Behind us, the wave curled over and crashed in a roar of foam and spray, losing fury as it petered out in the shallows. Still on our boards, we cruised toward the beach until our momentum gave out and Garret hopped off the board into waist deep water. He was panting, breathing hard, his whole face lit up again with an eager, excited grin as he spun to me.

“That was amazing,” he exclaimed, as I grinned back and splashed beside him, our boards bumping noses as they floated behind us. “I never felt…I mean…” He shook his head, sending droplets flying from his wet hair. “Just…wow.”

I laughed. It was good to see him like this, unguarded and free.

He was normally so reserved, I had wondered if he’d ever had any real fun in his entire life. “Beginner’s luck, I think. No more going easy on you—next time we’ll catch a real ride.”

“Hey, guys!” Lexi floated over, straddling her board. “What’s the holdup? Are we going again, or what?”

I looked at Garret. He grinned, looking eager and boyish as he grabbed his board and turned toward the waves. “Yeah. Let’s go again.”

Birth of a new surfer, I thought smugly, following them into the water. Let’s hope I haven’t created a monster.

We surfed the rest of the afternoon. Garret was an incredibly quick study, learning to spot approaching waves, eventually passing on those that were too small. He did wipe out a couple times, but we all did, and he fell off his board much less than I expected, especially on the bigger waves. Even after a particularly nasty wipeout, he bounced to his feet, shook water from his hair, and waded daunt-lessly back into the surf.

The sun was hanging low and red over the water when we finally stopped, Calvin returning from farther down the alcove to join us. I was starving, tired, and a little sore from being tumbled through the surf a few times, but Garret seemed reluctant to head back. He was insatiable. I really had created a monster.

“Can we do this again?” he asked, quite seriously, as we loaded the boards onto the roof of the car. I looked at him, at the way his eyes stayed trained on me, the calm, happy look on his face, and my stomach danced.

“Sure!” I grinned and tugged down a strap. “When did you have in mind?”

“Tomorrow,” was the immediate reply. “If that’s okay with you.”

I would’ve liked nothing better than to meet him again, maybe alone this time, but unfortunately…”I can’t tomorrow, Garret,” I said. “It’s Kristin’s birthday, and we’re meeting at the mall that afternoon so we can watch her buy things, I mean…so we can hang out and stuff. Sorry.” At least, I hoped I’d be able to make it. Scary Talon Lady had really screwed up my mornings, so the important things like surfing and hanging out with friends had to be moved to the afternoon. Thankfully, neither Kristin or Lexi were early risers.

“Come with us!” piped Lexi from the other side, poking her head over the roof. “Kristin won’t mind, and I think she’s bringing someone, so you won’t be the only guy there. Sadly, my deadbeat brother won’t be joining us.”

Calvin didn’t even look up from his surfboard. “Walk around the mall with a bunch of girls squealing at clothes and other dudes? Yeah, you have fun with that.”

I ignored him, focused on Garret. “Anyway, that’s where we’ll be tomorrow afternoon. You’re welcome to come along.”

“To the mall?” A faintly troubled look crossed his face, that wariness settling back on him like a second skin. “I…don’t know. Maybe.”

“Well,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant, “if you make up your mind, you’re welcome to join us. If its lunchtime, just look for me at the Panda Garden in the food court, or at the Cinnabon next door.”

“If it’s before lunch, just follow the sounds of Ember complaining that she’s hungry,” Lexi added, and dodged the pebble I hurled at her. It hit Calvin instead, earning a very exasperated “Dude!” and the order to get in the car before he tied us to the roof with the surfboards. I obeyed, a little sad that such an awesome day had come to an end, but the genuine smile Garret gave me as we slid into the back made it all worth it.

Back at the Smoothie Hut, we pulled into the spot next to Garret’s black jeep, and I gazed mournfully at our gorgeous tag-along.

“Well,” I sighed, as Lexi exited the front and pushed her seat forward to let him out. “See you around, I guess. If not tomorrow then…some other time.” I perked as I remembered something, leaning forward as he left the car. “Hey, don’t forget, Kristin’s party is this Saturday.

Maybe we’ll see you then?”

“Maybe.” He paused and turned back to me, gray eyes intense.

“Thank you for today,” he said softly. “I had…fun.” Like the word was strange to him. I smiled, feeling a warm glow spread through me from within, even as my dragon hissed in disgust.

“Anytime,” I replied, and he was gone.

A few minutes later, I sat in the same corner booth from that afternoon, plowing my way through a jumbo chili-cheese Coney dog, while Lexi slurped her drink and gave me knowing looks across the table. I pretended to ignore her until Calvin got up to stand in line for a second hamburger, and she leaned in, grinning fiercely.

“You are so into him!”

“What?” I nearly choked on my Coney dog as I pulled back to glare at her. Lexi gave me a smug look, and I shook my head. “You mean Garret? You’re psychotic. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re such a bad liar, Em.” She rolled her eyes and gestured to the now empty parking spot, where Garret’s jeep had sat minutes before. “Admit it. Whenever he looked at you, you couldn’t stop smiling. And when he rode that first wave with you?” She raised her thin eyebrows. “You were about ready to jump him.”

“You’re crazy,” I said. Because it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. I was a dragon. I couldn’t be attracted to a human. A gorgeous, athletic, gifted human, but a human nonetheless. It was impossible. As a race, we appreciated beauty and talent, grace and intelligence, but we did not form emotional attachments, especially with human beings. that was something Talon made abundantly clear: even among our own, dragons did not fall in love.

Lexi snorted, clearly unconvinced. “Whatever. Be the queen of denial, if you want. But I think you know it’s the truth. And you know what?” She leaned across the table again, like she was divulging the world’s greatest secret. “I think he likes you, too.”