8.

 

Rhett fidgeted at the table, playing nervously with the cufflinks that Gavin had insisted he wear. The whole outfit was a little constraining, and he found himself agitated and uncomfortable. Not only that, but he was restless. He had been informed that Mia was going to meet him at the restaurant, and he was not to have any of her personal information. She wanted to remain independent and aloof, which was fine by him. Why would he want to get too close for comfort with the confusing human? She couldn’t possibly be his fated mate, so there wasn’t any point in keeping tabs on her.

This whole thing was just a set up anyway. Just a date. For practice. There was no reason for him to get invested. …Right?

Before he had a chance to overthink it, Mia suddenly arrived. The dragon within him alerted Rhett to her presence before anybody else even laid eyes on her. He caught sight of her just as the door to the restaurant opened, and he watched her intently as she went up to the host and was led to the table, where the reservations had already been made by the speed dating company. Neither of them were going to have to pick up the tab, so the only way that Mia had been able to assert herself as independent was to refuse him the pleasure of picking her up for their date.

“Rhett,” Mia said once she finally approached the table. She stared into his eyes and he felt an intense surge of longing overpower him. She looked away quickly, almost as if she had been able to sense the shift in his mood. Or, perhaps, was reciprocating similar feelings. “Hi.”

Rhett nodded graciously and stood up to pull the chair out for her. Mia froze, almost as if she was tempted to stop him, and he found himself relieved when she sat down.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, scooting her chair in and looking down at the napkin on the table in front of her. Was she feeling shy? Or did she still seem to dislike him? It was very difficult for him to tell. But she was there. She had shown up. That should count for something. It was a good thing, right?

That is, if he could get over his own complicated feelings about the situation. He hadn’t exactly been thrilled to go out on another date with the human that had confused his senses and nearly gotten him off track in seeking out the woman who was actually his fated mate. As far as he was concerned, this was a needless distraction. But he had promised to try to make the most of this, and if nothing else, Rhett was a man of his word.

“Were you waiting long?” Mia asked once he had settled back in his seat and gripped the menu in front of him in his strong hands. He studied her briefly. Was this a trick question?

“It doesn’t matter, we are both here now. That’s what counts most.”

He cleared his throat and unraveled the silverware bound up in the big cloth napkin. He let them clatter onto the table and tucked the big napkin into the collar of his shirt. Mia gaped at him as he did so, and he tilted his head inquisitively.

“What?”

“Have you eaten here before?” Mia asked, turning her scrutinizing gaze away from him and scanning the room. A few people had turned their heads toward their table at the sound of the forks and knives colliding with the table, and Rhett raised a thoughtful brow.

“No. I don’t like to eat out very much.”

“That’s really funny,” Mia said, carefully unrolling the silverware without allowing it to fall onto the table as Rhett had done. “Neither do I. It seems like a waste of good money for something that could easily be done at home.”

“I just don’t like the food here,” Rhett said with a slight shrug. He opened the menu and allowed his eyes to scan the words dancing in front of him. None of it was familiar. And, certainly, none of it tasted a thing like what he was used to enjoying on Fiora.

“I thought you said you have never been here,” Mia pointed out, laying a napkin on her lap and turning her sharp gaze to Rhett. Why did he suddenly feel like he was being interrogated? What was wrong with this woman? And why did that fire in her eyes make him feel so aroused?

“I haven’t,” Rhett replied, returning her gaze with one of equal intensity. “I meant the food here. In this place…”

He had to be careful not to say anything about the food on Earth. Gavin had drilled them on that much. He was supposed to say he preferred things the way they were where he came from…elsewhere in the world. Not somewhere outside the world. That much would be a little bit too hard for humans to understand and absorb. Especially those who were not blessed with the dragon shifter/Loni blood that he was seeking. People like Mia.

He turned his gaze away, feeling torn and guilty about his feelings for this human. She would never be able to understand him. Even if he could somehow turn his back on his sacred task, she would never know who he truly was. Feelings for her would go nowhere fast, and what would he be able to do about it? Nothing much. It was all useless.

And yet, when he thought of getting up to leave, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, Rhett planted himself even more firmly in his seat, unable to fathom the idea of parting company too soon. He wasn’t ready to be away from her. He wanted this. Wanted a date with Mia and everything that she had to offer him. Even if it meant he never found the person he was meant to spend his life with.

How could that be possible?

He tried to shake the thoughts away. What good would they do him in this state? He had to try to get through this date without making her feel more irritated with him, if that was even possible. Could it be possible? Did it really matter? He was going to have to break it off with her eventually anyway. What did it matter if things went well with Mia or not? This was just practice.

“In what place, exactly?” Mia asked, fixing that intense but alluring look back on Rhett. He pursed his lips briefly before clearing his throat.

“Uh. Here. My brothers and I moved here from Europe, so everything is just a little bit too strange for my liking. I do not feel comfortable here. The food is different, the scenery is different, the people are different… I am adaptable, but it is simply not the style of food I prefer. That’s all.”

Mia seemed intrigued by this.

“I have always wanted to go to Europe,” she said. “What part are you and your brothers from?”

RRhett was mildly dumbfounded by the light in her eyes when she asked the question, confused by her sudden interest. “That isn’t important. Nobody has ever heard of it. Did you grow up here?”

He preferred not to talk about his made-up past and had become a master of deflection by then. Why was everybody so interested in Europe? He hated having to lie so much. Especially to Mia. For whatever reason, he felt like she could see him far better than anyone he had ever met before.

“Yes, I was born and raised in Brookside,” Mia said, laughing softly. “I haven’t gotten out of here much, but I have always dreamed of being able to do that. Wouldn’t it be incredible?”

She paused and laughed again. “Actually, I know it wouldn’t be all that special for you. You have probably seen and done all kinds of impressive things that I would never be able to fathom. What made you decide to settle down in Brookside of all places? There really aren’t a lot of prospects here.”

“Ah…um…” Rhett froze as he tried to summon up the story Gavin had told him but was having a hard time bringing the specific location to mind.

“It seemed like a good choice. We always wanted the opportunities that your country offers. There are a lot of big homes out here. We wanted to stick together.”

Mia nodded thoughtfully. “I can imagine it would be difficult for people new to the country to try to go it alone. I really admire that you had the courage and strength to completely start over somewhere new. It takes a lot of dedication.”

Rhett was surprised by Mia’s effortless ability to be sympathetic to his situation, even without fully knowing the whole story. He hadn’t realized a human could be compassionate. But he probably hadn’t been giving them the credit they deserved. After all, being banished had left most of the dragon shifters with quite a bad taste in their mouths. It kind of ruined things with the humans even though they could probably have managed to be quite amicable.

“It took a while to adjust,” he admitted, choosing to gloss over the intense abandonment and betrayal he had been forced to process when the Elders had finally sentenced Rhett and the others to their punishment for a crime they hadn’t even committed. It was lucky that they lived in an evolved society where the death penalty wasn’t even considered.

It had been shockingly barbaric to be banished to a planet where they killed each other off rather than rehabilitating and attempting understanding, or at least separation when values were clearly too different to cohabitate. At first, they had been convinced that humans were monsters, and that any wrong move might make them potential targets only to be victimized and possibly destroyed by Marshal Law, whoever he was. In any event, the laws of Earth were not to be played with. That much was certain.

“Are you ready to order?”

Rhett was startled away from Mia’s beautiful eyes and forced to look into the face of the waiter that had interrupted his train of thought. Mia glanced down at her menu and then to Rhett. “I know what I want. Are you ready?”

Rhett shrugged. “I want one of every type of bread you have. And pickles.”

The waiter gaped at Rhett, and he shifted imperceptibly. He was used to raising a few eyebrows and wished he could get more on the bandwagon when it came to Earth food. Some of the shifters couldn’t get enough of it, but some stuck with what they liked and refused anything more than that.

“And for you, miss?”

The waiter’s eyes lingered on Mia and Rhett sensed a shift in the man’s mood. Was he attracted to her? But she was his. Did he have to kick some ass at this fancy restaurant? He wouldn’t be bothered by that. He would do whatever it took to protect her.

“I’m just going to have the salmon,” Mia said, pointing to her menu and smiling, a friendly but business-like expression on her face. Apparently, she had caught on to the man’s interest as well, whether it was out in the open where humans generally saw things or not. She was a pretty sensitive soul for an earthling, that much was certain.

“Great choice,” the waiter said, trying a charming smile on her.

Mia lifted a brow and turned her gaze onto the table in front of her. The waiter was pretty gutsy trying that shit with Rhett right there.

“You can go now, pal,” Rhett said, doing his best to keep the dragon within from throwing a temper tantrum. He didn’t want anybody else wanting to possess Mia. He wanted to claim her for himself.

But that was insane. She was a human. It was completely impossible. He knew he shouldn’t have come out with her like this. How stupid could he be?

“Of course,” the waiter said, blinking awkwardly and turning away from the table.

When he was gone, Mia let out a relieved laugh and caught Rhett’s eye. “That was kind of rude of you,” she stated, a dimple still present in her cheek despite the fact that she was doing her best to keep a straight face. “You chased him out of here pretty quickly.”

“He is interested in you,” Rhett said. “And you are not very interested in him.”

Mia nodded slowly. “You pick up on energies and vibrations, then?”

Rhett stared at her blankly. “I what?”

“You are sensitive to the vibes that are hidden around us. Like me. You know, I am really into that kind of thing. They call it New Age, but I think a lot of it is just common sense, you know?”

“New…vibes?”

Mia laughed again, her beautiful face brightening up. “Ah. You seem more like the practical sort. You are probably just thinking about what a freak show I am.”

“Freak show.”

Rhett let the words roll off his tongue in a statement and considered the words. What in the world was this woman going on about?

“It’s okay. Really. I am pretty used to being misunderstood at this point. Oh, I suppose you are from a different country, though, so maybe I should try to be a bit friendlier or…clear or something?”

“Clear is always good. I appreciate it when people are direct.”

Rhett felt a small wave of relief wash over him. He was getting a little bit antsy not understanding all the strange slang and language that Mia was using. It was dangerous for the dragon shifters to stand out. While many humans had an idea about shifters and their existence, it was still a point of question in Brookside. A strange and mythical matter that was largely left undiscussed. So few humans were capable of opening their minds to special and different things that were outside their teaching or basic understanding.

“Okay. Well, most people think this is weird, but I believe in a lot of kinds of out there ideas. I don’t think everything is limited to what we are taught. Or what we see and know. I want to be a life coach. I want to uncover all the mysteries of the universe and just, oh, I don’t know, go with the flow and find my life’s purpose. And help other people do the same thing. I love to help others.”

Rhett gazed at her quietly, taking in the gentle but determined features of the petite woman sitting across from him. She was really something else.

“That is very admirable.”

“Well, I’m sure you can relate on some level, right?” Mia shifted in her seat, turning her intent gaze back to Rhett’s eyes. He felt frozen, like a deer in headlights. Him? Wanting to help people? Sure, on his own planet he had been a noble man who had done great deeds for his race. But helping people? Human people? He wasn’t particularly interested.

“I don’t know,” Rhett said, trying to figure out where Mia was coming from in her assumption. “I’m not sure I see the connection between your goals and mine.”

“Engineering improves peoples’ lives in little ways every single day. Without people who can think on that sort of level, it can be impossible for society to progress. So, if you are creating and innovating and fixing things, everybody benefits. I think it’s actually pretty cool of you.”

Rhett considered this, studying Mia thoughtfully. “All right, I guess that can be true. And as for you, you want to help people on a more interpersonal level? Emotionally or what?”

“Well, it would be really nice if I could start to get myself organized and on track, instead of having to count on my young daughter to stay on top of things,” Mia said with a small embarrassed laugh. “But once I am able to do so, I think that everything is going to get better and things are going to fall into place.”

Rhett nodded, and Mia looked suddenly uncomfortable.

“Not that I am not a responsible adult or anything. I am, it’s just…”

She let out a high-pitched sigh and looked down at her hands. It was clear that she was feeling uncomfortable now, and Rhett smiled as charmingly as he could. She was so beautiful.

“I’m sure you do the best you can, and that it is more than good enough for your daughter.”

Mia’s face grew tense and the conversation was cut off by the waiter coming by to serve them drinks. He kept his eyes forward, acknowledging Rhett with a small and subtle nod before moving along on his way.

“Food will be out shortly,” he said with his back to the table.

Rhett watched as the waiter left, his eyes hard, and didn’t turn his attention back to Mia until he was sure the man was gone. Why did this waiter think he was good enough for a woman like this? He clearly had no respect for someone he could be so openly flirtatious with when it was clear she had an engagement with somebody else. It was rude and selfish. Rhett couldn’t abide by that.

“Anyway,” Mia said, clearing her throat and changing the subject. “It really is quite a lovely restaurant. Are you sure all you want is bread? There are so many other options.”

Rhett smiled. “I know what I like,” he said, holding her eyes a little longer than he had meant to.

A slight flush crept to her cheeks and the dragon within him was quickly alerted to the subtle, sweet energy of her arousal. It made it nearly impossible for him to hold himself back, and Mia glanced away, apparently trying to hide whatever indication of her interest showing that might be present on her face.

“That’s a good quality,” Mia said, laughing quietly, her eyes studying her napkin intently. “Especially to a new-aged mess like me.”

“You’re not a mess,” Rhett said, smiling kindly. “You’re exploring. There is nothing wrong with that at all. It’s a big world and you have every right to explore it and see what there is out there that might be appealing to you. Never apologize for having a curious spirit.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Mia said, finally daring to meet his gaze again.

Why was there something so wonderfully familiar about her face? Her smile? It was almost as if they had met before, the sense of familiarity and attraction was just so strong in that way. But that didn’t make any sense. He was probably just projecting his strong attraction to her. He shouldn’t feel this way about anybody but his fated mate. The fact was that he was simply lonely and hoping to end his search once and for all so that he could begin to move on with his life. There was really no other explanation for it.

Finally, their food arrived and the conversation lulled. The human grew quiet and distant, consumed by her own thoughts as she ate. Rhett studied her closely, considering what she might possibly be thinking. Was she upset? Angry? Was she trying to process a similar attraction, or was she completely put off by him? He had thought that the conversation had been going well, but there was something that changed; a shift in her demeanor that had brought her features to a dark and sad seeming place. What was it that had caused her to feel that way? Was she going to continue feeling this way throughout the course of the meal? Should he talk to her? Leave her alone?

Women on Earth seemed always to want a man who was perceptive to their feelings, and yet also required space in order to process and understand those very feelings. All of this was way too complicated, and Rhett began to brood over the complexities, angsting over whether or not he should reach out to this beautiful woman or let her remain alone in the unsure but deep waters of her thoughts.

Suddenly, a sharp burst of anger consumed Rhett. Why was he trying so hard to care about and understand a human who, for all intents and purposes, would never care about him or understand what he had been through? He would never be able to be himself with her. She was not a descendant. She wasn’t someone he could spend his life with.

Why the sudden investment? He wasn’t the kind of guy to just walk up to any random woman, human or dragon shifter, and want to be intimate with them. He was reserved in his sexuality, for the most part, and hadn’t even considered putting himself in a romantic position with a woman. He had always assumed the time would come when these feelings would surface for his fated one. Not for an earthling. A human female. Someone who was probably never going to be able to open her mind to his reality, no matter how out of the ordinary she liked to believe she was.

He quickly stuffed the rest of his bread in his mouth and stood abruptly. Mia gazed at him in surprise, setting her fork down on her plate.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” he said, swallowing the lump of food hard.  “I hope to see you again sometime.”

“I’m free next weekend,” Mia said, eyeing him curiously.

Rhett was stumped. He had been instructed to lie on such dates, because it was in poor taste according to human custom to leave a woman feeling undesirable. Truth be told, he would have loved to see Mia every night that week. Which was exactly why he had to put a stop to all of this. He had real issues to consider here. And some major negativity to investigate. Mia was a human. She wasn’t involved. In fact, she would only just get in the way of figuring out what was really going on when it came to the Sun Dragon/Loni hybrids. He couldn’t put her before his search. If he did, he might just find that all the descendants were in danger, that he could have prevented it if he had been thinking more clearly with the head on his shoulders and not the one below his belt.

“Oh. Sure. Fine. Next week.”

The words stumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he stared at Mia, slightly dumbfounded by his own response. Hadn’t he just sworn against going out with her again? Weren’t there a million and one ways that this was a bad idea and that many reasons to run the other way?

“I like the waterfront,” she said, standing up and facing him. Apparently, she was done with her meal too. “We can meet there Saturday at 5 o’clock if that’s all right with you.”

Rhett nodded. “Fine. Saturday at 5.”

He cursed at Gavin inwardly for telling him to be a yes man. Telling him he needed experience courting human females, and the ones who didn’t try to sleep with him were worth the experience in learning about the dating world and its expectations. But more than that, he was cursing at himself for agreeing. Gavin didn’t have to know she had been willing to go on a follow-up date. Gavin hadn’t known anything else about her, why should any of this matter now?

“Great,” Mia said. “See you then.”

She turned and walked away, leaving a plate of half-eaten food on the table. Rhett stared at her as she disappeared out of the restaurant and then turned his gaze on the rest of the room. Everybody was still eating and enjoying light, casual conversation. The atmosphere was still cordial and inviting, despite the swirl of complicated emotions that were suddenly plaguing him. How the hell did this woman affect him so badly?

“Will you be needing the check?”

Rhett turned a fierce glare onto the waiter that had been staring at Mia, and the man cowered visibly now that Rhett was standing upright and towered over him by a good two feet. He was puny compared to the well-built dragon shifter and found himself feeling very intimidated.

“It’s taken care of,” Rhett said, staring menacingly at the waiter.

“Right. Have a good night.”

The man scampered away, not even bothering to check the table for a tip. Rhett wouldn’t have left one if the guy had done acrobatics away from the table. Disrespectful little shit.

With a heavy sigh, Rhett made his way out of the building. He would have to go out and patrol some more tonight. He felt like he was close to touching on something huge, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what. Getting to the bottom of it was far more important than going home to look at more human technology. And if nothing else, he needed a way to get Mia off his mind. Big time.