Page 23 of The Baby Dragon Bakery (The Baby Dragon #2)

“Really?” She moved her hand down to his arm as a joke, but wow, his bicep really was solid. Again, she thought of their kiss, the feel of his body pressing hers against the grass.

Probably not the best thing to think about as she was latched onto his back with his hands under her legs. Desire lit through her as quickly as a match catching flame. Her mouth went dry. She focused her attention up to the sky, trying to think of chaste things.

They made it back to the car, and he let her down. Luckily, by then, she’d calmed down a bit, so she could look him in the eyes without combusting. She hopped off his back, and he turned to give her a mock bow. “My lady.”

She did a mock-curtsy in response. “Why thank you, noble steed.”

He drove them home, but the fall day was not done, and she didn’t need to invite him in for him to know. He parked and then followed her inside, just as her parents were by the door with Alfie.

“Perfect timing,” Garrett said, lifting Alfie’s football bag onto his shoulder. “We’re heading out for Alfie’s match— Biter is your responsibility until we’re home.” Lavina nodded, kicking off her shoes, then Garrett turned back to the house. “Alfie, Beena—come on!”

Beena appeared, already prepared in her coat and shoes, carrying a thermos of chai. Alfie was beside her, Biter in his arms. The baby dragon was asleep, her red scales matching his red uniform.

“Mama, take a picture of me and Biter,” Alfie said, whining in a way that informed Lavinia he must have made this request three times already. “We match!”

“Okay, okay, one second,” Beena said, rummaging around her purse with her free hand.

“I got it,” Lavinia said, taking her phone out. Alfie’s face brightened, and he grinned, holding Biter up. Lavinia snapped the picture.

“Give Biter to your sister,” Garrett said. “We’ve got to get a move on—we need to pick up Logan, too.” One of Alfie’s teammates.

“Oh yeah.” Alfie approached Lavinia, and she took the sleeping dragon from his arms. Beena put Alfie’s jacket on his shoulders, and he slipped it on. After quick kisses, Garrett, Beena, and Alfie headed out, leaving Theo, Lavinia, and Biter.

“I’m going to put her in the bassinet,” Lavinia said.

“I’ll grab your pumpkins,” Theo told her.

“Thanks, pumpkin,” she said. Theo snorted. Lavinia carefully placed Biter back into her bassinet, but the moment she did, Biter’s tiny face scrunched. She opened one ruby eye, then the other. “Uh oh.”

Biter growled, angry to be awake. She scratched at her face with her tiny paws, hissing.

“Okay, okay,” Lavinia coaxed, picking her up again. Biter snuggled into Lavinia’s arms, immediately latching her mouth onto one of the gold buttons of her blouse. “Uff, Biter, no!”

Lavinia grabbed one of the baby dragon’s chew toys, easing it into Biter’s mouth. She walked Biter over to the front door, where Theo was putting down her pumpkins. She had gotten two large, three medium, and seven small ones.

“Here,” Lavinia said, handing Biter over to Theo. Biter cried out in protest, until Theo cooed at her.

“Hi, angel,” Theo said, voice sweet. Lavinia’s heart melted, and his tone seemed to have the same effect on Biter. The baby dragon perked up.

Lavinia couldn’t help but watch as Theo took Biter onto one forearm, then moved his arm up and down like he was doing workout curls.

Biter held onto his forearm, tail wagging as she made a sound of glee.

When Theo stopped the movement, Biter climbed higher and bit his bicep, and honestly, Lavinia couldn’t even blame her.

Shaking her head, Lavinia focused on the pumpkins, arranging them on either side of the door and down the two steps with the pots of radiant red and yellow mums. Theo sat down on the step while she finished up, letting Biter down.

Biter quickly crawled over to the biggest pumpkin, which was double her size. She tried climbing up, but slipped down the round side. Biter hissed, trying again. She slid down once more, and Biter snarled, scratching at the pumpkin with her tiny claws, irritated.

“Alright, darling, let’s try this one,” Theo said, scooping her up with one hand and positioning her closer to a medium-sized pumpkin. Biter attempted climbing up, and she made it to the top. She bounced by the pumpkin’s stem, holding onto it with her paws, wings flapping.

Too cute! Lavinia held a hand to her heart. She looked up at Theo, who was watching and smiling as well, face fond. Then Biter began chewing the stem, aggressively gnawing at it.

“I think she might be hungry now,” Lavinia said with a laugh. She scooped Biter up and they headed inside, where Lavinia fed her with a bottle. Soon thereafter, Biter fell asleep, and Lavinia laid her down in the bassinet.

“Now I’m hungry, too,” Lavinia said, heading for the kitchen. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and pulled out a bag from the freezer. “Gnocchi?”

Theo nodded in agreement. “I’ll make dessert.”

While Lavinia threw together a brown butter sage gnocchi (one of the few things she knew how to make because it was so simple), Theo made apple crisp with apples from the farm.

They ate dinner, then had the apple crisp, which was gooey with a crumbly crust and perfect topped with salted caramel ice-cream.

The sun set over the backyard, turning all the clouds pink and gold, and then it was nightfall.

The temperature dropped, bringing a chill into the house, and they moved to the living room, huddling together on the couch, sharing a blanket.

They made popcorn and put on a movie, and as they watched, she looked over at him, thinking of all the times they had done this, year after year. So much had changed except for this—never this.

Lavinia couldn’t let anything jeopardize her and Theo’s friendship.

It was better if she forgot about their kiss entirely.