Free 'Til Dragons Do Us Part (Never Deal with Dragons) by Lorenda Christensen

office. Feel free to call Sara for anything you need. I’ll see you later this evening?”
    Amanda rose. “Yes. Come by at any time before nine.”
    As soon as Myrna was out of earshot, Amanda’s default personality returned. “Get up. If I’m going to have a flower order turned in today, I need to get a look at the location of the ceremony. The garden behind the house looks promising. This is going to be nearly impossible, but I’ll do what I can.”
    Without a backward glance, she swept out of the room, leaving Cameron and me staring at the space she’d just vacated.
    “That woman is really wound up tight, isn’t she?” His gaze switched to me as I walked toward the door, stuffing all my notes into the side pocket of my bag.
    I laughed. “She’s something all right. I don’t suppose you could show me the way to the garden?”
    “Of course.” Cameron gestured for me to precede him out the door, and we walked silently toward the back of the house for several moments before he spoke. “I owe you an apology. I was having a particularly bad day yesterday, and when I saw you on camera with the painting, I flipped out.”
    “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have been touching it.” I really didn’t want to talk any more about the artwork, because all it did was remind me of how I’d screwed up. First rule of casing a gig: don’t ever let the target’s security team find you focused on the item you plan to steal. And what had I done? Not only had my interest been completely transparent, but Cameron had actually caught me lifting the painting from the wall.
    “Let’s just say I had an experience at an old job that makes me suspicious of unexpected circumstances. I just started in this position, and I can’t afford to have something happen on my watch.”
    “Bygones.” I didn’t like the feelings of guilt that had started up at the look in his eyes. Whatever “experience” he’d had in the past, it hadn’t been a good one.
    It wasn’t like I was planning on killing anyone.
What was one lost painting in the scheme of things?
Myrna and Trian’s wedding would go off without a hitch; no one would notice if a painting was misplaced in all the ruckus. I’d seen with my own eyes that Relobu had plenty others to replace it.
    I pushed aside my concerns. “Let’s find this garden, shall we?”

Chapter Six
    Cameron led the way, and soon we were stepping through a glass door into Relobu’s backyard garden. It was built to impress, just like the driveway and front of the home. The two main wings of the house seemed to cradle the large expanse of green in the middle, creating a space that was both relaxed and imposing. I didn’t know whether to credit the dragon lord or an overly enthusiastic gardener, but I was amazed at the splashes of color provided by various plants in full bloom.
    It bode well for a smaller flower order.
    Amanda was interrogating a uniformed member of Cameron’s staff, who started giving his boss pleading glances from his position near a large stone planter as soon as we were in sight. Judging by her flailing arms, and his repeated shrugs, Amanda wanted the planter moved to another area in the garden so she could get a better look at the “landscape.” It would take at least four men to move the thing without breaking someone’s back, and he didn’t seem inclined to go looking for help.
    Cameron chuckled, but led us in their direction.
    “Ma’am, you’ll need to talk to my boss about moving it.” Relieved to see us approach, the guard nodded to his boss. “Cameron.”
    “Henry.”
    In her usual brusque manner, Amanda took over the conversation. But instead of addressing Cameron, she looked at me. “Savannah. I need this moved.”
    I was silent, trying to find a way to respond without using the words “what do you want me to do about it?” when Cameron lifted his hand. A shadow appeared overhead, just before a large golden dragon glided from one of the