The Sapphire Dragon Read Free

However, she did want a man who cared enough to wonder about what she was up to, yet trust her to do the right thing. Her sisters’ husbands were that way—well…for the most part, anyway.
    Drake, on the other hand, was a complete control freak when it came to April’s unmated sisters. It was as though he thought everyone was out to harm them.
    Daisy made her way to her bedroom and some more fresh air. She needed to think, to clear her head. What she needed more than anything was to reflect on the man she’d just met. He seemed interested, but what did she know about men? She knew more about bossy, dragon males than she did human men and even that wasn’t much.
    Entering her room, she closed the door behind her and headed for the sliders to the second story veranda. Once outside, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why had she run from the man the way she had? She’d had a human male interested in her for once and she dumped him in her sister’s garden.
    “What’s wrong with you, you idiot? You could have just met Mister Right and you blew him off.” Bending, she leaned against the stone railing and rested her forehead on her arms.
    He’d said he was a neighbor. Granted, around here, a neighbor could live as many as twenty miles away, but if he was here, her sister knew who he was. She merely needed to get April to invite the man back here for another of Drake’s pimp parties.
    Chuckling, she looked out across the gardens and shook her head. As crazy as it sounded, it was as though Drake really was attempting to pimp them out. He had a plethora of male friends and April literally had a dozen sisters.
    “What’s so funny?”
    Daisy glanced down into the darkness with a gasp. “Who’s there?”
    “It’s me,” Jarrod said as he stepped out of the shadows. “I’m sorry I frightened you.” He smiled up at her. I thought I’d take a walk alone since the most beautiful girl at the party ditched me for a book.”
    “I didn’t ditch you for a book.” She leaned over the rail and scowled down at him. “I ditched you for some peace and quiet. Those are two things that are difficult to come by around here on Friday and Saturday nights.”
    “Your sister likes throwing parties, I take it.”
    “You have no idea,” Daisy replied rolling her eyes. “She’d have them every night if Drake didn’t insist that he get some work done in between them.”
    He stuck his hands in his pockets with a chuckle. “So why don’t you come back down and spend time with me. I don’t bite. I promise.” He smiled, flashing a row of teeth so white, they practically glowed in the dark.
    Daisy wanted to spend more time with him. She didn’t know why. Never had any man had such an effect on her. She found that she wanted nothing more than to join him and take the opportunity to stare into those beautiful blue eyes of his. She didn’t know what it was about them. They seemed to dance with sapphire and silver. What was it about the man that made her feel so strange? Every gaze, every smile seemed to draw her in more.
    Jarrod continued to stare up at her until he raised his hand as though expecting her to take it. “Come on, Daisy. You know you want to. Even I know you want to. What’s the harm in spending a few more minutes with me?”
    Daisy bit her lip. What was the harm, really? Didn’t Drake swear that if any of April’s sisters found a human man they wished to marry that he wouldn’t stand in the way?
    “Give me a minute.”
    Daisy rushed back into her room, ripped her dress off over her head, and slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. If mister stuffy Englishman didn’t like women who wore pants, it was better that she find that out sooner rather than later.
    Daisy strode back out onto the balcony and threw her leg over the railing. Her foot swung back and forth for a moment before her foot found purchase on the uppermost slat of the wooden trellis attached to the wall.
    “What are you doing?” His