Good. Call it vain if you liked, but I enjoyed knowing I’d had an effect.
“Morning, Iolana,” he rumbled. “Pancake?” He held up a fresh one on a flipper.
“I don’t know if I should eat any of your cooking. It seems to be quite fattening because is it me, or did Tigger double in size overnight?”
“I molted,” my dragon proudly stated.
“I know. I saw the results on the pillow. Is it normal for you to get bigger each time you shed?”
“Yes. A few more times and I’ll have my wings.”
A comment that led me to running my fingers down his back, noting the humps that hadn’t been there before. “You’ll actually be able to fly?” I couldn’t help but sound doubtful. Birds tended to have hollow bones to keep them light, making flight possible. But my chunky dragon? He was no lightweight.
“Why else would I have wings?” Tigger’s indignant retort.
“Other than size and wings, what else will you get? Stories claim dragons breathe fire.”
“That is but one of many myriad abilities we can inherit.”
The thought of my arrogant Tigger capable of blasting flame chilled.
“We should get going before Tutu has a fit,” I stated.
“Didn’t you call him last night to mention you’d be spending the night?”
“I texted him, yes, but I didn’t expect to sleep in. I’m usually up at the crack of dawn.”
“Did something keep you awake?” Jameson drawled.
“Just the storm,” I mumbled, dipping my head as if that would hide the heat rising in my cheeks.
“Mm-hmm,” he hummed, a knowing sound that had me shooting him a look. He winked.
I blushed so hard my face almost exploded. Dammit, he probably thought I liked him, which I did. Dammit.
“I should call a taxi.” I yanked out my phone, only to sigh. “Dammit. I didn’t charge it overnight, and it’s dead.”
“No need to call for a ride. I’ll drive you. Just give me a second to grab last night’s desserts for you to bring home.”
“Thanks, J—” I started to say Jameson but halted because, given the evening we’d spent, it seemed rude to refuse to address him by his proper name. “Apollo.”
“Is this a bad time to say to infinity and beyond?” He arched a brow.
“What is it with you and movie quotes?” I groaned.
“If the situation fits…”
I laughed, something I did often around him. “If you’re ready, mind if we head out?”
“I just need a few minutes to grab my wallet and some shoes.” Also a huge plastic container full of treats that, thankfully, would mostly be eaten by Tigger because all that sugar would go straight to my ass.
Within ten minutes, we were on the road, not in the ruined sedan because Apollo, of course, had another car parked in the garage, a sporty and shiny red convertible. Tigger practically drooled on the leather seats and, no surprise, claimed it as his royal vehicle.
Apollo collapsed the roof of it before we took off, meaning wind whipped free strands of hair from my ponytail, but I didn’t mind. It felt kind of liberating to be driving so unfettered, or was it the company that had me in such a good mood?
Whatever the reason, when Apollo murmured, “May I see you again?” I nodded instead of telling him to take a hike.
“When?”
