Bridges Burned (Entangled Teen) (Going Down in Flames) by Chris Cannon

for you to wear.”
    He disappeared down a hallway and came back with a navy sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. “You won’t win any fashion contests, but these should work.”
    Bryn took the clothes and headed down the hall in search of the bathroom. The first door led to a bedroom. The second door revealed a minuscule bathroom—yay for indoor plumbing—but changing in the bedroom would be easier.
    Valmont’s sweatshirt came down to midthigh. The pants were huge. She cinched in the drawstring waist. The too-long pants had elastic leg openings, so the extra material pooled around her calves and ankles like leg warmers.
    Good thing she wasn’t trying to impress anyone.
    The wooden floor was cool under her bare feet as she padded back into the kitchen, where Valmont had more ingredients gathered on the countertop.
    “What can I do?”
    He pointed at a pile of tomatoes and zucchini. “Dice those.”
    She grabbed the knife he’d laid out for her and chopped. Splat . One of the tomatoes fought back, squirting juice and seeds on the front of her shirt.
    “You were right. Good thing I changed.”
    He winked. “I’m always right.”
    She rolled her eyes and chopped the rest of the vegetables, passing them over to Valmont. He added them to the pan of chicken sautéing in olive oil, along with a healthy dose of Italian spices.
    “Is that all there is to it?” she asked.
    “This by itself would be okay.” He reached for a garlic bulb, broke it apart, and then put three cloves through a press. “Now it will be fabulous.”
    The scent of garlic and Italian spices filled the air.
    It smelled fabulous, but their breath afterward wouldn’t. It’s not like they’d be kissing or anything. Because that was ridiculous. Well, not ridiculous, but she had enough crap to figure out about Zavien without complicating the situation by kissing the smoking-hot knight who was staring at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking.
    Her face heated. “Sorry. Did you say something?”
    “I asked you to grab the plates. They’re in the cabinet above the sink.”
    “Sure.” She brought two plates to him. He arranged the chicken and vegetables in a pattern, making it attractive. “Before you say it, I know I’m not at work, but if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”
    “That sounds like a knightly thing to say.” She took her plate to the table.
    He joined her. “More of a family motto.”
    She realized she didn’t know much about him. “Has your family always owned Fonzoli’s?”
    “The restaurant has been handed down through generations. My grandfather is the head chef, while my father manages the business end of things. Since I graduated from high school last spring, I’ve been working as a waiter while my grandfather trains me to make all the family recipes. When he retires, I’ll become head chef.”
    It seemed weird to have your whole life planned out at eighteen. Then again, that seemed to be a common theme among dragon society. “Did you ever want to do anything else?”
    “No.” He grinned. “I love everything about food because it makes people happy. Thank God, my sister loves the business side of the operation and she’ll replace my dad one day when he retires. My oldest brother wanted nothing to do with it. He works at the airfield, training pilots. What about your family?”
    “My parents own a yoga and martial arts studio.”
    “Is it true they live as humans?”
    Bryn nodded. “I had no idea they were dragons. Flames shooting out of my mouth clued me in something was up.”
    Valmont laughed and shook his head. “That had to be a shock.”
    “A huge shock…but now I can’t imagine not living as a dragon. I want to become a medic and use my Quintessence, which I can’t do back in the human world.”
    “Good to know you’re staying. I was worried you planned to leave. I don’t want to sound like a stalker, but since that dormant spell was activated, I can’t imagine not having