I am wise, that’s all. You need to remember that. Her beast stretched out inside their mind. Now, talk to Rafe. You’ve suffered mostly in silence over the last year, and I would bet Rafe’s suffered for nearly four years. You might be able to heal each other.
Yes, because Rafe and I are always discussing our feelings.
Her dragon huffed. You could try.
Nikki wondered if she could. She and Rafe had always been about battles and butting heads. It was hard to believe there was another side to him.
Then she remembered his rendition of a popular pop ballad. Rafe may act like he didn’t think about feelings, but any male who could sing so passionately must have them buried somewhere.
As she debated getting out of bed to talk to him, a knock on the front door silenced Rafe’s singing. Not wanting him to find her lying awake, Nikki hefted herself out of bed. At the top of the stairs, Dr. Sid’s voice drifted up. “I hear Nikki moving about. She’s awake.”
Before Rafe could answer, Nikki rushed down the stairs. “Yes, I am. Thanks for ratting me out, Sid.”
Sid met her gaze and raised her brows. “Were you trying to hide?”
“No. Although I believe you and I need to have a chat,” Nikki answered. “You did tell everyone about my original adoption plans, right?”
Sid didn’t miss a beat. “No.”
“Why would you do that?” Nikki demanded.
Shrugging a shoulder, Sid put down her medical bag. “Because if you do decide to go through with it, I will be the one adopting him or her.”
“What?” Rafe and Nikki asked in unison.
Sid raised her brows. “Is it really that surprising?”
Taking a step toward the dragonwoman, Nikki whispered, “But what if you fall into madness?”
Sadness flashed in Sid’s eyes but disappeared in the next instant. “Not that it matters. Mr. Hartley here is convinced you two are raising the baby.” Sid looked between them. “I expected as much.”
“If you say it’s because we always argued so passionately, doctor or not, I will kick you out of my house,” Nikki growled out.
The corner of Sid’s mouth ticked up. “Just because I’m a doctor doesn’t mean I’m weak.”
Rafe stepped between them. “Forget the past for now. I don’t know the first bloody thing about a dragon-shifter’s pregnancy, and I somehow think Nikki is the same. Let’s all sit down for dinner and chat about it.”
Nikki would rather eat a bowl of worms than admit Rafe had a point.
Sid shook her head. “I can’t stay that long. Little Eleanor has a low-grade fever and Bram is calling me over every twenty minutes.”
Eleanor was Bram and Evie’s two-month-old daughter. And Bram was no less protective of his daughter than Nikki’s dad was of her.
Nikki pointed to the kitchen. “Go finish making dinner, Rafe. I’ll talk with Dr. Sid.”
Rafe crossed his arms over his chest. “Nikki, I deserve to hear everything, too.”
She raised her brows. “I’m sure you’d love to hear about spotting or cramps.”
“Spotting?” Rafe echoed.
Sid answered, “Vaginal bleeding.”
Rafe shrugged. “I’ve had friends bleed out in my arms. Blood doesn’t frighten me.”
Okay, Nikki’s plan had backfired. “Just go finish dinner. I want to talk to Sid in private.”
Meeting her gaze, Rafe remained quiet. Sid was the one to speak up. “Go, Rafe. Let me talk to Nikki first and then I can answer your questions later. Even better, I have a pamphlet.” Sid pulled a leaflet out of her bag. “I don’t have one about what to expect if you’re a human male about to have a dragon-shifter child. But it’s good enough. Enjoy.”