The Dragon Marshal's Treasure (U.S. Marshal Shifters 1)

“Hi, Jillian. I’m glad we all get to openly fawn over you now.”

“It’s not overwhelming at all,” Jillian said.

“Of course not. Who could be overwhelmed by a bunch of shifters pouncing on them all at once?”

“And this,” Colby said breezily, “is Martin, Chief Deputy US Marshal and pegasus shifter.”

Martin was an immensely tall square-jawed man in his early fifties, his hair chestnut and touched with the purest silver at his temples. Jillian knew men’s clothing from futile Christmas shopping for her father and instantly pegged his suit as hand-tailored, but she wasn’t sure if that was his taste or just necessity because of how big he was.

He had a calm and gravelly voice that was made for reassurance. Jillian noticed his wedding ring and could only assume he made his own mate very happy. “It’s nice to meet you, Jillian. I’m sure Theo will be giving us all a recitation of your virtues soon enough.”

“I will,” Theo said, entirely unbothered by this. His hand settled in the small of her back, intimate and just a little possessive, and it made an enticing shiver crawl up Jillian’s spine.

“It’s good to see you happy, you know?” Colby said.

Theo gave another one of those I’m-sure-you-don’t-mean-that laughs that Jillian was starting to think bugged his coworkers as much as they bugged her.

She said brightly, “You’ll have to tell me embarrassing stories about Theo.”

“No shortage of those,” Gretchen said. “He was very adorable when he first got here. He didn’t know how to use a vending machine.”

“I don’t think we have to tell the vending machine story,” Theo said.

“I like the vending machine story,” Martin said. His smile made the corners of his eyes crinkle up. “It makes you more approachable.”

“Theo is the only reason coins are still in circulation,” Colby said. “It physically pains him to give up pocket change. Vending machines haunt him, poor guy. But like Martin says, a flaw or two brings the world’s perfect gentleman a little more down here with the rest of us.”

“I just thought you would tell her the Secret Santa story,” Theo said, shading his face with his hand. Jillian could see the corner of his smile. “Have mercy.”

“None,” Colby said.

8

Theo

Someone finally thawed the ice prince.

That was what Colby had said to Jillian, punching Theo’s arm with a more open friendliness than he’d ever shown before. Theo could see why. All that polished perfection he’d always aimed for—it had kept a distance between him and his team. He knew how they could see through all that gem-cut armor now. Jillian. They could see the best parts of him shining clearly out of her.

He’d gone to show her the closest thing he had to a home, and she’d brought him even closer to it.

Before they could even reach the car, he wrapped his arms around her. She responded instantaneously, stepping further into his embrace and rising up on her toes to kiss him.

“I want to take you to dinner.”

“It’s four in the afternoon.”

“I want to take you to a very late lunch.”

He felt her smile against his mouth. “What if I just want you to take me to bed?”

“I’ve seen television,” Theo said stubbornly. “Courtship involves dinner. I know our relationships is unconventional by human standards, but I want you to have every moment you could ever expect.”

“And some I couldn’t, if this conversation is any indication.” She leaned more fully against him, her soft, warm body flattening against him, her generous hips tantalizingly close to his cock. “Do you know what dating has that we don’t have?”

Theo tried to think, which wasn’t a simple process with Jillian stretched out next to him, her fingers brushing idly through the fine hairs on the back of his neck. Heart-shaped boxes of Valentine’s Day chocolates. Engagement rings in crème brûlée. Dubiously comedic misunderstandings. He thought he could remember hearing something that might be relevant.

“A Facebook status?”