Page 19 of The Platinum Dragon's Courageous Mate

“I enjoy it mainly because you do, but I find the chamomile we have at night does help me sleep.” And he needed the assistance. Whether his nightmares plagued him or the need for Kieran did it.

“I’m glad. It’s good for me too. I need something comforting before bed.”

They walked back to Kieran’s apartment, and Lachlan had a moment of total wistful desire to see Kieran in his kitchen, making it theirs. One step at a time. The craft room was one door closer to the stairs…

Kieran motioned to the chair that Lachlan thought of as his. “Please, sit.”

“Do you need me to help with anything?”

“No. No, I have this.” Kieran handed him the baby monitor before moving around to put the kettle on and get out mugs. “Would you like some cookies? I have the ginger ones.”

“I would, yes.” He adored cookies. Most dragons did, he had found. Food could be simply fuel, but cookies were alchemy.A combination of such simple ingredients that became magical when baked.

“Excellent. Maybe I could bake some for you. You have a nice kitchen.”

“I would like for you to consider it yours as well. You live here now, Kieran. You and Micah. For as long as you wish.”Forever, if you want.

Kieran blushed dark and nodded for him. “Thank you for your help. You’ve always worked so hard to make sure that I’m happy, cared for, to make sure Micah’s safe.”

“It’s been my honor, of course.” He’d known from the second he’d seen Kieran, that this was his family. All he could do was hope that Kieran agreed with him some day.

Kieran handed him the plate of cookies and sat. “Well, then I will come down and make us cookies, fresh ones.” He pinked, nose wrinkling. “Not that these aren’t perfect.”

“These are great for dipping in tea,” he agreed.

He felt like he was entering a new phase of this relationship, like he was wooing Kieran, and that was good, necessary.

“What are your favorite kind of cookies?” Kieran’s question surprised him, made him smile.

“Chocolate chip. I love chocolate chip with pecans. They are my absolute favorite. I like them out of the oven. I like them after they’ve firmed up. I just like cookies, but chocolate chip with pecans? I love those. What about you?”

“I’m a snickerdoodle person. Cinnamon, sugar, a little spicy, a little sweet.”

Was Kieran flirting back? Was that possible? Was that even a thing?

It looked like it, though. He was smiling, his eyes sparkling, his cheeks pink.

So he was either flirting or he had a fever…

Lachlan was going hopeful.

“Spicy can be good. So can sweet.” That was so utterly trite and silly. But it had been years since he’d even tried to engage someone.

And Kieran was far more important to him than any of those dragons had been. This whole thing was important to him. Necessary.

Kieran was his mate. Lachlan knew it in his magical soul.

Do you know it?Kieran watched him, eyes searching his.

I do

My former — he really hurt me more than just physically.

Lachlan knew, and it burned him to the core, that someone had dared hurt his Kieran. “That’s not mating. It’s having an affair, a romance that was messed up, and if you and I never touch, never kiss once, you’ll still be my mate.”

Kieran’s lips twisted in a grin. “I think a lifetime where I don’t get to kiss you sounds awful.”

Oh. Oh! That was more than promising. “It does.”