“The smart ones do,” he says with a chuckle.
“Why’s that?”
“Because dragons love treasure, love.”
“Oh.” Does he have a secret lair in his house? Is that why he built his home on his own? Maybe there are secret passageways, I realize. Maybe there are hidden places beneath the floorboards. Only, Cameron seems to notice the look on my face because his eyes narrow’.
“Don’t you think about exploring while you’re here.”
“Oh, no, of course not. I wouldn’t…you know…I wouldn’t be nosy or anything like that.”
Not on purpose, anyway. I don’t think I can really promise that I wouldn’t, you know, peek around if the opportunity presented itself. Who would really be able to resist an opportunity like that? I might be hard working and a little bit brave, but I’m no saint.
“Let’s get you to your room,” he says.
“Do you want to eat first?”I ask.
“Peggy, are you hungry?”
I hesitate, embarrassed. I am hungry. I’m fucking starving. I don’t want to be rude and presumptuous and assume that Cameron wants to take care of me, but I also don’t have any money or anything I can use to barter here in Dragon World. No, the only thing I have is myself and the hope that keeps pushing me forward that somehow, all of this is going to be okay.
“Peggy?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “I’m hungry.”
Cameron moves across the room to me and wraps his arms around me.
“Hey,” he tells me. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, okay?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to asking people for help.”
“I like you a lot, Peggy. I’m not a mind-reader, though. If you need something, no matter what it is, just ask. Then I’ll be
able to help you, okay?”
“Okay.”
Cameron takes my hand, leads me into his enormous, full-size, completely-stocked kitchen and somehow, in a matter of minutes, he whips up a couple of steaks, vegetables, and bread. He sets everything in front of me on a plate and sits across from me while I pick up my silverware.
“Are you going to watch me eat?” I ask nervously. He didn’t make anything for himself.
“I’m going to keep you company while you eat,” he clarifies. “But seeing you smile with pleasure while you enjoy your meal will also bring me joy,” he adds. His eyes twinkle a little bit when he says that, and I know Cameron is teasing me.
He’s a playful one, and I kind of like that. I’ve never really dated before, but the men I’ve known have all been quite serious all of the time. They rarely laugh or express themselves, so finding someone who isn’t afraid to joke around is really nice. I feel comfortable with myself and with Cameron as I start to eat.
He’s right, though.
It’s fucking amazing.
A moan escapes my lips before I can stop it. My eyes reach Cameron’s and I know what he’s thinking. Sex noises. It sounds like I’m making sex noises. I’m not, though. My noises are completely innocent. It’s this food that’s fucking dirty. It’s so damn delicious that eating it should be some sort of sin. Seriously.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, blushing.
“I’m not.”
“It’s just that this food is really…perfect.”
“Just like you.”