Page 82 of Hoarded By the Dragon

My fingers itch to trace over his textured horns, but I resist, not wanting to wake him.

He asked me to stay.

He wants me in his life, has even been thinking about ways to extend my life, if that’s what he meant last night.

It’s so far away from our first dinner together that it should be comical, but it’s not. He has wounds he needs to work through, but he wants to work through them. Why else would he bring me to sleep in his room?

The space is gorgeous. I can practically feel the wealth cradling me. The luxury fabrics of the giant bed under us and the décor are one thing, but the crown jewel of the room is the ceiling. Or rather, the lack of one.

The glass dome above us lightens from the orange-reds of dawn to periwinkle blue, and I can only imagine what it looks like once the sun really hits it. The shaped facets that gleam are stunning.

The expense to ward it must be extraordinary. I’d roll my eyes at the excess if the sight didn’t hug my breath in a vise. It may be wasteful, but my artistic soul refuses to agree.

This is the value of art, and Kalos is a patron.

And he wants me to stay.

That his dragon mated me is almost incidental. I force myself not to ponder on it too long. I enjoy when Mr. Dragon comes out during sex, but that’s only a small part of Kalos and I want… more.

The smart thing would be to keep our relationship as casual as we started. It would be safer for my heart and our future relationship as parents not to add fuel to the flame. Sex is sex, as Kalos had said.

I should guard my heart from being devoured even more by this dragon’s presence.

I should let Kalos deal with his wounds on his own.

Ishouldstop myself from hoping.

Then, after our daughter is born, we can be on friendly terms.

I know it’s too late to save myself from the heartbreak but to try for something more with this dragon who sees himself as broken flirts with disaster.

The cautious part of me tries to sneer at Kalos’s offer, asking if I’m going to let another person in my life who just takes what he needs, while I hold out hope that I mean something more like I’d done with Nemo.

While the rest of myself argues that nothing ventured is nothing gained… and this place in Kalos’s life is something I want.

Not just having a place in the world. Havingthisplace.

Shouldshaven’t done much for my happiness. I devoted myself to restoration to appease ashould.

The safe path won’t give me what I want.

I’m going to take this one day at a time, and I’m going to allow myself to hope. Kalos isn’t Nemo, and I’m older and wiser now to recognize those emotions.

It’s time to focus on what I want for my future, for our child’s future.

It’s a risk, but my happiness is worth it.

* * *

Ben portalsus into a marble-floored lobby, and the space tilts. Kalos’s hand on my waist keeps me from swaying, and I smile gratefully at him.

When he suggested taking me somewhere new to help me relax, I’d been shocked. For months I’ve only experienced the outside world as quick errands. Kalos’s estate is beautiful, but my gods, did I need to get out.

Kalos had laughed when I confessed what I thought I’d hid so well.My little queen, you were approaching the moment when an animal would chew through their own arm.

“Welcome to the Love Bathhouse!” a heavily pregnant woman with curly red hair says. I blink, and we exchange looks at the other’s baby bump and mutual smiles. “I’m Rose and will be available to answer any questions you have. Your room has been prepared. Why don’t I lead you there so we can open up the rest of the lobby?”

A bathhouse?The air has a pleasant touch of humidity that sizzles with wards and magic.

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