Read I Dream of Dragons (Boston Dragons) Online
Authors: Ashlyn Chase
I Dream of Dragons (Boston Dragons) (28 page)
His father laughed. “Of course we do! There’s no way they could turn down our brightest son.” He turned toward his wife and beamed. “It’s a good thing the rest of them aren’t here. Don’t tell them I said he was the brightest.”
“Of course I won’t,” she said. “All of our sons have their different strengths and talents, and we love them all equally.”
“So, which one are you again?” his father asked jokingly.
Ryan felt his face heat. He tried to hide it by shoveling an extra-large bite of spaghetti into his mouth.
His mother folded her hands. “So, when do you start, dear?”
He shrugged and chewed slowly.
His father eyed him. “Something’s not right. What aren’t you telling us?”
They waited silently, until he couldn’t pretend to chew anymore, and swallowed.
“Uh, there are background checks to finish and I guess some financial stuff has come up. The chief said to be patient.”
His father leaned back in his chair at the head of the table. “Ah. That’s just a formality. You’ve never been in any trouble with the law. You’re a U.S. citizen…”
As his father droned on about the reasons an applicant could be denied, Ryan had a brainstorm. The blond had an accent. Granted it was faint, but he’d heard it. And the way she’d butchered American slang… She wasn’t from the USA. With any luck, she’d turn out to be an illegal alien.
“So, how many applicants did you beat out?” Mr. Fiero was asking.
Shit.
Lying wouldn’t do any good. The chief was his father’s oldest friend and the blond would come up in their conversation at some point.
“I only saw one other…
person
when I went for the interview. There were about a dozen names on the roster taking the CPAT, but we didn’t all go on the same day. They said I broke the record that day, so I took that as a good sign.”
His father looked at him askance. “You didn’t do anything that would tip them off about our paranormal abilities, did you?”
Ryan stiffened, offended. “Of course not. I ran the course completely as a human. How can you think I’d do anything else?”
His father nodded slowly. “Just checking.”
“You’ve always been so competitive,” his mother added. “I don’t blame your father for asking, even though we believe you know better.”
As always, she was playing the diplomat.
“So…about the job…” his father continued.
Crap.
“You said you saw one other candidate who made it as far as the second interview. Was it anyone we know?”
He sighed. “No. It was some woman I’ve never seen before.” A woman hot enough to light his own personal fire.
His father’s bushy brows rose. “A female? Ordinarily I’d say you have nothing to worry about, but with only one female firefighter in the whole city—well, you know how it looks.”
His mother tilted her head. “No, dear. How does it look?”
He growled. “Don’t get all feminist with me. You know darn well a woman can’t physically equal a man, but if it looks like the department might be accused of bias… If certain groups obsessed with equality get hold of the information, it could unfairly disqualify our son.”
His mother batted her eyelashes. “Oh dear. I wonder if Gloria Steinem has heard about this yet.”
“Mom. Dad. Don’t worry about it. Seriously. I’ve got this.”
His father’s frown said it all. “You’d better.”
Coming September 2016
A huge thank-you to the people of Ireland (Dublin to Galway and the entire southern coast) who welcomed us and treated us so well.
Us
meaning my darling daughter and me. This was a mother-daughter trip. Ireland was next on her bucket list, and I told her I needed to go for research purposes. She did all of the driving in Ireland and kept us on the right side of the road. I mean the left! See? I would have gotten us killed.
Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience.
She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for fifteen years, and spent a few more years working for the American Red Cross. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers, since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic and paranormal romances represented by the Seymour Agency.
Ashlyn lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her true-life hero husband, who looks like Hugh Jackman with a salt-and-pepper dye job, and they’re owned by a spoiled brat cat.
Ashlyn loves to hear from readers! Visit
www.ashlynchase.com
to sign up for her newsletter. She’s also on Facebook (AuthorAshlynChase), Twitter (@GoddessAsh), Yahoo groups (ashlynsnewbestfriends), and you can ask her to sign your ebook at
www.authorgraph.com
.
Strange Neighbors
by Ashlyn Chase
He’s looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance…
There’s never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field…
A girl just wants to have fun…
Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry’s not sure she’s ready to trust him with her heart…especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.
Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs…
“The good-natured fun never stops. Chase brings on plenty of laughs along with steamy sex scenes.” —
Publishers Weekly
For more Ashlyn Chase, visit:
Flirting Under a Full Moon
by Ashlyn Chase
Never Cry Werewolf
Brandee has been dumped in every way possible, but by text is the last straw. That’s it—she’s officially done with men. Unfortunately, she’s just been told her “soul mate” is the drool-worthy hottie all her friends call One-Night Nick.
Nick has been searching for true love for one hundred years. After all, werewolves mate for life, and he does not want to mess this up. As soon as he kisses Brandee, he knows she’s the one. But how will he convince a woman who knows nothing of paranormals that she’s about to be bound to a werewolf forever?
“Hot sex scenes and a breezy tone with a nice, happily-ever-after ending makes Chase’s story a fun read.” —
Booklist
“It made me laugh, crafted a mystery that had me guessing, and the romance was sweet, steamy, and paranormal.” —
The Romance Reviews
For more Ashlyn Chase, visit:
How to Date a Dragon
Flirting with Fangs
by Ashlyn Chase
Let the sparks fly
Bliss Russo thought nothing exciting ever happened in her life. Until her building caught on fire and she had to be carried out of the flames in the arms of a gorgeous fireman. Sure, her apartment is now in shambles and she’ll have to start her huge work project completely from scratch. But at least her love life is finally looking up…if only she can find her red-hot rescuer again.
Dragon shapeshifter Drake Cameron is the last in his clan, and the loneliness is starting to claw at him. He’s met only one woman who might be able to stand the shock of his true nature. After all, she barely batted an eyelash when her home burned down. And feeling her curves against him was as hot as any inferno. Just when he thinks he’ll never track her down, she walks into his firehouse—with no idea what she’s about to get herself into…
“Zany characters, sarcasm, sizzling sensuality, humor, originality, arson, dragons, passion, romance, and true love abound in this delightfully entertaining story.” —
Romance Junkies
For more Ashlyn Chase, visit:
Kissing with Fangs
Flirting with Fangs
by Ashlyn Chase
There’s something he’s never told her…
When her workplace burned down‚ Claudia should’ve taken it as a sign to move on—and not just professionally. She’s been secretly lusting after her mysterious boss‚ Anthony Cross, for years. There’s no way she should agree to help him rebuild if she wants to keep her heart intact‚ and yet it’s impossible to stay away…
The flames that destroyed Anthony Cross’s beloved bar are nothing compared to the heat he feels every time he lays eyes on Claudia. But he can’t have her—it’s against paranormal law for a vampire to date a human. Besides‚ he has some dangerous enemies‚ and one in particular already has her sights on Claudia. He owes her the truth—both about his feelings and his vampire nature—which means their lives are about to get hotter than ever…
“Chase constructs a cast of intriguing characters set amidst a flurry of paranormal activity.”—
RT Book Reviews
“A fast-paced, entertaining paranormal romance with interesting characters while taking on a fresh story line to keep you intrigued.”—
Tome Tender
For more Ashlyn Chase, visit:
My Wild Irish Dragon
Boston Dragons
by Ashlyn Chase
Dragon shifter Chloe Arish uses her wits and Irish charm to get her way in life. She is hell-bent on becoming a Boston firefighter, knowing she can work every bit as hard as a man—harder if she wants his respect.
Ryan Fiero—of a legendary Boston firefighting family—can’t possibly let a woman best him on the job. He’d never hear the end of it from his father and older brothers.
But when they discover each other’s deepest secret—she’s a dragon and he’s a phoenix—can they get themselves out of the trouble they’ve found in each other’s arms?
Praise for
How to Date a Dragon
:
“Pure pleasure. It’s like spending time with your favorite friends.” —
Night Owl Reviews, Reviewer Top Pick
“Zany characters, sarcasm, sizzling sensuality, humor, originality, arson, dragons, passion, romance, and true love abound in this delightfully entertaining story.” —
Romance Junkies
For more Ashlyn Chase, visit:
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