by Sophie Stern
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “It’s probably safe to say that this woman is your mate.”
“That’s it? Just from all of that?”
“You slept with a stranger, Brian. A stranger. Have you ever done that before?”
He hadn’t. Brian had always been pretty conservative when it came to his sexual habits. Not that he ever judged anyone who was a little more open-minded than he was. It was just that he was busy.
He’d been busy taking care of his brothers his entire life, and then he’d been busy trying to build the company, and then he’d been busy trying to take care of himself. He hadn’t made very much time to date or to play around.
“No.”
“No,” Christopher agreed. “You know what? I want to meet her.”
“No,” Brian said instantly.
He wasn’t ready.
“You met my mate,” Christopher said.
“I hired your mate,” Brian reminded him, “and it took you more than a day to figure out she was your mate.”
It had taken an eternity. Christopher and Allison had worked together, flirted together, and made eyes at each other for months upon months before they’d finally gotten together. Christopher had no room to talk.
Brian still respected his opinion, though, so he’d called.
But was he ready for his brothers to meet her?
No, he wasn’t.
He had convinced the little human to stay with him for the weekend, but there was no guarantee he’d be able to convince her to stay any longer. Besides, he didn’t know very much about her at all. He didn’t know where she worked, or where she lived, or what she did.
He just knew that he liked the way he felt around her, and that was good enough for him.
“Not just yet,” Brian told his brother.
“My best advice is that if you think she’s actually your mate, then you shouldn’t let her get away,” Christopher said gently.
Brian nodded even though his brother couldn’t see him. It was good advice, and it was reasonable advice, but was it really something he could deal with?
Could he really ask her to stay?
What if she didn’t want to?
Could his heart handle that?
Chapter 10
Sunday morning was spent splashing in the ocean once more, followed by a long, hot bath. Winter couldn’t believe how much her body ached in all of the best ways. Dragon really knew how to make a girl feel like she was special.
He really knew how to make her fall apart.
After lunch, they had planned to swim again, but it was raining, so they settled for board games at the kitchen table. Winter explored the collection of games Dragon had at his house and finally settled on one she wasn’t familiar with.
He breezed through the rules, promised her it would be easy, and proceeded to dominate her over and over.
“This isn’t very fair,” she finally said after his third consecutive win.
“Aw,” Dragon made a gentle pouty face at her. “Am I being too hard on you, Coconut?”
“A little,” she laughed honestly.
“Tell you what? I’ll make the game more interesting.”
“Oh?”
“Oh.”
“How will you do that?”
“If you win this round, I’ll go down on you until you come all over my face.”
“What?” Winter’s voice was a whisper. Had he really just said that? Had he really just promised to lick her pussy until she came for him?
Um, yes.
She wanted that.
That was exactly what she wanted.
“Deal,” she said before she could think too hard about it.
They played another round, and she gave it her all. She didn’t even speak because she was too busy trying to win. She followed every rule, tried every trick, but it was no use. Dragon won again, and she found herself close to tears.
She needn’t have worried.
“Coconut,” his voice was deep, and she looked up to see him carefully watching her. He kept his eyes on hers as he gently moved one of her pieces ahead of his on the game board, signifying that she was the real winner.
“What are you doing?”
“Looks like you won.”
“I think you’re cheating to let me win,” she whispered.
“I think we both know what the real prize is today,” Dragon told her. He stood up, stealthily striding toward her, and lifted her up like she was nothing.
“What?”
“You.”
Dragon carried her to the counter, dropped her down, and yanked off her pants. He grabbed a chair and sat down in front of her.
“Spread your legs.”
“What?”
“Spread them, Coconut. I want to lick your damn pussy.”
“But...you pulled up a chair.”
“I’m very serious about my dessert,” he told her.
“Um...”
“Why, Coconut, are you feeling shy?” Dragon looked up at her and winked.
“No!”
She spread her legs for him, and he didn’t even hesitate or wait or tease her. He didn’t do the thing where he slid his tongue slowly up her thigh. He didn’t stroke her with his fingers first. He just started licking her hard and fast.
“Oh!”
“Good girl,” he murmured, and he continued.
Within seconds, she felt like she was losing her mind. Any embarrassment or nervousness or feelings of awkwardness instantly disappeared as he licked her over and over.
Oh, this was the most incredible thing she’d ever felt.
As of this moment, Dragon was the most magical thing to ever happen to her, and she closed her eyes, letting the feelings of pleasure just wash over her again and again and again.
“You are so fucking perfect,” he murmured, looking up at her. Winter looked down at Dragon and smiled.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No,” he shook his head. “I told you, Coconut, I don’t want a polite girl in my house. I want a bad girl. Try again.”
“Dragon, please keep licking my pussy. I’m so close to coming for you,” she said breathlessly.
He made a sound of approval and moved back, kissing her pussy over and over. He slid his tongue over her lips and circled her clit again, and again, and again.
And then the magic happened.
Winter had never been the kind of girl to have screaming orgasms. She’d never been the person whose eyes rolled back in their head. With Dragon, though, she found she was quickly becoming both of those things.
The orgasm washed over her with a vengeance, and she felt like she was falling or flying as she came and came and came. When it was over, Dragon kept licking her greedily, tasting her over and over like she truly was his dessert.
She wasn’t going to fight him on this.
She was going to take advantage of this moment.
Tomorrow, she was going to have to face reality. She was going to have to say goodbye to this incredible man, and she didn’t want to. So for now, she was going to close her eyes, lie back on the counter, and pretend like she could lock herself in this moment for all eternity.
The next time she came, she cried out his name.
Dragon.
She came a third time.
Dragon.
By the time her fourth orgasm neared, her legs were jelly and her body was tired, but he managed to wring it from her anyway.
Then Dragon lifted her up, carried her upstairs, and tucked her into the bed. He curled up next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
“That was incredible,” she said.
“You were perfect,” he whispered.
“You’re good at that, you know.”
“Am I? I hadn’t noticed. That was what? Two orgasms?”
“It was four, and you know it,” she laughed, shoving him playfully.
“That’s right,” he grinned. “Four orgasms.”
Chapter 11
Brian
snuggled Coconut like his life depended on it.
They spent hours just talking, laughing, and teasing each other. After her four orgasms, he held her for a long time. He was tired and she was, too, although she wasn’t going to admit it to him.
He’d seen the way her body turned to mush after the last orgasm, and even though he would be perfectly happy to keep going and to see just how many times she could actually come for him, he took pity on the little human, and he let her rest.
Now they were snuggled in bed, and their arms were wrapped around each other.
“I don’t want to face tomorrow,” she finally said.
“Why’s that?” Brian stilled. They had carefully avoided talking about the future. He’d invited her for the weekend, but he knew that she said she was leaving on Monday. She was leaving the island, which meant she didn’t live here.
He didn’t know where she lived.
Maybe he didn’t want to know.
If he did, he’d be tempted to track her down. He’d want to go find her and ask her on a real date. What if she didn’t want that?
He was the kind of guy who went after everything he wanted when it came to business, but when it came to women? Well, that was different. She was different.
He wanted Coconut to be happy, whether that meant with him or not.
“I just...it’s a work thing.”
“Ah,” he nodded.
“My boss is...”
“Bosses can be hard,” he said carefully. He didn’t really want to tell her that he was the boss at his place. Technically, he shared the position of “boss” with Christopher and Declan.
“Well, mine has made some questionable choices.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I don’t know,” she told him, shrugging. “I don’t really want to ruin the magic of this moment, you know?”
“Then let’s not ruin the magic,” he agreed, and he kissed her.
Brian pushed Coconut onto her back, and he kissed her over and over. He sprinkled kisses on her neck and moved down to her breasts. He slid his tongue over each of her nipples, licking them carefully and completely.
“That feels so damn perfect,” she told him. “How come you always seem to know exactly how I want to be touched?”
Because we’re mates.
He didn’t say it.
He didn’t dare.
A shifter might understand the idea of mates, but a human...
Well, what if it scared her off?
He just wanted to enjoy her for as long as he could have her, and right now, that meant licking her entire body.
“I don’t think I can come anymore,” she laughed as he made his way lower, but he just smiled up at her.
“I think you can,” he leaned his tongue out and flicked it over her soft skin.
“Ooh,” she groaned, throwing her head back. “Okay, maybe...”
Brian chuckled as he licked her again, bringing another orgasm to fruition. Then he climbed over her, hovering above her gorgeous body.
“Please,” she said.
“Please?”
“You know what I want.”
“Tell me.”
“I want you to fuck me, Dragon.”
She positioned her legs over his shoulders, and he nudged his cock against her body, sliding it through her wetness for a moment. Then he eased his way inside of her.
He moved slowly, carefully, wanting to make the moment last forever. Apparently, it had the desired effect because Coconut let out the most wild and feral groan he’d ever heard from her.
He started moving faster and faster, sliding deeper and deeper inside of her. She squeezed him, silently begging him for even more.
“Your cock feels so fucking perfect.”
“Not as perfect as you.”
She reached up and grabbed his face, stroking his cheeks as he continued to fuck her harder and harder.
“You know, I thought you were a good girl,” he told her, “but you seem to like being naughty.”
“Only for you, Dragon. You bring out my inner bad girl. What can I say?”
“Say you want more.”
“More.”
“Say you need my cock.”
“I need it so fucking bad.”
“Beg me for it.”
“Please, please, please fuck me harder.”
Her words were like a match to fireworks, and she set him off like the Fourth of July. When he came, he filled her with his cum, and his eyes locked on hers as the orgasm claimed his body.
Oh, she was so perfect.
And he was going to miss her.
Chapter 12
When Monday morning came, Winter was devastated. After a weekend filled with sex, kissing, drinking coffee, and baking cookies, the last damn thing she wanted was to say goodbye to Dragon. She didn’t care that she didn’t know his real name. She didn’t care that their relationship was supposed to just be a fun weekend fling while she was on the island.
She cared that she liked the guy, and she didn’t want to go.
Only, they’d promised. They’d said it would just be until Monday, and then they’d both be mature adults and go their separate ways.
Now she got to start worrying about her meeting with Brian Monster, and she got to feel upset with Leon, and she got to worry about how she was going to find a new writing job on short notice. Her rent was going to be due in just two weeks, so she needed to find something like, yesterday.
Breakfast was somber and quiet. Winter and Dragon ate in silence as he prepared to go to work and she prepared for her meeting. Neither one of them wanted to part ways, but it was what had to happen.
She wanted to ask him if they could try to date. It was on the tip of her tongue. She understood, reasonably, that he was a dragon and that she was a human. She knew that he had a real job, and she didn’t, but to her, that just meant it was the perfect time for her to move.
She could come to Sapphire Island. She could get a job here. She could make a life here, and she could make it with him.
Winter had never believed in true love until she’d met Dragon. She didn’t even know his name, but she knew a lot about him. She knew that he was kind, and that he was gentle. She knew that he was funny and smart and sweet. She understood that he was the type of person who would do absolutely anything for his family, and she knew that he was the kind of person who was thoughtful.
If she was going to date anyone in the world, Winter wanted it to be Dragon.
But it could never be.
He offered to give her a ride downtown, but she shook her head. She had called a ride already, and when it arrived, Dragon walked her to the door.
“It was wonderful to meet you,” he said.
She wanted to say, “I love you.”
She wanted to tell him that she could be his dream girl.
Instead, she nodded, said nothing, and turned to leave. She walked to the car, hurrying, and shoved her stuff in the backseat. Then she sat up in the passenger seat beside the driver, and she muttered for him to hurry. Winter didn’t look back. She didn’t check to see if he was looking because she thought that if he was, she’d throw herself out of the car and go running back.
She’d beg him to keep her, just for a little while longer.
A tear slid down Winter’s face and she leaned her head against the window.
“Rough breakup?” Winter’s driver said sympathetically. She couldn’t stand the idea of talking, so she just nodded.
“Yeah,” she finally managed to choke out. “Something like that.”
SHE HAD A FEW HOURS to kill before her lunch meeting with Mr. Monster, so Winter stored her stuff in a locker close to where she’d take the ferry home. Not that she’d have a home for much longer. She was unemployed now, after all, and she was going to have to face the music on that one.
She didn’t want to even think about dealing with the fact that she would soon be homeless and that her resume needed a massive touch-up. Fortu
nately, Winter spotted a sign for a museum that was located just a few blocks from where her meeting was to be held, so she decided to make the most of it.
Winter had done zero sightseeing on her trip to Sapphire Island. Instead of exploring the beaches and the museums and the historical sites, she’d spent the weekend in Dragon’s bed. She’d learned every inch of his body, memorizing all of the little places he liked to be touched.
She tried to focus on the artwork displayed at the museum she’d chosen to explore, but it was hard. Eventually, she gave up, grabbed a coffee from a nearby café, and headed to Monster Brothers Security.
Their headquarters was located downtown. There was a huge, beautiful fountain outside of the building, and she paused for a minute to look at it. This was it. This was the last thing Winter had to do before she could go home. She just had to go inside, apologize to Mr. Monster, and she had to warn him about Dragons Daily.
Winter didn’t know if Dragons Daily would actually be able to pull up any dirt on this guy. Somehow, she doubted their prowess, especially if they sent one of her less-experienced colleagues to write the story. Still, she didn’t like the idea of someone like Leon preying on a company that was trying to do good in the world, so she held her head up, pushed her shoulders back, and walked inside.
The first-floor lobby was beautiful. There were pictures of dragons that lined the walls, as well as several sitting areas. Winter ignored all of those things and marched straight to the receptionist’s desk. The woman smiled at her brightly.
“Hello! How can I help you today?”
Winter instantly felt at ease. There was a little sign on the woman’s desk that read HARPER. That was a cute name.
“Hi Harper,” she said, trying not to freak out. She was starting to shake a little bit, and her chest was getting tight. She could feel the beginning of an asthma attack coming on, which was something she needed to stop feeling.
Until this week, she’d had her health managed pretty well. Now, all of a sudden, it seemed like she was having asthma attacks one after the other. She frowned, took a deep breath, and nodded.
Stay focused.
“I have a meeting at noon with Mr. Brian Monster,” she managed to say.