The thought both scared and warmed her. No, it scared her. “He’s not smitten. We’re friends…with benefits. That’s all it is.”

“If you say so, Julie.” He winked at Pauline. Flame finally walked away. Pauline watched him until he was out of sight. She had a goofy smile on her face.

“You have it bad.” Julie said as the shifter rounded the corner.

“Oh so very bad. I’m seriously in love. Like totally and utterly.” The woman grabbed her chest and sighed. “Look at him. Just look at him.”

“Um… he just left.”

“You know what I mean. He’s so damned hot and so sweet. Do you know that he won’t let me do anything? He insists on cooking, cleaning… doing everything. I’m not allowed to lift a finger. The only thing he let’s me…” She blushed. “Never mind.”

Julie could imagine. “What’s with this whole taking the plunge thing?”

Pauline sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve decided to mate him.”

“What? You too?” Julie shook her head. “One week isn’t nearly enough. You know that don’t you? I don’t care how cute he is or how gifted in bed he is, you can’t possibly know him well enough.”

“I don’t need to know everything about him. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. I don’t have much to go back to but that’s not the reason I want to stay. I love him… that’s all there is to it. I was also a little skeptical of Lisa when she told me she was mating Scorch.”

“His name is Scorch?” She could hear the disbelief in her voice. These dragon shifters had the weirdest names. Coal was the most normal of the lot. She only hoped it was spelled Cole and not Coal or that would be weird.

“Yes.” Pauline nodded. “Fire dragons all have fire related names.”

“I had noticed. You were telling me about Lisa.”

Pauline made a noise of affirmation. “Yeah. I thought she was just using him. Each of us has a sob story. I was about to lose my house and you lost your job and had just become homeless.”

“Don’t remind me,” Julie muttered.

“Point being.” Pauline raised her brows. “Each of us had our own problems. We were chosen by the dragons because they hoped that they could help us as much as we could help them.”

“I’m still not entirely convinced, but okay.” Julie folded her arms across her chest. Pauline was young and innocent. She’d obviously led a sheltered life. Well, up until her parents had died.

Pauline licked her lips. “Remember how high and mighty Lisa acted?”

Julie nodded.