And as Clancy turned for Dragonclaw, the clouds above began to part, casting long rays of light over the Texas range before them.
He kicked Thunderhead into a gallop and made for home.
Where hopefully he could make Billie his… forever.
24
A short ride later, Billie and Clancy were back at his home. And while Clancy unhitched Thunderhead’s saddle and let him out to pasture, Billie waited inside, not wanting to go anywhere until she and Clancy had talked everything out.
When they’d arrived, Gary had jumped out and scuttled beneath Clancy’s porch, probably where his home was.
A few minutes later, Clancy strode through the front door, his shirt sticking to his powerful muscles, face so handsome it defied description, and unfathomable emotions welled up inside Billie. Love, relief, and determination.
“You should go take a shower, rest up before we talk,” Clancy said.
“I ain’t movin’ a muscle until you tell me everything.”
Clancy grinned and grabbed a thick, soft blanket to wrap around Billie’s shoulders before he picked her up again and sat down on the couch with her in his lap.
“My family, where I came from… We weren’t like other dragons,” he started tentatively.
She just listened intently, already warming against him, relaxed and happy.
“Swamp dragons are violent. Dangerous. A long time ago, I tried to leave them. Put that life behind me. I was never like them, and I think they realized that after not too long.”
“What happened?”
“There was a huge fight that broke out. I had to fight off my family and friends as they tried to kill me for daring to betray my nature as a swamp dragon. When I escaped, I went west. Tried to make a new name for myself out where freedom was at its purest. But I only found more trouble waiting for me, I guess.”
“You helped a lot of people too. The Quickdraw Dragon saved lives.”
He sighed. “I s’pose so. At any rate, you know about my time as a gunslinger. How I tried to use my dragon’s strength to help. But when that just got more people in trouble, I came here. I thought my past as a swamp dragon was far behind me at that point.”
“So the man yesterday…”
“A swamp dragon. Bates was his name. The biggest, meanest, and last swamp dragon left alive after all the fighting that started when I left. He came for revenge. Said I could keep my life if I went back with him and married his sister.” Billie’s eyes widened at the strange, unexpected turn of events. “Of course I said no. But I knew that he was dangerous. To you especially. If I didn’t make it out alive, I knew he’d come for my family.”
“Which, thankfully, you did.”
He smiled. “With your help, yes. But that’s why I did what I did last night. Said what I said. If Bates killed me, I figured Harrison and the others could find a way to drive him off if he came for Dragonclaw. But I couldn’t have you involved in all of that, not when I could protect you by keeping myself as far from you as possible.”
Billie shook her head. Of course that was what he’d done.
Typical Tucker Thompson. Typical Clancy.
She placed her hands on his warm cheeks, looking straight into his beautiful emerald-green eyes. “I don’t care if it’s a swamp dragon or a gang of bloodthirsty thieves or a gang of bloodthirsty swamp dragons after you, Clancy. I love you, and I only want to be by your side, however fate turns for or against us.”
“And I only want to be with you, Billie. Your strong spirit, your iron will. Heck, even your faith in a gunslinger I long ago lost faith in… Everything about you is perfect. And I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives. I just never thought a swamp dragon like me could’ve deserved a mate. In fact, all swamp dragons are told from birth they don’t have mates, that we aren’t like other dragons that way. But I guess Bates and the others were wrong about that from the start.”
She was very curious what this “mate” thing was. “So no more running off and being a hero without me?”
He smirked in that confident way that made arousal shoot out to her fingertips. “I can’t promise I won’t go acting a hero again if it means the love of my life is in danger. But I can absolutely promise that I’ll keep you by my side forever… if you can forgive me.”
“Of course I do, you silly horse wrangler! You know how to wrangle everything except the belief that you don’t deserve a happy ending.”
Clancy laughed, standing up from the couch and holding her tight. “Until a certain antique store clerk with an obsession had the audacity to tell Tucker C. Thompson no to his face.”
She flushed, the irony of that moment that felt so long ago now hitting her like a truck. “My gosh, you’re right.” She giggled, unable to not laugh at the thought of her, the foremost expert on the Quickdraw Dragon, telling the Quickdraw Dragon that his own coin wasn’t for sale. “To be fair, I didn’t know you back then, except that you were handsome and looked like a player.”
“Now how do you feel about me?” He took slow steps toward the bedroom, taking his time.
“Like you’re my everything.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth, darlin’.”
She shivered with anticipation as hope and excitement welled inside her.
“So what’s all this mate business? I’ve heard the word thrown around on the ranch between Marian and Harrison, and you’ve been calling me that, but what is it?”
“It’s when a shifter joins with the one they love. Like marriage but much more serious. It means I will love you and only you for the rest of our lives. That I’ll protect and watch out for you.” His gaze glimmered as he looked down at her. “And for dragons, it means you’ll share my lifespan as well.”
“How long is that?”
“A very, very long time. So it’s not something to be taken lightly. And if you want to reconsider, that’s totally—”
“I accept!” she said with glee, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes and double yes. Where do I sign?”
Clancy was her happiness. The only person she’d ever felt this way for and the only person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
He just smiled against her neck. “Actually, all we need to do is have a little fun in the bedroom. Just with nothing between us this time, and it’s done.”
She flushed. That sounded awesome.
“What are we waitin’ for, then? To the bedroom!” she said, pointing a finger up the stairs, and Clancy laughed heartily as the heels of his boots clicked on each wooden step.
He growled, leaning in toward her, tugging her close, and she felt arousal flare across her chest and arms.
“I must warn you about something, though,” he said playfully.
“What?” Each second this close to Clancy was like getting closer to hot coals.
“Dragons are notorious for being extremely possessive of their mates. And I am no exception to that.”
It was her turn to lean into his ear. “Then go ahead and show me what you mean, cowboy.”
At that, the stairs flew beneath them, and Clancy stormed into his room in less than a second, taking her breath away with his strength and poise.
But even as he nuzzled against her neck, he was tender as he set her down on the bed. “Let’s get these damp clothes off you.”
His hands were firm, determined, as he unbuttoned the shirt she’d hastily put on this morning. His gaze was like fire, roving over her as he undid her jeans next, sliding them off and onto the bed.
The room was warm and muggy as the storm had passed, leaving her breathless as he peeled off her shirt next, then undid her bra and let it fall away.
“You too. I want to see all of you,” she said, and he paused and stepped off the bed to slowly strip for her, teasing her with his utter maleness.
He left his Stetson on as his shirt fell aside. Then he undid the buckle of his jeans slowly, licking his lips while he watched Billie intently before his jeans fell. The impres
sive bulge between his hips was teasing her. He was teasing her.
And Billie loved every second of it.
He took off his underwear, letting his cock spring free, and Billie gasped just at the anticipation. Then he tossed his hat aside, letting his still-damp blond hair fall around his face as he came onto the bed above her.
“Get used to this picture, sweetie, ‘cause once we’re mated, I’m going to be hungry for you every minute of every day.”
She gulped. That sounded too wonderful for words. How had she gotten so lucky?
Then he leaned down, and his lips crashed over hers as happiness melted into erotic heat inside her. Immediately, she parted her mouth, and Clancy’s tongue thrust in to entwine with hers, making her groan for more against him.
She felt Clancy’s hand on the back of her neck, cupping her and angling her head so he could go deeper. At the same time, she felt his other strong hand on her breast, squeezing and then playing with the firmed tip between his thumb and forefinger, shooting sparks of arousal all up and down her legs and arms.
At first, the idea of being with Clancy had been a dream. A passing fancy. But then in the days leading up to this moment, he’d showed her again and again how turned on by her he was. How much he loved taming her wild senses to make her come so many times she’d lost count already.
And this was just the start of everything for them. It all just got better from here.
Clancy held his mouth against hers firmly, licking inside her until she was already wet with desire for him. Then he pulled back, and she took in a long breath, relaxing against the bed for the barest moment before his tongue laved down the side of her neck.
He was everywhere, squeezing both breasts at once, teasing her nipples while he kissed her ear, then sucking hard on the spot beneath it. She moaned, reaching her hands up to touch him too, feeling over the ridges of his pecs and abdominals. Each muscle felt and looked perfectly sculpted as if it were just for her.
Thankfully, Clancy didn’t seem to mind the exploration of her hands up his chest and down his back while he moved lower to flick his tongue over one nipple, then the other. As he did, Billie watched as his hand trailed down her stomach toward the apex of her thighs.
His finger, as it brushed over her clit, was pure heaven, and Billie’s body clenched from the sudden stimulation. Meanwhile, the sight of his thick cock continued to burn in the back of her eyes like an erotic promise, her excitement for the taut, filling sensation of Clancy inside her sending her careening upward as she neared her first release.
“Something got you all roused up,” Clancy said playfully against her skin between licks across her bare breasts. “I love it. My untamable, wild little mate.”
She didn’t have time or even the brainpower to respond as he spread her lips with his fingers, giving him even better access to her clit as he stroked over her to completion. Then, as everything in her body froze for the moment before the release, Clancy held her close.
Then all the pent-up arousal exploded into pure pleasure as Billie orgasmed, and her body shuddered against the bed as she felt sheltered and safe in Clancy’s strong arms.
It would always be Clancy for her. And no matter how he felt about himself or his dragon, she’d tell him every day that he was the coolest, strongest, most wonderful dragon ever.
Her Quickdraw Dragon mate.
Billie’s body slowly relaxed, and Clancy spread her legs, lowering himself to her center. Her skin was warm and sticky with arousal, her fingers twitching as Clancy smiled wickedly up at her, then licked up her wet slit with heated urgency.
“Clancy.” His name was on her lips over and over. And it was the only word she seemed to be able to say in the coming minutes as he sucked her off, loving on her tiny nub with his tongue, his fingers, and even the warm breath from his sexy mouth.
As desperately as she wanted to see his eyes roll back in pleasure as well, Billie would never say no to his particularly overwhelming, thorough style of making love.
His arms were wrapped around her thighs, holding her tight against his mouth as she came, screaming to the ceiling and walls, declaring her love for her man.
But Clancy just kept going, licking and expertly making little circles around her clit until she was nearly falling apart again, only minutes following her previous release.
He seemed to know her body better than even she knew herself, slowing down for a moment so she could catch her breath. And while Billie did, he kissed the insides of her thighs and ran his hands across her, squeezing and stroking over her sensitive skin that begged for his touch whenever he was near.
Clancy had said there was no going back from where he would take her that first night they’d been together.
Now she wanted to run toward the future, hand in hand with him, and never look behind them.
In more ways than one, he’d been right.
Then Clancy kissed her clit again, lightly sucking with his lips, and she immediately came.
Billie’s vision blurred, the house around her seeming to turn on end as powerful, indescribably good sensations shot through her veins like liquid light.
And by the time she was coming down, Clancy had sat back up, green eyes hungry as he licked his lips.
Then, for a split second, his irises turned to slits, going an even brighter green like his dragon’s.
And they were normal again, leaving her caught up in the magic of the moment.
He positioned himself at her entrance and thrust inside with a smooth motion. Even after their times together, Billie never got used to the sensation as he joined with her. And now, with nothing between them, it only felt better as his hardness filled her to the brim, seated all the way until they were hip to hip.
Even Clancy seemed to feel it as his expression tightened. The planes of his face were so perfect, the angle of his jaw so handsome. She could look up at that face every day and never tire of studying her Clancy.
“Last chance, Billie. You sure you’re okay being mated to a swamp dragon?” he said with a smirk, though she could still see the tiniest hint of doubt in his eyes.
“I’m more than okay with it. It’s what I want. I want you, Clancy,” she replied, just reveling in the warm air and how it only seemed to hum with something wonderful, something ineffable as they neared the finale.
“And I want you, Billie. My mate.” There was such kindness and care in his gaze as he looked down at her.
Then he leaned down to kiss her just as his hips separated from hers and pushed back in to meet her, and electric shocks of pleasure coursed over her back. Gosh, she wouldn’t last long.
But Clancy took over for them both, moving into a perfect rhythm that left her nearly breathless. It was all she could do to just focus on the taste of his lips against hers, focus on the slick sound of him entering and withdrawing as his thickness teased over her G-spot in rapid succession.
And when Clancy’s mouth pulled away from hers, she could see him tensing as well. See the muscles in his arms and chest tighten, hardening like steel as he tried to hold back.
Billie just pulled her hips away from him, then thrust down to meet him quicker until they were both panting, racing toward what was definitely going to be a world-shattering climax.
For minutes that felt like hours, they collided with each other in the most pleasurable of ways, drawing out the incredible emotions and physical pleasure as long as they could. Then, with a shocked gasp that escaped her lips, Billie felt everything inside her go past the edge of no return.
Her orgasm was stronger than any she’d ever had before. And just as it all released inside her like an explosion, Clancy’s cock jerked inside her, going even harder and pushing her even deeper into mind-blowing arousal.
Clancy’s arms were around her in a second even as he grunted into her shoulder, both of them clenched around each other like wires tangled in a knot.
She never wanted to untangle from Clancy.
A cool breeze blew fresh air
through the partly open window, brushing over Billie’s hot skin as the last aftershocks of release pulsed inside her body. Clancy just continued to hold her as their breaths evened out and their hearts began to beat in unison as they slowed.
In her mind, in her heart, she knew that she and Clancy were mated now. Knew that all the promises he’d made had come true, would keep coming true.
A life together with the man of her dreams.
“How are you feelin’?” Clancy said, finally pushing up with his arms so he could look down at her, a satisfied smile on his defined lips.
“Real good. That was amazing.”
“Good. ‘Cause that was just the prelude,” he said with a wink before withdrawing slowly and going to the bathroom to clean up, emerging naked and so sexy it made her mouth hang open as she stared.
“Prelude?”
He lay down next to her, pulling her in tight against him as they fit perfectly together. He chuckled a little, kissing her neck as she reveled in the feel of his muscles against her back and enveloping her with his strength.
“How about a little breather first, though?”
“That sounds nice,” she said, humming as she relaxed into him. Outside, birds were chirping, the fresh Texas air filling her senses and leaving her sated and happy.
“Just you and me now, Billie. I’ll always be here to hold you like this. To keep you safe.”
“Even if it means wrangling in those untrue thoughts you have about yourself and your dragon?”
Clancy laughed heartily at that, his chest reverberating against her back. “I guess I’ve wrangled a lot of things in my life. Never thought I’d have to wrangle myself into not running from the best thing that ever happened to me.”
She placed her hands on his taut forearms. “You always deserved better than what you gave yourself. I’m just so happy it’s me you wanted.”
“I always wanted you, Billie. I’ll always want you.” He continued to say words of love and affection, placing tiny kisses everywhere as they continued to hold each other.
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