by Zoe Chant
He wondered again about Sophia’s mom. He didn’t have phone numbers for all of his one-time casual hookups; he couldn’t even be sure of all of their names. There wasn’t any way he could track her down, and she obviously didn’t want to be found. She hadn’t told him anything the whole time she was pregnant, or between when Sophia had been born and when she gave the baby up.
He couldn’t imagine what would drive anyone to do that, but he might just have to accept that he was never going to know. Thank you, he thought. Whoever you were, you gave me the most precious gift. I hope you’re all right now.
For himself, he was more than all right. He had everything he could possibly want.
Amy snuggled a little into his side, her head tipping against his shoulder. She had fallen asleep. Teo smiled and tilted his head down over hers, letting his lips just barely brush her hair as he breathed in the scent of her shampoo. It was something sharp and soapy, completely unromantic and perfectly in keeping with the businesslike way she was dressed. Still, it was Amy, and Amy was all he wanted.
He was almost disappointed when he saw the car pull up outside and he had to nudge Amy awake.
“Our ride’s here,” he said softly, as she blinked up at him with slightly dazed blue eyes. “Come on.”
***
Amy helped Teddy settle Sophia into the car seat. Teddy dragged the gold chains around his neck off over his head so he didn’t have to try to detach Sophia from them, and Amy quickly got the seatbelt straps figured out so Teddy could keep a grip on the chains. Sophia stayed asleep through all of it.
Teddy settled in beside her, tugging Amy down to sit at his other side. The driver closed the door behind her, and that was that. Amy really was going to some impossibly nice hotel with Teddy Gray and his baby daughter.
Unless she was still dreaming, of course. But if she was, Amy didn’t want to wake up before she found out where this was going.
She leaned tentatively into Teddy’s side again. This time Teddy put his arm around her, the way she’d wanted him to back at the station. It was better that he hadn’t—she didn’t need more gossip going around than there already would be—but that hadn’t stopped her wanting it a little. Amy felt a flush of heat go through her body at the feel of his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. She rested her cheek against his chest, and Teddy made a satisfied sound and tightened his arm in a half-hug.
Amy looked across his body at Sophia. She was sleeping peacefully under Teddy’s hand, safe and sound. Amy closed her own eyes.
It seemed like no time passed before Teddy murmured, “One more time. We’re almost done.”
Amy nodded against his shoulder and sat up, reaching for the door, but it opened before she could find the handle.
A gray-haired man in a suit was just outside. He stepped forward, offering a hand to help her out of the car. Amy realized he must be the concierge, Richard, even before she recognized his voice. “Welcome to Maison D’Or, ma’am.”
“Thanks.” Amy looked back into the car. Teddy had figured out the straps of the car seat and was lifting Sophia up to his chest and scooting out.
When he reached the car door, he held Sophia out. Amy gathered the sleeping baby up without thinking twice, linking her fingers through the gold chains Sophia had managed to wrap both her hands in. Teddy eased his hands away, and Amy stepped back to let him get out.
She turned back toward Richard as Teddy straightened up and put his arm around her waist. It occurred to Amy that they looked like a family. She would look like Sophia’s mom to anyone who didn’t know them.
She wanted that, suddenly, with an intensity that shocked her. She wanted to be able to stay with Teddy and Sophia, to hold on to them both.
“Richard,” Teddy said, sounding totally unflustered. “This is my other guest, Amy McCullough. And Sophia, who I told you about.”
“A pleasure to have you all with us tonight, sir,” Richard said. “Let me show you up to your suite.”
There was no bother about checking in. Amy looked back and saw that someone had collected her purse and Sophia’s diaper bag and was following with them as though they were totally reasonable pieces of luggage. Teddy had his own messenger bag slung over his shoulder. He didn’t try to take Sophia back from Amy, but he kept his arm around her all the way to the elevator. They rode it up to the eighth floor; the only one higher was marked PRIVATE. Richard led them to the left across a small foyer, to one of only three doors.
He unlocked the door and pushed it open, then stepped back and offered the key to Teddy. He pocketed it and ushered Amy inside.
The hotel suite, Amy could see at a glance, was bigger than her own apartment. Possibly it was twice as big. She stood in a living room area, richly but tastefully furnished, and she could see an open door on either side leading to a bedroom.
“If you would care to check on the arrangements, we’ve placed Miss Gray’s things in the yellow room,” Richard said, gesturing to the room on the right.
“Let’s have a look,” Teddy said, smiling down at Amy. “Gotta make sure everything is up to code, right?”
Amy smiled up at him and let herself be guided into the bedroom. The crib was set up just to the right of the door—not the vaguely industrial kind of crib she was used to from the emergency nursery and plenty of short-term group homes. This crib was made of sleek dark wood, made up with a pale pink sheet. A matching soft blanket was folded over the railing. There was a mobile with stars and planets, and tucked into one corner was a soft stuffed rabbit.
“We took the liberty of preparing a few bottles and placing them in the refrigerator here,” Richard said, gesturing to the mini-fridge to one side of the crib. Amy saw that there was a package of diapers and a box of wipes on top of the fridge, along with a basket of other baby supplies. She saw small packets of different varieties of formula, an unopened package of pacifiers, bottles of lotion, soap, and baby shampoo, a digital thermometer, a rattle...
Amy smiled at Richard. “You really did think of everything.”
Richard gave a little bow.
“We endeavor to give satisfaction. If Miss Gray requires swaddling, there are cloths in the drawer there, as well as sleepsacks and a few other changes of clothes.” Richard gestured to the dresser, and Amy saw that her purse and Sophia’s diaper bag were both sitting on top of it as if they’d always been there.
“Along with the usual items for yourself, Mr. Gray. Will you or your guests require anything else tonight?”
“That covers it, thanks.” Teddy reached into his pocket and pulled out a few folded bills, handing them to Richard; apparently all of this wasn’t enough to make Teddy forget to tip. “I think we can handle it from here.”
“Of course.” Richard slipped discreetly away, leaving Amy alone in this gorgeous hotel room with Teddy and Sophia.
As soon as he stepped out the door, Teddy grabbed the pink crib blanket and laid it out on the king-sized bed. He dropped his messenger bag beside it and rummaged around in the bag, glancing over at Amy as he did.
Amy raised her eyebrows.
“Just gotta finish making up her bed,” Teddy said with a smile as he pulled out a thick, gaudy gold chain from the bag. “Elena—my niece—she has this heirloom blanket, all woven with gold. If I’d known about Sophia sooner I’d have made her something like that, properly, but...”
Amy took a few steps closer, staring as he dropped the gold chain onto the pink fleece blanket. He reached into the bag again, rummaged around, and came up with a couple of coins, worn and ancient-looking. He dropped them on the blanket with the chain, and then passed his hand over them.
The chain and coins... melted. Or at least, they liquefied. There was no feeling of heat, not even a glow. The gold was just suddenly running like quicksilver under Teddy’s hand, separating out into droplets that scattered across the surface of the blanket. Teddy waved his hands over them, looking over at Sophia a couple of times and redistributing the little golden drops until
he seemed satisfied. They weren’t in a perfect grid or any discernible pattern; they looked something like a sky full of stars.
“Try laying her down,” Teddy said. “See how she likes that.”
Amy stepped up to Teddy’s side, and took one arm away from Sophia to reach down and touch the blanket, running her hand over the gold-studded surface. The little rounds of gold weren’t unpleasant to touch. They were perfectly cool and somehow anchored to the cloth as though they’d always been there.
“I can add more when I have my hoard.” Teddy sounded anxious for the first time all night. “Or make her something new, maybe? But I think this will be enough for her, for tonight.”
“It’s beautiful.” Amy bent over to ease Sophia down. She spent a moment trying to detangle the chains wrapped around her and Sophia’s fingers, and then Sophia abruptly let go. She flung both hands out, grabbing onto the blanket on either side of her body.
Teddy laughed softly. “That’s my little dragon. Hang on tight, sweetheart. It’s all yours.”
He scooped up Sophia and her blanket, his whole body brushing against Amy’s side as he did. Before Amy could do more than feel his closeness he was turning away, carrying Sophia to the crib. He lay her down on her back and wrapped the blanket firmly around her. He fiddled with the edges to make sure they were securely tucked in; Amy melted inside at his carefulness with his daughter.
Then Teddy straightened up and looked at her, and Amy realized that she had all of his attention for the first time. She could feel it like a touch, and her breath caught at the heat in it. She looked down at the gold chains still held in her fingers, shaking them out gently. She didn’t look up, but she saw Teddy moving closer to her slowly.
When he was right in front of her Amy looked up, silently offering the chains back.
Teddy shook his head. “Don’t you know what it means when a dragon gives you a present, Amy? You’re supposed to keep it.”
Amy looked down at the gold chains in her hands. “If anyone gave these to me it was Sophia.”
“Dragons don’t let go of gold lightly.” Teddy’s voice was low and serious. She felt it kindle a new warmth inside her, even before his hand wrapped around hers, tucking her fingers around the chains in her hands. “If Sophia let these go to you, she wanted you to have them. You’re already important to her.”
Amy nodded. She was pretty sure Teddy wasn’t really talking about Amy being important to Sophia. Not with the way he was looking at Amy right now.
“Should I wear them, do you think?” Amy asked, turning her hands in Teddy’s.
Teddy nodded quickly, his expression turning eager. “Let me?”
Amy bit her lip and let Teddy lift the two gold chains from her hands. He shook them out, and Amy couldn’t help noticing that they were suddenly neither tangled nor damp from being in a baby’s mouth. Teddy unfastened both chains together and Amy bent her head as Teddy looped them around her throat. His fingers brushed her cheek and then her hair, sending tingles through her whole body. Amy stood very still with his arms almost around her as he settled them in place.
Teddy gently rearranged her braided hair to tuck the necklaces beneath it. His fingers brushed the necklace she was already wearing, the one that Sophia had found so fascinating. He frowned a little. “Can I...?”
Amy tilted her chin up, amused that he was fascinated by her necklace and not her cleavage. “Go ahead. Sophia likes it too.”
Teddy drew the pendant out, and his eyes flared, brightening so that she could almost see flames dancing in the gray.
“Amy,” he said quietly. “Who gave this to you?”
Amy looked up at him until he dragged his gaze away from the gold and met her eyes.
“It’s dragon’s gold,” he explained. “It’s been part of a hoard—and for a very long time. That’s why Sophia was so fascinated by it. She could sense that.”
Amy blinked. “It was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me before we moved back from Gray’s Hollow to New York.”
Teddy rubbed the gold with his thumb. “Some dragon was very fond of your grandmother, then.”
“I’m glad,” Amy said quietly, getting Teddy’s attention. She smiled. “I’m glad I had it for Sophia. It was the only thing that comforted her, sometimes.”
Teddy’s expression softened. He looked over at Sophia, still sleeping peacefully, and then focused on her again.
“Amy,” he said softly.
She met his gaze. His eyes looked like fire again—like burning gold.
“I’ve been waiting so long to find you,” he whispered.
Amy knew that was silly at the same time that she knew it was true. She felt exactly the same way. Teddy Gray had been just a childhood crush, a fairy tale. That didn’t change the fact that now that he was standing here Amy knew that she’d been looking for him all along. As out of place as she felt in this opulent Manhattan hotel, she knew that she belonged with Teddy.
Her heart was beating fast, her whole body deliciously hot under her work clothes as Teddy’s arms finally went around her properly. Amy sank her fingers into his tousled curly hair.
Teddy let out a ragged breath. “I really—really need to kiss you, Amy. Is that okay?”
Amy nodded, rising up on her tiptoes. Her whole body slid a couple of inches against his, a teasing not-really-friction. Teddy groaned and tightened his grip and his mouth came down on hers in a fast, hungry kiss.
Amy opened her mouth to him, kissing back eagerly and holding on tight. The touch of Teddy’s lips against hers made her tingle all over, wanting to feel them everywhere on her body. The slide of his tongue made her moan, thinking of where else she’d like to feel that. His body was pressed tight to hers. It was obvious that he wanted her like she wanted him, in every way she wanted him, and—
Teddy froze. Amy froze with him, looking instinctively over at the crib. Sophia waved her arms, squirming in her tightly wrapped blanket, and then settled again.
“Teddy?” Amy whispered.
“She, um...” Teddy looked really unnerved. “She’s dreaming in dragon speech.”
“Dragon...” Amy looked over at Sophia again. She still looked perfectly human-baby-shaped.
Dragon speech. Like this.
Amy jumped a little, looking up at Teddy with wide eyes. She’d heard him perfectly clearly inside her head somehow, but his mouth was closed, one finger crossing his lips.
Teddy gave her a mischievous smile and ducked his head for a quick kiss. “When we’re dragon-shaped we can’t really talk like humans, so we have dragon speech to make up for it. We can use it more easily, and over longer distances, in dragon shape, but we’re never completely cut off from it.”
Amy looked up at Teddy again as she started to realize what that might mean. “Can she—can you hear...?”
Teddy shook his head quickly. “I can’t read your mind, no. I only hear what’s said to me, and she only hears what I send—say—to her. I’ve got good control over that, so she won’t hear anything from me that she shouldn’t. But... I see now what Gus and Cara meant about babies being—” Teddy looked sharply over at Sophia again. “Disruptive.”
“Oh.” Amy couldn’t help giggling a little.
Teddy grinned, and then he started laughing too. He pulled her closer, pressing his face against the top of her head to muffle his laughter. Amy pressed her face to his chest, breathing in the smell of him and laughing against his lovely soft shirt.
“I don’t want to go out of her reach,” Teddy said softly, when they’d both gotten over their giggles. “Not tonight. But... I just found you, too. Will you stay? Please?”
Amy opened her mouth, drawing a breath to say something sensible. Before she could force the words out, she yawned enormously.
“Um,” she said, belatedly covering her mouth with her hand and blushing. “Maybe I should. I don’t exactly have pajamas. And I don’t think any of your t-shirts will fit me.”
Teddy was tall and strongly built, but Amy’
s full breasts and hips wouldn’t play well with his slim-fitting clothes.
“Mmm,” Teddy said, looking her over appreciatively. “No, that wouldn’t do. I can fix that, although I’m sure Richard is on it already. And there will be robes in the bathroom, you could change into one of those.”
“Oh,” Amy was suddenly acutely aware that she was wearing the same clothes she’d been in through more than sixteen hours at work. “I... might want to take a shower, actually.”
Teddy nodded and hugged her close. “Take as much time as you want, whatever you need. I’ll take care of everything, okay?”
Amy melted into him. She hadn’t even known how much she needed to hear someone say that until he did. She nodded against his shoulder, tightening her arms around him, and then pulled him down for just one more kiss.
***
Half an hour later, after the fanciest 2AM shower of her life, Amy stepped back out of the bathroom, wrapped in a thick, soft terrycloth robe that actually fit her. Other than that, she was only wearing gold—her grandmother’s dragon gold necklace, which seemed new and mysterious even though she’d been wearing it for years, and the two chains Teddy had given her. Her hair was loose, finger-combed and smelling faintly of fruit and flowers.
There was a single bedside lamp lighting the bedroom. In the soft, low light she could see Teddy stretched out on the turned-down bed, on the side nearest to Sophia’s crib. He was smiling slightly, one arm tucked behind his head, but his eyes were closed, his long dark eyelashes fanned against his cheeks, which were darkened with the beginnings of stubble. He was wearing boxers and a white t-shirt, showing off his long, muscular limbs.
On the corner of the bed nearest to the bathroom door there was a silky-blue pile of folded clothes—pajamas, camisole, even another robe. Amy ran her fingers over the liquid-smooth fabric, imagining how it would feel against her skin.
But she already felt like she was wrapped up in the cuddliest thing imaginable. All she wanted was to be lying down close to Teddy.