Dark Dragon Daddy

by Abigail Raines

  I spun around and saw David in the doorway looking far too red in the face, considering I had only been stretching, although I suppose my top had ridden up a little.

  “I hope the work wasn’t too strenuous,” David said.

  I blurted a laugh at that and he looked mildly offended. “Oh,” I said. “I thought you were joking. I mean…” I chuckled and clapped a hand over my mouth. David’s hair was just a little dishevelled and with a frown on his face he looked like an aggravated bird of some kind. “I mean it’s scanning documents. It’s about as unstrenuous as it gets. But I really don’t mind hard work. Ya know, Miles only has me working like five hours-”

  “Five hours a day is plenty,” David said quietly. “You should take some time to rest and relax.”

  “Why?” I said, genuinely confused. He didn’t know I was pregnant. I was sure of it. He couldn’t. It was true that hearing the low rumble of David’s voice in uttering the words “rest and relax” actually turned me on a little bit. I had been hustling on the streets since I’d escaped from Darien’s. But he couldn’t understand that. Could he?

  “Because I think you need it,” David said, pushing his hair back. He blinked at me and in the low light with his dark hair loose around his shoulders and his jaw clean shaven, he suddenly looked much younger. Yet he still retained that haunted expression that spoke of some horror in his past. My heart flipped a little in my chest out of sympathy. I wondered if we had more in common than I thought.

  “Well…” I pushed my hair back, mimicking him unconsciously, and I felt my cheeks burn. “I was actually thinking of reading a bit in the garden out back. It’s such a nice spot.”

  “Please do,” David said, his eyebrows raising. “And don’t be afraid to take advantage of the kitchen. If you’d like anything.”

  I nodded my thanks and David nodded back and I felt a funny little moment of tension pass between us before he spun on his heel and dashed away. I decided to follow his advice and picked out a book from the library. I’d always like to read but the circumstances of my life had never given me much opportunity. I knew what the classics were but I had not read them, or at least not most of them. I found The Once and Future King on the shelf and that seemed entertaining. I headed up to my room at a quick pace, excited now, and threw on a sweatshirt in case it was chilly outside.

  There was a padded white iron bench beneath one of the maples next to the low wall that looked out on the street and I made myself comfortable but just as quickly became distracted by the prettiness of the flowers planted along the wall, the comforting city noise below, and the pleasant breeze. I was so taken up with the idea of being there I couldn’t focus on the book which was the whole point and then I decided I needed some tea. I sighed, smiling to myself and rubbing my belly.

  “Your mommy is ridiculous,” I said softly. I felt a rush of anxiety at saying that. Saying things like that aloud made them true. I was going to be a mommy. There was no getting around it. I had absolutely no plan for how I was going to take care of my child. David was insisting on paying me something for my work even though he was letting me live in his house. That would be something. If I could stay long enough to save up some money I could at least have something to start with. Though if I stayed very long it would become impossible to hide my pregnancy.

  I decided to take David up on that offer of taking advantage of the kitchen before dinner. I needed some tea to calm my nerves. As pleasant as the bench under the maple was, I was still letting my troubles get to me. I trotted back inside to the kitchen and took my time getting to know it. There was a whole range of teas along a window sill and I picked out some chamomile and put on some water to boil. The kitchen smelled pleasantly of garlic and spices and I wondered if David liked to cook or if he let Miles take charge of that most of the time.

  Eventually, I did get into my book. It was about the young King Arthur, Merlin, and all the knights. It absorbed me immediately and I lost track of time as I sat there under the tree and read and drank my tea until David showed up, looking almost apologetic.

  “Dinner’s ready, “ he declared. I smiled and he frowned and I wondered if I’d done something wrong. “We have blankets if you’re cold.”

  “Oh...I put on a sweater.”

  “You should use a blanket,” David mumbled and stormed back into the house.

  I laughed to myself, shaking my head. I could not make heads or tails out of the guy. He wasn’t used to people. He hardly seemed to know how to talk to them unless there was an emergency going on. It had been so much easier in the hospital when he was drugged. I mulled over it as I got up to go inside, collecting my mug and carefully sticking my finger in the book where I’d left off.

  I went straight to dinner and immediately felt underdressed in my sweatshirt and jeans. Miles had bought me some nice things but it hadn’t occurred to me to dress up just to eat dinner. But David was wearing a nice button-down and Miles was wearing his usual black suit. I stood in the wide doorway of the huge dining room with it’s big window at the end that looked out on the Upper East Side.

  “Oh,” I said. There was a place set out for me already and they were looking at me expectantly.

  “Have a seat?” Miles said. David just turned his head and glared at his plate.

  “Should I...change?” I tugged at the hem of the sweatshirt, embarrassed.

  “No, of course not,” David said grimly. He took a sip of wine and a lock of his hair fell into his eyes. His long hair had a habit of doing that. It made me want to push it back for him. The man was an enigma but boy he was beautiful. I bet his hair was silky soft. I bet his jaw was warm and-

  “Please sit, my dear,” Miles said. “Ah! T.H. White.” He nodded at my book.

  “Oh…” I sat at the place they’d set for me. David was at the end and I sat across from Miles. There was a whole stretch of dining table unused. I wondered if he ever had people over to take advantage of it. Somehow, I doubted it. “Yes! I love it so far. I just didn’t have a bookmark and I didn’t want to dog ear the page.” David looked up at that and his went a bit googly for a moment.

  “Ah…” Miles took a little paper from his pocket. “Just a receipt from the drugstore. Use that.”

  “Thanks,” I said. I marked the book and took a breath and Miles began to serve bread and salad. When they offered me wine I turned it away. Alcohol was probably fine for a dragon shifter baby’s constitution but I didn’t like to take the chance.

  The dinner was a chicken alfredo and I had to actually stifle my groans it was so good. “Miles, did you make this?”

  “David made dinner tonight,” Miles said proudly, eyeing his boss.

  David didn’t say anything. He seemed even more awkward than he had at breakfast. I felt bad, as if I was doing something to make him uncomfortable. I had to keep reminding myself that whatever was wrong with David it most likely had nothing to do with me.

  “Sometimes I cook,” David finally mumbled.

  “Well, it’s very good,” I said. “Not that I have much to compare it too. I ate one peanut butter sandwich everyday for a couple weeks and that was it not to long ago.”

  David looked up sharply at that, his eyes large. “That’s awful.”

  I smiled sadly. I didn’t like the pity. It was warranted and I appreciated that he cared. The truth was, things had been just as hard as they sounded. I had often worried that the baby had not been getting the proper nutrition either but I’d had little choice in the matter. But I didn’t want David to know about any of that.

  Miles cleared his throat and said, “So do you like fantasy books and the like?” He nodded at my book.

  “Oh! No, it caught my fancy because I usually don’t read fantasy,” I said. “I haven’t really read that much. Although since I’ve been…” I didn’t like to say homeless or “on the street” even though it was completely accurate. I didn’t want to see David’s eyebrows furrow any further than they were already furrowed. “I’ve hung out at some libr
aries. It’s a good place to go. Free and all. Comfy chairs, books, restrooms.”

  And there they went; David’s eyebrows turned down so far I thought he was actually angry but he didn’t say anything.

  “Anyway, I like true crime best,” I said. “But I thought I should read some classics so-”

  “I like true crime,” David said abruptly. “I mean… Well, documentaries and things like that. Docuseries. Or TV shows.”

  “Yes,” I said, grinning. “That’s my favorite. I like the one about the wives who snap and kill their husbands.”

  “Well, that doesn’t bode well,” David said. There was a hint of a smile on his face. He’d told an actual joke. Wonder of wonders. I found myself laughing, more from surprise than because it was funny and watched a wider smile play across his face and he relaxed a little before his gaze returned to his place.

  Baby steps. Slow and small but steps nonetheless.

  “Goddammit.”

  I was in my room, already dressed for bed in a little nightgown that Miles had bought for me. It was meant to be worn with pants but that had seemed like too many clothes. I didn’t like to wear heavy pyjamas to bed. I was about to climb under the covers when I heard David swearing in the hall since I’d left my door open.

  I poked my head out and stepped into the hall. David was on his crutches and carrying his laptop and trying to open his door with little success and I trotted out to help him, not even thinking about how scantily clad I was. My “nighty” was short and spaghetti-strapped. It was white and clingy and a little too sheer, not even coming down to mid-thigh. I saw David look me up and down and just as quickly look away as his face turned red. To add insult to injury, I was not wearing a bra because wearing a bra to bed is absurd. But it was satisfying to see him so affected.

  “Let me help you,” I said gently, taking his laptop.

  “I don’t need help,” he grumbled, but he let me take the computer and open the door before supporting his waist as he hobbled inside.

  “You’re so grouchy,” I said, sighing.

  “I apologize,” he murmured.

  “No, it’s kind of endearing,” I said chuckling as I led him to the bed where he sat down heavily, his casted leg stretched out in front of him. “Reminds me of Beauty and the Beast.”

  “You think I’m a beast,” David said wryly. Although he seemed much more amused than grumbly now so I took that as a good sense.

  “Only a little bit,” I said, covering my smirk.

  “Well, you are a beauty,” he mumbled.

  I perked up at that, feeling very pleased. I had not felt attractive in such a long time. I supposed I looked a little better now that I’d cleaned up a bit. But I’d gotten used to being greasy and gaunt and dowdy. There had also been Darien drilling into my head that I was worth nothing but what he could get from me. It had all done a number on my self-esteem.

  “Thank you,” I said, nodding.

  David said, “I didn’t mean-”

  “Quit while you’re ahead,” I said.

  David shut up and I saw his cheeks redden for what felt like the tenth time that day. It was becoming the cutest thing about him. His eyes strayed. His gaze skimmed up and down my body but he looked away just as quickly.

  I suddenly wondered if I was so underdressed I was making him uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, I’ll um…” I felt nervous suddenly. The air seemed charged.

  David had these muscles. They were serious muscles, the type of muscles movie stars get to play superheroes. I was always aware of them but now I realized I was practically half naked and he was sitting on the bed in pyjama pants and a t-shirt. It would be so easy to climb on top of him, to feel him get hard beneath me. The very thought made me wet.

  “You didn’t do anything,” he said quickly. I saw him cover his lap with a pillow in the most conspicuous way possible and the very thought that I was doing something to him made me keenly aware of the need pulsing through me. I had been with Darien. That had been a business arrangement more than anything. I’d agreed to it because it was what was expected of me and I’d been ready for it. He had been at best, cold and unfeeling, the sex had been business-like. Then he had been cruel. That was the only man I’d been with before. I’d never experienced good sex or gentleness or anyone who cared about my pleasure. It made me wonder what David would be like.

  “Do you need anything?” David said.

  I was standing there, staring at him. I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. Just because David was maybe turned on by me in a tiny nightgown meant nothing. I needed to get over myself.

  “No,” I said, waving a hand. “I’ll just be going to bed. Unless you need something-”

  “No,” David said, smiling softly. “I’m fine.”

  “Okay.” I nodded once and turned to go and felt his eyes on me. I knew that the hem of the nightgown just barely covered my ass. I wondered if he could see it peeking out. I wondered if it gave him dirty thoughts…

  Down, girl!

  I went straight to bed and under the covers in the dark, my thoughts turned even more lascivious. I suddenly felt very tired. I wanted to sleep and yet my hand travelled down my chest and under my nighty to palm at my entrance, imagining what it would be like to have David inside of me, big and throbbing and making me feel so satisfied and full. He might have been grouchy, but I could see how gentle he was. The thought of a big, powerful man, the sort who flew around the city saving people, being gentle with me was such a turn on… But soon enough sleep claimed me, before I could give myself satisfaction.

  “Aah!”

  Thump.

  I woke with a jerk, a loud and mysterious thump through my shared wall with David, jolting me awake. He’d cried out. I was sure of it. Now there was another thump and I didn’t think twice before I hopped out of bed, rubbing my eyes. I padded over to David’s room and slowly pushed the door open.

  David was on the floor, breathless and trying to get to his feet. He was having trouble with the cast but more than that, he looked genuinely shaken. I ran over to help, kneeling down to get my arm around him and help him up.

  “Don’t need help,” he grumbled.

  “Oh my God,” I said, sighing. “So stubborn.”

  I helped him back into bed despite his complaints but he looked pale and sweaty. He’d clearly had a terrible nightmare or something and I remember when that had happened in the hospital. He’d put it down to the drugs then, but the painkillers he was sometimes taking now were nothing nearly as strong. I was determined to get to the bottom of it if I possible could and I sat down beside him as he caught his breath.

  “I get nightmares sometimes too,” I said. It was true. I did, though nothing severe enough to make me fall out of bed. David looked at me, tentative, as we sat there in the dark. At some point he’d taken off his t-shirt and it was incredibly difficult not to be distracted by his sculpted and sweaty chest that heaved. But I tried to keep my eyes trained on his.

  “What do you get nightmares about?” He said.

  “Um…” I stared down at my hands, twisting them in my lap. “Just the place I came from before.”

  “Me too,” he muttered. I wondered what that meant. The place he’d come from before he was rich? “I don’t want to talk about that.”

  “Okay…”

  He climbed back under his covers, moving far away to the other side of the bed. But I felt like our business wasn’t finished. Maybe it was because we were both shifters but I had this strong feeling like I didn’t want to leave him alone. He needed me and maybe I needed him.

  “I could say with you,” I said, scooching up on the bed. “I’d like to...stay with you? If you want.”

  The atmosphere had changed. There was that feeling of vulnerability somehow being allowed just because it was dark and we were both in our pyjamas. As if, the rules didn’t quite apply in such a situation. For which I was only grateful. I was tired of being alone too. My reasons for now pulling up the covers and getting in bed next t
o David were at least half selfish. But if it made him feel better too, I guess I wouldn’t feel guilty about it.

  “I don’t know if I’ll get back to sleep now.” David’s voice sounded velvety soft as he spoke quietly next to me. “I often don’t after something like that.”

  “I probably won’t either,” I whispered.

  David was on his back and the covers were down around his waist. I tried to ignore how aroused I was but my eyes were trained on his chest as he breathed; so broad and powerful. I wanted to touch so badly but I kept my hands to myself, lying on my side and facing him. We lay in silence for a long time but everything felt so charged.

  Finally, David said, “I’m so tired of thinking sometimes.”

  I chuckled at that. “I’m tired of thinking too.”

  He rested his hand on his chest and I took the risk, reaching up to rest my hand atop his and strokes his fingers. I figured he could interpret it as a move or as an innocent gesture of comfort and I would be safe if he didn’t want to go any further. But I heard his breath catch and he looked at me, his eyes straying to my breast beneath the thin material of my nightgown. The way I was lying, I probably had a lot of cleavage bared. I wondered if he was hard under the covers. I couldn’t stop my thoughts going too far now and my hand slipped down to his stomach, resting there, delighting in that muscle flexing under my fingers, that hot skin.

  “Dana,” David whispered.

  All I said was, “Please.”

  That seemed to be enough. David turned on his side to face me. He looked absurdly beautiful in the soft darkness as he reached over and cradled my chin in his hand. His touch was just as gentle as I imagined and yet I was astonished at the size of his hand. He was a big man but his long, thick fingers, his thumb stroking my lips now as our breath mingled… It all made me wet and I squeezed my thighs together under the covers. His thumb pressed my lip down and my tongue snuck out to lick it. I kissed it softly and heard his little gasp. I moved closer to him under the covers and he shifted to so were hardly a breath apart.