Page 28 of The Dragon at the End of This Pregnancy

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Back at the hotel, Punky growled at us when we knocked on their hotel room door, and he refused the mint julep we brought him.

"Don't mind him," Lark said, sipping at the to-go cup's straw. "Damn, that's strong whiskey."

"There's whiskey in it?" Punky returned and sucked down half of the cup at one go. "Tastes terrible, but I needed that."

"So terrible." Galen nodded. "Glad you agree."

Lark laughed. "Don't blame Punky. He's never had a mint julep before, either, and he's pouting tonight."

A cursory glance around the hotel room showed it was empty except for them. "Where are the kids?" I asked.

"Staying with my parents." Punky hissed the last syllable with vehemence and crossed his arms over his chest. "They said we let them watch too much television. My mom is taking them to bible camp tomorrow, so the amusement park has to wait."

"They'll be out by noon, and then we'll head to the splash park as a consolation prize. Want to come along?"

"What is a splash park?" Galen asked.

"I don't know," Punky confessed. "They were just building it when I left. It involves swimsuits and standing in water fountains, I think."

"I love standing in water." Galen reached for my hand, and I blushed as they twined their fingers with mine. "Warm water."

"I also have a chicken for Odessa." I handed Lark the bag in my hands.

"She will love that." Lark took the bag and dashed out the door behind us.

"Did you do anything fun today?" Punky asked.

Galen and I told him about the street fair, and the park.

"I took canoeing lessons at that lake when I was twelve." He smirked. "If the splash park is a bust, we might go there, instead. They have a little beach for swimming."

"I don't know how to swim," I said.

Galen frowned at me. "You are a kobold. All kobolds know how to swim."

I shook my head. "I've never tried."

Lark returned empty-handed with a big grin on his face. Odessa probably liked the chicken as much as Rapture did.

"That's it, then," Punky said. "We're going swimming at the lake tomorrow after the splash park."

"But first," Lark said, pointing an accusing finger at Punky, "We're going to sleep in until noon." He turned to us with chagrin. "You're on your own for breakfast."

Galen started to protest, but I pulled them to the door. "Sounds good!"

"I will be hungry before noon," they grumbled.

"We can order room service. Remember the menu you asked me about this morning?" They'd found it tucked between the dresser mirror and the coffee machine. "We'll get whatever you want."

I had a feeling I was going to regret saying that.

I let Galen take a shower before I did, to wash the grime of the day away. At home, I only showered in the mornings, but here, even the air felt heavier with the humidity. My human sweat glands kicked in when we spent more than a half-hour outdoors.

Galen stepped out of the bathroom without a towel, and my brain almost shorted out. They were gorgeous in their naked human form.

They caught me staring and grinned. "Do I look good as a human?"

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