Hollywood Dragon: BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance Read Online Free PDF

Butterfly on stage. So she’d never performed it outside of college.
    “One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written,” he said, his soft voice sheeting through her with toe-curling heat. “I think the best performance I ever saw was in Prague—”
    “JP?” Dennis called down the table. “What year was it your dad took us to see the World Cup soccer tournament?”
    Jan could have sworn it was impatience that tightened JP’s expression before he answered in his calm, polite voice. The look was gone so fast she wasn’t sure she’d really seen it, but as he turned back to her, the thought occurred that he not only had perfect manners, he had perfect self control.
    Definitely being nice to the fat girl , she scolded herself. So keep it cool.
    * * *
     
    JP was ready to talk to her all night. Listen to her amazing voice. Watch the subtle changes of expression in her face—shy, wary, elusive glimpses of humor in the dimples beside her entrancing lips that flashed quickly, then vanished, as if she laughed inside.
    What could she be thinking?
    They were on their third round of “Have you seen?” when a sharp rap on his ankle brought his attention up, and Mick sent him a look.
    Yes. Business, and it was late.
    “We’d better see Dennis back,” Mick said, rising. “He shouldn’t be up so long on that leg.”
    JP sighed inwardly, rose, and pushed his chair back. “This has been the best meal I’ve tasted in weeks. Thank you! I apologize for leaving so soon, but once we get Dennis back, I promised to see to some council tasks tonight.” He smiled at Jan as he uttered polite farewells to the others.
    Baba Marisia said, “Carry my greetings to your mother.”
    Dennis said, “Baba Marisia, Dyed Ivan, it’s been wonderful. Shelley and Jan, good to meet you. Later!”
    Mick walked to the door. “I’ll drive Dennis back to his place, and use the opportunity to fill him in on his co-best man duties.”
    A little more polite noise, and JP stepped into the open air. He breathed deeply, trying to get his head back in the game.
    Without much luck. As soon as they reached the street, he turned on Mick. “You didn’t tell me Jan sings opera.”
    “Sure I did. Or maybe I forgot.” Mick shrugged, hands out. “You know I hate opera.”
    Dennis groaned. “We’re not going to have to sit through opera, are we?”
    Mick turned a scowl on him. “Shelley wants Jan to sing.” His bear growl roughened his voice. “This will be Shelley’s only wedding—and my last—so what she wants she will have.”
    Dennis lifted one hand in surrender. “Kidding, kidding! I will sit there and I will smile at your opera if it kills me.” His joking tone eased. “I really like Shelley. You finally done good, Mick.”
    JP sensed Mick’s bear subsiding, as Dennis turned his way. “Okay, you mentioned possible action. What gives?”
    JP promised himself he would see Jan again the next morning, and forced his mind to duty. He said with an apologetic glance at Mick, “I wouldn’t bring it up at all, except that the situation has worsened over the past week.”
    Mick grunted. “What’s going on?”
    “Six months ago, my mother reported that someone had been at the town hall asking for the old maps of the town.”
    Dennis shrugged. “But isn’t that business as usual? We had to get one, as I recall, for some high school history project. Remember we talked Mr. Hale into letting us make a film story about the old Mission days?”
    Mick laughed. “I remember that. We pretty much turned it into one long gun battle.”
    “Remember Tom Hsing’s gang of banditos—”
    “Focus,” JP said. And he felt their intent sharpen. Right now he needed the bear’s sense of environmental awareness and the tiger’s hunt instinct. “The month after that, we received official notice from Sacramento that . . . well, never mind the details. It was a bureaucratic end run that would have effectively redistricted Sanluce in a way to take away