering their approval at the removal of the douchebag.
Chromium ignored them, looking down at her in concern. Then he reached down, grabbed her under the legs, and hoisted her in his arms, walking with her toward the kitchen.
“Wait, Chromium.”
But he said nothing, merely carrying her past Mario and Steve and out the back door into the cool evening air.
Chromium Dragon Page 3
