Winnifred couldn’t believe how badly the moving van handled. She had thought she’d gotten the hang of it when she picked it up from the lot. But it seemed to drive much worse when she got it out on the highway. She tried not to worry about it too much. Instead, she listened to music as she drove the many miles south to her new life.

Everything was set, the lease signed, and she was ready. No more holding back, no more waffling about her decisions. She’d made her choice and now she was doing it. She grinned broadly at herself as she turned off the highway into the small town that she would now call her home.

Winnie had rented the apartment sight-unseen, not wanting to wait a moment longer. She drove through the quaint little village at the foot of the mountain, seeing the shops lining the main street, happy families and the slow pace of life.

She pulled up in front of her new address and found the keys in the mailbox just like the landlord had said. It was a one-bedroom shotgun style house with a big backyard, a view of the mountain, and walking distance to the nearest hiking trail. She let out a deep sigh of contentment as she pushed her key into the front door.

When she stepped inside, her mouth dropped and her heart sank. This didn’t look at all like the pictures. The carpets were stained, the windows were dirty, and the kitchen sink was full of rust. She cringed, a shiver going down her spine. What had she gotten herself into?

Well, it wasn’t anything a little elbow grease couldn’t solve. Right? She’d stayed in worse places than this. She would just have to clean it. What did she expect for five hundred dollars a month? It was still a good deal and she could still make it work. She had just expected something a little bit cleaner.

She began unpacking her things and then drove to the grocery store to get cleaning supplies and food. After she had unpacked everything she needed, she put her bicycle in the back of the moving van and returned the van to the dealership. When she rode her bike home, she turned up her walkway and saw something sitting at her door. For a moment she thought it was a package. But when she drew closer, she realized what it was. The paintings she’d left on the island! She gasped and stopped her bike. Looking around, she knew that Aiden must be here somewhere.

“Where are you?” she asked, her voice betraying the mixture of longing and irritation she felt.

Grumbling, she pulled her bike up the driveway and hurried into her new home, grabbing her paintings. She had so much cleaning to do it exhausted her just thinking about it. But when she walked inside, she found the apartment was spotless. Squeaking with delight, she found a place to hang her paintings and began to unpack her things.

“Are you here?” she asked. “If you’re here, please come out. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been such a jerk to you.”

“I’m sorry, too,” he said, materializing out of thin air. “I should never have kept the truth from you. I could have had us rescued at any time, but I couldn’t resist being with you. Please forgive me.”

“I can forgive you. If you can forgive me,” she said.

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Done.”

He stood before her wearing the same clothes he’d had on when they’d left the island. Nevertheless, he looked so delicious her mouth watered. The memory of their kiss rushed into her thoughts, filling her with liquid heat.

“So, you finally took the plunge and moved to the country,” he said, looking around at her little house.

“Yes, I did,” she said. “I spent all my money and I don’t have a car or job. But I did it. I’m going to be a full-time artist no matter what I have to do.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you,” she said, looking around her tidied house. “Have you been watching me all along? How did you get in here anyway?”

“Your security isn’t very good.”

“I suppose it’s not,” she said. “This place is kind of a dump.”

“It’s not so bad, for now.”

“For now?”

“Until you make it big as an artist.”

“Have you been watching me?”

He huffed, his shoulders slumping. “I must protect you. The vampires are exceedingly dangerous especially to a Dragon Soul like you. They will not think twice about draining you of your blood and leaving you lifeless to rot somewhere no one will ever find you.”

“That’s a lovely thought,” she said.

“I’m sorry, but it is the truth. We’ve already seen them do it to many Dragon Souls, including two women I now call family. The vampires will either drain you until your dead, or they’ll keep you captive in their mansion, taking sips of your blood over time. I won’t let either happen to you.”

She groaned, placing her palm on her forehead. She knew his words were true. “I was really freaked out when the vampires attacked, and you turned into a dragon. I didn’t know what to do, so I just reacted like a dick. I couldn’t process what was happening. I’ve always taken care of myself. I guess now would be a good time to accept someone else is looking out for me.”

“I am here for you, always. And…I would like to ask your permission to take you out.”

“Like on a date?”

“Yes, on as many dates as you will allow.”

“I can agree to that,” she said, smiling. “Where are you staying anyway?”

“That is not your concern. I only want you to be comfortable and happy. I will protect you, to the last breath in my body. Just like I told you the night we kissed. I meant that. It was not an empty vow.”

“Aiden,” she said stepping toward him, her body growing hot as her heart skipped a beat.

He reached out to her and cupped her face in his big hand. The smooth skin of his palm was warm against her cheek. Pain swelled in her heart at the aching look in his eyes. Winnie wanted to soothe his soul, to take away the pain they both felt.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Taking a deep breath, she reached up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her gently on the lips, quivering with pent up need. Aiden hot breath puffed over her mouth until he relented to his desire and drew her closer, thrusting his tongue between her lips. She groaned as molten lust rose in her core. He was like a magnet to her, and she couldn’t pull away.

Maybe she shouldn’t forgive him, but she wanted to. All she cared about was this feeling of intensity swirling between them as their tongues danced in their bodies melted into each other. He pulled her closer, crushing her soft curves against the hard planes of his body.

She groaned in the maddening heat. She wanted to rip his clothes from his body and see the taut muscles underneath. But he pulled away, looking down at the ground.

“I should go.”

“Don’t.”

“I’ll be back later, and we can explore the fine dining options of your new hometown. Be ready at six.”

“I’ll see you then,” she said. “And thank you…for everything.”

He nodded once and disappeared out the front door. She didn’t know where he went when he left, and maybe that was something she had to accept about having a dragon as a boyfriend.

Wait. Since when was he her boyfriend? She shook her head at herself. She was really getting ahead of herself with the whole fated-mate thing. But he was as irresistible to her as she apparently was to him. Maybe there was something to it.

As much as she wanted to resist her new reality, she had seen vampires and dragons with her own eyes. She couldn’t deny it. She had to trust her own intuition about Aiden. Winnie had been around the block a time or two and she had met plenty of assholes. Aiden wasn’t one of them.

He’d managed to set up all her furniture while she was out and all she had to do was unpack her personal things. In the kitchen, she poured herself a bowl of cereal and walked out into the backyard. The afternoon sunlight glowed orange on the snow-capped mountain in the distance. The beauty of the scene filled her heart. She couldn’t believe she got to see this every day.

When she was done with her cereal she went in and started to get ready for her date with Aiden. Winnie chose a simple white dress, black flats, and a black cardigan. After a shower, she fixed her hair and makeup and got dressed. She grew more excited as six o’clock drew near.

Winnifred checked herself one last time in the mirror and then there was a knock at the door. She hurried to the door and found him standing on the other side in a fresh pressed suit with a silky black tie and a bouquet of pink roses.

She smiled as the fragrance of the blooms wafted through the air and filled her lungs with the delicate floral scent. He handed them to her and she brought them closer for another long draw of the delightful aroma.

“These are beautiful,” she said, taking his hand and leading him into the house.

“Not as beautiful as you,” he said.

She felt heat rising in her cheeks and she gave him a sideways glance.

“You can do better than that, playa,” she said with a laugh.

“I meant it.”

“I know you did. That’s why I’m teasing you.”

She put the flowers in a vase and placed them on her table then turned back to him and smiled.

“So, what do you have planned for us tonight?”

“I had Cato bring me one of the cars, so we can take a drive up the mountain and have dinner at the resort. We can even stay overnight if you’d like to pack a bag. I booked us a large suite, with separate rooms.”

“That sounds amazing,” she said. “I was hoping to go up there to see the view from the top of the mountain. I’ve lived in Seattle my entire life, and I’ve never been to the top of Mount Rainier. Let me get my things.”

Winnie went to her room and began to pack. She grabbed her pjs, slippers, toiletries, and some outdoor wear.

“Ready,” she said a moment later.

He carried her bag, and they walked together outside. She locked the door and saw a black Mustang parked on the sidewalk.

“Is that your car?” she asked.

“It belongs to my crew. The dragons of the House of Flames.”

“House of Flames? You’re going to have to tell me more about that.”

“I’m ready to tell you everything you want to know.”

He opened the passenger door of the Mustang, and she slid into the soft leather seat. He closed the door behind her, giving her a hot, hungry look that made her body tingle all over. She wanted to know more about him, where he’d come from, and why they seemed to have this insatiable connection.

Maybe she should run as fast as she could away from this dragon man, but her heart wanted to run into his arms. If Winnifred had learned anything in her life, it was that sometimes she had to let her heart win. Just like having the faith to study fine art instead of design or moving out to the country when the smart thing was stick it out in the city.

She was tired of holding herself back from her potential. And what she felt for him was more intense, more exciting, and more fulfilling than anything she’d ever felt with any other person she’d ever known. It was time to take a chance to have what she really wanted, and she wanted Aiden.