The Dragon Next Door

By Holly Day

Adrian Green’s new next-door neighbor isn’t really a dragon, but he does snarl an awful lot.

The first time Adrian saw Lorcan Walsh, he knew he needed Adrian’s help. Lorcan has a fractured leg and an empty apartment. Luckily, Adrian doesn’t mind helping him fill his lair with gems, and Doris’s second-hand shop has everything a dragon could possibly want.

The problem is, Lorcan doesn’t seem to want his apartment decorated, and sneaking presents past a grumpy dragon isn’t easy.

All Adrian wants is to cheer Lorcan up, but when Lorcan’s ex appears at the door, Adrian fears not even vintage coffee cups will get them their fairy-tale ending. What if the way to a dragon’s heart isn’t lined with treasures?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Sep 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646568970

Holly Day

Holly Day and Sherman Wick are the authors of several books about the Twin Cities. Sherman Wick received his BA in history from the University of Minnesota and has been a member of the Minnesota Historical Society for several decades. Holly Day has worked as a freelance writer for local and national publications for over twenty-five years and teaches writing classes at the Loft Literary Center.

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The Dragon Next Door

By Holly Day

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2021 Holly Day

ISBN 9781646568970

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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Thank you, Gabi Cervenka, Leonie Duncan, Jean Malherbe, and Susana Perez!

The Dragon Next Door was written for National Neighbour Day, which is on September 28th. It’s a day celebrate the importance of being a good neighbour.

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The Dragon Next Door

By Holly Day

Chapter 1

Adrian Green leaned over the balcony railing to watch a bearded man on crutches snarl at a man carrying a moving-box.

You’ll fall over. Jesse, his former roommate, and now across-the-hall neighbor, rolled his eyes. Adrian didn’t see him roll his eyes, since he was watching the bearded dragon and his lover below, but he didn’t need to see him to know.

I will not. He leaned over a bit more to see how they’d manage to get through the door when one of them carried a box and the other was on crutches. He went up on tiptoe and tried to see farther below the balcony.

Adrian, for fuck’s sake! Jesse grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back. You’re giving me a heart attack.

Adrian huffed. He hadn’t been close to falling over.

Do you think they’ll move in next door? He hoped they were a couple. It would be awesome not to be the only gay guy in the building. That way Mrs. Henderson would have to post her pamphlets about God’s wrath in two mail slots instead of one. It would do her good.

There is no other apartment available, is there? Jesse sat down on the balcony chair behind Adrian and reached for a pack of cigarettes. Adrian made a gagging sound and was again rewarded with an eye roll. Jesse shook one out and put it in his mouth.

Think of my flowers. Adrian gestured at the beautiful orange chrysanthemum he’d bought the day before.

We’re outdoors and the flowers don’t mind.

You’ll die an early death.

Jesse gave him a long look and lit the cigarette. He pulled in, rolled his neck, and blew out a cloud of smoke. Adrian secretly loved it. Cigarettes were bad. He’d tried smoking as a teen but always ended up nauseated. Still, smoking was sexy.

Smelled terrible though.

I’m more likely to die of you leaning over railings than I am from a few cigarettes.

Adrian ignored him.

A few minutes later, the balcony door next to Adrian’s opened, and he gestured wildly to Jesse. There was someone in the empty apartment.

Could be worse. The deep voice had Adrian swallow a squeal which Jesse somehow knew and shook his head at. The voice—the man had to work with audio. He had to, hiding a voice like that from the world should be illegal.

Jesse put out his cigarette and stood.

What are you doing?

Jesse frowned. I’m hungry, so I’m gonna go home and eat.

No, you’re not.

Jesse shook his head. I’m not?

No! Adrian threw his hands in the air. "We have to go over there and