Page 10 of Parentmoon

“Do they have those here?” Our eyes meet as he stands in the shower, and I peer around the corner from my perch on the toilet.

“They do.” Dallas holds out his hands again, emphasizing a size that is much bigger than the tiny lizard somewhere in the bathroom. He guffaws and says, “You don’t seem like a woman afraid of a gecko.”

A hesitant laugh clogs my throat. There are many things I’m afraid of, but those are truths he doesn’t need to know.

Instead, I tell him a story about Michael.

“When Michael was a child, I took him to the aquarium. They had a special Komodo dragon exhibit. A warning hung on the glass barrier that a Komodo could eat an animal the size of a three-year old child. Michael was small for his age and that thing latched his sights on him. When Michael moved along the glass enclosure, the dragon tracked his movements, twisting his head the slightest at each step Michael took.” I pause recalling the moment. “Michael couldn’t sleep that night. He was worried the Komodo was coming for him. I came up with this story that in a former life Michael had been a knight and the dragon recognized him, feared him, because Michael had slain all his ancestors.”

Dallas chuckles, light but strong.

“I don’t know why I told you . . . There!” I caught movement from the corner of my eye and point in the general direction of the shower stairs.

Dallas flinches.

“Darlin’, why don’t you step out of the bathroom, and I’ll take care of this. You’re scaring the poor thing.” He throws his voice to a feminine trill, mocking my empathy for a lizard.

I should get off the toilet seat but I’m afraid to put my feet on the ground. The lizard is down there somewhere.

With one giant step, Dallas steps out of the sunken shower. His arms come around my thighs and I’m tossed over his shoulder, giving me a perfect view of his backside in my upside-down position. His pants are linen and loose but hug two firm globes.

“What the hell?” I’d clutch my towel, but I’m worried he’ll drop me, so instead, I grab the back of his shirt.

Dallas chuckles. “You tug any tighter at my shirt, darlin’, and you’ll be ripping it off of me.”

I loosen my grip as he carries me firefighter-style out of the bathroom and sets me on my feet in the kitchen area. As soon as my toes touch tile, I scramble for a stool and tuck my knees to my chest.

“You realize they can climb anything, if they want, right?”

“Not helping.” I narrow my eyes at him, but mirth fills his.

He spins back toward the bathroom and shuts the door behind him. Some banging occurs. A loud fuck resounds through the closed door. A thud reverberates. Then the bathroom door opens again.

“All taken care of.” Dallas swipes his hands together.

My eyes narrow once more as I tighten my arms around my tucked legs. “What did you do?”

“I slayed the dragon for you.”

I scoff. He’s ridiculous but he does look like a man able to tackle anything. He’s also proud of his conquest. The pleasure in his expression gives him a boyish look for such a rugged man. He’s almost cute.

“How?”

“I tossed him out the window.”

My brows hitch. “Really?”

Dallas observes me a second, tipping his head just the slightest. “You got an issue with honesty, darlin’?”

The question is strange while serious in nature. Like I don’t believe him about placing a lizard outside through a window. Like I might have trust concerns. How truthful should I be with him?

“Absolutely.” My answer is an admission I didn’t expect to give him.

“Huh. Guess you’re just going to have to take my word for it.”

Is his word worth anything? I don’t ask but he reads the doubt in my face.

“My word is my bond, darlin’.” He straightens his broad shoulders and holds his head higher. “You doubt that, you’re wounding my pride.” A warning mixes with his Southern drawl. He does not like to have his honor questioned.