Roses Are Red, Dragons Are Blue

6. Privilege is Gold

Hey there!

I managed a chapter! Yay! I've been busy, busy, busy, but... I managed it on a Friday this time. So I'm super happy. 

I hope you all enjoy this one.

Much love,

Robin

*

6. Privilege is Gold

I was shaking with anger when I got up that morning, the feeling hadn't really abated since my call with my grandfather last night. As I pulled on a summery dress I'd had sent up from the hotel's boutique, I tried to figure out how to break the news to Fletch. Or how to wiggle out from this stupid summons.

Who the hell summoned their freaking granddaughter to see them? As if I was a schoolgirl sent to the headmaster, it felt like that. Grandfather was always unfailingly polite. He never raised his voice, never said a bad word, but he managed to convey his tone perfectly anyway. All he'd said was that he expected me in his office first thing in the morning, yet I knew that he'd heard some news, something that had made him angry. Worse, disappointed.

If I had to guess, this wasn't even about the stalker issue; I was fairly confident that only Fletcher knew about that problem. This was probably all about me skipping out on work to leave with someone he thought was inappropriate. At least it could be said that my grandfather was not a racist, this had nothing to do with Fletcher's skin tone, and everything to do with how many zeroes there were in his bank account.

Flattening the pleats in the skirt of my dress, I checked my figure in the mirror. This was barely good enough to fit my grandfather's image of me. It was too playful, with the twist in the bodice and the asymmetric hemline. I loved the colorful pattern but I knew my grandfather would think it was too loud. Truthfully, there was always something wrong with how I dressed and I was too angry to care right now. So I'd picked this dress because I hoped Fletcher would like it.

I left my hair down too, spending some time carefully curling my straight blonde hair. I was about to focus my angry, nervous energy on checking my makeup again when there was a knock on the door. That was probably a good thing, more fidgeting with it and I was probably going to end up resembling a raccoon.

"Coming, one sec!" I yelled, ducking to check beneath the bed for my purse. I dug it out and checked my phone charge, still half full, then jogged for the hotel door and slung it open. Fletch was on the other side, his arm propped against the door jamb, bicep flexing as it took his weight. Despite his words yesterday about not changing for anyone, he wore black jeans that were clearly still new and his work boots were clean. The white muscle shirt he wore clung lovingly to every muscle, but I had a feeling the shirt was fresh out of its packaging.

"Morning babe," he drawled with a smirk, his dark eyes swiping down my body and lingering in all the right places. I felt my anger drain a little that at least at that mission success, he definitely liked the dress. And I definitely liked his outfit too, he looked delicious and just neat enough to pull off a visit to my grandfather I supposed. That was almost a pity, the raggedy shirt and cargo shorts would have really hit a nerve.

"Hi Fletch, did the guard give you any trouble this time?" I asked him while I stepped out and locked my hotel room behind me. His neater appearance might have helped, but I had a feeling that nothing would stop Fletcher from going where he needed to go. I wondered if that was just his innate confidence, his charm, or the fact that he was a dragon and had some other kind of sway over people. Woah, look at me, contemplating the magical effects a dragon might have.

"No trouble at all," he drawled, his hand finding the small of my back and urging me in the direction of the elevator. "Did you check the peephole before you opened your door just now?" he added, his head dipping down so that his low words brushed against the shell of my ear with his breath. I tried to suppress a shiver but I was sure he felt it in his palm anyway, the smirk pulling at his full lips seemed to indicate as much.