Page 52 of Dragon Tempted

“Lily was telling me about dinner and dancing,” Tessa said.

Sienna shrugged, working hard to settle her thumping heart. “What about it?”

Tessa chuckled and looked at Megan. “Hah! ‘What about it?’ she says. You. Danced. With. John.”

“He walked in on the girls and I dancing and had the nerve to smirk at my dance moves. I goaded him into dancing. Told him I would find something for his generation and played a waltz from hundreds of years ago.”

Megan laughed out loud. “Oh, I would have loved to see that. That could have gone south really fast.”

Sienna smiled. “I know. But he stepped up and…”

“And what?” Tessa pushed.

“And he really knows how to dance.” And that was all she was saying about that. “Did Lily tell you that he danced with her too?”

“Oh yes. She couldn’t stop talking about it.”

“Lily asked him. It’s very hard to say no to your daughter,” Sienna said.

Tessa’s eyes softened. “Don’t I know it.”

Sienna blew out a breath. “I’m pretty sure that they both knew he was coming over before he showed up. They had Marilyn set an extra place setting and had her make a pepperoni and sausage pizza that he declared was his favorite kind.”

Tessa nodded. “They knew all right. Lily wanted me to give you something.” Tessa opened the drawer in the coffee table where the girls had put their sketchbooks and crayons. She pulled out Lily’s book and held up a drawing of a man and woman face-to-face with their stick arms around each other. Two little girls were standing on either side with their hands in the air and big smiles.

Sienna set down her glass as chills ran along her spine. “Wow.”

“It gets me every time too,” Tessa said.

Sienna squeezed her hand. “I know.” Then she reached for Megan’s hand. “Bella knew you were coming home too. She called out your name and I explained you were out for the night and then you showed up minutes later.”

Megan closed her eyes for a moment. “It was wishful thinking that she wouldn’t develop powers, but they’re coming whether Eric and I are ready or not.”

Sienna’s heart thumped louder. “We won’t let anything happen to the girls.”

Megan nodded. “I’m glad John suggested I write to Mia so we can try and put an end to all of this. Adam gave me the log-in information to the chat group.”

“What are you going to say?” Tessa asked.

“I’m going to go with your earlier suggestion. Try and coax her to communicate by reminding her of our past. Each class Mia taught started with a quote on the whiteboard. She would ask the class what they thought about it, and then she would seamlessly insert the quote and all the students’ comments into her lecture for that day. I’m going to send her a quote to see if I can get her talking. Now it’s just a matter of picking one.”

“Good idea,” Sienna said.

“What did you think of John’s suggestion?” Tessa asked.

Sienna frowned. “Not a fan of him being bait.”

“None of us are,” Megan said. “The girls are both smitten with him.”

Tessa turned to fully face Sienna. “I don’t think they’re the only ones.”

Sienna’s neck heated and she willed the heat not to make it to her face. “Don’t start, Tessa.”

“What? I mean, I get it. He has that grumpy lumberjack vibe going.”

Megan smiled. “And you like that?”

“Why do you think I persuaded Adam to keep his beard? It is very useful.”