Billionaire Wolf. Karen Whiddon

chuckle was answer enough. “I take it I should.”

      “Didn’t you even read the magazine after you found out who I was?” Strangely he felt equal measures of hurt and amusement.

      “No. I didn’t think I needed to. I’d much rather get to know someone in person.”

      He couldn’t help but pull her in for a kiss then. “I like you,” he told her, meaning it.

      “I like you, too.”

      At her sweet words, he felt a small premonition of warning. Things were going too well. She was his ideal woman, everything he could want, including claiming not to want a relationship. Why then did he feel as if the hammer was about to come down?

      * * *

      The idyllic time on the boat went way too fast, as good times often do. All too soon they pulled back into the harbor and toward the marina.

      Maria knew enough about herself to understand that once she got home, she would have regrets. Tons of regrets. Almost the way a junkie repents the first time trying a drug, she should never have explored Ryan Howard. One taste of him had potentially ruined her for everyone else.

      Not good, especially for a woman who felt as though she always had a ticking clock hanging over her and needed to find her mate soon.

      But she refused to feel regret that their time together was over.

      After Ryan had parked the boat back in his slip, she went below and grabbed her bag. Rejoining him topside, she accepted his hand as he helped her onto the dock. This time, she ignored the immediate tingle the contact brought and summoned up her friendliest smile.

      “Thanks for an amazing time,” she told him, her tone a bit too bright. If he noticed, he gave no sign.

      “Do you have a ride home?” he asked.

      Holding up her cell phone, she shook her head. “I’m about to call now.”

      “Don’t. I’ll drop you off.”

      Briefly, she considered declining, for the foolish reason that she wasn’t sure she wanted him to know where she lived. But, she realized, he’d agreed to the parameters they’d set and wouldn’t be dropping by unannounced or anything. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d appreciate that.”

      When they pulled up in front of her modest home, she realized belatedly she wasn’t sure how to say goodbye. Should she kiss his cheek or his mouth, or only shake hands? Since this had been a one-time, casual encounter and she’d never done anything like it before, she had no idea what would be acceptable.

      So, instead, she did nothing. As soon as he put the car in park, she opened her door and hopped out. “Thank you so much,” she began, but Ryan wasn’t looking at her. He stared past her, his expression suddenly thunderous.

      Turning to look, she saw a man climbing out of her bedroom window.

      “Do you know him?” Ryan asked, his voice low and urgent.

      “No. I think I’m being robbed.” She dug in her purse for her phone so she could call 911.

      But Ryan didn’t wait. Pulling out a pistol, he took off running after the intruder.

      As she watched, her heart pounding, the man shape-shifted into a dragon. Ryan squeezed off a few shots, but they were too late and did nothing to stop the dragon from launching himself into the sky.