Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I’ve been to this rooftop many times, but it looks way different without people milling about, without lights strung up and glittering.
The air is brisk now that the sun has gone down. The moon is high in the sky. I look around. “Dragon?”
There are a few alcoves on the roof, so I check them.
But when I don’t find Dragon—
I gasp out in panic.
“Dragon!” I say loudly.
No response.
Okay… No need to panic. Maybe he found another way down. Maybe someone came up and opened the door and he got out that way.
But if he’d done that, wouldn’t he have come back to the party? Or at least told me where he was going?
Maybe not.
This is Dragon, after all. He would probably feel like he was bothering me. He has his own key to my place, so he may have just gone home.
I grab my phone and call my landline. He may not answer, but at least it’s a shot.
But now it rings five times and then goes to my voice messaging system.
Dragon’s the dark brooding type—that much is for sure. But there’s no way in hell he would… My stomach twists.
I walk to the edge of the roof. Nausea curls through my throat as I look down.
Nobody splattered on the road, thank God.
I check the other side. There are only two edges since the building is attached to other structures on either side.
How could he have gotten down?
There are fire escapes outside all the loft windows.
I check again.
Sure enough, on the back of the building, there’s a small fire escape.
I breathe a sigh of relief. That must be how he got down, but… Wouldn’t he let me know he got off the roof?
Something’s not right here.
I let myself back into the building using Teddy’s card and walk back down the stairs to the floor to her loft.
The party is still going strong, and the smell of marijuana is seeping out through her door.
Nothing to do about that. It’s legal here in Colorado. The smell of weed is everywhere, especially on the weekends.
I hate the sickeningly sweet smell, but I’ve gotten more used to it since I’ve been living here in town.
I find Teddy quickly and give her back her card. “I need to go. He’s not up on the roof, and he hasn’t texted me or called me.”
Teddy furrows her brow. “He’s a grown man, Dee.”
“True that.” I run my hands through my hair. “But I also called my place. He didn’t answer the landline.”
Teddy shrugs. “Because it’s your landline. He probably thinks he shouldn’t be doing that. For all he knows, you might get personal and private calls on it.”
I shake my head. “I hardly use the landline. I only have it because it is cheaper to bundle my TV, phone line, and internet service than it is to pay for them à la carte.”
“Yeah, I do it too. A silly reason, but I have one.” She grabs my hands. “I want you to stay, Dee. The party’s just getting started.”
“I’d like to.” I gaze toward Teddy’s front door. “I don’t drink much, but I was considering tying one on tonight since it’s my last chance for a while.”
Teddy pouts her lips. “Don’t think of it that way. Reserve Saturday nights for yourself, Diana.”
Teddy means well, but she’s not an architect. She’s an executive assistant, and she’s gone as far in the firm as she’s going to go.
She has a point, though. I do need to take care of myself, because if I don’t, I won’t have the best to give to my new firm.
“Tell you what,” I say. “Once I figure out where Dragon is, I’ll come back. It’s still early.”
“Yeah. We’ll be going well past midnight.” She squeezes my hands. “I hope I see you again tonight.”
“You will.”
Then I leave.
And I wonder where the fuck Dragon could have gone.
Chapter Fourteen
Dragon
I’m back at the diner, and it’s not nearly as crowded at this hour, though it is open twenty-four hours, so people are still here eating.
Lexi’s off duty, but another server I know, Carmen, is taking care of me.
“Coffee?” she asks.
“No. I have enough trouble sleeping as it is.” I yawn. “Another slice of that awesome cherry pie and some ice water, please.”
The other great thing about this diner is they don’t serve liquor. They’re a true old-fashioned diner, where you can get basic food and ice cream desserts. In fact…
“Give me a chocolate malt too, Carmen.”
“You got it.” She winks at me. “I’ll be back.”
Chocolate malt and cherry pie. I really was lying when I told Diana I don’t go for sweets. Luckily I don’t gain weight easily. I probably didn’t need both. Since I already had cherry pie once today, I probably should have just gone for the chocolate malt.
But there are times…
Times when I need something to do with my mouth. Because what my mouth really wants to do is smoke a joint. Suck on a beer bottle.