Page 168 of Finch

came to sit on his shoulder, where she sniffed at his earlobe.

Hugh’s heart hammered. He’d made peace with the girls and even come to adore them over

the months he’d been with Finch, but it was still slightly unsettling to be besieged by a tiny

twitch-nosed beast.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” he said as she stood on her back legs and investigated the hollow of his

ear. “There are no chocolate chips in there, I’m afraid.”

Eleanor’s head poked out from the same place where Elizabeth had emerged, but she chose

to stay with Finch. Hugh couldn’t blame her—the likelihood of finding a treat was far better that

way. Hugh only stocked his pockets with candy when he knew he’d be seeing his nephews.

He’d yet to get used to his role as rat stepdad.

“Come now, Lizzie,” Finch cooed. He scooped Elizabeth up and brought her to his chest, where

she took to nosing a button on his shirt. “Have mercy on poor Hugh. If you’re nice, perhaps

he’ll reward you with a chocolate chip a little later.”

Eleanor ducked back into Finch’s jacket. Elizabeth, meanwhile, settled into a furry little ball in

Finch’s hand. The ladies were rather cute if you could look past their claws. What a man Finch

was to have taken something so frightening and turned it adorable. A smile curved Hugh’s lips.

“There will certainly be chocolate chips on the menu for later, but before that, what say you to

curling up together in my hoard and discussing the nursery? A paltry six months remain before

our little dragonet will arrive, and I’m worried there won’t be enough time to have the room up

and running.”

Finch gave Hugh a hard look. “What, exactly, are you planning on putting in there?”

“The best of everything I can find,” Hugh replied cheerfully, then took Finch’s unoccupied hand.

“A finer nursery the world shall never see. Its opulence will be unparalleled. A young dragon

deserves a hoard-worthy room, don’t you think?”

Finch’s face flushed. “I’m not pregnant with a clutch, Hugh. You know that.”

Hugh stepped close and slid a hand over Finch’s barely there baby bump. “The child inside

you is mine, Finch, and unless I’m mistaken, I am a dragon. It’s time to cast aside the ways of

the past and embrace the truth of today. Whether born as eggs or birthed as babes, the children

you carry for me will always be dragons. Always. And you, born of a dragon sire, are a dragon,

too.”

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