Page 13 of Curvy Girl and the Single Dad Dragon
She shrugs. "It's part of my job to pay attention. Speaking of which, I should probably start taking notes. 'Dragon care and feeding 101.' First lesson: order extra pizza."
As she picks up her phone to call the pizza place, with Ember bouncing excitedly at her side, I feel that unfamiliar warmth in my chest expand. For the first time since Jenny left, the future seems less daunting. Less lonely.
Dangerous thoughts for a dragon who knows how fragile humans can be, how brief their lives in comparison to ours. But as I watch Luna laughing at something Ember said, her head thrown back and her eyes bright, I allow myself to consider the possibility that sometimes, very rarely, a human comes along who can handle the truth about dragons.
And perhaps, even more rarely, one who might choose to stay.
Chapter 5 - Luna
"Four large pizzas?" The delivery guy looks between the three of us with obvious confusion. "That's a lot of food for—"
"We're having a movie night," I explain smoothly, handing over my credit card before Damon can protest. "Plus, leftovers for tomorrow."
The delivery guy nods, clearly not caring enough to question further, and completes the transaction. As he walks back to his car, I close the door and turn to find Damon watching me with an eyebrow raised.
"I could have paid for that," he says.
"Consider it my contribution to the “Dragons are real!” celebration." I carry the boxes to the kitchen island where plates are already waiting. "Besides, I just learned I'm getting paid to care for a mythological creature. That deserves some personal investment on my part."
Ember giggles from her perch on a barstool. "I'm not mythological. I'm right here!"
"You're right," I concede, opening the first box to reveal a steaming pepperoni pizza. "You're very real, and very hungry from what I can tell."
"Starving!" she declares, swinging her arms and then reaching for a slice that Damon deftly intercepts.
"What do we do first?" he reminds her gently.
Ember sighs but obediently closes her eyes and takes a deep breath through her nose. I watch, fascinated, as she seems to concentrate for a moment before opening her eyes again.
"No fire," she announces proudly. "It's safe."
"Good girl." Damon places two slices on her plate. "Remember, food is—"
"Fuel for the fire, not the reason for it," she recites, clearly having heard this many times. "I know, Daddy."
I look between them, adding this exchange to my growing mental list of "Dragon Facts." "Is that why you check first? To make sure she's not too excited to eat?"
Damon nods, serving himself three slices. "Young dragons can accidentally ignite their food if they're not careful. It's an instinctive thing. Our ancestors cooked their prey with their fire before eating."
"That's... actually really practical," I say, taking a slice for myself. "So fire breathing isn't just for defense or showing off?"
"It's a tool," Damon explains, leaning against the counter. "For cooking, for warmth, for working certain materials. Combat too, historically, though that's rare these days."
"Unless you count the Great Dragon Wars," Ember pipes up, cheese stretching from her pizza to her mouth.
Damon gives her a look that clearly says 'not now,' but my curiosity is piqued.
"Dragon Wars?" I ask, unable to help myself.
"A story for another time," Damon says firmly. "After you've had more than twelve hours to adjust to the existence of dragons."
I want to press for more, but I can see the wisdom in his approach. My mind is already spinning with everything I've learned today. Better to take it in manageable pieces.
"Fair enough," I concede. "I'm still processing the fact that I helped a fire-breathing six-year-old with her math homework this morning."
"You did really good with the fire," Ember says earnestly. "Most humans scream and run away, but you just helped me breathe better."
"I was following your dad's instructions," I remind her. "He told me exactly what to do if you had an... episode."
