For the first time in months, she actually felt lucky.
She let her hands fall to her sides, fully relaxed, totally ready, and let her legs fall open to him. She was totally bared, totally naked, and had a gigantic male shifter on top of her, yet she felt totally safe.
They could share this because he would never let anyone else touch her, harm her, see her, or be with her.
Her whole heart gave a sigh of relief.
She teased him, wriggling her hips, and he finally seemed convinced she was ready to get back to things. But she couldn’t tell him how much it meant that he was so careful, so reluctant to do anything that would hurt her in any way.
She wished she’d given him a chance to show her this part of him sooner, but she knew she’d gone as fast as she could.
His hands stroked over her thighs and knees, and he settled between her legs again, putting one hand over her sex, cupping her. His thumb covered her clit, and she jumped slightly at how sensitive it was. Almost painful, and he lessened the pressure, began rubbing slightly around it, pressing up against it, letting his fingers play as she grew wetter, more relaxed, letting her legs fall even more to the sides as she writhed against him.
The slightly rough feel of his skin on her most sensitive place was exquisite, careful, and safe.
She pushed her hips against him, wanting more, but he continued his slow exploration, over every fold, swirling this way and then that, touching her in every way possible as he watched her, noting every reaction, logging it away somewhere like it was the most important information in the world.
She wasn’t even talking, and she’d never felt more listened to in her life.
When she was aching, overstimulated, and ready to go, she felt his fingers at her entrance, testing her. She felt wet, ready, desperate, and relaxed as he pushed inside with one and then two of his long fingers.
Even that was amazing. It had been so long since she’d had sex. And it had never felt like this. Like she’d been so thoroughly prepped she was dying for it. Like she’d pass out if he didn’t get inside her.
“Please,” she said, arching, displaying herself, inviting him.
He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a rippling torso that was so lickable it was painful. He was glistening with a light sheen of sweat that only made his muscles more impressive. All of that was for her. To protect her. To make love to her. To stay with her.
He unbuttoned his pants and slid them down, then stepped off the bed to fully shed them. The he dropped his underwear and stood before her totally naked, completely unashamed.
This was Dom. Her man. Unlike anyone else in the world, with those frank eyes, those harsh, dark looks, and that tall, intimidating body. He looked completely beautiful naked, with trim hips and muscled quads and long legs that led to perfectly shaped calves with bulging muscle and slender ankles and perfect feet.
She was ready to just stay there and devour him with her eyes all day when he edged back on the bed, swinging a leg over her. Her eyes went down to his package. So huge. She’d seen it before, had it in her mouth, wanted it again, to feel the velvet hardness of it, see his eyes roll back as she licked his slit.
But there was somewhere else she wanted it more. Somewhere she wouldn’t be complete until she had him.
She’d never felt so hungry for cock. She reached her legs up around him, wrapping his waist, ready to hold on, and he closed his eyes as dark hair fell over his forehead, looking rakish. Then his eyes opened, even brighter, more intense, and she shivered.
She felt him at her entrance, gently testing. Was she really going to be able to fit him? She tried to stay relaxed, tried not to wince as she felt him gently pushing forward.
She gasped as his head came in, so wide, so strong. She took deep breaths as he stopped, tilting his head, unwilling to hurt her. She sighed. This wasn’t going to happen if they were slow about it, so she wrapped her legs, made sure he was positioned, and pulled them together as tight as she could.
He slid inside her, stretching her in a way that felt impossible, and she choked back a scream at the intensity of it. He froze, trying to pull back, though her legs wouldn’t let him. “I… do you want—”
“No,” she said. “Just hold on.” She’d never felt anything like it before. Just being in her was so much sensation she couldn’t stand it. Like he was so thick he was on her G-spot automatically.
She took deep breaths, focusing on his face, which was tender, protective. She reached up to touch his cheek, felt soft stubble there. Damn, he was handsome.
She slowly relaxed, and the shock of it turned so pleasurable she couldn’t wait to keep going. She pulled away slightly and then pulled in again with her legs, sending him deep again.
His eyes pressed closed, and he uttered a curse. Then he opened them, his mouth breaking into a grin. “You’re killing me. So tight.”
“You’re the one who’s too big,” she said.
He pulled out slightly. “Too big?” he teased.
She shook her head, wanting more of him. “No. Perfectly big.”
He thrust back in, filling her again, making her body race with excitement. “Good.”
They fell into a rhythm, moving together, him bracing himself on his hands, her hands on his thighs, her ankles locked behind him, bringing them closer with every thrust.
The pleasure that had started when he’d first gone inside her was building like wildfire, swirling up and threatening to overwhelm her as she bit the inside of her cheek and tried to hold on. She wanted this to last longer, wanted to watch his sweaty body, pounding into her, his dark hair shaking, his lips pursed in concentration. The beauty of him working to please her.
And the feeling inside her, which was so strong on the build that it already felt better than her best orgasm.
Whatever was coming was amazing, but she also wanted this moment to last forever.
He was growing tenser as well, so hard she couldn’t believe it, and the muscles on his brow were beginning to tremble. His eyes were on her, soaking up every bit of her beauty, touching on her belly, her hips, her breasts, her arms, her legs, her pussy. She’d never had a man seem so wholly interested in every part of her.
She felt herself coming apart and arched up to the ceiling, feeling like a ball of fire exploding in white-hot flame, licking her from head to fingertips to toes.
He jerked, uttered an oath and then her name, and joined her in ecstasy, coming inside her with hot thrusts of wet warmth, stroking her sensitive, tensing flesh, and setting off more pleasure inside her.
She wrapped her arms around him, looking into his face as he came, absorbing all his pleasure as she focused on him, thinking he was more beautiful in this moment than ever before. As her pleasure ebbed to hot contentment and feelings that made her heart feel like it was exploding, he fell against her, heaving.
He was heavy, but it was a welcome weight, and she kept her arms and legs wrapped around him, not wanting to let him go, even though he was softening.
He muttered unintelligible words into her shoulder, kissing her over and over on her shoulder, her face, her cheeks, her forehead.
And then on her mouth, staying there, gently pressed together as their heart rates returned to normal.
“I love you,” he said against her lips. “I’m sorry, but I love you. Don’t hate me.”
She wrapped her arms around him, heart breaking at him thinking she ever could. “Dom, I wouldn’t. You’re my friend.” At his look of disbelief, she put a finger to his lips. “My boyfriend. Mine. And I’m yours. Let’s not worry about more than that.”
He sank against her, resting his head against hers, trailing a finger over her shoulder. “Mine. As long as you’re mine.”
An unpleasant prickle ran through her at the word, having heard it so much before from Galen. But it quickly passed, because the voice saying it was so different. It was the voice of a man who loved her. The voice of a man she probably loved, if she could be brave enough
to face it.
But right now, she just wanted to hold him close, feel all his body, and relive every moment of their encounter in her mind.
It had been completely perfect.
Chapter 15
Lana looked across the floor at her broken bra, their clothing spread over the small bedroom of the cottage, and smiled.
“I guess we should figure out a way to get back, shouldn’t we?” she asked, reaching up to stroke his face.
He moved off of her, walked to the bathroom to get a towel, and came back to clean them both. Then he held her in his arms, rolling over so they were both on their sides, him wrapped around her tightly.
“I don’t want to go back,” he said. “I just want to stay here forever.”
“It’s a little small for my taste,” she said. “And you know I need my work stuff.”
“So you want me to buy you a mansion?” he asked.
“No.” She snorted. “You could do that?”
He nodded. “I wasn’t as treasure hungry as some of the other dragons, but it’s in our instinct to hoard valuables. I have my stash. I just haven’t had much reason to do anything with it.”
She blinked. “Wow.” She pulled the covers up around her chest, under her shoulders. “Well, don’t worry about the mansion for now. We’ve just become boyfriend and girlfriend. That’s good, right?”
His hands were possessive, wrapping her shoulder and waist. “I suppose. Though after making a dragon feel like that, you can’t blame me for wanting more.”
She sighed and sat up, pushing away from him. “Dom.”
“I know,” he said, sitting up next to her, running a hand through his dark, sexy hair. “I’m sorry.” His light-blue eyes were soft, like a morning sky on a summer day. Less icy.
“It’s okay,” she said, putting a hand over his. She wasn’t reacting as badly as she used to when he acted possessive, but she didn’t want to rush the part of her that was still healing.
She needed time. At least she should, right? That’s how things worked in the real world.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for lunch,” she declared.
“We just had breakfast,” he said, grinning. “I wonder how breakfast can make one so hungry.”
She laughed as he tickled her sides, pulling her back down onto the bed again for another kiss. “We should go take care of the kittens.”
He worried his lip, turning serious. “Oh yeah.”
She loved that his sense of duty meant more to him than anything else. “All right. Let’s go.”
They both got to trying to make their clothing work, but in the end, she had to wear a bra with one strap and sweater with a semi-stretched shoulder, and he ended up giving her his jacket, wanting her to cover up.
“They’re going to know,” she said, frowning.
“Does it matter?” he asked. “I mean, if they know we’re making progress? I think everyone assumes it.”
“I guess not,” she said. “I mean, as long as they know I’m not your property.”
She saw him flinch slightly at that but recover. “They will. You aren’t wearing my ring. When you wear it, you’ll be announcing you’re mine.”
“That’s right,” she said. “The ring. That mates us, right?”
“That and your consent,” he said. “But once I put it on, you can’t take it off, so it’s a big commitment.”
She shuddered. “Sounds so controlling.”
“I know,” he said. “My world is animalistic. I’m sorry it scares you.”
“I just hate fucking Galen, because without all of that terror he inflicted on me, maybe I could just see it as hot, like the other women in the house, and not frightening.”
“You are fine as you are,” he said. “And I’m here to wait as long as you need me to.”
She put an arm around his waist as they opened the door and walked into the sunlight. She groaned at the brightness, raising a hand to shield her eyes. He stepped in front of her slightly. “Here, walk behind me. I’ll be your shade.”
“No,” she said, stepping around him, taking his hand. “A little unpleasantness is worth it if I get to be beside you.”
He looked down at her. “What? Even though I’m a dragon?”
“Shut up,” she said. “That’s all I’m going to flatter you for now.”
He grinned. “All right. I won’t push my luck.”
“Right,” she said. “Because holding back has gotten you everywhere so far. Don’t get pushy.”
He squeezed her hand. “Right. No pushing. Just holding back, here when you’re ready.”
“If I’m ready,” she said. “No matter how either of us feels, it has to be if. It has to be my choice, not just me bending to an unbending fate.”
He swallowed. “I understand. Just keep telling me what you need, and I’ll keep trying to make sure you get it.”
She blushed, thinking of their morning. “Yeah. I definitely will. I’m going to need more of what we just did. Much more.”
He laughed, throwing his head back, letting his luscious black hair shine in the sunlight. “I’m good with that, sweetheart. I’m definitely good with that.”
And she kept her hand in his and let her shifter lead her back to the house.
Time for lunch and kittens and continuing to explore each new day.
Despite the wonderful lunch he’d had with Lana and the other dragons, all of whom had somehow behaved, Dom’s heart was tense as he gave the kittens their evening feeding.
“What should I name you?” Dom said, picking up the gray-tailed kitten who still didn’t have a name. “Hm. How about cloud?”
The kitten stared at him, blinking wide blue eyes, and Dom grinned. “Cloud it is. For now. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl for that one.”
He’d already decided to keep the kittens, rather than letting them go to foster homes. They got along with the other kitties in the house, Bo and Scrangey, and the kitties who visited seemed to like them as well.
And now that he knew he was probably sticking around, because Lana was close to accepting him, even if she wouldn’t admit it, there was no reason to let someone else have his kittens.
His babies, if he really admitted it. He loved every one of them. They’d brought him closer to Lana, given him something to focus on when he was lonely, and gave him a purpose. And he loved having a purpose.
“You don’t judge me, do you, guys?” he asked, holding Cloud. The others were being more open to him as well. The dragons.
They now knew he and Lana were “dating,” as humans referred to it. It was a nice feeling, even if as a shifter, he was a little unnerved that his mate still wouldn’t mate him.
But he’d known from the start she’d be a special situation, and he just kept reminding himself he could be patient.
Even if remembering all her beauty and pleasure that morning made it impossible to fathom her not being his. No one else could make her feel all of that. He guaranteed it.
When Cloud was finished, Dom put him with the other kittens and stretched, feeling tired.
He hadn’t slept well the night before, what with Lana telling him she was going to get to know Topaz. Now that he knew she was focused on him, that the other dragon was nothing more than a friend, he felt his whole body relaxing.
At the same time, he didn’t want to take a nap without knowing where Lana was. And where the other dragons were.
He shut and locked the door to his room and headed downstairs to see what everyone was doing.
Lana was at the dining table, which had been cleared, and was playing a game with her friends and their mates. Citrine and Topaz were also at the table. Citrine was reading a book, looking bored, and Topaz was leaning perilously close over Alistair’s shoulder, trying to figure out the game.
“Sorry,” Alistair said dourly, knocking one of Zach’s pieces off the bored.
“Why are you saying sorry when you did it on purpose?” Topaz asked.
/> “That’s part of the game,” Lana said. “Although, I’ve never played this game without someone hating it. Let’s be honest. It’s kind of all about being a douche to your friends.”
“Bridget wanted to play it, so we’re going to,” Alistair said.
Bridget grinned. “I just sort of remember enjoying it as a kid and thought it might be funny with dragons.”
“That it is,” Erin said. “Sorry.” She knocked another of Zach’s pieces off the board.
“What is this, pick on Zach day?” he grumbled, but he smiled at his mate.
Dom felt a warm feeling come over him, watching them all at the table, playing and talking.
Lana looked happy with her friends, and when she glanced up at him with a questioning look, as if asking if he wanted to join, he shook his head.
It was enough to watch and to realize this odd group was becoming more like his family every day.
A family he wanted to make with Lana.
Her eyes were sparkling as she knocked Zach’s last piece away, and he slumped on the table melodramatically.
Zach looked up at him with miserable eyes. “Come join us, Dom. Come take away this miserable game and give us an excuse to play something else.”
Dom hesitated. He liked to stay on the outskirts. It was dangerous to come inside and join other people.
And yet… yet…
Lana gave him an inviting smile and gestured to a chair, and his heart gave in with a thud.
“All right,” he said. “But I want to try this game.” He grinned at the others. “I want to knock Zach’s pieces off the table.”
“Group of ingrates,” Zach muttered, resetting the board and the pieces.
But he gave Dom a smile, and he returned it, finally feeling a part of the group. Not just a helper who came downstairs occasionally. Not just a friend who kept his distance.
No, thanks to Lana, he was actually one of them. Accepted. Normal.
It was just another way she was giving him more than he’d ever hoped for in his life.
He just hoped he was helping her heal as well.
When the game was over, the group had dinner and then talked for hours in the living room after.
Amethyst Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 5) Page 12