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***
“He can’t be afraid of needles,” I frown, standing in front of the wardrobe and pondering out loud.
I’d spent last night tossing and turning in bed, mulling over everything I’d learned about Aragon.
Though not much, it’s enough to keep me restless, considering he’s almost a thousand years old. Someone who’s that old can’t possibly be afraid of a prick.
Scratch that.
He is a thousand years old as of today.
His birthday.
It piques my interest, and I wonder if, after living that long, a birthday party is exciting. Perhaps that’s why I reach into the closet, my fingers drifting across the dress as I consider actually wearing it today.
A shudder travels through my body, and I imagine Aragon’s surprise when he sees me in the dress. If he sees me in the dress. I haven’t quite decided yet.
But there’s no harm in trying it on as I pull out the hanger. After all, there isn’t much in terms of comfortable wear. Lily made sure of that.
I’m accustomed to throwing on a pair of sweats and calling it a day. The dress feels strange as I slip it on, the velvet texture on the underside of the sequined lace whispering down my frame.
I turn to the full-length mirror, gasping when I see my reflection. The dress hugs my curves in all the right places, the gold sparkly sequins magnifying the color of my eyes.
Mesmerized by my own reflection, I purse my lips sheepishly. I never did consider myself pretty enough to wear a dress. And though I refuse to consider today a special occasion, I can’t help but feel courageous enough to be seen in the beautiful dress.
Maybe it’s one way I can have the grumpy dragon eat his words. Or, he could just have a good laugh.
Considering that it’s his birthday, the latter seems like a good enough reason. I haven’t seen him laugh yet.
Taking a deep breath to strengthen my resolve, I tie my hair into a loose bun and approach the elevator. Passing his bedroom door, it sounds empty, so I discern that he must already be in the dining room. I ride the elevator down and steal to the lab to pick up the gift I’d prepared.
It’s not much, but it will suffice for a dragon who probably has everything else at his disposal.
Clutching the gift in my hand, I make my way down the hallway that I haven’t traveled before. It leads down the opposite direction of the one I’m usually allowed back and forth—I’m only ever between the lab and the grumpy dragon’s quarters.
Perhaps it’s the dress that gives me a sense of freedom—the type of liberation that prompts me toward the front door. An arched wall on my left separates me from the distant chatter of where I should be headed.
Taking a deep breath with my hand on the handle, I let the thrill of seeing outside travel down my spine. I haven’t seen much of the island since arriving here—apart from the short glimpse when Aragon carried me here in dragon form. I’m not allowed to go outside—perhaps because the dragon shifter doesn’t trust me.
But what he doesn’t know won’t kill him, right?
Pulling the door open cautiously, I’m met with a gust of gentle air with its fragrant scent wafting into my nose. Closing my eyes and relishing in the warmth for a brief second, my attention is snapped to the clicking tongues and deriding comment that comes from an unfamiliar voice.
“There she is…”
My gaze is drawn to the group of females hanging near the stone path. Huddled together, their snickering and skeptical eyes fill me with dread.
“... Aragon’s human slut…”
“As if she could handle bearing a dragonspirit,” another adds. “I mean… Look at her…” This is followed by a mean eye-rake from head to toe, making me highly aware of just how exposed I am.
Not to mention how much it took me to get this drress on in the first place, just for my confidence to be crumbled in a split second.
The lump in my throat prompts me to rush back inside and shut the door as the color drains from my face. Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t allowed me out.
The other dragon shifters aren’t as welcoming to the idea of a human mate after all…
Though the fear of the rest of the island lingers, I clutch the gift and fill my lungs with air to strengthen my resolve. It doesn’t matter what the others think. I’d worn this dress, carved this gift with my bare hands only for one reason.
