Loved by a Dragon (Mate Me Book 1)

2

Xander Austin groaned when his mother's name popped up on his caller ID, running his hand through his sandy brown hair before he answered. He didn't have time to talk to his mother; he needed to find his next artist to showcase.

"Hello, Mother." He put her on speaker while looking through potential artist portfolios on his computer to showcase in his art gallery. His desk was oak wood, he commissioned it from a friend years ago making it to his specifications, with his computer monitor on a top shelf, his keyboard sitting below. The phone sat off to the left.

"Xander, I'm calling to remind you about attending Josie's event on Friday." His mother's melodic voice had a stern edge to it. Josie was his sister-in-law, and she'd started her own find-a-mate service.

"Friday at Club Cerulean," Xander replied, busily sifting through more applicants his assistant thought promising.

"Eight o'clock and I expect to hear you spoke to some lovely young ladies coming. This is Josie's launch event and I want it to go perfectly. I want your dragon to find a mate and be happy like Rhett and Josie. I noticed the last time we went flying as a family, your dragon's red scales were lacking their usual luster."

"Yes, Mother. My dragon is just fine." His dragon had been pining after a mate ever since Rhett had found Josie. Now he had a sad red dragon to deal with along with his mother pressuring him to find his mate. Xander was a hundred, it wasn't like he hadn't been looking, but dragons were picky creatures. He couldn't pick a woman who didn't make his dragon roar. Good thing dragon's lived for hundreds of years, they were the only mythical shifter creatures left. Many of the others had gone extinct, refusing to mate with humans.

"Don't yes, Mother me. Promise you will stay off your phone and interact!" He sighed. Xander could see his mother's hazel eyes flashing with annoyance, the eyes he'd inherited. He was happy Rhett had found Josie. She was the daughter his mother had always wanted. She was spunky, full of life, and ambitious. The perfect mate for a dragon like Rhett. Unfortunately, it made her think Xander wasn't looking hard enough for his mate. Xander preferred a quieter mate, one who would enjoy art and travel. His entire business revolved around art and traveling to find artists, he needed her to have an interest in his life. Most of the women he went out with wanted him because he was wealthy and handsome. He stood tall at six feet, shorter than many of his shifter friends, but he was trim and kept in shape.

"I promise to do my best to make the event go well." His eyes never left the multitude of portfolios he was looking through.

"Thank you. See you Sunday for our family dinner."

"Bye, Mother." Xander hung up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He loved his family, but sometimes he wanted quiet, to be alone with his own thoughts. He closed out the last portfolio on his computer screen, None of the ones he'd looked through were right. He needed a spark, something that made him wonder what the artist was thinking as they painted. Life in the art he showed the world. What was he going to do for his event showcase next week without a fresh sensation? Damn, he didn't want to advertise, but what could he do? He needed a new artist with actual talent, not some copycat.

"Hi boss!" a perky redhead called into his office. He didn't remember her name; the temp agency had sent her last week. His current assistant was on a month-long trip around the U.S. trying to find new artists for the gallery. To fill his vacancy, he'd called the agency for a temp to help until his assistant came back.

"Hello, do we have any other artist portfolios to look through?" he asked, scrubbing his face in agitation.

"No, I gave you everything last night before I went home. Are none of them good enough?" She set his strong black coffee down on his desk. In the week she'd been there, she had learned his habits quickly, making his work easier.

"They are all talented, but not quite what I am looking for. I need someone who speaks to your emotions and elicits more. I want spark!" She gave him a thoughtful look.

"I might have someone. She and I went to an art and design school together. I haven't spoken to her in six years, but I remember her art being amazing."

"Do you know where I can see a sample of her work?" He remembered from Lauren's resume that she'd attended art school. Xander found it refreshing she hadn't pushed her own artwork on him.

"She has an online page of work she completes. She hasn't posted in quite a while, though." She pulled out her phone and tapped away with her manicured nails. Xander waited impatiently for her to find what she was searching for.

"Here." She handed him the phone, and he paused at the first picture. It was a painting of the geyser at Yellowstone park as it blew. The second was a scene with a black bear climbing a tree in the forest. The third, a picture of the sun setting over a beach. Each painting captured a distinct moment, and all made him stare in amazement. He wanted to see the actual paintings and not just a picture on the internet. He needed to find this artist and convince her to let him show her work. He hoped she didn't already have a dealer helping her with her art. He knew she would be a sensation and take the world of art by storm.

"What's her name?" he asked, handing back her phone.

"Roxie Jones."

"Get in touch with her and tell her I'm interested in seeing her current work." She nodded, settling at her desk, and Xander smiled. If Roxie Jones still had striking pieces, he wanted her in his gallery.

A/N: Please let me know what you think so far. Don't forget to vote!