Oh, god. Why am I even thinking like this?
Krystal caught a whiff of peppermint as she looked around the living room, and she glanced down at the tea. Picking up the mug and realizing that it was indeed peppermint, she decided to give it a try. She could use something warm and herbal to soothe her nerves. After taking a few big sips, she felt revived. Had Hugh made that tea for her as well? It had been a long time since she’d had someone to take care of her. Part of her wanted to believe that it had been Hugh who had done all of this, and part of her didn’t dare to hope that there was actually a man who would be that kind.
Krystal walked uncertainly toward the open doorframe that looked like it led to a hallway. Once in the hallway, she could see what looked like a kitchen and dining room to the right, and a front door to the left. She smiled at the sight of the door. She was definitely in Hugh’s house. She remembered that ornate door very well from when she had come through here trying to get him to sign her petition for the War Council.
Krystal made her way toward the kitchen and dining room area. There were lights on in there, although it was quiet. Krystal wondered if perhaps Hugh wasn’t home. Another hallway branched off from the main hallway, presumably toward the bedrooms, but there were no lights on in there. Just as Krystal was about to walk into the kitchen and dining area, though, Hugh’s voice startled her.
“I don’t know why they wanted her specifically. But I do know that if I hadn’t gone to rescue her right away, it would have been very difficult to find her.”
Krystal stopped and stood very still, listening. Hugh must be on the phone with someone. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again.
“Yeah, well, the High Council didn’t specifically tell me not to go.”
Another moment of silence, and then Hugh let out a huge laugh.
“Right well, it’s not my fault if they can’t be quick enough to tell me not to go before I leave the room. Look, Jake, why is it such a big deal? I rescued Krystal, and she and I are both back safely. All’s well that ends well.”
There was another pause, this one much longer.
“Fine. You can talk to the High Council, then, and let them know what happened. I’m going to keep Krystal here tonight, anyway. I’m not sure it’s safe at her house at the moment. Besides, she was pretty out of it. She’s passed out on my couch and I’m not sure she’ll be waking up until tomorrow morning.”
Krystal stifled back a giggle. He had no idea that she was awake, and was eavesdropping on him.
“Right. Well, I still think the High Council is making a mistake. But we can talk about it more in the morning. I’ve had about all I can take of clan politics and war decisions for the moment.”
Another, shorter pause, and then Hugh said goodbye and hung up. Krystal heard him sigh—a long, frustrated sigh, and she finally decided to creep forward into the room. She stepped into the room to find a large, well-outfitted kitchen to her left, and an even larger dining room to her right. Hugh was sitting at the dining room with his back to her and his head in his hands. She felt her heart go out to him, and she had the sudden urge to run over and take him in her arms. He seemed so stressed out, and she felt like a large part of that stress must be over her. She resisted the urge to hug him, though. She felt shy and awkward, even though they had already kissed. She’d invited him into her house earlier, for crying out loud. There was some sort of chemistry between them. But now that he had likely seen her naked, she was embarrassed to touch him.
She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.
“Sorry,” she said as he turned around. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
He recovered quickly, and shook his head as he gave her a warm smile. “No, no. Don’t apologize. Usually dragons are really hard to startle, actually. But I’m so preoccupied with so many things that I guess I didn’t see or hear you coming. How are you feeling?”
His voice dropped to a deep, husky tone as he asked her this last question. Krystal felt her heart do a flip-flop, and her stomach filled with a delightful, fluttery feeling.
“I’m good. I, uh, guess I have you to thank for that.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said, standing and walking over to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, as if to make sure that she was really there, really standing in front of him, healthy and alive. Krystal realized with amusement that he was wearing a navy sweat suit as well. It looked like an exact copy of hers, although it fit him much better.
“We match,” she said with a grin, grateful for something lighthearted to say. The seriousness between them right now was scaring her.
“That we do. Sorry, I know you’d probably prefer your own clothes, but your house isn’t safe right now. And besides, it’s roped off as a crime scene for the military to investigate. Not that you’d want me sorting through all your drawers anyway.”
Krystal could feel her cheeks heating up again, and she knew her face must be bright red. “Are you the one who, uh, undressed me?”
Hugh nodded. “Sorry, I know that probably doesn’t seem very gentleman-like. I could have called one of my buddies’ girls to come over and do it, but you were shaking so violently I didn’t want to keep you in those wet clothes another minute longer. I swear I looked away as much as possible.”
“Right. Well, um, thanks.” Krystal looked down at her toes, feeling like the awkwardness between them was growing worse by the second.
“Hey,” Hugh said, taking his finger and raising her chin so she had to look in his eyes. “You’ve seen me naked. It’s only fair.”
Krystal grimaced. “I didn’t look, though.”
Hugh laughed. “Well, then, we’re even. I didn’t look either. As much as I could avoid it, at least.”
Krystal looked down at her toes again. Shifters never seemed to think nakedness was a big deal. They were always losing their clothes when they shifted, so to them it was no big deal. To a non-shifter like Krystal, it still felt awkward. She knew that the more embarrassed she acted, though, the more awkward things would feel. She forced a bright smile onto her face and looked up at Hugh.
“Well, anyway. Thank you for taking care of me. I hate to be a bother, but is it alright if I stay here for the night? On the couch, of course. It’s so late at this point that it would be difficult to find another friend’s house to stay at and—”
“Why the couch?” Hugh interrupted.
Krystal felt herself growing warm all over at the implication of his words. “Well, it’s just that…”
“Just that you’re afraid of what might happen if we were too close and I was tempted to do this?”
And then, Hugh leaned down and kissed her. Krystal felt herself go up in flames as the gorgeous dragon in front of her wrapped his arms around her. And in that moment, she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Chapter Ten
Krystal’s heart pounded beneath her oversized navy sweatshirt as Hugh slipped his tongue past her lips and kissed her deeply. She felt his fire sweeping across her body, and she trembled beneath his touch. His hands were everywhere. On her face, then her shoulders, the small of her back, squeezing her ass. He couldn’t get enough of her, and she felt the same about him.
“Hugh,” she gasped when he finally pulled back and gave her a moment to breathe. “We shouldn’t.”
“Why not?” he challenged, reaching up to trace a line down the side of her face with his index finger. He left a trail of electric fire everywhere he touched her.
“We barely know each other and…and…aren’t there rules about this sort of thing?”
Hugh smiled, and kissed her forehead. “Rules? Like what? We have to know each other x number of days before making love? Or go on x number of dates? I don’t see the point in those silly rules.”
He lowered his eyes at her, and dropped his voice to that impossibly husky tone he used when he wanted to speak seriously to her. “The only rule I follow is to always follow my heart. It hasn’t
led me astray so far. And tonight, my heart told me to go after you and save you. That turned out pretty well, don’t you think?”
He kissed her again, and she felt his heat go from his lips to hers and then radiate across her body.
“Well, yes, but…” Krystal had no good argument. She wanted him. Badly. She hadn’t planned on falling for this somewhat edgy dragon, who did what he wanted and boldly spoke out against anyone who disagreed with him. His self-confidence sometimes felt like arrogance. Like too much to take. But it was also sexy. He didn’t back away from what he thought was right. And tonight, it sounded like that self-confidence had saved her. From what she’d heard of his phone conversation, it sounded like he had taken off to come rescue her without waiting around for the High Council’s approval or disapproval. She would be forever grateful to him for that. Still, was she moving too fast? Was she only wanting to sleep with him because he’d been her knight in shining armor tonight?
And, if so, was that really so bad? There were worse reasons to sleep with a guy, weren’t there?
“You know what my heart is telling me right now?” Hugh asked, tilting his head to kiss her once more. Krystal trembled at the intensity in his eyes. She’d never had a man look at her with so much hunger before. That was the moment she knew she was gone. She wanted Hugh, and he wanted her, and there was no turning back. Who cared whether this made logical sense or not. She was powerless to resist the desire that coursed through her veins. She had nearly been lost to the Dark Warriors tonight, but Hugh had saved her. She’d been brought back from certain doom, and she wanted to celebrate that. She felt high on life, and high on the passion she felt for the man standing in front of her.
“My heart,” Hugh said, pausing in the middle of his sentence to kiss her, “Is telling me to fuck the hell out of you.”
He looked down at her, and she looked back at him, trembling. He was waiting for her answer. Was she in on this, or not?
As Krystal looked up at him, she knew there was no question. She was all in. Looking up at Hugh through her eyelashes she said, “Then you better listen to your heart.”
He did not need a second invitation. With a low, hungry growl, he picked her right up off the floor and started carrying her toward the hallway. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply as he carried her toward his bedroom. He didn’t flip on the lights, but his blinds were open and the clouds had cleared, letting bright, silvery moonlight stream into the room.
Looking at Hugh, outlined in that silver light, Krystal thought that she’d never seen anything so gorgeous. His dark hair was mussed up in an irresistibly sexy way. As he lowered her onto the bed, still kissing her, she couldn’t resist reaching up and running her fingers through it. The fire in her body continued to grow, and she could feel herself growing wet between her legs. Her body was yearning for him, begging for him, preparing for him. Krystal could hardly stand the feeling of clothing against her skin. She hated having anything between Hugh and her. She wanted to feel his bare skin against her bare skin, and she wanted it now.
As if he could read her mind, Hugh tugged off his sweatshirt. His perfectly sculpted abs glimmered in the moonlight, and Krystal reached up to trace her hands across his six-pack. She marveled at how wonderful he felt, and at the fact that he, a mighty dragon, wanted her. And yet, he did want her. He looked at her with such desire, and such—dare she say it—love, that Krystal knew he must see in her something she didn’t even see in herself.
He pushed off his pants and underwear then, leaving himself fully exposed before her. In the few times she’d seen him naked after shifting, she’d politely averted her eyes from the space between his legs. But now, she looked, and moaned at the very sight of what she saw. His manhood was impossibly huge, larger than anything she could have ever imagined. It stuck straight out, erect and proud, and Krystal reached for it with her hands. She curled her palm around it, wondering at how it filled her entire hand. She trembled at just the thought of having him inside of her.
He let out a low growl as she rubbed her palm against his shaft, and teased his head with her finger. And then, he pushed her backward onto the bed, his movements full of authority and power. He pulled off her pants first, and then tugged at the oversized sweatshirt until it was completely off and she lay naked before him. He paused to look at her, and seemed overcome by what he saw.
“God,” he whispered in a low voice. “You’re beautiful.”
Krystal trembled at his words, and trembled even more when he bent over her to kiss her. He went for her lips first, but quickly moved on to her breasts. He sucked her nipples into his mouth, first the left and then the right. He nibbled at the hard nubs, gently at first and then harder. Krystal had never felt so wet between her legs, or so on fire throughout her entire body. His touch undid her. He ran his hands up and down her body as he continued to tease her nipples, and she felt like she was in some sort of erotic dream. Nothing in real life could actually be this good, could it?
But as Krystal opened her eyes wide and saw the ceiling above her, very real and covered in very real moonlight, she knew she wasn’t dreaming. Hugh really was this wonderful. He really did make her feel this amazing.
Krystal could feel a deep, fiery pressure building in her core. With every second that passed, she felt more and more like she might explode. And she felt more and more like she couldn’t wait another single second to have Hugh inside of her. She could feel his erection poking against her lower thigh, but that wasn’t enough for her. She wanted it higher, and deep inside of her. She wanted Hugh to make love to her, now.
“Please,” she cried out, unable to say more than this. He understood, and slowly pulled away from her nipples to move upward until his face was in her face. She opened her eyes and looked deeply into his eyes as he hovered above her. For a few moments, Krystal felt she was suspended in time, just staring at the most beautiful, soulful eyes she’d ever seen. His eyes were full of hunger and fire, and Krystal knew in that moment that no one else would ever be enough. Even before they had actually crossed the line into making love, Krystal knew that she and Hugh were meant to be. He was her dragon, glorious, handsome, and fearless. And she was his. All his, from this moment forward.
With another low growl, Hugh finally slid into her. Krystal’s eyes squeezed shut and she gasped as he filled her. He thrust deep into her, and his large shaft pushed against her inner walls, demanding space for itself. Every nerve ending in Krystal’s body tingled as he began to slide back and forth within her. With each thrust, it felt like he was going deeper, and with every passing second the pressure within Krystal came closer and closer to the breaking point.
She trembled, helpless to do anything except give in to Hugh and the pleasure that filled her. With one long, loud scream, she felt herself falling over the edge, into the deepest ecstasy she’d ever known. Her whole body burned with a glorious, tingling sensation. Her inner muscles pulsed, clenching hungrily around Hugh’s shaft within her. Wave after wave of pure bliss passed over her, and she had never felt so safe or loved in her entire life.
As for Hugh, he followed not far behind her. As soon as Krystal had found her release, he let go and found his. He roared and thrust deeply into her one last time, then pulsed into her as the ecstasy took over him as well.
For several long, magnificent moments, they lay there connected, their bodies throbbing as they gave in to each other. When the tremors within each of them finally subsided, Hugh pulled out of Krystal and lay beside her, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her forehead, her lips, and her nose, and then reached to pull a blanket over them.
He didn’t say anything else, but Krystal could feel him saying so much with his touch. He was so tender with her that it made her want to cry, as did the fact that his body pressed up against hers felt like home. Even after he fell asleep, she lay awake for a long time just enjoying the feel of his chest rising and falling beside her.
Times were hard, a
nd fighting off evil was never easy. But Krystal knew in her heart that she’d found love in the midst of war. Of course there were still a lot of details to work out, but, really, what more could she ask for than this?
Chapter Eleven
The crisp, pink light of dawn streamed into Hugh’s kitchen, making everything look a little rosy as he sat and took long sips of coffee from his favorite mug. But in Hugh’s heart, things didn’t feel so rosy.
Oh, there was plenty to be happy about. Last night with Krystal had been amazing. She was better than he could have ever imagined a woman being, and he’d felt like a slave to her beauty and her touch. Anything she’d asked him to do, he would have done. Making love to her had been the most incredible experience of his life.
And no wonder, since it was immediately clear to him when they slept together that she was his lifemate. He hadn’t been searching for a lifemate, and it had surprised him to no end when he’d felt the lifemate bond forming within him after making love to Krystal. In retrospect, he shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d felt a strong connection to her from the moment he’d met her, even though they disagreed about how the war should be run. Come to think of it, he actually liked that she disagreed with him, even though he still thought she was wrong. He liked a woman who could stand up for herself and have her own opinions, and Krystal was definitely that kind of woman.
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