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“No. It’s just instinct because dragons only eat meat.” I shrugged.

“So it was easier to give in to the girls’ whims than make sure they got the proper nutrients?”

Ouch! He was tough. “Yes.” Being a single father was hard, and I’d made plenty of mistakes. I wasn’t going to make excuses or deny it.

“Good to know.” River grasped the door handle. “And perfectly understandable.”

In this small, windowless room, his scent was overpowering. It took all my strength not to mark him. I moved so I was behind him and we were almost touching. The urge to stroke his shoulder and plant a kiss on his neck had me trembling and fisting my hands.

“What’s it l-like? The m-mate thing?” His voice wobbled.

“It’s irresistible, so I’m doing my best to keep my distance.”

“You’re not doing a very good job at the distance thing.” I closed my eyes as his husky voice sent heat down my spine.

“Remind me who dragged whom into the tiny room?” I was so close my breath was washing over him, and a trail of goosebumps appeared on his skin.

“That would be me.” He leaned into me and shuddered. His fingers curled against the shelf. “This small room and your scent. It’s—” He swallowed. “It’s making it hard to remember what I was going to say.”

“There’s no need to say anything.” That was a lie. I wanted him to tell me he was going to stay, that he loved me, and he’d never leave. “Not yet anyway.”

“But that’s the problem.” He tipped his head back onto my shoulder. “I don’t want to wait.”

His heavy breathing matched my own, and I placed my lips on the bare skin. He moaned, and I savored the saltiness of his skin.

“What are you doing in there?” Ivy was knocking on the door.

Damn!

“Your dad’s showing me where the snacks are.” He grabbed the door handle, but his trembling hand made it shake.

I muffled my laughter with my lips on River’s shoulder.

TWELVE

RIVER

“I can cook pancakes by myself.”

Ivy’s announcement would have produced a different reaction if I was unaware that she had a dragon.

I checked her bracelet was on. “Did Daddy teach you how to make them?”

“No. Aiden did.”

Ahhh, the invisible presence of the permanent manny.

“You can show me on the weekend, but this morning we’re running late and we only have time for cereal.”

Ivy made a face as she studied what she called the bits in the cereal—the dried fruit, the banana on top, and the cereal flakes themselves—but Wren and Poppy didn’t complain.

I hustled the girls through their morning routine but kept thinking about the end of my contract. That used to be the part I looked forward to. Now I kept shoving the thought away and burying myself in socks, shoes, homework, and bags because those things weren’t complicated.

I was about to usher the triplets upstairs to do their teeth when Sinclair’s phone rang. He’d left it on the kitchen counter when he strode into the pantry which was a little odd because he’d closed the door and hadn’t reappeared.

I glanced at the device vibrating its way over the marble countertop. The name Meara appeared on the display. My heart did a triple flip, and I placed a hand on my chest. I could no longer ignore that my contract was temporary, and the idea of leaving brought me to tears.

“Daddy, your phone.” Poppy grabbed it and charged into the pantry, leaving the door ajar.