by Maia Starr
The other issue was the outfits. We did return to Vivici Bridal Gowns to have Amelia refitted (as she was starting to show) and pick out the most beautiful dress we could. It only made sense for the most beautiful bride to have the most beautiful dress.
It was white and fell off of her body like a waterfall, allowing her to drift down the aisle as though she were walking on air.
As for me, well, as a dragon, I didn’t very well want to be standing in front of everyone naked; I had to get a proper tuxedo. I expected this to be difficult, but the first men’s suit store we went to had a designer who was excited about the challenge. Granted, it took him and a team of people to get the measurements (as well as a quick run to the local hardware store as they needed a longer tape measure), but they managed to produce a suit that was both a good fit and appropriately distinguished for the occasion. I also recommended the shop, Dave’s Tuxedos, to all of our guests, whether shifter or not.
After a long discussion, we picked MetLife Stadium, where the Giants play, as our venue. I asked Amelia if this was perhaps a bit too much of a luxury. If maybe this was an example of me throwing money at a problem, but she said that, for our wedding, in this one case, she would allow it.
We held the ceremony on the field, with folding chairs on the bride’s side of the audience and mostly space for dragons to stand on the groom’s side, with a few rows of chairs in front for those who either weren’t shifters or were more comfortable in their human form.
As it turned out, all the shifters we invited welcomed the opportunity to attend in their dragon form. It’s so rare that we get an opportunity to show that side of ourselves, living in the human world, that we’re looking for any excuse to embrace it. We go through the world repressing it, but there’s nothing wrong with being a dragon, just the way that we’re sometimes perceived.
The catering was provided by the Sunshine Bakery, which Amelia returned to working at. She didn’t need the money, obviously, but it made her happy to keep working. Plus, every day she came home excited to see me because she missed me.
The staging was a bit complicated, at least for the photos. We brought in hydraulic lifts so that Amelia and I, as well as the officiator, could be face to face during the ceremony. Meanwhile, several drones flew around the stadium to take pictures and capture the memories forever.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the officiator said, “I now pronounce you man…err…dragon and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Amelia and I kissed, and she whispered that she loved me. I leaned my head down, and she crawled down my neck to my back. I jumped into the sky, with her riding on top of me, hugging my neck and screaming with joy.
I had to be careful with her. By this point, she was twenty-four weeks into the pregnancy and every time I looked at her, it reminded me how delicate she was. She hated that, but I had to be careful with her. She was the person I loved more than anybody in the world and, inside her, she was growing someone I knew I was going to love just as much. And I couldn’t wait to meet her.
So when she asked to have some free-fall fun, I had to shake my head no. For one thing, I’d lose the tux. For another, skydiving is not recommended for expectant mothers. And I’m sure sex while skydiving is even more of a no-no, though I didn’t specifically ask her OBGYN about it. I probably should have.
We landed, and Amelia circled through the crowd as our guests offered her gifts, which we insisted were entirely optional, but that we promised to either donate or make an equivalent monetary donation to a local non-profit offering support for the San Francisco homeless population.
While she was handling that, Ryan gestured to me that he wanted to talk. We flew up in the sky and he led me to a private place where we could shift into our human forms and talk for a few minutes.
“This better be important,” I said. “Do you know how difficult it’s going to be to get this suit back on?”
I was standing in the tuxedo, which wrapped around me like a parachute.
“I just wanted to congratulate you,” he said, himself also wrapped in a very loose-fitting suit.
“That couldn’t wait?”
“And,” he said, “also let you know that everything’s in place. You’re all set to receive the inheritance and take-over the clan decision making. As soon as your baby’s born, we can start the transfer from the trust.”
I nodded. “Ryan, what if I don’t want to handle the decision making?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can I put someone else in charge? Somebody I trust and pay them to make the decisions for me?”
“It would need to be unanimously supported by the board of directors.”
“Sure,” I said. “It would need to be someone dependable, who I trusted to have a thorough understanding of business and business law.”
Ryan nodded, not getting the hint.
“I’m talking about you, Ryan. Do you think you could do that? Do you think they would approve of you?”
For the first time since I’d known him, I saw a genuine smile flash across his face as he began to blush.
“Mr. Carter,” he said. “You would trust me with this?”
“We’ve had our disagreements,” I said, “but throughout it all, I always believed that you had the Carter clan’s best interests at heart. Tell me what I need to sign and how much you think you deserve in terms of salary and I’ll be happy to nominate you.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said. “Thank you.”
Amelia and I danced in the sky around the stadium, and I paid careful attention so as not to let her fall. She leaned her head against my neck, and I could hear her whisper to me, “I can’t wait to get home and get you out of that gorgeous suit.”
I wished I could respond. I wished I could tell her that she’d made me the happiest dragon in the world and I couldn’t believe so much had happened so fast, that she had changed my life for the better and, by allowing me to be my dragon, also allowed me to show my vulnerabilities and become more human.
She taught me that money wasn’t everything and that going through life using it to get what I want wasn’t as rewarding as genuine connections with other people. The people that mattered would love me with or without my money and I truly believed that if I went bankrupt the next day, Amelia would still want to be married to me. She loved me for me and the way I made her feel. And the fact that I could take her places no ordinary man could.
She was now Mrs. Carter. For real this time, not just as a result of some thrown together City Hall marriage so that we could technically be married on paper. We belonged to each other. And there was nobody else I’d rather have my heart than her.
Epilogue
Amelia
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. And now that I had a family of my own to celebrate with me, I loved it even more. We went all out, which is the only way that Glenn knows how to do anything. We got a huge tree and decorated it together while little Bella stayed in her playpen and watched, awestruck with a teething ring in her mouth.
We both loved her more than anything. I never knew true love until I’d met Glenn and, once Bella was born, I loved him even more. I used to think, maybe not explicitly, that love was something that you only had so much of, but that’s not true. Love only creates more love, and loving Glenn let me have more love for Bella and the love I had for Bella gave me more love to feel towards Glenn.
I was overpouring with love, and it was almost frustrating because I constantly wanted to show it to everyone. I never wanted to stop kissing Glenn, but I also wanted to kiss Bella, and it’s difficult to kiss both of them at the same time, especially since they’re different kinds of kisses because they’re different kinds of love.
What could I possibly get for the man who can buy anything? Well, I baked him a special cake that I worked very hard on. It was a coconut cream cake. I worried that it was too sweet, but he practically ate it all himself. I had to fight him to get even a couple of bites. He
reluctantly gave in and let me, which I suppose is true love.
It always bothered me that it doesn’t really snow in San Francisco, but it was still very cold. We made hot chocolate and sat around the fireplace in our pajamas. He offered to light it himself in his dragon form, but we have a strict “no dragons in the apartment” policy. Maybe we should buy a house out away from the city, I thought. If we ever wanted to go back, I could just hop on Glenn’s back and he could fly us there in no time.
But it seemed so frivolous to buy a house when we already had a perfectly good apartment in a wonderful location with a beautiful view. And it had a bedroom for Glenn and me, as well as one for little Bella, so we didn’t need any more space.
Glenn spent his day working with kids, showing up at the nearby park as a dragon and taking them for a ride. He especially liked working with the underprivileged kids in the poorer neighborhoods because they had such strong spirits. And we made sure to donate lots of money to their schools so they could get the best possible education.
Meanwhile, I kept working at the Sunshine Bakery, making the best vegan pastries in the whole city. I kept a low profile there, never hinting to the customers whom I was married to, but word got around, and Glenn became our official mascot. Come check us out if you’re ever in the area; the lines can be pretty long, so try and arrive early in the day. Either way, I promise it’s worth the wait.
“Time for presents!” Glenn said. He’d finished his hot chocolate and put the mug on our dining room table. He lifted Bella up and brought her over to the tree, where he handed her one of the gifts.
She looked at it, confused but interested.
“Go on,” I said. She looked at me. “Open it.”
She giggled but was still too young to understand. I helped her out by ripping a small piece of the wrapping paper on the surface. She looked at it quizzically, then took the piece that was ripped and pulled more of it until there was a mostly revealed white box left over.
I helped her with the lid, and, inside, there was a small stuffed dragon toy with googly eyes. I showed it to her, and she clapped her hands. Then I squeezed the belly, and a plush flame popped out of the dragon’s mouth like a party horn.
This was a mistake.
Her eyes turned a yellow shade of green and scales began popping up around her skin, seemingly at random.
“Glenn…” I said.
“I’ve got her.”
That was the rule. I handled diapers; he handled temper tantrums.
He picked her up and held her tight, then held her above his head. He dropped her just a little bit then caught her, which she loved. The scales went away, and her eyes returned to their light blue color, and she laughed again.
“She’ll get used to it,” Glenn said. “I’m sure she loves it.”
There were other presents, too. Glenn bought me a very pretty necklace, and I refused to ask how much it cost. All I know is it looked great on me, even over the pajama top. Bella got more toys, but I kept them away from her so as to avoid more over-stimulation.
I thought we were all done with the presents when Glenn said to me, “Now, there’s one more thing, but I couldn’t figure out how to wrap it.”
“No, really, Glenn, it’s all too much. I don’t need anything other than you and Bella to be happy. This is already a dream come true.”
He smiled. “I can’t really return it.”
I sighed. “Last one, though?”
“Last one.”
“Okay, go get it.”
“You already have it,” he said.
“Huh?”
He looked at me, then down at my stomach.
“No,” I said.
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Another one?”
He made a face I couldn’t quite read, then put up two fingers.
“Two?”
“Two.”
I leaned forward and gave him a big hug and a long kiss.
We were going to need to get that house outside of the city, after all.
Want to read more hot sizzling shifter reads? Then check out “Dragon Surrgoate MatchMate” in another popular series of mine! Enjoy! PS..this is the first book of the series!
Other Sizzling Shifter Books
Cowboy Bear’s Secret Baby (Book 1: Billionaire Bear Rancher Brothers)
I thought I was done with shifters, with men, and with broken relationships. Apparently not. If my memory serves me right, then his temper will decide the fate of my future. Will I lose my baby? Will I lose my job? Maybe even my life?
Cowboy Bear’s Fake Marriage (Book 2: Billionaire Bear Rancher Brothers)
My business has always been my life.
Everything else is secondary.
Including love. But am I ready to go from playing fake husband to playing the role of a dad?
Cowboy Bear Boss (Book 3: Billionaire Bear Rancher Brothers)
WANTED:
A head cowgirl who can help an alpha bear run his billion-dollar Ursa ranch.
Must be feisty, able, and gorgeous.
Dragon’s Surrogate MatchMate ( Book 1: Drgaon’s MatchMate Agency)
As a powerful dragon shifter, I had everything I wanted.
Everything except for the one thing that mattered most.
A baby.
Dragon’s Nanny MatchMate (Book 2: Dragon’s MatchMate Agency)
My human nanny has no idea who I really am.
A powerful dragon shifter.
She also doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.
Her Three Dragon MatchMates (Book 3: Dragon MatchMate Agency)
My violent bear shifter ex-boyfriend is out to kill me.
I need three able hands to fight him off.
Three dragon shifters from the Protector Hearts Security Service.
Dragon Daddy’s MatchMate (Book 4: Dragon MatchMate Agency)
I didn’t want to keep this secret from him.
I was forced to.
Arthur left me just months after we got together.
He said he wasn’t ready to give me his heart.
But he did give me something that became my life.
My son.
Dragon’s Omega MatchMate (Book 5: Dragon MatchMate Agency)
Catarina is the omega of my clan. A clan where I brought her.
Helping her escape the Omega Hearts Agency came with consequences.
I’ve fallen for her, but I can’t act on it.
She’s forbidden… and tempting.
And what’s worse?
She has a terrible secret that’s a risk to her life.
My obsession with Catarina has no conditions.
Dragons And Faes (Mated To A Fae): The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
She’s my fated mate and I’m about to capture her.
I don’t have a choice.
She’s a human and dragon hybrid.
A threat to my existence.
A threat to my world.
Special Ops Dragons: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
This Special Ops Shifter collection contains four books that burn with sexy dragons, and their obsession to save and protect their mates. Chiseled abs, fake marriages, and hot single dads will keep you awake at night… and have you burning for more!
Dragon Shifter Island: The Complete Series(Books1-4)
An island full of sexy dragon beasts, that will do whatever it takes to protect and claim their mates!
Wolves Of Silverwood Island: The Complete Series(Books1-4)
Hot shifters who will go insane without mates. Women on the run from dangerous past relationships. Can these shifters protect and claim these women as their new mates, or fail to protect them against the monsters hunting them?
Alpha Shifters Of Salem: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Dreamy alpha shifters are roaming around the town of Salem ready to claim and protect their mates. Expect to find hot single daddies, innocent nanny’s, secret babies, unexpected pregnancy’s and much more sizzling a
ction primed to keep your pages turning all hours of the night.
Bear Lake Protectors: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Welcome to Bear Lake. Full of dreamy bear shifting alpha bad boys who will do whatever it takes to protect and claim their mates by any means necessary. Get all this hot sizzling action in the full and complete Bear Lake Protector series!
Other Books By Maia Starr
If you enjoy my books then you are in for a treat! See below for a list of boxsets or some standalones on my more recent work. All FREE on KU !:) Enjoy !
Sci Fi Alien/Weredragon Romance
Protected By The Aliens: The Complete Series(Books 1-2)
Warriors Of Ition: The Complete Series(Books 1-4)
Aliens Of Xeion: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Weredragons Of Tivuso: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Zenkian Warriors The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Dragons Of Kelon: The Complete Series (Books 1-6)
Dragons Of Udora: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
Aliens Of Jenalk: The Complete Series (Books 1-4)
About the Author
