Page 42 of Dragon Tempted

Tessa’s eyes widened and she dropped her hands from her hips. “I never said it was. And I never suggested you become his friend to use him. I just know how stubborn he is about letting anyone close. I was only trying to help.”

Sienna took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I know that.”

“I take it the meeting didn’t go well?” Megan asked.

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Ryan shut his laptop. “So what would you say?”

Were they seriously ganging up on her? “It was an interesting conversation.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t just blurt out you wanted to be his friend, did you?”

“Not exactly.”

“The suspense is killing me. Come on, spit it out,” Tessa demanded.

“He declared that he was better off on his own. And…I told him that was bullshit and he better get used to having me around because I wasn’t going anywhere.”

Tessa clapped her hands together. “Oh, to be a fly on the wall during that conversation!”

Megan’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “How did John respond?”

“Did he glare, grunt, and growl?” Tessa asked.

“There was no glaring, grunting, or growling. He just sat there staring at me.”

Tessa blinked. “Maybe you broke him?”

“Or maybe you broke through to him,” Ryan added before exchanging looks with Tessa and Megan.

Sienna held up her hands. “There has been no breaking of any kind.”

Tessa pulled out something from her pocket. “Lily made these for you and Unka Gumpy.”

“Tessa,” Sienna groaned.

“You were the one who gave me the idea. It’s not to manipulate him. Lily’s been obsessed with friendship bracelets since we bought her that kit. I thought they could be icebreakers for you, but apparently the ice has been, dare I say it again…broken.”

Sienna shook her head. There was no sense arguing with her. Tessa was powerful on her own, but with Megan and Ryan backing her up, Sienna didn’t stand a chance.

The office phone rang, and Ryan answered it, his eyes widening. “Yes, John.” He started jotting down some things on a pad of paper. “Okay. Anything else? Right.”

“What was that about?” Tessa asked before Sienna could.

“That was John calling to give me a list of groceries he needed, because, and I quote, ‘I can make my own food,’ end quote.”

Sienna gritted her teeth. She’d left him less than fifteen minutes ago. He was playing hardball. Well, two could play that game. She was surrounded by a group of stubborn males, including her best friend. If John thought she would back down, he was sadly mistaken. She walked over to the phone intercom and clicked the button for the kitchen.

“Hello, Marilyn. I think more care packages are in order for our guest. Could you put a couple meals together for me to deliver tomorrow?”

“Of course. I’ll add some desserts too.”

“Thank you.” Sienna hung up. John must have thought she was bluffing earlier. He would find out soon that she never said something she didn’t mean.

The following afternoon, Sienna parked near the cabin and unfastened the seat belt from around the cooler in the seat beside her. She hadn’t texted John to let him know she was coming like she did yesterday for fear he would tell her no. Now that she was there, she was afraid surprising him was a mistake. Considering the fact the last surprise visit John had, had resulted in him blowing up his own cabin, maybe she shouldn’t have been so impetuous.

Before she could text him, he opened the door and came outside, crossing his arms. He might as well be holding a sign that said go away. Pointing at the cooler, she smiled. “When Marilyn found out how much you liked the chicken and dumplings, she boxed up a few more meals for you. There are some desserts in there too. And I also brought the groceries you requested.”