Page 87 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
She laughed, proud of herself for being brave. “I can’t believe I just did that!” She beamed up at him. “All with your help.”
Aiden’s ears tinged pink, and he looked at her fondly. She couldn’t imagine ever thinking him cold or callous or stoic or severe; it was just a layer of ice, underneath which he was so mushy and warm.
As she went to kiss him, she felt something tug at the end of her robe.
Saphira looked down and saw Sparky was trying to pull her away from the bees, unhappy by how close she was to them. She smiled, scooping him up. He was getting heavier by the day, and soon he would be too heavy to hold, which broke her heart, but she was happy, too, to see him growing so healthily.
“We’ll get out of your hair,” Aiden said. “I just wanted to finish up the playpen so you can open it up to your patrons.”
“No, stick around,” Saphira said, putting a hand on his arm. She didn’t want him to go. “There’s still some time before the cafe opens—just give me two minutes.”
She ran inside and grabbed a picnic blanket, then made a quick breakfast: a teapot of tea and leftover lemon loaf and some quick fried eggs with toast and butter. When it was allready, she came out, and Aiden set down the blanket, where they had a little breakfast picnic with their baby dragon.
They ate under the rising sun, then sat in comfortable silence, just looking at each other as they sipped tea from their teacups. She could get used to this—him being there first thing in the morning.
Setting down her teacup, Saphira smiled. Tenderness entered his expression, and a moment later, he reached over, poking her cheek.
“I like your dimple,” he said, his index finger pressed against the indent there. Her smile deepened, and he smiled, too.
“But that’s nothing special,” she said. “You always see it, since I’m always smiling.”
“So?” he asked, wrinkling his nose. “Just because the sun is always shining doesn’t make it any less beautiful.”
She wrinkled her nose at him, then lay down on the blanket. He lay down, as well, in the opposite direction, both of their heads perfectly fitted together. He stroked her head, fingers playing with her hair, and she did the same, running her nails along his head.
He turned her head, pulling her in for an upside-down kiss, which felt disorienting in the best way, like being on a carnival ride and seeing the world spin in technicolor. She laughed against his mouth, and he sat up, kissing her properly.
She slid closer to him, no longer upside down, but allowing herself to be properly kissed. He pushed off her robe, hands moving up and down her arms, then settling on her waist.
His firm lips parted hers, his tongue entering her mouth, and she made a soft sound deep in her throat, heat pooling low in her belly.
His hands were gentle as he held onto her waist, his fingers playing with the end of her shirt until his hands slipped under the fabric. Her skin was scorching everywhere he touched her, and she lay down on her back, pulling him on top of her, losing all sense of time and place.
Until there was a loud noise at the garden door.
“Excuseme.”
Saphira opened her eyes and Aiden pulled back. They both turned their heads to see Theo at the garden door. Behind him were a bunch of bakery boxes.
Oops. He was here for the delivery.
“I hate to break up this idyllic scene,” Theo said, “but I’ve been waiting for five minutes and I don’t want anything to melt.”
With a sigh, Saphira got up, gently pushing Aiden from her. They both stood, and he handed her her robe, which she slipped back on.
“Just a sec,” she said, but Theo wasn’t paying attention to her. He was looking at Aiden very carefully.
“Are you guys together now?” Theo asked Aiden.
Saphira was mortified. “Theo!”
“Yes,” Aiden said, putting an arm around Saphira’s waist. She twisted to look up at him.
“Oh, we are?” she asked, surprised since it wasn’t something they had discussed yet.
“Yes,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing. She smiled.
Theo’s eyes narrowed to slits. He gave Aiden an unimpressed look. “You’d better not hurt her,” he said, voice threatening.
