Page 12 of Curvy Girl and the Single Dad Dragon
She lets out a breathless laugh. "That's... wow. You look good for your age."
Now I do laugh, surprised by her humor in the face of such revelations. "Dragons age differently than humans. We mature at roughly the same rate until adulthood, then the process slows dramatically. Ember is truly six, nearly seven, but I've been physically around forty for several centuries."
"That's why you're so..." she gestures vaguely at my body, then blushes.
"So what?" I prompt, curious about what she sees when she looks at me.
"So... solid," she finishes awkwardly. "Like you're completely comfortable in your skin. Most men your apparent age are still figuring themselves out."
"Six centuries gives you time for self-reflection," I say dryly.
A comfortable silence falls between us, Luna clearly processing everything I've told her. Finally, she looks up at me with those clear hazel eyes.
"So where does this leave us? Do you still want me to be Ember's nanny, knowing that I know?"
"Do you still want the position, knowing what we are?" I counter.
"Yes," she says without hesitation. "I care about Ember. Finding out she's a dragon doesn't change that. If anything, it makes me more determined to help her. She's a child trying to navigate a world that doesn't know she exists, carrying a secret that's too big for her small shoulders. She needs people in her corner."
Something warm unfurls in my chest at her words, something I haven't felt in a very long time. Trust.
"Then yes, I still want you as her nanny," I say. "But things will be different now. There's more you'll need to know, safety protocols to follow. And we'll need to be even more careful around others."
"I understand. Dragon safety 101. I'm ready to learn."
"It's not a joke, Luna," I caution, though her lighthearted approach is oddly refreshing. "If the wrong people found out about us—"
"I know," she interrupts, her expression sobering. "I understand the stakes, Damon. I won't let you down. Either of you."
Before I can respond, Ember calls down from upstairs. "Is it safe to come down now? Did you tell her everything? Can we have pizza to celebrate?"
Luna laughs, the sound bright and genuine. "She's still just a kid, isn't she? Dragon or not."
"She is," I agree, feeling some of the tension leave my body. "A hungry one, apparently. Pizza does sound good, though."
"Does she breathe fire on it to cook it?" Luna asks with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Only when she's showing off," I reply, playing along. "Her control isn't good enough yet for proper cooking. More likely to incinerate the whole thing."
Luna stands, smoothing her hands over her jeans. "Well, I suppose we'll have to order delivery then. I'd offer to cook, but after today's revelations, I think I deserve pizza too."
As she moves toward the kitchen to find the takeout menu, I remain seated, watching her. This human woman who discovered the existence of dragons today and is now casually ordering pizza as if her entire worldview hasn't been shattered. Who promised my daughter she wouldn't leave and meant it.
"Luna," I call softly, and she turns back to look at me. "Thank you. For staying."
Her smile is warm, genuine. "Thank you for trusting me with your secret. I know that couldn't have been easy."
It wasn't. It isn't. Trust is a precious commodity when you've lived as long as I have, seen the worst of humanity alongside its best. Yet somehow, in the space of two days, this woman has earned a measure of trust that others haven't gained in years.
"Daddy! Luna! I'm starving!" Ember's dramatic wail breaks the moment. "Dragons need lots of food to breathe fire, you know!"
Luna laughs again. "Is that true?"
"Actually, yes," I admit, finally rising from my chair. "High metabolism. We eat about twice what a human our size would need."
"That explains the protein with every meal," she nods, understanding dawning. "And why you stocked the guest house refrigerator with enough food for a small army."
"I should have known you'd notice details like that."
