Page 54 of Her Dragon Daddy Disaster
“Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Did I really make the fire? Am I going to be a dragon?”
“Yes, baby, you’re going to be a dragon,” I assured him, caressing his cheek. “But only if you get some sleep.”
“Okay,” he said, yawning.
I bent down and kissed his forehead. “Goodnight, my little dragon.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
“Love you, too,” I told him, somehow managing to keep my voice from hitching as my insides completely broke down.
That, right there, was what made motherhood worth it. Every time.
Seconds later, he was asleep. I waited several minutes more until he was good and out, then I slowly lifted myself from the bed, trying not to disturb him.
After another few minutes of watching him from the doorway, I closed it behind me and went in search of Levi.
I had an apology to make.
But the couch was empty. The lights were off, and he was nowhere to be seen.
On a hunch, I headed for the roof. Tiptoeing up the stairs, I peered over the ledge as I’d done that morning.
Levi was on the roof all right. But he was curled up in his dragon form, the usual brilliance of his red scales dulled in the moonlight. His back was to the stairs, and he didn’t react to my presence.
“Levi?” I called softly.
Nothing.
I knew he could hear me. But his body language was clear. He didn’t want to talk to me right now. The urge to push through,to force him to talk rose, but I pushed it down.Iwas the one who’d screwed up. If he didn’t want to talk just yet, I didn’t get to decide otherwise for him.
Besides, I could put the time to good use. A sense of self had reared its head tonight that I didn’t like, and I needed to figure out why. Until I did, any apology I made would be an empty one.
Iwouldfigure it out, however, and then I would set it right with Levi.
Somehow.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Levi
“Dad?”
The tiny, tentative voice had an oversized effect. My snout came up off the stone roof in a flash, snaking over my body in frantic search of the questing owner.
“I’m here, son,” I said, slowing my movements, not wanting to scare Jakub now that I was awake and alert to his presence.
As my snout cleared the crest of my back, I froze. Jakub was standing at his mother’s side. Her eyes were soft, perhaps even a little sad.
Apologetic.
“What is it?” I asked, trying not to let the memories of the night before interfere.
“I, um, wanna know, uh, the fire,” Jakub said halting. “I’m sorry.”
