Burned by Love (Dragons’ Flames #1)

Chapter One

“AND THEN, I SWEAR TO God, he opened his mouth and told me and the waitress that he forgot his wallet at home.”

West pressed his lips together. He didn’t want to laugh in Austin’s face, especially because Austin sounded genuinely distressed about his failed date. It was kind of funny, though. “Maybe he really had forgotten his wallet,”

West offered.

Austin rolled his eyes. “I might have believed that if he hadn’t ordered the most expensive food on the menu. No one needs to eat both steak and lobster on the same date.”

“You saw him order that, and you stayed anyway?”

“That and the oysters, macaroni and cheese, and cheesecake.”

West put down his clipboard. Inventory could wait. Austin’s broken heart, on the other hand, couldn’t. One of these days, he was going to do something stupid in his attempt to find love, and he’d get himself in trouble.

“Austin,”

West started.

Austin shook his head. “I know. You tell me this every time my dates turn into disasters.”

“Tell you what?”

Austin looked done with everything, including West. He was exasperated more than angry, though, and they were best friends, so it wasn’t a problem. West didn’t mind Austin being annoyed with him. As long as Austin talked to him and West could help, everything would be fine.

“You’re going to tell me that I’m making this harder on myself than it should be, that love will find me when I least expect it, and that dating apps are the worst place to find a relationship.”

“All of that is true.”

“Maybe, but love hasn’t found me so far, and I’m done waiting. I’m not like you. I want a relationship. I want to fall in love and get married and be happy.”

West wouldn’t say he didn’t want those things, but he wasn’t as focused on them as Austin. Austin was dating as if it was his last day on earth. He was desperate to find the perfect person. To get to that person, he had to wade through throngs of bad dates.

At least this time, the only thing to suffer had been Austin’s wallet. Considering the people Austin went on first dates with, West was always a little worried.

“You’ll do all those things,”

West reassured Austin. “But clearly, the dating apps aren’t working, and you won’t find the love of your life on one of them. Maybe you should give it a rest for a few weeks and see what happens. If anything, you won’t be as stressed.”

It wasn’t like Austin needed more stress in his life. They were firefighters, and between the weird work hours and what they saw and did on the job, Austin had enough stress to last him for a lifetime.

Maybe that was why he so desperately wanted someone to go home to. West understood that, and some days, he wanted the same, but he wasn’t about to create accounts on any kind of dating app. He wasn’t looking for anything, and if love found him, he’d be grateful, but he also wouldn’t feel like a failure if he stayed single. Austin was being too hard on himself, but West didn’t know how to make him stop.

“We need to continue inventory,”

Austin grumbled.

“You need to stop using dating apps. Go out. Meet people that way.”

“You think there aren’t weirdos out there? They’re not all on the dating apps, and with my luck, I’d probably meet a serial killer or something.”

“If you do, you could just eat them.”

Austin glanced around, but they were alone in the closet. There wasn’t a lot of space, so they didn’t have to be loud to hear each other. West wouldn’t have mentioned anything about their dragons otherwise.

“My scaly problem doesn’t help. He wants a mate as much as I do. Who do you think’s been pushing me?”

Being a shifter could be tricky, but being a dragon shifter? It made everything worse. When they shifted, there was no way for them to hide. People saw them coming from miles away, and it was hard to keep that kind of secret with someone you loved and lived with. The hope was always to meet someone who would accept both them and their dragon, but as Austin’s adventures with online dating showed, it was nearly impossible.

“You just need to give it time,”

West said.

“Yeah, maybe.”

Austin didn’t look convinced, and West didn’t blame him. He understood where Austin was coming from, even though he didn’t feel the same desperation to find a mate. At least they had each other. It wasn’t the same, but they’d always be best friends, no matter what.

“And if you don’t find anyone by the time you turn forty, I’ll marry you,”

West said as he bumped his shoulder against Austin’s.

Austin grimaced. “We’re not doing that. I’d rather stay single than marry you.”

“I thought you loved me.”

“Not that much. You’re on your own.”

West batted his lashes. “Are you sure? Am I not your type?”

“You’re not anyone’s type, West. You're annoying and gross.”

“Gross? What are you, six?”

“I call it as I see it.”

West picked up his clipboard and whacked Austin’s arm with it. “You take that back.”

Austin laughed and shoved West against the wall. He stumbled and caught his foot on a broom, sending it and the two brooms next to it crashing down. The sound was loud, and for a moment, West and Austin stayed still and listened to check if anyone had heard. Austin was biting his lower lip, while West was trying hard not to laugh.

They might both be single, but I didn’t mean they weren’t happy.

JONATHAN FLOPPED ON the couch by the tattoo shop’s front door. He stretched, then tilted his head this way and that, trying to get the kinks out of his neck.

“You have another appointment in fifteen minutes,”

Christy announced from the counter. She was flipping through the planner they kept there.

Jonathan groaned. “Are you sure? I don’t remember scheduling so many people for today.”

“I’m sure. It’s your handwriting.”

She squinted. “Only you can read that shit. What does it say?”

“I don’t even remember the customer. How am I supposed to know what it says?”

“Maybe you should check so you’ll be ready when they arrive.”

She was right, but Jonathan didn’t want to get up. He hadn’t slept well, and the many cups of coffee he’d already drunk today weren’t helping. There was nothing he wanted more than to stay on the couch and close his eyes, and he allowed himself to do it for a few minutes. Any longer than that would be dangerous, so Jonathan forced himself to sit up before he fell asleep.

Christy was watching him. She was sipping on her tea, the white mug a stark contrast with the black lipstick on her lips. Jonathan had always found her beautiful, and they got along like a house on fire. Some days, Jonathan wondered if the two of them would’ve been together if he wasn’t gay. Maybe, maybe not. As much as he loved Christy, sometimes, she made him want to scream.

“There,”

she said as she turned the planner around and pushed it toward him. “What letter is that?”

“None of your business.”

“Excuse me? It is my business. We work together.”

“We own a shop together, but we don’t work together.”

Christy sniffed. “That’s right. You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me.”

“I wouldn’t even want to try.”

Jonathan squinted at his handwriting. It was messy, but usually, he could read the notes he took. He was having a hard time today, but he suspected it was more tiredness than anything else. “This one’s a virgin,”

he said. “I remember him now. He was super nervous when he came, but he wanted a massive back peace.”

Christy snorted. “I hope you said no.”

“I convinced him to do something smaller as a starter, just so he could see how it felt.”

Most people ended up loving getting tattooed, but others were fine with having just one. It was a personal matter, but there was no way Jonathan would start such a big tattoo on someone who didn’t have any others. Besides, the guy had been too nervous for Jonathan to feel comfortable with that. He wouldn’t be surprised if the man decided not to show up at all.

Just in case, he headed to the room where he worked. He could hear buzzing and Ethan and Daniela talking. If he had to guess, she was tattooing him. He didn’t lean in to check, though. He had work to do.

He’d already cleaned his station after the last customer, but he did it again, then set everything out. He checked the design the guy had agreed on, and by the time he was done, Christy was calling him.

“Jonathan? Your appointment’s here.”

Jonathan sucked in a breath. He could do this. He’d checked the schedule, so he knew that he didn’t have anything else for several hours. He could get lunch, maybe even a nap, if he was lucky.

He plastered a smile on his lips and went out to greet the guy. Just like the last time he’d been here, the man’s eyes were wide, and he was pale. He kept looking around, his gaze bouncing from the front door to Christy, then to the hallway that led to the room where Jonathan worked. Jonathan couldn’t tell if the guy was trying not to look at Christy or if he was attempting to be stealthy about the fact that he was staring at her. Jonathan wouldn’t be surprised by either.

Christy was intimidating, but she was also gorgeous. Her fiery red hair fell in waves around her face, highlighting the dark black lipstick on her lips. She was dressed head to toe in black, the color only broken up by the colorful tattoos scattered across her arms and neck. As she smiled, the light caught on the ring in her lower lip, and the guy tripped on his own feet.

“Ready?”

Jonathan asked him. He’d already forgotten the guy’s name, dammit.

The man gave Jonathan a tense smile. “Yeah, of course.”

Jonathan gestured at the customer to follow him into the back room. He paused for a moment to check the guy’s name, relieved when he could read it easily, even in his chicken scratch. “So, Billy. How are you doing today?” he asked.

“I’m fine. There’s nothing not to be fine about.”

Jonathan blinked. Billy was still nervous about his first tattoo. “Tattoos aren’t for everyone,”

Jonathan said in a tone he hoped wasn’t judgy. “Some people love it, while others hate it. You don’t have anything to prove.”

Billy set his jaw. “I’m not proving anything. I want a tattoo.”

Clearly, he’d convinced himself of that, and Jonathan couldn’t exactly kick him out. He wasn’t even going to complain about how generic the tattoo was. Tribals? Unfortunately for him, he’d tattooed hundreds of them. At least it wasn’t the massive skull and snake Billy had wanted on his back. Jonathan loved doing custom pieces, but he could tell that if Billy decided to go ahead with that one, he’d be a pain in the ass from beginning to end.

Jonathan directed Billy to sit in the chair and take off his shirt. He settled next to him, glad to have everything ready. He just had to unpack the needles, show them to Billy so he’d know they were sterile, and get to work.

Billy jumped when Jonathan turned on the tattoo machine. Jonathan hadn’t thought it possible, but he was sure that Billy turned even paler. The man eyed the door as if he was planning on running, so Jonathan leaned back and gave him time to do just that. Billy didn’t move. He swallowed heavily, rubbed his face, and leaned back in the chair.

“Still okay?”

Jonathan asked.

Billy nodded but kept staring at the door. Jonathan sighed. This wasn’t going to be fun.

He pressed his hand against Billy’s shoulder, held up the tattoo machine, and made the first line. Billy squeaked loudly and jerked away. Jonathan had been expecting it, so he immediately turned off the machine. It wasn’t good enough. Billy’s eyes rolled back, and he slumped forward like a puppet with broken strings. Jonathan barely had the time to grab him so he wouldn’t hit his forehead against the ground.

He gently lowered Billy to the floor and rolled him on his back. Then, with a sigh, he called out to Christy. “Hey, Christy? Can you call nine-one-one for me?”

“THIS PLACE LOOKS NICE,”

West said as he and Austin stood in front of the tattoo parlor.

It did look nice. From the little West could see through the wide windows, the place was clean and bright, unlike some of the parlors he’d frequented over the years. He wasn’t surprised they’d gotten a call, though. Most people were fine with tattoos, but sometimes, things went wrong, and when they did, first responders got involved.

Something had definitely gone wrong today.

“Someone fainted,”

a woman said as she opened the door and gestured them in. “First tattoo.”

West grimaced as he, Austin, and the others followed her inside. The waiting area had a corner set up with a small fridge and a coffee machine, and the couch and chairs looked comfortable, and, more importantly, clean. The air smelled of coffee and cleaning products. It stung West’s sensitive nose.

They reached the back room. The place wasn’t big, so he and Austin stayed back to give Lisa and Jeremy space to work. West could help in a pinch during medical calls, but Lisa and Jeremy had more experience than he did, and he felt more comfortable kicking down doors than reviving people who’d fainted.

Since Lisa and Jeremy wouldn’t need him, West looked around. The room was small, but it was brightly lit and smelled of disinfectant. The desk in the corner held an open sketchpad, a tablet, and markers. The bright art on the walls was gorgeous. West wouldn’t mind having a few of those on his body. He especially wouldn’t mind it if the person doing the tattooing was the tall guy hovering nearby.

The man looked both annoyed and worried as he kept peeking at the guy who’d fainted. His brown hair flopped in front of his eyes, and he had to push it away a few times. It exposed the freckles dotting his nose and cheeks. He wore jeans and a t-shirt that exposed the designs on his arms—bright flowers but also delicate line art.

The tattoo artist got even cuter when he wrinkled his nose as the man on the floor groaned like he was dying.

“You’re drooling,”

Austin said, bumping his shoulder against West.

“I’m not.”

“You should ask for his number.”

West blinked at Austin. “What’re you talking about?”

“You’re not on dating apps because you think that love will find you when it’s time. Maybe this is it. Maybe you and the cute tattoo artist will get married and have ten babies.”

The cute tattoo artist in question made a strangled sound. When West glanced at him, the man was staring at him and Austin, a sure sign that he’d heard what Austin had said.

“Are you trying to kill me of embarrassment?”

West asked his best friend.

“Sorry about that. I’m pretty sure he would’ve realized you were interested in him even if I hadn’t said anything, though. You’re still staring.”

West was, but how could he not? The tattoo artist was cute and seemed approachable. West never dated people he met on calls because it always ended in a disaster, but technically, the call wasn’t about the cutie. “I don’t date patients,”

West said, trying to convince himself as much as Austin.

“It’s a good thing he’s not our patient, then. Besides, I suggested asking for his number, not dating him. Unless you actually want those ten babies?”

“Don’t you have anything better to do or anyone else to harass?”

Austin crossed his arms over his chest. “Nope. This is way too much fun. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Can you tell us what happened?”

Lisa asked, thankfully distracting Austin.

The tattoo artist blinked. “Not much. This was Billy’s first tattoo, but as soon as I touched him with the needle, he fainted. He was very nervous when he arrived.”

Lisa nodded. “That would do it. I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to finish getting the tattoo today.”

From the looks of it, it’d be better if the guy never got tattooed at all. He’d always have that line on his shoulder, but better that than making a fool of himself again.

“Oh, I wasn’t planning on finishing anything.”

The guy’s gaze flickered to West. Would it really be such a bad thing to talk to him? Brad, their captain, wouldn’t appreciate it if West flirted now, but since the tattoo artist wasn’t their patient, there was nothing he could do to stop West from asking for his number. West wouldn’t do anything stupid. He just wanted a chance to talk to the guy.

JONATHAN SHOULD PROBABLY be more focused on Billy than on the hot firefighter standing on the other side of the room. The guy was a walking stereotype—tall, with thick dark blond hair, a hint of stubble, and muscles so big that Jonathan thought the man could probably lift him without breaking a sweat. He was tempted to ask just to feel the man’s hands on him, but now wasn’t the time or place.

The firefighter looked like he belonged in a romance novel. If they were in a book, this would be their meet-cute, but they weren’t in a romance novel, and Billy was still groaning on the ground. Jonathan hoped he wouldn’t puke. He wouldn’t get paid for Billy’s failed appointment. He also didn’t want to have to clean up after him.

“Will he be okay?”

Christy asked.

“I don’t believe he hit his head,”

one of the paramedics said. “As long as he’s coherent, he should be fine.”

Christy’s shoulders relaxed. She leaned against Jonathan’s side, and Jonathan quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders for a squeeze. He flicked his gaze upward, not surprised to see that the hot firefighter was staring.

He wasn’t the only one who noticed. Christy sucked in a breath, and Jonathan just knew she was about to do something he wouldn’t be happy with.

“That’s a relief,”

she said. “It’s not the first time someone’s fainted in here, but it’s always an experience. I don’t understand how you guys do this every day.”

“It’s the job,”

the same paramedic said. Her focus was on Billy, who was thankfully coming back to consciousness.

Jonathan couldn’t wait to get the guy out of the shop. He felt sorry for the guy, but there was nothing he could do about it.

“I’m Christy,”

Christy said. “And this is Jonathan. What can we do to thank you?”

The hot firefighter cleared his throat. “As Lisa said, it’s our job. You and your boyfriend don’t have to worry about thanking us.”

Christy made a face and stepped away from Jonathan. “Oh my God, no. He’s not my boyfriend.”

Jonathan huffed. “Maybe you could try not to look so horrified at the thought of being with me.”

“You’re great, but that would be like being with my brother.”

Jonathan narrowed his eyes at her, but she happily ignored him. He knew what she was doing, but he didn’t think he could stop her. Christy always got what she wanted.

He glanced at the hot firefighter, wondering how he was taking the news that he and Christy weren’t together. Jonathan had no intention of flirting with the guy, and they were both on the job, but maybe once Billy was out of there, they would have a moment to talk.

Something flickered in the man’s eyes. If Jonathan hadn’t known better, he would’ve thought it was a trick of the light, but he’d seen something similar before.

His stomach turned, and his chest felt tight. This was a coincidence. The guy was a firefighter. He wasn’t here because Sal had ordered him to find Jonathan.

Still, it was too dangerous. Jonathan knew about dragon shifters and what they could do, and he wasn’t putting himself in that position a second time. He was still healing from the first time he had.

“Well, if Billy’s going to be fine, I’m going home,”

he declared, moving toward his desk.

Christy frowned, clearly confused. Jonathan couldn’t talk to her right now, and he hoped she wouldn’t push. He needed to get out.

“What? What’s going on?”

Christy asked.

“I’m going home. I’ll be back in time for my next appointment, so you don’t have to worry.”

She smiled at the firefighters, grabbed Jonathan’s arm, and pulled him toward the door. That wasn’t where he was supposed to go, dammit. He needed to grab his backpack.

“What are you doing?”

Christy asked, giving Jonathan a good shake.

They were just outside the door, and considering what Jonathan knew about dragon shifters, he was pretty sure that the one inside could still hear them. He glanced back, wondering what the man would think. He didn’t seem to have realized that Jonathan knew what he was, and Jonathan wanted to keep things that way.

“He’s not my type,” he tried.

Christy made a strangled sound. “He’s everyone’s type. Have you seen him?”

“Yeah, I have, and he’s still not my type.”

She stared at him. He knew he should expect more questions, even though he wished Christy would let it go.

“Is this about Sal?”

Christy asked, lowering her voice.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

In fact, Jonathan didn’t even want to think about Sal. The man was part of his past—a past he desperately wanted to forget.

Christy raised her hands. “I know. I think you should, but I get it. I’m sorry about what happened in there, and I won’t push.”

“Thank you.”

“For now,”

she added. “But this isn’t over. I want to know what just happened, and you’ll tell me eventually. I also want to talk about the fact that you’ve been avoiding life since what happened with Sal.”

Jonathan opened his mouth to tell her that wasn’t true, but he didn’t have time to say anything. One of the firefighters appeared, quickly followed by the hot one. Jonathan kept his gaze down because he didn’t want to look at the guy. He was scared of what he’d see if he did.

“The patient will be fine,”

the paramedic from earlier said as she, too, appeared. “He refused transport to the hospital, but it shouldn’t be a problem. He’s alert and getting up.”

“Do you think you could stay until he leaves?”

Christy asked. “I trust your judgment, but I want to make sure he doesn’t faint again or something.”

“We’ll make sure he leaves,”

the second firefighter said with a smile.

In the shuffle in the tight hallway, Jonathan ended up pushed next to the hot firefighter. The man glanced at him, and Jonathan had to resist the urge to run. There were no signs of the dragon inside the man at the moment, but Jonathan knew all too well how quickly the dragon could come out.

“I’m West,”

the hot firefighter said. “It’s a nice shop you have here.”

“Thank you,”

Jonathan mumbled.

When Billy appeared at the door, clutching the doorframe, Jonathan was so happy to see him that he could’ve kissed him. He was pretty sure that he would puke if he did that, though, so he kept his distance and watched as the paramedics helped Billy outside.

As soon as his workroom was empty, Jonathan walked back inside. He closed the door, carefully avoiding looking back. He didn’t want to know if West was looking at him. He didn’t want anything to do with West.

Good thing he’d never see him again after today.