Page 61 of The Loneliest Dragon at Christmas
Jack stared at the dragon door knocker, trying to process what had just happened.
So the Dragon Duke was Avery’s father.
Why didn’t Avery tell me?
For several moments, Jack just stared at the closed door.
He blinked, remembering another time when a door had slammed shut in his face.
Unsure what else to do, he turned and walked home. Hurt and shock mixed inside him. He placed a hand on Carrie. He felt her concern.
Why hadn’t Avery told Jack? He should have told Jack. Shouldn’t he?
Jack knew Avery’s mother had died and that he had no siblings. Only now did Jack realise Avery barely spoke to Jack about his father. Why?
How could Jack ever be a proper part of Avery’s life if Avery couldn’t even tell him something so important? Jack thought they’d been doing so well together. Jack had gotten over his earlier concerns. He’d started to picture a future together. He’d thought himself very much falling in love.
And if Avery was the son of the duke, he wasn’t just some rich person; he was fucking royalty.
Jack didn’t know a lot about royalty, but he was pretty certain that all royal matings and marriages in the kingdom had to be approved by the king. He remembered years ago when the king had granted permission between a lord and a knight. Everyone in the city had been talking about it.
But the knight had been a war hero! Not some hearth-and-kitchen-witch baker.
The king would never allow Jack to marry or mate Avery. Those sorts of matings never happened.
So what was Avery’s plan? They be together but not mate? Had Avery just wanted Jack for a little while? Dragons lived a long time; perhaps he just wanted Jack temporarily, his bit of rough before he moved on to something better, to someone better, to a lord, a duke, or a prince.
A sharp pain slid beneath his ribs. A spike of worry, Carrie’s worry, flowed through the bond.
Jack shook his head and forced out a breath. He placed a hand on top of Carrie, trying to comfort her and himself. He was making assumptions again, just like he had when he’d discovered Avery was rich.
I need to talk to Avery.
But his heart hurt. And Jack just couldn’t see why Avery hadn’t told him the truth.
What else has he not told me?
And no matter how hard he tried, Jack just couldn’t picture a future between a royal dragon and a hearth-witch baker from the poor part of town.
CHAPTER 31
Avery fluffed the branches and leaves. He took a step back and stared at the beautiful tree. He’d taken almost an hour to pick out the perfect one.
“Lovely,” Avery whispered.
And soon decorations would adorn it. Beside Avery, the boxes of decorations piled up. He’d been out buying them the day before. In and out of shops he’d gone, choosing decorations and ordering them to be delivered to his home.
Avery may have gone a little overboard. But if they had left over, he could take them to Jack’s home tomorrow. Surely the family would appreciate more decorations.
Avery reached for the boxes. He stopped himself and clasped his hands. His fingers flexed.
I need to wait until Jack arrives. Then we can decorate together.
Avery reached out and stroked the boxes. Touching boxes wasn’t opening them. His fingers tingled as delicious anticipation buzzed through him.
He dropped his hand. He walked to the mantel where the little hand-carved figurines stood. He took in the little cabin andwoodland creatures. And at the centre of the little vignette stood the baker and dragon. Reaching out, he picked up the baker.
Jack. Mine. Mate.
