“Hmph,” Percy huffed. A noise that drew attention and led to Zaza lunging and snaring the dragon, dragging it close.
While still sitting on my lap, I should add, which might not have been so bad, only it turns out toddlers and dragons have no concept of a male’s delicate spots. A reptile foot, a baby’s knee, and who knew what other body parts kept squishing me uncomfortably. A good thing I was already infertile because the abuse I took—that I didn’t dare whine about lest I lose my man card—would have finished the job.
Thankfully, prep didn’t take long. Soon as Nicky said, “Snack is ready,” my lap abusers fled for the kitchen and the grilled cheese sandwiches stacked and steaming on a plate.
“I figured after all that time outside, you could use something a little more substantial than usual afternoon light merenda. Plus, I figured I should use what’s available.” Nicky had used the premade loaf of bread I bought with thick slices of cheddar, and pan fried the sandwiches in butter. She’d even threw together some kind of marinara sauce for dipping.
Best snack ever. My full belly led to me yawning and at Nicky’s urging, I found myself lying flat on the couch, baby tucked against me, Percy draped around my head, all of us napping.
And drooling, including me.
When we woke, Zaza and Percy raced back to their building blocks, and I headed outside to check on the road. No plow had gone by yet, but I didn’t mind. Snowy roads meant Nicky couldn’t leave. For some reason, that made me happy, even as I knew I set myself up for a disappointing fall.
The situation was temporary. Nicky would leave as soon as the roads cleared. She’d go and I’d most likely never see her again, and that bummed me more than it should have.
It also led to my soldierly brain thinking up ways I could stall her departure.
A tree felled onto the road to impede the plow. Pulled spark plug so I couldn’t drive her anywhere.
Or I could just ask her to stay.
Which was probably the craziest idea of all.
Chapter Nine
I spent a bit of time cleaning up the snow that had blown onto the areas I’d already cleared and then shoveled a path to the hot tub. A tub that was calling my name. My leg twitched in reply.
Might be time for a relaxing soak. So what did my dumb ass do? When I went back inside, I dusted off my man card and said, “I’m going for a dip in the hot tub, want to join?” And no, I didn’t ask just so I could see Nicky half-dressed.
Okay, maybe a little. A lot. Dammit.
“That sounds delightful, but I don’t have a suit,” Nicky stated, looking slightly bummed.
The man in me wanted to say, “Go naked,” but I wasn’t a pig. Instead, I said, “Wear the t-shirt. I can loan you another to wear after.”
“Really?” Her expression brightened only to immediately drop. “I’ll have to pass. I can’t leave Zaza alone and hot tubs are too hot for children her age.”
“I can lower the temperature.” Excuse, did I just really say that?
The smile returned. “That would be so nice. I’ll get Zaza ready, and don’t worry, I actually have two pairs of swimming diapers so she won’t make a mess.”
A relief since it hadn’t occurred to me that the baby might shit in the tub. “Sounds good.”
“I’m coming too,” Percy announced.
Why the hell not? The more of us in there, the less likely I’d do or say something stupid.
I hoped.
It took a few minutes for us to get organized and changed. I wore my robe over my shorts and carried a few towels. Nicky wore my shirt and a lumberjacket found hanging on a hook, which should have looked ridiculous with her bare legs peeping out. Wrong. Sexy as fuck. And when she got in the tub and my dark shirt molded to her upper body… I needed a distraction, STAT!
I used Percy to keep myself from ogling and wanting what I couldn’t have. “So Percy, gotta ask, how do you know you’re a dragon?”
“Because, unlike humans, we are born with the knowledge of our maternal progenitor.”
Which then led to a back-and-forth as I tried to understand what that meant.
Basically, a mother dragon passed on all their knowledge—language, customs, geography, even politics—to her progeny. The only thing the kids didn’t inherit? Personal memories. Wild.
