“You seem different,” he said. “Even from last night. No offense, but I’ve known you a while now, and it seems like a quick change.”
“It’s weird,” she said. “It was like hanging out with Topaz, having him say all the things I thought would sound good, about not being controlling, not being possessive, it made me realize how much I really do like you. Just how you are.”
“Enough to mate me?” he asked, leaning in.
His eyes were so blue, so light, so bright. Shaded by long lashes. Erotic. “Not yet. Not so fast, big boy.”
He sat back with a sigh. “You’re killing me. You already admitted you like me. And you don’t really want to go back to your world. What’s the wait?”
“What’s the rush?” she retorted. “Besides, we’re still exploring. I’m not going be open about my feelings changing if it’s just going to make you head straight for the mating goal line.” She shuddered. “I still can’t handle that word.”
“Want to call it something else?”
“It’s still being controlled, forever,” she said.
“Protected,” he said.
“Galen acted protective,” she said, scowling. “But it never felt good. He said no one else could touch me, kept other guards away, as if it were supposed to make me feel better about him pawing me.”
Dom’s face darkened. “I hope you know my protectiveness doesn’t arise out of a need to control you.”
“What does it arise from, then?” she asked, blinking up at him. “Some notion about fate and us not having a choice about being together?”
“It’s more like just knowing in your heart that someone is right for you, that you can make them happy, and that fate helped bring them to you. There are so many people in this world; it’s unlikely you’ll find the person who truly fits. Why mind a little if fate helps out?”
“Why do you have to make so much sense sometimes?” she muttered, running her hand up and down his hard chest. “You want to be naughty and do stuff out here?”
He looked around them, his hair blowing. “Tempting. But no. Someone could see us.” He looked down at her. “And since we’re being honest, I can’t stand the thought of someone seeing you.”
She swallowed. Why was that suddenly sounding hot instead of oppressive. “Okay. Where do you want to go, then?”
“How about the guesthouse? The shed, as some call it. I doubt anyone will bother us there.”
She nodded. “Let’s go.”
Dom didn’t know what had happened with Lana. When he’d seen her leaving with Topaz, he’d feared the worst and gone after them as quick as he could without looking like a crazy stalker who ran full bore over the grass.
But there was no way he was letting her walk into the woods alone with a newly awakened dragon, no matter how pathetic or friendly he might seem.
Yet the same woman who was arguing last night was leaning against him, telling him to make love to her, agreeing to go some place private.
And she wasn’t rumpling up or getting angry when he displayed protectiveness.
Something was definitely weird.
But a good kind of weird, as she took his arm and started in the direction of the guesthouse. It was on other other side of the woods, private and small. He understood why Zach had wanted to put the other dragons here.
They weren’t trying to be douchebags, but no dragon wanted an unmated dragon they didn’t know living under the same roof as their mate.
It was in their nature to be extremely protective and possessive. Dom just hoped one day he could help Lana see it was out of caring, not control.
If anything happened to her, he seriously wouldn’t be able to handle it. He had to keep her safe so he could keep her by his side. But how to tell her that and not make her want to run? How would he know when she was ready?
As he’d been doing the past couple days, he would just have to let her set the pace.
When they reached the guesthouse, which was made up like a little enchanted cottage, she pushed open the door and pulled him in, yanking on his shirt.
He lowered his head, and her lips covered his, warm and soft and eager, and his arms wrapped her waist. No hesitation this time, no pulling back. He kicked the door shut behind them and fell onto the bed with her.
She looked up at him, a gleam in her golden-brown eyes. Her lashes were adorably curled. “You sure you’re okay to go without breakfast?”
He nuzzled into her neck, making her twitch. “This is my breakfast.”
She laughed and scooted back onto the bed, bringing him with her. “Gross.”
“Very,” he said. “I should have thought of a better line.”
“No,” she said, entwining her arms around his neck. “You’re fine as you are.”
Shock waved through him. He’d never heard anyone say that. Well, just once. His one friend. The one he’d let down. He let out a little shudder and forced the memory out of his head.
“You’re going away in your mind again,” she said, stroking his face. That felt so good. “I wish you would let me in. Talk more about what we discussed before.”
“I thought maybe you’d forgot.”
“No,” she said. “With everything that happened right after we made love, I guess it went to the back of my mind. Especially since you didn’t want to talk about it.” She licked her lips anxiously. “But when you got that look, it reminded me. I should be a better friend. I should make you talk more.”
He laughed bitterly and got up to lock the door. Then he sat on the bed, his back to her side. “I want to be more than friends right now, and the last thing I want to do is talk. Especially about that.”
“If you really want to mate me, don’t you think at some point you’ll have to tell me everything?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Do you think so?”
She pursed her full lips, lightly wet, so kissable. “I guess not. I guess we’ll just keep figuring it out.”
“Right,” he said. He looked over her curvy body, the tight jeans, the sweater that kept slipping, showing tantalizing glimpses of skin. “So… big question.”
“What?” she asked, eyes soft and warm.
He’d dreamed of her looking at him like this. Without fear or irritation or wishing he would go away. He didn’t want to ruin it. “Can I be on top this time?”
She giggled, but her expression was hesitant. “Let me think about it.” She closed her eyes. “I gotta picture it, see how I feel about it.” She pressed her lips together. “I’m just never wanting to trigger memories of Galen.”
Dom slammed a hand down on the night table, frowning when it cracked down the middle and fell in two pieces.
“Holy shit,” she said, sitting up with a start. “What was that?”
“Just angry,” he grated out, trying to get his dragon under control.
“Angry that what Galen did makes it hard for us?”
He shook his head emphatically. “No, I could wait a thousand years if you wanted me to. I just wanted to be happy. It just drives me crazy to think of him hurting you. To think it still bothers you because it was so bad. The dragon in me aches for vengeance.” He ran his hands through his hair, over and over, trying to calm himself. “I’m sorry I’m ruining the moment.”
She climbed into his lap and huddled into him. “No, it’s good for someone to be angry for me. It reminds me I’m angry, too. And the only way I’m going to forget him and his evil is to keep allowing myself to experience good. Even if it scares me.”
He nodded. “Whatever you want. I’m here for you.”
She wrapped her arms around him for another kiss. When she pulled back, both of them breathless, she smiled. “It’s nice, isn’t it, just being here for each other? Sure, things were hot and complicated at the start, but—”
“You hated me,” he said.
“I didn’t know how to feel about you.” She corrected. “I’m still figuring it out. But you make me want to.”
&nbs
p; He stroked her hair. “I love your curls. I always wanted to do this.”
“And?” she asked.
“Better than I even thought.” He was quiet for a moment, just enjoying her hair, and then she spoke up.
“Um, I think you could be on top. Just be careful, and if I say stop—”
“If you said stop, nothing could make me go,” he said.
She giggled, rolling back onto the bed. “Okay, then. Show me what ya got.”
His eyes went wide, and then a grin curved his lips.
There were no words for how much he loved this girl.
Chapter 14
Lana looked up at Dom, his blue eyes full of concern and rising excitement, as he carefully crawled over her until his firm thighs straddled her wide hips.
She exhaled, waiting for some terrible memory to come back of another man climbing onto her, pinning her down, but the fear didn’t come.
Here, with Dom watching over her, his strong shoulders squared and his muscled arms at his sides, his focus all on her, she felt totally safe. For the first time in months.
Not even a single hesitation in her mind.
She grinned up at him and writhed, letting him know it was okay to go forward, excitement surging through her at the thought of finally unleashing him.
In a way, he hadn’t been collared by the oracle, but he’d been collared by her. She hadn’t wanted him to be everything he could, because she hadn’t wanted him to scare her.
Right now, she wanted to make his fears go away, his insecurities from seeing her with Topaz, that look in his eyes that said he still didn’t believe she could fully accept him.
She wasn’t ready for a mate yet, but maybe she could do boyfriend.
“Boyfriend?” he asked, tilting his head. “Sorry. Wasn’t trying to hear that. What is that?”
“I guess it’s when two people aren’t positive they’re going to end up together, but they decide to only see each other while they figure it out,” she explained.
He leaned forward onto his hands, and she breathed him in. A whiff of dark smoke and exotic spices and something familiar yet mysterious all at the same time.
“I could do that. I’d give anything to do that.”
She grinned, wrapping her hand over his neck, which was strong, wrapped with muscle. “Let’s see what you can do first.”
He grinned as he covered her lips with his, kissing her deeply. His tongue swept in, not asking permission, and a little thrill went through her as he owned her completely just with his mouth.
His kiss was electric. He held himself back from her, touching her only with his lips and tongue, stroking and diving and feeling inside until she felt so stirred up, so ready for more she could scream.
She dug her hands into his hair and made him look at her. “More.”
He grinned. “I’m in charge.” And his mouth returned to hers, stroking and torturing, biting her lower lip and releasing it as she moaned. Then his hand came up to cup her breast, his thumb lightly grazing her nipple through her clothing. She jerked at the feel of it, wishing to be bare, to feel his mouth on her, but his hand just continued its slow pressure.
His other hand moved over her hip, holding, squeezing, pressing, and his mouth moved into a rhythm, joining with her, thrusting inside her, making her writhe even as his hands kept her in place, preventing escape, because if she moved, she would miss the exquisite touch on her nipple or that sensitive spot on her hip.
It was so much slower than she’d imagined. More like water temperature that was slowly rising to bowling than the intense hurricane she had expected.
Yet it forced her to feel things, to stay with him, to notice little things like the callouses on his fingers, the sounds of his breath, the weight of his body as he moved over her, lowering himself onto her slowly.
She loved the feel of him, his trim hips, hard abs as they came down against her.
She reached up to run her hands over his shoulders, his arms, then up his chest, as he pulled back and shuddered. His eyes were lit as if by fire, and his jaw was tight.
“I’m trying to be careful,” he said. “To go slow. To be gentle.”
“I don’t want gentle,” she said. “I want you to be however you are.”
He nodded and, as if a dam had broken inside him, came down and kissed her in a completely different way, thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth. But it was hot, the ownership of it, the gleam in his eyes as he pulled back and went for her neck, pinning her hands at her sides as he nipped and kissed his way over her shoulder, pulling the sweater even lower.
He nipped at her bra strap and it fell away in two, giving more access as his lips worked down over her collarbone, kissing the top of her breasts. She didn’t even care he’d just destroyed her favorite bra.
She’d buy ten more so he could do it again and again. He raised her hands over her head and pulled her sweater off, leaving her in just the bra that was hanging from one strap. He reached around her, and she wasn’t sure if he’d unhooked it or just cut it off, but it fell away, and he flung it aside.
She covered herself with her hands out of habit, and he grabbed them and pulled them to the sides, splaying her wide, nipples high.
His grin grew wider, predatory. His lips were so beautiful. He, as a man, was so beautiful. She was wet just watching him on top of her.
It occurred to her that this was when she should be scared, but all she could feel was excitement at what he would do next. He reached down to one pinned hand and kissed her wrists, licking up her arm, making her shudder. There was no way an arm should be so sensitive, but with him, it felt like an erogenous zone. He made his way to her other arm and kissed every fingertip. Like he was trying to tell her the way he was holding her was just so he could love her, nothing else.
She arched, and he entwined his fingers with hers, joining them. He pressed himself into her, rubbing his body over the top of her exposed breasts. She gasped and he pulled back and then lowered his mouth onto the aching tip of one, sucking it wickedly. His ice-blue eyes never left hers as he sucked, wickedly flicking her nipple with his tongue as he released it.
She felt fire building inside her, a hot ache between her thighs, as he grinned and moved to the other breast, slowly swirling the nipple with his tongue, teasing her before taking it in his mouth. So warm, so stimulating, she never wanted him to let go. Wished he had two mouths so he could do both at once.
As if hearing her, his other hand came up to cup the other breast, tweaking at the wet, still-peaked nipple, and she arched into his hands, wanting more and more of him.
When each nipple felt achy and her whole body felt ready to explode, he pulled back, releasing her hands.
Then he spread her knees hard, opening her to him. Even in her jeans, she felt completely naked, exposed to that hot gaze.
“Take your pants off,” he grated out. “Or I’m going to tear them.”
She did, kicking them off easily and tossing them to the side. Then she flopped back again, breathing heavily, and he came over her center, inhaling.
“Your scent, it’s everything,” he said, swiping out with his tongue, right on her clit.
She moaned, pushing up to be closer.
He hooked a finger under the panties and slowly slid them off, his gaze growing hotter as he saw her for the first time. He pushed her legs farther apart as she watched him and then knelt between her legs, reaching down with one finger to explore as he kept looking at her with those hot blue eyes.
He tweaked his finger lightly, and she jerked. It felt like he was exploring every part of her, trying to learn her, wanting to see her. His other hand was stroking over her knee and down to her ankle, and she was surprised to find she was sensitive there as well.
Even though he was fully in control, it was nothing like Galen.
Dom was using his control to pleasure her, to seek out what she wanted, and taking the time to get to know her. Galen had never come close to any of that. Just wanted to t
ake what he could.
A distraught sound choked her, and Dom froze. Then his hand cradled her face, and she could tell nothing else mattered in the face of her distress. “Are you all right?” he asked. “Should we stop?”
“No,” she said, putting her hands over her face, feeling blood rush all over. “It’s embarrassing, but I just thought something sad. I should have stayed in the moment.”
He pulled her hands away gently, focusing only on her feelings. He held her hands in his, and they were so small and soft compared to his larger, rougher ones.
“Hey,” he said. “Never be embarrassed about whatever you’re feeling. I’m here for you. Not just the good times or the sexy moments. But everything. The sad feelings, the disappointments, the memories. That’s what being a ma—being a boyfriend is all about.”
She could have kissed him just for remembering not to say mate, but instead, she just threw her arms around him and held him close, letting his warmth and safety bring her back to a place where the sadness couldn’t reach her. Where it was all protection and caring and just him and her together.
Then she let him go and fell back on the soft mattress with a sigh. “All right,” she said. “I’m ready.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, glancing over her. “I mean, I’d love to, but I’m not—”
“Trust me,” she pleaded. “Things are complicated, but when I say I want to go, I want to go.”
He nodded. “Whatever you say.” He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, turning it over and kissing the palm as well, holding it to his lips like it was precious. Like he loved her.
Was that possible?
Why else would a man kiss her hand like that? With his eyes closed, with his face intent, like there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
It put new light on his focus on her. That his protection was more about his caring for her and less about his need to control her.
It felt like realization was dawning over her as Dom released her hand and looked down at her with those stunning blue eyes, that sex-mussed hair, those huge muscles that were all for protecting her, according to him.
Amethyst Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 5) Page 11