Page 29 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

B ryant soared over the wing, letting Lars watch it through his eyes. Bless his heart, he was starting to really chafe at having to drive, or be driven, everywhere. He was used to just popping into the air within the wing.

But while pregnant dragons had probably flown for centuries, since humans had developed long-range guns, they’d all had to start being more cautious. Even in their own boundaries.

So Lars was grounded.,

Love. It’s so pretty out there tonight.

It is. When I get home, we’ll sit out on the patio. He had one more quick pass to make, and then he would spend good time with his mate.

Go on, Bryant.

The voice startled him damn near out of the sky.

Jason? I thought you were retired.

I am, but I felt like a pass for old times. Go home. I’ll finish.

Thank you, my friend. On my way home, baby.

Wow. That’s so sweet!

I’ll return the favor when his grandkids come back to town and do some work for him so he can see them .

He spiraled down to land at their house, seeing Arthur peer through the window to make sure it was him. He grinned. Arthur was a good Keeper, and he felt awful for having been so mean about it. Oh, he still had his moments, but Alban and Arthur proved themselves daily.

They weren’t dragon killers.

Arthur handed him his robe as he walked in the door. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you. How is Lars?”

Arthur handed him a basket filled with goodies—sweets, pastries, sandwiches, and there was Thermos of what he would bet was hot tea. “All the way at the top of the tower. I think he misses flying.”

“Yep.” Bryant nodded. “He does. He is quick to fly.”

Arthur winked at him. “Soon. But you two enjoy. I’ll close up down here.”

He nodded to Arthur, took the basket with a smile. “Thank you. Of course.”

He wended his way all the way up to the fourth floor to the round, fascinating little tower that was filled with the most fantastical things: little toys and books, huge cushions, and fairy lights making it glow.

It was like a fantasy room with the main focus the huge window that looked out over the entire wing.

Lars was curled up on one of the big violet cushions wrapped in a blanket, staring out the window, almost smiling. Almost. “You’re home. I would have come down, but I’m so comfortable.”

He held out the basket. “I have snacks.”

“Oh, picnic!” Lars’s eyes lit up. “How did you know I love a picnic?” His mate sat up and cleared off a little low table that shone in the low light. “We can spread it out. I’ll share my blanket with you.”

He went more than willingly, pulling Lars into his lap. Ohh, you’re still chilly. It won’t last long. No, you are my fire-breathing dragon.

Lars cuddled into him, tugging out all of the food from the basket and arranging it on the table.

There were croissants and cookies. Little fruit tarts.

Mini cheesecake bites. Chocolate-covered strawberries.

And a half dozen different little finger sandwiches.

“It’s perfect. And there’s tea! Thank you, love. ”

“Arthur did it, but I carried it all without spilling?—”

Lars lifted his face for a kiss, and Bryant gave it willingly.

“I’m glad that we got to hang out. Jason spelled me so that I could come home.”

Lars nodded. “He feels sorry for me because I’m stuck inside.”

Stuck. He snorted. “You could go to Logan’s. You could go to Lachlan’s, Bea’s, Samuel’s.”

“I want to be home with you.” Lars chuckled softly. “But I want to fly. It’s so hard. I keep thinking if I just try it…just go really fast.”

“I know. I do. It’s not you I worry about; you know that, right? It’s the world we live in now.”

“I get it.” Lars kissed his nose. “I’m okay.”

“I’m sorry, love.” He really was. In this case, it wasn’t just him being a dick.

“I keep thinking that this is the last day like today that we’ll have before the baby comes. This is the last holiday. This is the last this and then next time there’ll be a baby. It’s wild. I don’t know if it’s weird or not.”

He chuckled at his lover. “You worry too much. You’re gonna be the most amazing father. It’s gonna make you so happy, I think.”

Lars loved children, spent tons of time with them. “I think so too. That it’s going to make me happy. I’m looking forward to being a dad.” Lars popped a strawberry in his mouth and hummed, licking his lips clean from the juice. “What about you? What are you looking forward to most about the baby?”

How many answers were there to that question? “Mainly, I just want to meet him. I want to know him. I want to know what his magic is like. I want to see his scales. I want to watch him grow up and become an amazing dragon being.”

He wanted to teach him about, not just reading and math and facts, but all the different things. He wanted to teach him everything.

Well, maybe not everything.

Not the bad things.

Only the good things.

The bad things life would teach her all on its own, but he would teach her how to handle those bad things.

“Do you think she’ll be friends with the other kids like Grant and the new babies, the new twins?” Lars asked.

“Oh, I’m sure she will. They’re going to be cousins and best friends, and they’re going to have fights and parties and tons of laughter.”

Lars nodded, then fed him a bite of cucumber sandwich, so dainty and fresh. “I’ll be curious to know who comes to be with Lachlan.”

Bryant tilted his head, fascinated by how Lars’s mind worked. “Do you think there’ll be someone from inside the wing?”

“I have no idea, but I do believe that someone’s coming through for him. He’s got Alban now. He’s got a home. He’s healing, he’s happy, I think… I think he will have a mate, and some babies are coming. I think they have to be.”

Only if Lachlan wanted it, though. “Well, if he’s happy without it, then he is, absolutely?—”

“Agreed. Absolutely. If he’s happy, I’m happy.” Lars glanced at him. “You know that he’s not totally content, though, right? He likes being an uncle, but he wants children.”

“Yeah.” Bryant knew that, because Lachlan had believed for so long that he was never going to recover, and that he’d lost his chance at that.

But now? Now he was back to life, having faith that this wing would support him, no matter what he looked like.

“Well, I want that for him too. You make me so happy. I want him to find his mate.”

“Me too.” Lars fed him a strawberry, fingers lingering on his lips.

“Mmmm.” He loved that, how free Lars had become with his touches, with his loving. And an impromptu picnic was just the thing. Lars was smiling again now, his body language much more relaxed and engaged.

Bryant was going to have to remember to just spend as much time with Lars as he could. And get Lars’s friends to come over. They’d all gotten busy with their own babies, he knew, but dammit, Lars had been there for them.

“Don’t get grumpy at the guys,” Lars said. “They’re not being mean.”

“No, but they could stand to be a wee bit nicer, too.” He still had a little beef with Dakota and Samuel over how they’d acted when he first re-arrived, and he struggled with letting it go.

He would. Bryant liked them both a lot, and they were good friends to Lars.

But he thought Lars needed them right now.

“They’re texting all the time.”

“Well, we should invite them over.” He winked, then popped a mini cheesecake into Lars’s mouth.

“Oh…” Lars’s eyes crossed. “Those are good. I mean, the sammies are yummy, but those are great.”

“I’ll leave those for you, then.” Bryant had a wee croissant. Flaky and delicious. Arthur was really a marvel at baking, and what he didn’t do, savory wise, Alban did. And he sent it over in trade.

They ate so damn well.

“We’ll have everyone over in a week or so. I’ve been letting Arthur really settle in before we inundate him with kids and alphas and such.”

“Sure, baby.” He simply leaned against Lars, holding his mate, offering strength and comfort. And love. So much love.

“I can feel it along our bond, Bryant.” Lars gave him a soft, happy smile. “I know we’ve had some ups and downs, but I think we’re really cooking with gas now, huh?”

“We are.” He really believed that. Bryant knew he was hard to live with. Lachlan had told him that all the time before the incident. He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it. And generally, he got it.

Lars was pretty damn stubborn, though. And they were going to butt heads.

But they were really working together to make things happen, and to overcome Bryant’s worries and Lars’s having to come out as an omega…

Yeah. He was happy as hell.

And had tiny sandwiches.