Page 16 of Cruel Daddy Dragon

If I’m going to be so unfocused, then I might as well just leave. It’d be better to suffer these fantasies at home than at work.

But what am I supposed to say to him when I see him at the book club tonight? Can I skip it?

I sigh again, saving my document, logging off, and packing up. I suppose Icouldskip the book club tonight, but Georgia and Peyton don’t know anything about dragon shifters, and they wouldn’t understand why I was skipping. In fact, if I skipped every book club meeting from now until the end of time, then chances are I’d never see Lena or Julie again because their dragon beaus don’t leave their side, and the dragon shifters stick together.

In other words… I have to go if I want to see my friends. I guess I’m going to have to figure out what I’m going to say to him when I come over.

***

I’m still drawing a blank when I knock on Lena’s door. She opens it with a huge smile:

“Sarah! You’re early!”

I didn’t mean to be, but anxiety does that to me. I just give her a weak grin in response.

“Hey, Lena.”

She comes in for a hug, and I’m taken aback—as I am every time—by how hard a task that is with her pregnant belly between us. I put a hand on her stomach as we break.

“How’s the bouncing baby reptile?” I joke.

“Big,” she answers, “I know they look big, but theyfeelbigger. I just hope they’re not going to come out actually dragon-sized, but I’m starting to think that they will.”

I chuckle. I have to say that I’m pretty curious about how this is all going to turn out. I haven’t been an auntie to a small kid since Rosie—I’m looking forward to being the fun aunt again and doing all the stuff aunts do with the kids when they’re small and nottoo coolfor it like Rosie currently is.

It does make me think… When we were kids, Lena and I used to play happy families. We’d play pretend on what our future was going to be like, and clearly things have turned out differently than what we planned when we were four, but we both had this idea that we were going to be pregnant together. Well, specifically, our child selves had the fantasy that we’d haveour babies at the same time, for dressing them up in the same onesies and taking them for playdates.

A silly fantasy, really. But still… “Do you want some wine?” Lena asks, distracting me from my thoughts.

“Um…” I hum.

I don’t know if I do. I know Rufus is going to be around here, and I don’t want my… defenses lowered when I see him this evening.

“Oh, go on!” Sarah encourages, “The pregnancy means I can’t drink anymore, and I’ve had this bottle for a long time. I don’t want it hanging around.”

I laugh.

“Oh, yummy—corked wine!” I chuckle.

Lena pours me a glass and hands it to me. Once I have it, I take a bigger gulp than I intended—swallowing almost half the glass in one and spluttering a little afterward. Lena frowns at me.

“Are you all right?” she asks.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I grumble.

“Here.” She takes my hand and leads me to the couch. “Tell me what’s wrong. Is it the kidnapping?”

I barely remember the kidnapping now. I know the drugs had a heavy hand in that, but it’s just been pushed aside for… other things.

“No, that’s fine. It’s just…”

I trail off. Lena smiles softly at me.

“What is it?” she asks.

I’m silent for a second. How to put this? I just take another gulp of wine, as I think.

“You’re really okay after the kidnapping?” she asks me.

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