The Dragon's Need (Tahoe Dragon Mates 2)

Her father frowned. "Didn't Wes mention that to you? For at least the beginning, you two are staying here with us, along with Jose and Tori. Keeping the humans in one place will make it easier to protect them."

Great. Not only would she have pretty much zero opportunity to be naked with her male inside her parents' house, she'd probably have to deal with Jose's teasing, too. "Do we get any say in this?"

Her father shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I won't risk my children or their mates."

Ryan was at her side, rubbing circles on her lower back. He said, "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right, Gaby. It'll be easier to protect me and your brother's mate this way." He glanced up at her parents. "Although it is temporary, right?"

Maria snorted. "Believe me, I'd rather my newly mated children have their own places, too. Walking into a room becomes a dangerous thing until that happens."

Gaby shuddered at the thought. "Ew, Mother, you shouldn't think of such things."

Maria shrugged one shoulder. "It happens to us all. You wouldn't be here otherwise."

Jose sighed. "Come on, Gaby. I think I see Tori out back with Luna. Let's leave before Mom and Dad think of giving some sort of strange dragon and the bees lesson to your human."

From the corner of her eye, she could see Ryan pressing his lips together, trying not to laugh.

The bastard.

Taking his hand, she headed toward the door. "Let's go, Ryan. After you meet Jose's mate, then maybe you can help me tease my brother a little, just because."

"Not unless he wants to irritate someone who can shift into a dragon," Jose stated.

She glanced up. Heaven help her from alpha males.

Her dragon chuckled. It'll only get worse, as the months roll by and Jose's mate starts to show.

The only good news is that I'm pregnant now, too. So maybe Jose will be a little nicer to me.

Her dragon snorted. Good luck with that.

Her beast curled up into a ball and shut her eyes, leaving Gaby to talk and eat in peace.

Well, as peaceful as a meal with Luna could be. She loved her cousin, but Luna acted more like her sister and made it her job to irritate the hell out of her.

Exiting the glass sliding door, Gaby made a line straight for Tori and Luna. Her parents were easy. Luna would take a little more fortitude from Ryan.

Not that she doubted her mate. But it had been a long day, and it was only going to get longer.

Ryan's lips would start bleeding soon if he had to keep biting them so he wouldn't laugh.

Gaby had mentioned how her family was close, but hearing about it and seeing it in person were two different things.

Even if he would've preferred not to stay with her parents straight away, he'd instantly liked them. Which was a far cry from his ex-wife's, who had only bothered to meet him once.

The more he thought about it, the more warning signs he'd ignored. But he couldn't get mad any longer. All of those things had brought him to his Gaby, after all.

Gaby waved to a slightly pale woman with dark hair and eyes. She stood next to another woman around Gaby's age who looked a lot like her, except for the shape of the eyes—same dark hair, brown eyes, and light brown skin.

The two women came up to them. When Jose went to the pale woman's side, he figured her to be Tori and the other to be Luna. Tori spoke up. "You're back, Gaby!" She looked at Ryan and smiled. "Hi there."

Jose growled, but the woman lightly elbowed him in the side and murmured, "Behave."

Ryan cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

The woman snorted. "I'm way too young to be a ma'am. I'm Tori."

The other woman, Luna, slowly studied him from head to toe. "At least you picked a sexy one, Gaby."