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Sid wasn’t used to people wanting to take care of her, so she brushed the comment aside. “Forty-eight minutes and counting.”
Sighing, Gregor closed his eyes. His body glowed a grayish color before his nose elongated into a black snout; wings sprouted from his back, and his tail extended out behind him. A few seconds later, a tall, black dragon stood in front of her.
Sid admired the sturdy and powerful form of Gregor’s dragon. He may be a doctor, but the muscles of his back and chest spoke of hours practicing in the air.
Letting out the breath she’d been holding, Sid approached the beast. While it was cloudy, the black hide glinted slightly in the faint light. Much like how her brother’s golden hide had during the day at the cliffs.
No. She wouldn’t let her past paralyze her. Taking a deep breath, she closed the distance between them and placed a hand on the black dragon’s chest. At the contact, the beast rumbled. Looking up into gray eyes the same color as Gregor’s, she let out a breath and said, “You’re a handsome beast.”
Gregor’s dragon gave a low roar before lowering his head to bump his snout against Sid’s cheek. At the contact, her dragon turned around inside her mind and tilted her head. Sid was tempted to ask her beast a question but held back. She didn’t want to break the spell.
Keeping her hand on the black dragon’s hide, Sid slowly made her way to one side and studied his wing. Memories of beating her own wings before diving to the ground filled her mind. The rush of the wind combined with the thrill of pulling up at the last moment was one she’d long suppressed. Would she ever experience it again?
Before she could brush it aside like most of her hopes, her dragon took another step forward.
Unsure of how her dragon would respond, Sid asked, Do you miss it too?
For a second, her beast stood still. Then she growled and turned her back again. I will fly again without you.
The anger in her dragon’s voice cut straight to Sid’s heart.
Rather than let it ruin her precious time with Gregor, Sid continued her walk around Gregor’s dragon until she was once again in front of him. “Hello, dragon. You’re a fine beast.”
The dragon stood a little taller before lowering his head and offering his ear. Smiling, Sid scratched behind it and said, “Maybe next time I can bring some oil to ease the dryness behind your ears. If you’re not careful, you’ll have the equivalent of dragon dandruff.”
The black dragon grunted and lightly bumped her chest. She added, “If you want someone to merely compliment you on how magnificent you are, then you clearly haven’t been paying attention, dragon.” The beast grunted again and she chuckled. “But it has a positive side. When I say something, it’s the truth. And you are one of the finest dragons I’ve seen in a long while, especially considering you’re just a doctor.”
Irritation flashed in the dragon’s eyes, and Sid couldn’t resist teasing some more. “Maybe we can hold some contests amongst the dragon-shifter doctors, if we succeed in bringing them together. Then you can see who’s the strongest.”
The dragon backed up a few feet before his body glowed faintly and began to shrink. A few seconds later, Gregor’s human self stood in the clearing.
He rushed her and pulled her close. “I think you want to make my life difficult on purpose, don’t you? He won’t stop pestering me to become stronger now.”
She tilted her head. “It just gives me the excuse to watch your dragon more often.”
His expression softened. “You’re okay with it, then, love? For a second, I was afraid you’d bolt.”
She shook her head. “It was just a memory, but it faded. I loved studying your dragon form. However, what’s more important is that my dragon took notice of yours.”
He cupped her cheek. “I guess from your expression it didn’t end with an embrace and rejoicing.”
“No, but I didn’t expect her to love me overnight.”
“We’ll bring her round, I promise.”
“That’s a pretty tall order.”
He kissed her. “Nothing is too much for my mate.” He kissed her again. “I would ask you to mate me now, but I know you’ll make up some bullshit about protecting my feelings. So, I’m not going to ask you until your dragon cooperates. Once she does, prepare yourself for a grand surprise.”
Sid wanted nothing more than to mate the clever, determined, and teasing man in front of her. And yet, she couldn’t until she knew Gregor wouldn’t have to experience losing his mate yet again. “You know me too well already.”
He traced her cheek. “I’m a doctor. Reading people is part of my job requirement.” He nuzzled her cheek. “And since I’m your doctor, my next order is to find you some food before you step foot back into the surgery. Even if I have to strap you to a chair and force feed you, I’ll do it.” He moved a hand to her lower abdomen. “You can’t neglect your most important patient.”
Laying her head on Gregor’s chest, she murmured, “It still hasn’t completely sunk in, you know. About the baby. Once in a while I’ll remember, but then I get busy and forget. It makes me wonder if I’ll be a good mother or will I always forget about him or her as the hours tick by at the surgery.”
Gregor rubbed up and down her back. “Right now, the bairn is a tiny speck. However, once he or she starts kicking and making a fuss, it will become real to you. That’s also when I’m going to be more protective because I refuse to lose either of you.”
She looked up at the certainty in his voice. “The risk of a dragon-shifter dying in childbirth is small, Gregor.” He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “However, I promise now that if I need bed rest—as dictated by a second opinion so as to prevent you from just being protective—I’ll do it. But we have many more months until then. For now, I can handle you cooking or buying food for me. It’s almost like I have a servant.”
