Page 35 of Accidentally a Dragon Daddy

“You will,” he said with a conviction stronger than it had any right to be.

“How can you know?” I asked softly. “Nobody knows.”

“I do,” he said, breaking out into a grin. “That was one of the reasons I took so long. The sovereign showed me the journal of one of her predecessors. Who talked about a human woman giving birth to a healthy dragon child. Without complications.”

“Really?” I asked. “You’re serious? You’re not just making this up?”

“I will never lie to you,” he growled as if hurt by the suggestion.

“Sorry,” I said.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said, taking my hand, holding it in his. “The baby will be okay.”

I took a deep breath. I was still taking him at his word I was pregnant, of course, but the longer I thought about it, the more I realized just how off I’d felt lately—on top of the morning sickness. It certainly added up. But I wanted to take a test, as well, to confirm. If they had those things there.

“There are still so many unknowns,” I pointed out. “But I guess that’s one less of them.”

Damon nodded. “Yes. And whatever comes, we’ll handle it together.”

“I … look,” I said, trailing off but knowing full well I had to put it out there. I had to tell him. “I’m okay with you being involved. This child is part you, and I wouldn’t take that from you. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to just jump into some sort of relationship with you.”

“Of course!” he said, taking it better than I’d planned. “I don’t expect that. At all. We’re here to parent. To have our child. That has to come first.”

“Okay, good, thank you,” I said, sighing. “I thought—”

“But I’m going to win you over as well,” he said. “That first night, the chemistry, the fire we felt? That wasn’t a one-time thing. It wasn’t random. I feel it now. Every time I’m close to you. Every time you put your hands on me, or I touch you. It burns me. I feel it.”

I swallowed nervously.

“And I know you feel it, too,” he said, advancing a step. “I see your skin tighten, the hairs on your arms rise. Your pulse quickens, and you breathe a little faster. Your entire body wants me. You won’t be able to resist forever, Elanya. And when you finally give in, I will be there to take you.”

My mouth was dry.

“But until then, what else can I do to help put you at ease about having a dragon baby?” he asked, suddenly all smiles and easygoing, the intensity of his claim on me evaporating instantly.

“Um.” I shook my head, trying to clear it of all the dirty, nasty thoughts accumulating in the dark corners of my mind. “Well. What is life like here? How do your kids, you know, be kids? Do they ride their bikes to the park to play? What about school?”

Damon brightened immediately. “School! Come on, I’ll show you.”

He grabbed my hand and hauled me toward the rooftop, ignoring my bleat of protest.

Chapter Eighteen

Damon

“You’re awfully quiet back there,” I said as we soared through the sky toward our destination.

“Sorry,” she called, patting the side of my neck with one hand, the touch of her fingers on my scales driving my dragon wild.

I held it firmly in control, however, lest we suddenly plummet from the sky. That wouldn’t do much for building any sort of relationship between us.

Which was what I did want. Wasn’t it?

“What are you sorry for?” I asked.

“I’ve just been lost in my thoughts about flying.” She rested her head against me. “This is what my child will do. What they’ll get to experience as they grow up. This freedom.”

I glanced back down my long neck to see her holding one hand out to the side, dipping it through the air that streamed past us as my wings beat a steady rhythm. A little smile graced her face, but only for a moment, then it was gone.

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