Page 49 of The Platinum Dragon's Courageous Mate

“Ah! Ah ah ah!” Micah was so proud of himself, and of his bite of pancake.

He did have a sweet tooth.

Lachlan fed them both nibbles, then polished off a huge plate of his own. Then they started all over again with a new plate.

By the time they were done, everyone was full and lazy, the television playing cartoons, the three of them lounging together in bed.

They needed to change the sheets, but Lachlan had pulled out a clean blanket, so no one cared. It was time for family togetherness. Lachlan wheeled the cart outside the door as if they were in a fancy hotel, making him laugh.

He studied Lachlan carefully, noting his color was much better, his smile back to full wattage.

Food was a marvelous thing.

“You are a wondrous dragon.” He leaned into Lachlan, humming softly. “I’m so happy, and I never thought I could be.”

“I never thought I would be, either. So now we just have each other to watch over.”

“And the wing,” he pointed out. They were a guardian family.

“Obviously.” Lachlan chuckled softly. “I am the platinum guardian. I can’t imagine not protecting my home, my family.”

“Exactly. And now you have a partner to help deal with logistics.” He winked. He would be a helpmate for his dragon. And Alban was a wonder.

“I love you.” Lachlan took a soft kiss, and Micah squealed again.

“Luff!”

“Oh that’s my good boy! Listen to you.” He couldn’t be more thrilled with the way Micah had just vocalized. It was such a fabulous thing that his advancement was finally catching up.

He’s amazing.Lachlan bent to nuzzle Micah on top of his head and he was happily ensconced between the two of them on the bed, just really living it up. But he could still tangle his feet with Lachlan’s because they were both so much bigger than Micah, of course.

They watched cartoons some more and dozed. Finally, Alban came to collect Micah, so he and Lachlan could take a shower and then actually come downstairs for lupper. He felt a little heavy and a lot stretched in various places, but really Kieran felt good.

Lachlan had an arm around him and kept nuzzling his hair and touching him every time they parted for any reason. It was like they had a magnet that kept pulling them back together.

Alban beamed at them. “I love this for me as much as I do for you.”

Kieran glanced curiously at Alban. “Oh? Why is that?”

“Because my job is already wonderful having Micah to take care of, but now there will be more than one.”

Lachlan chuckled. “If we’re lucky.”

“I think, love, that we’re lucky.” He knew it, balls to bones.

“Do you? Already?” Lachlan’s cheeks went bright pink, and his smile was so bright it blinded Kieran for a moment. “Oh, love! Micah. You’re going to be a brother. Isn’t that exciting?”

His heart almost cracked that Lachlan thought of Micah first. He couldn’t have asked for a better mate, a better partner, someone to love his son as much as he did.

“Bru!” Micah piped up, surprising him by patting his belly.

“That’s right, son. A brother.” Lachlan rubbed his nose on Micah’s belly before handing him over. “We’ll be down in two shakes. We just need a shower.”

“Baf!”

Kieran cracked up. “You know it. Papa and I need a bath.”

“Tink.”