by Susan Arden
He fought asking if he was still the only man she’d let into her bed—that would go down as the ultimate dickhead move. He’d not sought out other females and wasn’t about to broadcast that she had him by the nuts, craving her completely.
How could he get her to do more than occupy a slot in his brain as his ultimate fantasy girl?
Shay turned on her side and ran her hand over his chest. He threaded their fingers together and lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm, inhaling the delicious scent wafting off her skin. He wrapped his arm around her waist and gently scooped her to him until they were melded together and he nuzzled her neck, searching for the spot that made her laugh. He kissed a path up to her ear and sucked harder at the place where her vein pulsed. She pushed her palms against his shoulders at first, then wrapped her arms around his neck and threw back her head, giggling his name as she tried to wriggle free from his grasp. While she was laughing and gasping, he stopped tormenting her, and gazed at her. The breath caught in his throat at the fire in her eyes, and the color rising on her cheeks.
CHAPTER 8
Drake carried two mismatched mugs into her bedroom. She sat upright, the sheet slipping away from her upper body, and the way his eyes darted down from her face made her conscious that she was naked under his scorching perusal.
“Herbal tea,” he murmured, handing her a mug. “With honey.”
“Thanks. Observant as ever and up early.” She wrapped her fingers around the outside of the mug, enjoying the feel of something solid between her fingers as the world seemed to shift around her.
“Old habits die hard,” he said, wearing a pair of low-slung jeans. “What are your plans today?”
“I imagine you didn’t come to Harmony to sightsee.” With the early morning sunlight streaming into her room, she realized they had to talk, now that they’d gotten past sparring. “What’s your timeline?”
She sipped her tea and watched him over the rim. He settled next to her on the mattress, tugging his hands through his thick hair, and meeting her gaze. The effect was the proverbial arrow to her heart, and she gulped a mouthful of tea, praying the tickle at the back of her throat didn’t mean she was about to start hacking and coughing. She swallowed—more like drowned—and let fly a burst of air, a judder outward from her lips. So not smooth. Drake leaned closer, so seamlessly she felt him before her lust-soaked brain recognized the searing hard body was his, not a tank in her bed. He lifted the mug from her fingers and had her back to the mattress, and him over her, pinning her down.
“You. You’re my timeline,” he said. “Better get used to it.”
“But you said—”
“A bunch of meaningless horseshit. This is real. This is where I belong. I’m not leaving here. Not that I’m taking you anywhere either. Not until we have a plan.” He skimmed his hand over her belly. His large, calloused fingers spread out, squeezing lightly, cradling her abdomen right above the spot where she felt twin pairs of feisty little feet kicking her at the moment. Drake partially clothed and next to her made her want to lie still and listen to him tell her how to repair her out of control life. But this wasn’t a fairy tale.
She blinked rapidly, not about to believe one badass dragon would solve all her problems. If anything, his showing up here had piled her plate high with volumes of new dilemmas—the ones she’d locked away. Well, the shit was about to hit the fan.
For a couple of minutes—just a few more—she’d enjoy life without the hassle of her version of a snarky reality. Snuggling up with Drake, she inhaled his all-male scent, the one she’d tried to forget but couldn’t, and she softly moaned.
“Yeah. I guess we need a plan. That’s step number one.” Even if she wanted to tell a bold-faced lie, she couldn’t deny that even with a mountain of crap about to rain down, being next to Drake—his familiar presence—calmed her down. She tried to remain logical in thinking about her parents—her family that had all but deserted her. She had to go back to Denver even if she didn’t totally trust what she was hearing. “I have a shift down at Mony tonight.”
“Like hell you do.”
“I can’t run out on Solomon. Not when he’s been so good to me.”
“Define good,” he snarled, moving his hands between her legs. “You’re mine.”
“Jealous much?”
“Kitten, where you’re concerned, fuck yeah.” He captured her hand, examining her palm, tracing the scar that ran from one side to the other.
“Dial that down, cowboy. Solomon’s wife and mate is my doctor. Trish doesn’t put up with any nonsense down in the bar. She’s like the big sister I never had. You’ll like her.”
“Perhaps. I’ll find out tonight.”
She tugged her hand but stopped when it dawned on her exactly what he said. “Why? What are you doing tonight?”
“From what I know about you, you won’t welch on your commitments. I’ll cover your shift. You can sit at the bar and make more baby clothes or blankets.”
“Uhh, no you’re not.”
“Yes. I. Am.”
“Have you ever made a Blow Job or a dirty martini?” She added, “Lately.”
“That’s why you can keep me company while I keep you out of trouble.”
“Solomon won’t like it.” She shook her head, trying to dislodge the visual of her boss chewing her ass on why a dragon of all possible shifters was now in residence in Harmony. After she’d made a few friends, found a job, and a place to live, the way she’d repay their kindness was in the form of inviting into their midst an overarching badass. The very same one who felt it was his right to decide the course of her life and more than likely theirs, if they stepped out of line according to his rulebook. “I don’t like it!”
“You and I are going to be hanging out together for a long, long time. Better get used to me. Same as I’ll have to get used to you.”
“Jesus, that’s an understatement—wait a second. How exactly is your coming down here and upsetting the balance of things any way the same me upsetting your well-ordered life?” Without meaning to, she ended up jabbing her finger against his granite wall of a chest.
His eyebrow rose, letting her know the act wasn’t lost on him. It just didn’t mean a whole lot either. He grunted his displeasure. “Would you rather debate the details that, up to now, aren’t fact? Just BS that has gotten in our way since day one. We could enjoy an early morning quickie, kitten. Or I could go slow … using my tongue, teeth, and lips to get you to scream. Lady’s choice.”
All the conjecture he’d previously referred to evaporated and in its place, he wedged his hard body between her legs and took up every last millimeter of space in her mind. “Not my fault,” she managed, not sounding as relaxed as she’d like. But then again, with his hard-on nudging her clit, biting down on her lip came as second nature, followed by a deep moan. She ran her fingers up the rippling contours of his abs and hooked her fingers on his forearms as he lifted her knees, hoisting her naked hips. “Let me fuck you.”
“How can I stop you?”
“Trust me. Baby, you can.” He lowered her and unzipped his jeans, freeing his cock. Without stopping, he took hold of his erection, and met her gaze. “Say the words, Shay. Or I’ll prove that you hold the power for our mutual pleasure.”
She rubbed up against his crown and splintering bliss shredded her focus. “Please. Fuck. Me.”
“Love when you talk dirty to me,” he groaned, sinking the head of his dick into her. “How much of me can you take?”
“All of you. Please.” She was at the point of pleading, she was so in need of him inside her.
He pumped his hips. Slow and sure, until he was seated fully inside her. By planting his palms on either side of her body, he kept his upper torso aloft, his muscles bulging in his arms and shoulders as he remained poised above her, grinding his hips deliciously between her legs. He’s watching me. Suddenly, she felt shy and reached for him.
“Dammit, come closer. You won’t break me.”
>
“Don’t want to risk hurting you,” he said tightly.
She wrapped her calves around his waist and bumped her hips against his, enjoying the feel of him between her legs. She gripped his shoulders and gasped as he rubbed his cock against her clit, the perfect pressure, and she shuddered through the erotic ride. “Give me what you’ve got,” she replied in a voice she hoped didn’t sound as breathy to him as it did to her own ears.
He unleashed one of his smoldering grins, his emerald eyes sparkling with sexual excitement. Under his flagrant perusal, she felt herself grow so aroused, she met his pumping hips with her own special swaying rhythm. Ah, he brought to her the brink and her whole body glowed in ecstasy.
“Baby, how’s that? You’re tight and hot. I’m going to come so fucking hard.”
“Then do!” She lay under him, trapped beneath his cock, and loved every second. She didn’t explode, she shattered completely apart. Growling both in feline and some wholly erotic moan, she half-screamed, “Drake more!” She bit her lip to stop from tripping over her own tongue in the rush of emotions that tangled in her mouth.
“That’s it, Shay.” He pulled her to him, overpowering and volatile in his possession, and so tantalizing to her senses when he jostled their hips with a maddening friction, until she couldn’t get any closer. Could she? In less than a day and a powerful dragon later, her once lonely little abode rocked her leopardess world.
• • •
The sweet scent of her arousal engulfed him. If he came hard, she came soft and all the more powerful in how she enticed him. Oh hell, if he were talking truth, Shay sent him over the edge. He pressed up against her, careful of her lower half, and didn’t stop until his pecs brushed against her tits. “Give yourself to me. Completely, Shay!”
He came again, arching upward and his need to exhale fire overarching. He held his breath through the firestorm expanding within his body, threatening to overtake him as he filled Shay with his release. Fuck! He saw a flash of white lightning and the top of his head felt ready to rip apart. He panted, leaning a palm against the wall above her bed. Shit. He’d almost spewed fire. In his mate, a fragile leopardess’s, presence. “We need some precautions.”
“We need to talk. Dragon subject matter. But for now, keep moving and don’t you dare stop until you’re done.” Again she clenched around him, milking his dick.
“Baby! Play nice.” Sliding his fingers into the silk of her hair, he tugged her head back, unable to resist melding them together in every possible way. All he had to do was bite down on her neck, infuse her with his dragon essence—but fuck him backward. He wanted to hear her say the words—more than that—he hungered for her to feel and relish their bond … not take from her when she lay open and yielding beneath him. But Christ—would she ever willingly submit to him? Locking his gaze to hers, he whispered a bittersweet promise his dragon bellowed against, “Come to me…when you’re ready.”
She lifted her arms, moaning out his name, and he hauled her upright, then up and down his length until she cried out his name. Again and again, his name spilled from her beautiful mouth.
He leaned over, setting her against the pillows, still embedded in her pussy, seeking her out. His lips had to be scorching against her mouth, this near to releasing. But Shay didn’t flinch when he brushed his mouth over hers. God, he needed to lick across her pillow-soft lips and absorb her moans. All of them. She moaned, urging him to sample, borrow, steal … whatever she dangled in front of him, until little by little she was his. If he wasn’t careful, she’d break him and his vow to give her time.
Without hesitation, his little leopardess joined him onboard the crazy train where their tongues danced, dueled, twirled as though they’d not just fucked each other silly. Shay’s hands rubbed up his arms, hooking over the tops of his shoulders as she squeezed his cock, plundering his breath. She also pillaged the next thought in his brain while she was at it. If she kept going, she’d own him lock, stock, and smoking barrel if he didn’t get control of his temptress and soon.
• • •
“I’m certain there are other houses on the market we can agree upon,” Drake offered, and spread out his hands.
“Just to avoid a war, I acquiesced to exploring housing options, but I don’t know if we could ever agree on a place. Besides, I already have a spot. Right here.”
He laughed, giving her the look over the top of his sunglasses. “We can build. From the ground up. Anything you desire, but not so many stairs unless I retrofit the place and installed an elevator. We’ll need a perimeter stone wall. No swimming pools, unless it’s filled with less than eighteen inches. A safe room. Guard tower, security upgrades—I’ll take care of those. So yeah, we just need to define the parameters a little better the next time we go house hunting.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
Seated behind the wheel of her Civic and ready to pull her hair out by the roots, Shay exhaled. “Ya think?”
“Yup. I do.”
She’d spent the day trying to get Drake to accept she wasn’t made of spun sugar, and was no way ready to shatter apart if a strong wind came through Harmony. Her phone rang the moment they’d entered Mony’s parking lot. She was prepared to answer her cell with a quip for Solomon. He always had the propensity to phone her up whenever she popped up on his radar. But no, this wasn’t her boss inquiring if she was bringing in a fresh batch of baked goods as he was wont to do after Trish cut him off sweets.
She stared at the screen then at Drake’s face. “It’s Shawn,” she whispered.
Pushing up his sunglasses, he nodded. “Yeah. He mentioned he was going to call.”
“You talked to him. Today,” she replied so matter-of-factly she surprised herself. She wanted to return to Denver, yet she couldn’t push aside her fear that somehow things weren’t going to be any different than they were several months ago. Sure, her dad’s accident sucked it. Big time, now that he was undergoing some risky medical procedure. But how would she bridge the larger issue that her father and brother now worked alongside Dimitri or had at some point?
“How about some privacy?” Drake asked and rubbed the pad of his thumb along her cheek. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice suddenly husky. She lifted her phone to her cheek and watched as Drake opened the passenger door and climbed out.
“Hello?” She sounded less than confident and inhaled, reeling in her massive attack of confusion and self-doubt.
“Shay,” Shawn’s voice rumbled through her phone. “Christ, I knew Drake was the only one who could find you.”
“Well, he does operate as a team of one, as in one avalanche. But knowing you and your hankering for to-do lists, you can mark off finding me. I’m not running away from him screaming,” she replied. “Now, tell me about Dad. And don’t put any sugar-coating on the truth.”
“Sis, it’s not good. And we probably shouldn’t discuss anything in depth on the phone.”
“That sounds like you’ve gone over to the conspiracy-theory-paranoid side of the street,” she replied. “I want to know about Mom and Dad. Nothing to do with business or politics. Just cut the crap and tell me. How are they?”
“Suffice to say, you need to get back here soon. Mom is okay, not great. It’s more emotional with her from the stress of what’s gone down. And Dad will be back in two days. Can you get here to welcome him home?”
“So our mom is stable?” Her heart battered against her chest.
“No lie. Yes.”
She inhaled a shaky breath. “So why can’t I go see Dad wherever he is? Doesn’t he need visitors to help when the nurses and doctors are busy?” An uncomfortably long silence ensued. “Hello?” she said, gritting her teeth.
“How much do you know?”
“Apparently, not enough.” She snapped her gaze outward, canvassing the parking lot, zeroing in on Drake and her chest squeezed. She sat upright and inhaled, focusing her attention on her dragon man as he knelt by
Trish’s toddler, Teddy, in his stroller. Obviously, Trish was amused as she smiled at whatever Drake discussed.
“I don’t think this was an accident,” her brother said softly. “I need Drake to come back here and deal with security, especially while you’re in residence.”
“Does he know that?”
So all is seriously not well. The question was, how off the charts was it if Shawn and her mom were willing to readmit a man with Special Forces experience back into the fold—and where in the world did that place her? Would they welcome her and her children? “What should it matter if I come home or not? Don’t you have Fin and Tristen as backup?”
She sniffed the air and perceived the scent of fuel. Not gasoline … maybe diesel fuel. A headache bloomed behind her eyes; she pressed her fingers on her temple and rubbed three tiny non-stop circles.
“Sure. They stepped up and I can’t add another job to their already growing list of responsibilities. They’re on the move, but stuff is happening all over Denver. Tristen is covering the business end and Fin is dealing with the home front. Together, they’re a team and getting used to running the show.”
“You mean since you fired Drake. Your right hand. The dude who handled it all—even from Europe. And then smack! Done.” She drummed her fingers on top of her steering wheel, observing the charismatic power Drake exuded. Solomon had joined them, and Drake appeared to be the epitome of nonchalant, leaning against the fender of a car, arms crossed over his chest. But underneath his black T-shirt and jeans, she relished his sculpted body. A body of an untamed dragon poised to strike, all tense sinew and killer instinct.
“Don’t go defensive. You two should have come clean and come together as a couple to talk to Mom and Dad. How was I to know that you and he … that you both—”
“Both what?” She scrambled, ready to go ballistic on her brother.
“Sis, last summer—
“I’m pregnant.” There she said it. And again another dead silence. Inside the car it got uncomfortably hot.
“Holy fuck!”