The color in Mylo’s cheeks deepened. His reactions to compliments were adorable.
Saffron nodded. “If anyone can help you, it’s Crimson. He’s the clothing freak of the family.”
Crimson sniffed but didn’t deny it. “It’s true, I have a taste for fine clothing.”
“One might even call it a fetish,” I added, smirking.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Crimson uttered in a single breath. “Come inside, quickly. Kitten, we’ve got a fashion emergency!” he called over his shoulder.
Mylo gawked as the three of us followed him inside. “This is hisroom?” he asked. “This is like a whole condo! Are all of your rooms this big?”
Saffron and I exchanged a glance, shrugging. We’d grown up in the castle, so it wasn’t unusual to us.
“I guess?” he said.
Mylo stared in silent disbelief, like his brain had glitched out.
Then a tall, broad-shouldered figure approached us. “It’s a dragon thing. You get used to the excess after a while.” Taylor smiled and held out a hand for Mylo. “I’m Taylor, Crimson’s mate.”
Mylo shook his hand. “Mylo. I’m...” He stopped, blushed harder, and stammered, “A contestant. Omega. Ferret. I’m Aurum’s—friend.”
Fuck, he was so cute when he couldn’t string a sentence together.
Taylor grinned wryly. “Nice to meet you, Aurum’s friend.” Thank Holy Drake he changed the subject before Mylo exploded. “I hear we’ve got a fashion emergency. Is the culprit what you’re wearing?”
Mylo shuffled his feet. “Apparently.”
“Don’t feel bad,” Taylor said. “When it comes to clothing, Crimson seems like an arrogant jerk, but he just wants to help.”
“I heard that, darling,” Crimson called from the closet.
“I said it loud enough that you could, dear,” Taylor shot back with a smile.
Saffron glanced around the room eagerly. “Where’s Ruby? I’ll babysit while you guys do your thing. Ah! Never mind, I see him chewing on Taylor’s sewing machine cables.”
Taylor blanched, horrified for multiple reasons, until Saffron cackled and said, “Just joking, Tay.”
The tiger shifter released a growl so deep it shook my bones. “Joke about my child or my sewing machine again and I’ll unmake your dragon plushie,” he warned.
Now it was Saffron’s turn to blanch. He nodded, saluted Taylor, then darted off to play with Ruby—who was safely sitting in a pen surrounded by toys.
Mylo peered curiously at the pen. The sight of Saffron playing with the dragonet distracted him from the imminent clothes fiasco.
“Do you like kids, Mylo?” I asked.
The smile that bubbled up on his face was too precious. “Oh, definitely. I love kids.”
Butterflies fluttered in my chest. I liked kids, sure, but I’d never thought of having my own—not until this very moment. The sudden thought came on like a tidal wave, swamping my misgivings and doubts. Children had never been in the cards for me... but what if they were?
Crimson clapped his hands, disengaging my train of thought. “All right, everyone. It’s time to begin. Taylor, the tools, if you please.”
The tiger omega snorted. “What am I, a nurse?”
“If you want me to get on my hands and knees, I have no problem doing so,” Crimson teased.
As the two made googly eyes at each other, I gagged.
“Can you guys do this later? Preferably without unwilling witnesses?” I begged.
