“Thank you, Bron.”

The tall man leaned in low to kiss the tiny woman on her cheek. “I should be back by eleven, midnight at the latest,” Colson said as his daughter took off running into the large room behind them.

As he placed a chaste peck on Bronwyn Kelnar’s soft cheek, Colson inhaled a deep whiff of the hypnotic bouquet that had continued to intensify over the months of her approaching delivery. His acute Dragon-sense of smell was rewarded with a delicate balance of feminine essence, fertility, and mated bliss. The concoction was heady.

“I know you’re sniffing me again,” the woman said, mirth heavy in her voice. “It’s all good. Sniff away. You and Mac are so much alike, it’s not funny. Let me know how the baby’s doing while you’re at it.”

“Busted.” He returned to full height towering over her. Big brown expressive eyes looked up at him with sisterly love. “All right then. You know I can’t deny you anything when you pull out that look.”

Her chuckle was light and pleasant. “So, get to it. I know you want to do your thing before you take off. I also know I can exploit you a bunch while I’m pregnant. Mac already let me know how Dragon-males are suckers when pregnant women are around.”

“Very true and remind me to make Mac take an oath to stop revealing all our secrets.” He looked at her rounded belly and made sure to keep his emotions in check as he scanned. After a quick moment, he had his analysis ready. “My little nephew is growing at an alarming rate. He’s above average in size but not taking enough nutrients to completely deplete you at the moment. I’m moving your checkups to weekly to monitor both your statuses closer. Don’t want him to completely zap your life-force.”

“Good, he’s a good baby and loves his Mommy,” Bronwyn cooed as she spoke more to her belly than him.

Dr. Colson Kelnar took in the foyer of his cousin, Mac Kelnar’s, Atlanta mansion with Mac’s very pregnant mate and wife.

Her warm tone forced his attention back to the room as she said, “Don’t rush to get back. Enjoy yourself. We’ve been planning on how to entertain and tire Ava out all day.” They both turned to look into the large open living area where Mac and Colson’s daughter, Ava, played. “You can’t imagine what Mac came up with after I found the fire-retardant bumper guards.”

“I don’t even want to know what that’s about.” Colson eyed the little girl with his heart at her mercy to see his daughter hop and jump. She played rough and hard as the dragonling that she was. From what he could surmise, the current game was tag.

Mac Kelnar crouched down behind a chair as Ava ran around looking for him. Anyone looking on could see that his older cousin thoroughly enjoyed playing with Ava. Mac had softened after mating and welcoming a wife and child on the way. As Bronwyn’s husband, the man had morphed into the best kid sitter around.

Bronwyn’s melodic voice captured his attention once again. “Don’t worry about coming to get her tonight. That’s too late for you to have that baby breaking her sleep pattern.” Bronwyn ran an unconscious hand over her expanding abdomen as she continued. She can stay here for the weekend. It’s about time you did something that didn’t include a five-year-old.”

Colson pushed the sense of envy down as he focused on his daughter. What he wouldn’t have given to be around when his daughter’s mother was pregnant.

The force he used to tamp down that thought peppered his voice. “You’re the one I’m more concerned about. Bron…” He used the family term of endearment to soften his words and tone. “Ava is a Dragon. She’s already a handful. You’re in the middle of your last term of pregnancy.”

“So? I love Ava like she’s my own.”

“And, Ava can already outrun you. Have you noticed the drag time on her leaps? Mac and I suspect she’ll be able to shift and do impressive glides in months, not years.”

Bronwyn’s face said it all. She was stubborn and not going to give in to his pleas to take it easy. With arms folded above her precious round belly, his new cousin added, “And I said she’s fine. I still have her respect. She might be strong and full of adventure, but she listens to her Auntie. Watch this.”

Before he could launch another protest, Bronwyn located the two play partners and watched for a minute.

“Bronwyn, I believe you, but as your physician, I’m advising you to heed my counsel. Mac is great with her, but I don’t want to impose on either of you more than necessary.”

The little woman ignored him.

“Ava?”

Ava turned around to look at Bronwyn.

“Please don’t forget to come and give your poppa a hug before he leaves.”

“Yes ma’am,” Ava said as she leaped over too much space to be fully human.

She cleared the distance in record time to run over to Colson. When she reached for him to pick her up, he spied the look of satisfaction on Bronwyn’s face. Whiffs of girly bubble gum and cherry-scented flavors from his daughter’s bubble bath and “perfume” softened his stance.

Colson knew he’d been soundly put in his place when his daughter took his face between her little hands and kissed him. He was wholly defeated when she wrapped small arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest.

The final nail in his coffin was when she said, “Poppa, don’t argue with Aunt Bronnie. She already said I could stay for two whole sleeps. That’s a weekend, right?”

Colson couldn’t show Bronwyn that she’d won, not yet. That wasn’t the Dragon-male’s way.

“You don’t have your overnight bag. What will you sleep in?”

Mac was by his wife’s side by now and inserted himself into the conversation. “Not to worry Cole. Bron has everything ready. She even turned one of the guest rooms into Ava’s Supreme Palace. We’ve got it handled.”

Daggers of betrayal were projectiles Colson hoped leaped from his eyes as he stared his cousin down. Mac only grinned and gave him a wink before saying, “My mate is top priority. When she’s not happy, no one is happy. And, dude, we’re very happy.”

Bronwyn beamed at the adoration and praise of her husband.

“Touché, but you don’t have to look so smug about it, Bronwyn.” Colson stared down a gloating Bronwyn. He wanted to kick himself for the note of defeat in those words, though.

His child pushed and squirmed to go back to Mac. He allowed the other man to take the child from his arms. His daughter’s little voice trailed off in animated peals of excitement as they resumed their rambunctious play on the other side of the living room.

“Back to what I was saying, Ava will stay here this weekend.”

“Uh-uh, earlier you offered for her to stay. Now you’re telling me she’s staying?”

“Yep. Because you tried me. It’s not nice to try to deny me my Ava time.”

“But you and Mac need to rest. She’s a handful.”

“Just for that, I’ve amended that to a declarative statement. She stays—period—thank you very much.”

“She stays,” Mac echoed from across the room.

“You got that Dr. Dragon?”

“Why are you two ganging up on me?”

“Because you’re tired. I can see it in your eyes. Ava is a handful. We’re family, and you need a break. Mac and I won’t break her. We promise to return her with all her parts intact.”

“Again, it’s not her I’m concerned about. Ava has a pretty intense nightly ritual of not wanting to go to sleep. You and Mac aren’t ready for the heavy guilt-trip she can wield.”

His words slid off Bronwyn with no effect. “Why are you still standing here? You need to get going before you’re late. Didn’t you say they were sending a car to pick you up at your house?”

“Yeah, but—”

“But, nothing. Shoo!”

Colson laughed despite his need to get even a little win out of this pint-sized dynamo.

He gave it one last stubborn try. “Bronwyn, it’s not like I’m going on a date. I’m just going to a donor banquet for SCAD.”

“SCAD? Isn’t that some hoity-toity school?” Bronwyn asked as she kneaded fingers into her lower back.

“Yes.” Colson couldn’t keep from laughing. Bronwyn was a straight shooter. That was one of the many reasons why she and his cousin were the perfect couple. “SCAD stands for the Savannah College of Art and Design. They have a branch here in Atlanta.”

“Art and Design, huh?” Bronwyn eyed him with new interest. “What or who connects you to this SCAD?”

“That would be Doctor Hassenberg, the dean of the Atlanta location for the school. She’s a friend of the family.”

“Ah, I see,” Bronwyn said eyeing him with a conspiratorial glint in those large eyes of hers.

Mac’s deep chuckle snatched his wife’s attention away as Ava pounced on him. “Haha, so Nina finally wore you down. Good.”

“Not funny, Mac. I’m just going to show support on behalf of the family.”

“How much support?” Mac asked as he maneuvered Colson’s daughter to a perch on his neck. “You better make it good if you want any peace for a while.”

“Wait, who is this Nina woman?” Bronwyn looked back and forth between the two men. “Is she your girlfriend? How did I not know about this?”

Mac’s laughter grew louder and more obnoxious. “No, babe, she’s the self-appointed Dragon community matchmaker. When she sets her sights on you to get married, she’s relentless.”

Colson didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Ava. “Can we drop this until later?” He tried to motion to his daughter whose attention was glued to the grownup conversation. “Like I said, I’m going tonight as a family representative.” He couldn’t allow Mac to continue to laugh at his expense, though. “I’m doing what you should have done years ago, Mac.”

His cousin made an acrobatic move with Ava. When she landed in the cradle of his arms and Colson’s heart was back out of his throat, Mac said, “I refused to give in to her bullying ways, and you see how she backed off.” He punctuated the statement with an obnoxious wink.

Mac was in major jerk mode. Must be showing off in front of his wife. Colson would let it slide. Mac did have his kid in mid-swing and agreed to kid-sit tonight.

“No fair you two” Bronwyn whined. “Catch me up. I’m out of the loop on this one.”

Ava’s laughter seasoned the air with youthful energy. He loved his little girl and trusted few with her care. Bronwyn and Mac were in that select group of people. He also knew they meant no harm with their prying. The truth was that Colson wasn’t ready to discuss the notion of dating or bringing anyone around his child and family.

“Mac, didn’t you say that Max might be relocating here soon?” There, that should get these two off of him.

Mac tickled Ava as he looked back to the foyer where he and Bronwyn stood. “Yep, he’s been pulled in to head up that big project Ellie,” Mac cut an eye over to his wife and corrected himself, “Excuse me, Mother is working on. She’s gotten approval to bring in his firm. You know it’s got to be a big deal for her to hand off the project to Max.”

“Yeah, seems like it. I didn’t think he’d take on a domestic issue.”

“From what I can tell, this one is global in scope.”

“Enough!” Bronwyn wasn’t having any of this. “Nope, not going to ever be that easy. Colson?”

He caught himself swallowing hard before answering, “Yes?”

“What does Mac’s brother have to do with answering my question? We’ll deal with him when he comes to town. You’re up on the menu now.”

“Ooh, she’s got your number, cuz,” Mac’s laugh was still as annoying as fuck when it was directed his way.

Colson tried to hedge more. “I wanted to make sure I knew when and if he might be in town. Does he need a place to stay until he finds one of his own?”

Bronwyn took a step closer. Colson didn’t want to let on that she was getting to him. He stood taller and attempted to peer down at the beautiful little Brownie-Fairie.

She looked up, tilted her head and smiled. “I see you, Cole. To answer your question, Maxim is going to stay in one of his condos that he keeps here. As for you? Still not working--answer my question, Colson Kelnar.”

Damn it. She played the roughest kind of hardball—the motherly guilt kind. He wanted to kick himself for allowing her to wind him so tightly around her finger.

“You might as well spill. She’s not going to give up,” Mac said through chuckles in the distance.

“You don’t say,” was all he could manage to say.

I could try to… no that won’t work. Oh! I could bring up the… that won’t work either.

“Well, I’m waiting,” Bronwyn’s chiding cut through his musings.

Colson gave up on trying to avoid the subject with a sigh. He’d learned the hard way that little Dragonling hearing was just as keen as any other. Colson would have to tread lightly on the subject to keep Ava from asking questions.

“What Uncle Knucklehead is saying,” he used his soft daddy-voice to keep Ava’s attention on Mac’s arm swings and not his words, “She was hot on Mac’s trail to get him hitched before you showed up. She only gave up when you two mated, and Aunt Ellie told her to back off.”

“I see,” was Bronwyn’s curt reply.

Mac called out across the room, “How much, dude?”

“I’m planning on fifty thousand.”

“Make it a hundred, and that will give you a break for the season.”

“Again, the pregnant lady here doesn’t understand what you’re talking about. I don’t like that. Mac?”

Mac tossed a grimace Colson’s way as he spoke up. “Doctor Nina Hassenberg is in charge of raising money from the Dragon community for the school and other projects she’s involved in. She’s like a community outreach for us. The only problem is that to get any peace when she sets her mind on your life, you have to give enough to preoccupy her with that grand gesture.”

“Sounds like social blackmail to me.” Bronwyn shifted her weight as she rubbed her belly.

“And you’d be right.” Colson caught her eye making sure she was okay standing on her feet. When she waved off his concern, he added, “She’s been nagging me to come to this dinner since last month. I don’t know if she’s up to her old tricks of trying to set me up with someone, but I figure it’s better to practice preventative medicine in this case.”

“But a hundred thousand dollars? Isn’t that a little steep?” she asked.

“Not for him. Don’t let him fool you. Colson is a true Kelnar Dragon. He’s loaded,” Mac volunteered.

Bronwyn’s face twisted into an impressive scowl. “Doesn’t matter. Blackmail is blackmail. She ought to know better.”

The old ways of elder respect prompted Colson to correct the course of the conversation. “No worries, Bron. She doesn’t mean any harm. She’s considered a social elder that we all endure. Doctor Hassenberg really is harmless. To be honest,” Colson scratched his thick beard in recollection, “she has a pretty good track record for couples.”

Bronwyn smiled and softened her physical stance a bit. “If you’re good with it, then fine. As for little Missy, we’ve got her. I still think it will do you some good to get out of the house tonight, even if it’ll cost six figures to do so.”

“Yeah, a mediocre steak dinner with other rich supernaturals there out of guilt is just the place I want to be on a Friday night.”

“Oh, Cole,” Bronwyn said, rubbing his back with a light touch. “I know you’re nobody’s fool and never the pushover. Try to see the silver lining. You’ll be helping a school to continue to thrive.”

“It will be a tax write off for the business. That’s worth a few hours of forced socializing.”

“Don’t be a grumpy Doctor Dragon. Do try to have some fun. I’ll expect details on Sunday when we drop Ava off.”

“Wait, Bron, I said—”

She cut him off. “Thank you for indulging me. I love having Ava here. Plus, I need to shampoo and plait her hair before returning her. I can’t allow my niece to continue running around like she stuck her finger in a socket, can I?”

Colson’s heart melted at her thoughtfulness. The only time his daughter’s hair looked neat and well-groomed was when Bronwyn did it. He hated to rely on her help with Ava and did what he could, but his daughter’s hair was a personality all its own.

Bronwyn had won with a decisive knockout. He conceded but not before saying, “Well, all right. She’ll stay the weekend. Don’t think I don’t know what you two are doing.”

“What’s that?”

“Practicing with Ava before your son gets here. I should send you a bill.”

“Yeah, yeah, get going before you’re late. Don’t call tonight. We’ll call and check in on you tomorrow. Now go,” Bronwyn said with a little push. “By the way—you look spiffy in that suit.” Bronwyn gave him a final look over and added, “You never know, Cole, looking like that, you could meet your destiny tonight.”