Page 19 of Courted By the Grumpy Dragon (Monsters of Saltford Bay #2)

Epilogue

Nina

Endowment paperwork multiplies overnight.

It's the only logical explanation for the stacks of documents crowding my desk, threatening to topple with each exhale.

I dip my head to sign yet another form authorizing funds for roof repairs, blinking away the fatigue that comes from staring at budget columns since lunch.

Worth it, though. Every signature, every calculation, every muscle cramp from hunching over this desk means the library will survive. More than survive—thrive.

I glance at the antique clock on the wall. Four-thirty already? I shuffle papers into some semblance of order, sorting "urgent" from "can wait until tomorrow." The endowment trustees want my five-year plan by next week, and I've barely outlined year one.

My phone buzzes with a text from Kraxon.

*Be there in fifteen minutes. Wear something warm.*

Warmth spreads through my chest. Two and a half weeks since the hearing, and I still get butterflies when I see his name on my phone screen.

Ridiculous, considering I've woken up wrapped in his wings almost every morning since. Well…more than just wrapped in his arms. Sex with him is still mind-bending, no matter how many times we go at each other. You’d think I live in a romance novel and not real life…

But as I read his text, there it is, that little flutter, that tightening in my stomach. And it makes me stupidly happy.

What's he planning? He's been mysteriously vague about tonight, only mentioning we'd be going somewhere special. From anyone else, this level of secrecy would be annoying. From Kraxon, it's endearing. The dragon who plans everything down to the minute has been actually spontaneous lately.

I tidy my desk, gathering scattered pens and paper clips. My gaze falls on the thank-you card propped against my lamp, its elegant pixie-dust speckled cardstock catching the afternoon light. Trina's handwriting flows across the page in delicate swirls.

Thank you for everything. The marketing position at Pepperstarke & Griswood is perfect, and my mother is recovering even better now that I can be at home more often. A big plus is that no one threatens to fire me when I speak up! Eternally grateful, Trina .

That's another thing to love about Kraxon. He keeps his promises, even the small ones made in moments of crisis. As soon as the dust settled after the hearing, he worked the phones to find Trina a new position in the city, closer to her mother and with better pay. He didn’t stop until he filled her schedule with interviews, and even then, he kept in touch to make sure she was happy with her new job.

If I wasn’t already over my head in love with him, it would make me fall for him even harder.

Through my office window, I can see into the main part of the library.

Halloween's grinning pumpkins and paper bats have given way to construction paper turkeys and cornucopia displays.

Theo stands on a ladder, hanging gold and orange paper chains from the ceiling beams while Mrs. Stonemason directs him with military precision from below.

"Two inches higher on the left side," she calls, arms crossed. "We're not savages, Theodore."

I can't help smiling. This is what we fought for. This normal, beautiful chaos. This community.

I grab my coat from the hook behind the door, swapping sensible work flats for my winter boots, then pull my hat over my head and my mittens on my hands.

November in New England can be chilly, and today is no exception.

A little thrill travels up my spine at the thought that he’s going to take me flying.

I’ve loved flying since the first time he wrapped me in his arms and took to the sky with me.

When I emerge from my office, Theo wobbles on the ladder, nearly dropping his end of the paper chain.

"Hot date with a dragon?" he asks with a grin .

"Maybe." I try for mysterious but can't keep the smile from my face. "Don't burn the place down while I'm gone."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He secures the paper chain with a push pin. "Mrs. S would resurrect me just to kill me again."

Mrs. Stonemason huffs but doesn't deny it. She eyes my outfit with approval.

"Mr. Ashbane called earlier about tomorrow's board meeting. Said he'd be bringing proposals for the digital archive funding." She straightens a pile of books with a satisfied little huff. "That man understands the value of proper cataloging. A rare quality in someone so..."

"Scaly?" Theo suggests.

"I was going to say 'young,'" she says primly, but there's a hint of a smile on her face.

The library doors swing open, and Kraxon walks in.

My breath catches like it always does at the sight of him.

Today he's wearing jeans and a charcoal sweater instead of his usual suit, the casual clothing only emphasizing the powerful lines of his body.

His golden scales catch the afternoon light streaming through the windows, creating tiny flashes each time he moves.

"Nina." He says my name like it's something precious, something rare. His golden eyes warm as they find mine across the room.

"You're early," I say, walking towards him.

"Traffic was light." His lips curl in a half-smile at his own joke. There's no such thing as traffic when you’re flying.

When I reach him, he bends to kiss me softly, his scales warm against my skin. The faint scent of cinnamon rises between us, making my head spin slightly. That reaction hasn't faded with time. If anything, it's grown stronger.

"Ready for an adventure?" he asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear.

"That depends. Are we flying again?"

His wings shift behind his back, spreading halfway open. "If you're amenable."

"I'm amenable," I mimic his formal phrasing with a grin. "Very amenable."

We say our goodbyes, and I find myself noticing how Theo fist-bumps Kraxon, how Mrs. Stonemason asks about his brother's wife's sprained ankle, how natural his presence has become in this space that once felt exclusively mine. He belongs here now, among my books and my people.

Outside, the November afternoon is already dimming toward evening, the air crisp with the promise of the winter to come.

Main Street bustles with its usual after-school activity, parents herding children home, teenagers loitering outside the ice cream parlor despite the cold, shopkeepers beginning to turn on their lights against the gathering dusk.

"Mr. Ashbane! Ms. Farrington!" Mr. Wilson calls from across the street, waving enthusiastically. "Don't forget the town council meeting next Tuesday. We'll be discussing the winter festival budget."

Kraxon raises a hand in acknowledgment. "Wouldn't miss it."

As we walk, more greetings come our way. The owner of the hardware store. A group of mothers from the library's toddler story hour. Two firefighters clearing leaves from a storm drain .

He leads me behind the library to the small park that backs up to the building. At this hour, it's deserted, the swings moving gently in the breeze.

"Where are we going?" I ask as he guides me toward the line of trees at the park's edge.

"You'll see." His wings twitch and then deploy fully, stretching to their impressive span before settling into position.

"Ready?" He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest.

I nod, suddenly breathless with anticipation. Flying with Kraxon never gets old.

With a powerful surge, we're airborne, the ground falling away beneath us. My stomach drops with the initial acceleration, then steadies as we climb higher. Kraxon's arms hold me securely against him, his body radiating heat that protects me from the cold air rushing past.

The town spreads out below us like a miniature model. I can see the library, the town square with its gazebo, the neat grid of residential streets, and beyond them, the bay glittering in the late afternoon sun.

"You're going somewhere specific," I observe as Kraxon banks toward the north rather than circling above the town as we usually do.

"Perhaps." His voice rumbles against my back, vibrating through my ribs.

We soar over dense forest, the trees a patchwork quilt of evergreen, gold, and russet. The landscape rises steadily toward the ridge that forms Saltford Bay's natural harbor. I've hiked parts of it before, but some areas are nearly inaccessible by foot, too steep or too densely wooded .

Kraxon begins to descend toward a natural clearing atop a bluff. I recognize the general area as one of the highest points overlooking the bay, offering views that stretch for miles on clear days. But I've never been to this exact spot.

His wings create powerful down-draughts as we land, stirring the fallen leaves into mini-whirlwinds around our feet. He sets me down gently before folding his wings, though they remain partially deployed, quivering slightly in the strong breeze from the ocean.

I step toward the edge of the bluff, stunned by the panorama before me.

The bay stretches wide and blue below, whitecaps visible on its surface where the wind ruffles the water.

The town looks like a collection of toys from this height, its buildings nestled against the curve of the harbor.

In the distance, the lighthouse stands sentinel on its rocky outcropping.

The late afternoon sun casts everything in golden light, turning the water to molten metal.

"This is incredible," I breathe, turning in a slow circle to take it all in.

Kraxon comes to stand behind me, his hands settling on my shoulders. The warmth of his palms seeps through my coat. I lean back against his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken.

"Worth the flight?" he asks, his breath stirring my hair.

"Absolutely. I've never seen the bay from this angle before." A small fishing boat cuts through the water below, leaving a white wake. "How did you find this place?"

"I fly most mornings while you're still sleeping. I've been exploring the area." His wings shift behind him, creating a partial shield against the strengthening breeze. "Do you like it? "

Something in his tone makes me turn to look at him. His golden eyes are intent on my face, watching my reaction with unusual intensity.

"I love it. It might be the most beautiful spot I've ever seen." The wind picks up, blowing my hair across my face. Kraxon reaches up to tuck the strands behind my ear, his touch lingering.

"I bought it," he says simply.

My brain takes a moment to process his words.

"You... bought what?"

"This land. Twenty acres, including this bluff and the surrounding forest."

I stare at him, my mind racing to catch up. "You bought land here? In Saltford Bay?"

He nods, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. "I'm planning to build a house. Here, on this spot."

My heart pounds against my ribs so hard I'm sure he can hear it.

"You're moving to Saltford Bay? Permanently?"

"Yes." His wings shift restlessly behind him. "I've been transitioning more responsibilities to my partners. I'll still need to travel to the city occasionally, but I want to make this my home."

I stand very still, afraid to hope too much, afraid to assume. Kraxon takes my hands in his. His scales are warm against my skin despite the cool air.

"This might be an unconventional way to ask you to move in with me," he says, his voice dropping to that low register that makes my stomach flip. "To build a life together. But dragons aren't known for conventional approaches."

He takes a breath, his golden eyes never leaving mine .

"I've told you before that dragons mate for life. You, Nina, are my Heart’s Fire. My everything. Whatever home I build here will be meaningless without you in it."

Tears spring to my eyes, blurring the golden face before me. I blink them away, wanting to see him clearly for this moment.

"You want us to live here together?"

"I want to build a house for us, right here," he says gently. "If you want that, too."

I look from Kraxon to the breathtaking view and back again. By any rational standard, this is moving too fast. We've known each other less than two months. We come from different worlds. I should be terrified by the speed, the commitment, the permanence of what he's offering.

Instead, I feel only certainty as I step closer to him, sliding my hands up his chest to link behind his neck.

"Yes," I say simply. "It is a strange way of asking me to move in with you." I smile through my tears. "But my answer is yes."

Kraxon's wings deploy fully, curving forward to encircle me as he pulls me into a kiss that tastes of promise and forever. His scales heat beneath my touch, and the scent of cinnamon wraps around us both.

"I love you," he murmurs against my lips. "My Heart's Fire."

"I love you, too." The words feel inadequate for the emotion swelling in my chest.

We stay on the ridge until the sun begins its final descent toward the horizon, arms wrapped around each other, planning our future home. Where my books will go. How many bedrooms we'll need. The large windows that will frame this view. Where our little breakfast nook will be .

As darkness falls and the first stars appear, Kraxon takes me back to the carriage house he’s still occupying at his brother’s house.

I'm at peace. I'm happy.

And I'm flying in the arms of my dragon mate. What more can a small-town librarian wish for?

THE END

Did you love the story of Nina and Kraxon? Then hop on to Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf for another round of sweet, cozy and steamy monster romance set in the small town of Saltford Bay.