She’d kissed Adrien last night. It still didn’t feel real, and she could feel knots in her stomach as she looked through the racks with Robbie on the previously promised shopping trip.

Robbie had shown up bright and early that morning with Kelsey’s first paycheck (much higher than she’d ever expected) and insisted on going to pick up new clothes.

Kelsey wasn’t offended by it at all. She badly needed new clothes and really looked forward to Adrien’s face when he saw her without the old things she’d had to wear so far.

She blushed, thinking of his face last night, wondering why she cared what he thought of her.

She’d felt bad for misunderstanding him. Bad enough to come forward to apologize, but then, looking at him, so handsome, standing there rigid and offended, reminding her of the proud way he’d stood in the alley when coming to defend her, she’d wanted to kiss him.

More like, she had to admit, she’d been wanting to kiss him for some time now.

He was gorgeous, and despite what everyone said, he was kind to her. Maybe his words and demeanor were sharp, but his actions were different.

His obvious offense at her thinking he was taking advantage, his insistence that she was on his level as an employee, his stomping away and promising not to do anything ever again all had made her more than sure he’d never meant to attack her.

He wasn’t trying to use her.

Or at least, he wasn’t trying to say he’d take away her apartment or job if she said no to him.

Being able to say no made it so much easier to say yes.

“What are you thinking about over there?” Robbie asked, giving her an amused smile. “You’re going red as a tomato.”

“Am I?” Kelsey said, laughing nervously and moving to another rack.

“I noticed you didn’t end up vacuuming last night. Which is fine. I’d already told you there was no need. But am I right in guessing you maybe hung out with Adrien?”

Oh no, she was for sure going to be redder now.

“I knew it! What happened? Did you kiss him?”

Kelsey jerked her eyes up. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t,” Robbie said, her tone triumphant. “But I do now.” She laughed and dodged Kelsey, who swatted at her in mock annoyance. “Plus, I can kind of pick up on these things.”

“I can’t,” Kelsey said. “I totally misunderstood his intentions at first.”

“Oh?” Robbie asked.

“Yeah.” Kelsey pulled out a pair of dark-wash jeans and held them out, appraising them. “I thought he was coming to take what he felt he’d earned for helping me find a place to land.”

“No,” Robbie said, wrinkling her nose. “Besides, you earned your place. Watching you take out that bad customer was more than a little satisfying.”

“What happened with that, anyway?” Kelsey asked.

“Eh, after talking with Citrine and Dante, she seemed totally changed. Apologized for any issues, promised not to come back. It was weird.”

“Yeah,” Kelsey agreed.

Robbie shrugged. She was wearing a purple blouse with cutouts on the shoulders, and her rich brown skin looked amazing and smooth. She was curvy like Kelsey but really worked it, wearing clothes that emphasized every aspect of her tall, generous figure.

“Ooh,” Robbie said, holding up a blouse. “This would look amazing on you.”

“It would?” Kelsey said, looking at it curiously. “I’ll be honest. I don’t know how to dress myself. Cute like you do, I mean.” She’d always had to buy what was cheap or what fit or what would last longest.

There hadn’t ever been money for anything extra.

Her eyes wandered across the hall to rest longingly on a store that sold makeup, and she wondered briefly how she’d look made up cute like Robbie.

She’d never had money to spend on something like that. And hadn’t needed it for the temp gigs or restaurant jobs she’d had doing manual labor.

Robbie caught her wistful glance and smiled. “Come on, girl. Let’s get you in the dressing room with some fun jeans, and we’ll head over for makeup next.”

Kelsey grinned as Robbie ushered her to a curtained dressing room, shoving clothes in her arms and promising to return with more.

It was nice to have someone looking out for her. She felt so grateful she didn’t know what to do about it. She didn’t know how to pay back Robbie and the others for how good they were being to her.

She just hoped she’d get the chance somehow.

* * *

“You kissed her?” Dante’s grin was glowing as he leaned forward in his chair, his eyes triumphant.

“Don’t make such a big deal of it,” Adrien said, scowling. He’d taken off the bandage when he showered that morning, thinking it no longer necessary.

“You called me and said you’d found your mate,” Dante said, pouting. “I’d say that was quite a big deal.”

When Dante had found a human mate, Adrien had been confused about how that worked, and he figured Dante might be able to enlighten him on a few topics of interest.

“Yes, I kissed her. So what now?”

Dante folded his arms, golden eyes narrowing. “What do you mean what now?”

“She’s a human. I’m a dragon. She has no idea who I am, and I can’t show her my form until I’m mated.”

“Well, that’s not exactly true,” Dante said. “I was able to get the ring off by simply demonstrating my intention to mate. I had to in order to save my mate.”

“Exactly,” Adrien said. “Not to mention you harassed the emerald dragon until he’d do anything to get you off his doorstep.”

“Grump that he is,” Dante muttered.

The door to the club opened, and Citrine appeared at the doorway. “You two ready for the staff meeting in a half an hour?”

“Yes, boss.” His tone was more than a little sarcastic. He turned back to Dante, ignoring Citrine, who walked forward. “So what now?”

“What do you mean what now?” Dante asked.

“How do I get from here to mated?” Adrien asked. “I don’t have the first idea how to court a human woman.”

“Back when Citrine was teaching us, didn’t you pay any attention?”

“Not really,” Adrien said, drawing a shocked gasp from Citrine, who swatted him on the back of the head. “Hey…”

Citrine sat on a chair across from them, his big body slumping. “I’ll be so glad when you are out of my hair.”

“I guess it’s good I found the one person who doesn’t think I’m an annoyance,” Adrien muttered, rubbing his head.

“Yes, it is good,” Citrine said.

“How do you know she doesn’t think you’re an annoyance?” Dante asked curiously.

“She kissed me,” Adrien said. “That has to mean something, doesn’t it?”

“Every woman wants to kiss you,” Citrine said. “You have an almost mythical ability to make them want you.”

“This one is different,” Adrien said. “She didn’t want another woman to kiss me.”

“Or she just hates seeing anyone taken advantage of,” Citrine said.

Did he have any other purpose than to annoy Adrien?

“Has anyone seen Robbie around?” Adrien asked.

Citrine colored slightly. “She’s shopping with Kelsey.”

“Oh yeah? Did she tell you that before she left?” Adrien asked, folding his arms, enjoying switching the attention to Citrine.

Citrine frowned. “Of course. Why wouldn’t she? We work closely together.”

“Is that all you do ‘closely’ together?” Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Citrine’s handsome features tightened. His dark brows lowered over his warm, yellow-orange eyes. “Watch it, Adrien.”

“Ooh, getting protective,” Adrien said, pointing. “Maybe I’m not the only one who has found his mate.”

Citrine stood abruptly. “Shut up. I’m not going to listen to this.”

“Good, go,” Adrien said, wondering at the other man’s ability to stay in denial.

Dante just watched curiously, but Adrien had seen Robbie and Citrine together much more than Dante had. The chemistry between them, though they both furiously refused to acknowledge it, was obvious to everyone who took notice.

And Adrien often did. What else did he have to do before now?

Citrine muttered something under his breath as he left the room, and Dante narrowed his eyes at Adrien.

“Did you have to upset him?” Dante asked.

Adrien shrugged. “I didn’t have to, no. Just like I don’t have to drink this scotch, but I do because it’s tasty.”

“I’ll never understand you,” Dante said, rubbing the back of his head.

“You’ve known me forever,” Adrien said. “If you don’t, then I assume you won’t ever.”

They’d met up when they were young, both sons of illustrious families, both lonely due to having busy, traveling parents. Both taught that their place in society was at the top, far above others.

But Dante had changed since meeting Ella. Now his eyes got soft when he looked at his mate, and he no longer talked about riches or his clothing or peasants.

He just seemed happy.

Adrien wanted something like that, and he needed to swallow his pride and truly ask for help in achieving it.

“I’m serious,” he told Dante, crossing one leg over the other. “I want to win her over. I want her to agree to mate me. And I have no idea how to get to that point. I almost screwed things up just kissing her. I have no idea how to proceed without spoiling things, let alone how to get to the point where I can tell her I’m a dragon.”

“All right,” Dante said, a wide smile spreading over his face as he leaned forward, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get down to business, then. I’ve learned a few things about human women, and I’m happy to impart them.”

Adrien pulled out his phone, opened up the notepad, and got ready to write everything down.

If anything Dante said meant the difference in winning Kelsey, he’d better not miss even one word of it.