by Julie Wetzel
A shiver ran through his body at the sound of the shower turning on. She was there, just feet away from him, getting naked. It was all he could do not to get up and follow her. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, trying not to envision her soft skin glistening with water. Maybe if he went in and begged, she would forgive him for his stupidity. But, then again, doing that would put him right back at the point where he had been last night. If he let his desires control his actions, he could easily do something that they might both regret later. When dragons chose a mate, it was for life. Alex let out a long sigh as he thought about that. Sex didn’t automatically mean a mating bond was formed, but he just knew if he gave in, there would be lasting consequences to the choice.
The door to the bathroom creaked open.
Alex froze as Terra stepped out and laid his pile of clothing on the corner of the bed. Now was his chance to apologize and explain himself. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He hadn’t looked at her when she had extracted herself from his arms this morning. Wow! What a sight he had missed. He must have made some kind of sound because she stood there staring at him like she was expecting him to say something, but he couldn’t get two brain cells to bump into each other. She was stunning, standing there in that rumpled shirt and mussed-up hair. Absolutely beautiful!
Silence filled the room as he just sat there, staring at her.
Finally, she just shook her head and turned back to the shower waiting for her.
Letting out another long sigh, he dropped himself back to the bed. Blew it again. Dragging his sorry carcass from the bed, he went to the pile of clothing she had brought out. He was so screwed. There was no way for him to win, and he knew it. Fighting with his desire was making them both miserable, but giving in could also make them both miserable. There was no good choice either way. Well crap.
Alex pulled on his clothing and hated the way it felt against his skin. Even though the shirt was soft, it itched beyond belief. A quick flicker from his dragon told him why. He was brooding, and things wouldn’t get any better for him.
Pissed at himself, he yanked open the small fridge and pulled out what was left of the pizza. Maybe something in his stomach would help settle his mood. He stared at the four slices left and couldn’t bring himself to take one. He could have eaten all four and still been hungry, but that would mean Terra wouldn’t get any. He warred with himself for a moment before dropping the box on the bed with the food untouched. His dragon side was too strong. The needs of a potential mate came first. In everything.
Irritated, he went over and dropped himself in the chair to wait for her to come out.
***
That was the worst shower ever! Terra ran the towel over her hair once again before folding it and hanging it over the towel bar. The actual shower hadn’t been that bad, but it was the subject matter she couldn’t get out of her mind that bothered her. When she had taken the dragon man’s clothing out to him, he hadn’t even thanked her. Just lay there on the bed, staring at her with those gorgeous eyes—eyes that held a hunger that had melted her to the core. Had he said something, anything, she would have forgiven him for everything and fallen into his arms. But he hadn’t said squat.
Jamming her things into her plastic shopping bag, she scooped it up and headed out to face him. It took everything she had to muster up the courage to open the door. Why did he have such a profound effect on her?
The air in the room was still, and for a moment, Terra thought he had left. Her eyes found him lounging in the chair, watching her. Even from there, she could tell his muscles were tense. She paused in the small entryway and stared at him.
After a moment, he nodded towards the bed. “Eat.” The word was not a suggestion.
Terra glanced down at the open pizza box. The four slices of pizza from last night were there, waiting for her. She looked back at him. The expectant look in his eyes irritated her.
“I’m not hungry.”
She turned her nose up at the open box and moved to put her stuff down on the small desk. Terra watched out of the corner of her eye as the effects of her words hit him. He actually bristled with rage. What the hell did he have to be angry about? She listened to him draw in a few deep breaths before standing up. Tension ran through her muscles as she prepared to defend herself. She had learned her lesson once with angry men, and she was not about to let another beat on her without a fight.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you.” His words were much more cordial than before, but they were still a bit clipped. “We have a long day ahead of us. Won’t you please have something to eat?”
Well, that was somewhat better. Terra considered him and his suggestion as some of the tension eased from her. Cold pizza didn’t sound like a very appetizing breakfast. “I’d rather not.”
She turned away from him to gather the rest of her things from the sink but kept an ear open, listening for his reaction. She had seen this cycle before. It was when she and Derrick had first gotten together. He would get upset by something she’d done and try to calm down before exploding at her. Terra held her breath, waiting for the rush of anger from the dragon man.
His response surprised her. He laughed. Turning back, she looked at him, confused by his reaction. He stood there smiling like he was the happiest man on earth. Or an idiot.
“Then would you care to go down and see what they’re offering as the complementary continental breakfast?”
Who was this man, and what had he done with the angry one she had just turned her back on? Wow! He went up and down faster than a high-bounce rubber ball in a steel room. She considered his offer for a moment before answering. A continental breakfast sounded much better than cold pizza. “Yes.”
“As my lady wishes.”
Terra stared at him, dumbfounded, as he gathered up their things in record time and went to get the door for her. She stood there, shocked by his actions. She hadn’t brushed her teeth or her hair. Hell, she didn’t even have her shoes on. A quick glance around showed that he had those in his hand, too.
Irked, she went over and took her things from him, then turned back into the room. “Give me a minute.” She dropped her bag on the bed and pulled out her brush and socks, glaring at him when he had the audacity to chuckle.
“My apologies,” he said as he let the door swing shut, closing off the outside world. “I guess I’m just a little messed up this morning.”
Terra glared at him more as she sat on the bed and pulled her socks on. “A little?”
This brought another laugh from him. “Maybe more than a little.”
Nodding, she slipped her feet in her shoes and ran the brush through her damp hair as she considered the man patiently waiting for her. In the matter of a few minutes, he had gone through a whole spectrum of emotions. Maybe he had hit his head harder than she’d thought.
Once her hair was straight, she dropped the brush in the bag and picked it up. Turning to him, she considered him again. “How are you today?”
A smile spread across his face. “I’m up and down right now, but I’m all right.”
Yeah, up and down like a yo-yo. Terra watched him closely for a moment more before heading over to the door. “Let’s go.”
He opened the door and let her lead the way into the hall.
There was something strange going on with her mystery man, and it wasn’t just the fact that he had lost his memory. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he swung his bags merrily. He even hummed a bit off tune. When they got to the elevators, he stepped up and pressed the button before she could reach it. She turned to look at him fully. For some reason, he looked way too happy.
“Where’s the pizza?” she asked when she noticed the missing box.
“It didn’t please you, so I left it.”
“What?” she asked, shocked. He didn’t just say that, did he?
“I left it,” he said again, “but it doesn’t matter. We’re on our way to get breakfast.”
T
erra stood with her mouth open. Had he really said that he’d left it because it didn’t please her? What the hell?
When the elevator door opened, the dragon man ushered her inside and hit the button to go down. Terra stared at him as his happy movements stilled.
“Listen.” He cocked his head and gave her a sidelong look. “About last night…”
This shut Terra’s gaping mouth. The pain of his rejection boiled up in her, and she turned her eyes to the door. “You don’t need to explain about last night. I understand perfectly. I can take a hint.” Her jaw locked up against her anger.
“No.” He practically yelled the word as he turned on her.
Before she could respond to his sudden movement, he had her pinned against the wall. There was an overwhelming need in the way his mouth pressed to hers. She gasped in surprise, and he took advantage of her parted lips to deepen the kiss. Warmth raced through her as desire melted her in his arms.
Rubbing his hands down her sides, he worshiped at her lips. She moaned softly as his tongue sought out hers, rubbing against it in a very carnal dance that left nothing to her imagination.
The plastic bag with her things slipped from her fingers as she raised her hands to hold him to her. Suddenly, the rejection from last night didn’t seem so important. She held on as his hands slid farther down her sides to her hips. They paused there for a moment before slipping lower. Grabbing her thighs, he hefted her up so she was pinned between him and the wall of the elevator. The hard length of his arousal pressed into her as he ground his hips against her, fitting them together as much as their clothing would allow. Heat pooled low in her body as she tugged him closer, needing more from him.
The high-pitched ping of the elevator door rang out, and Terra yanked her head back from him, gasping for breath. The door slid open on the ground floor, but he ignored it as he trailed a line of kisses down the side of her neck and onto her collarbone.
Ignoring the heat and need racing through her, Terra pushed against his shoulders. The door of the elevator stood wide open for anyone to step in if they wanted to. They were going to get caught!
Slowly, he pulled back and looked at her. The pupils of his eyes had gone from being round to the almond shape of a cat’s. He blinked a few times before closing his eyes and leaning his head forwards to rest against hers.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he tried to get his breathing back under control. “I should not have done that.” Carefully, he released his grip on Terra’s thighs and let her slide down until her feet rested on the floor.
She held on to him, unsure if her legs would support her. Wow! There wasn’t just desire in that kiss. There was passion and a need that Terra didn’t understand. It pulled at her, wanted her. It terrified her.
Slowly, her dragon man’s hands came up to her shoulders, and he pushed himself back from her. “Without knowing who I am, I don’t have anything to offer you.” He opened his eyes and stared at her. His pupils were still slitted like a cat’s.
Terra stared at them. No. Not cats’ eyes. Dragons’ eyes. His dragon was staring out of his eyes at her.
Reluctantly, he released her and turned to pick up the things they had dropped. “Forgive me my error,” he said softly. “Relationships with dragons are more complicated than with others.” He tucked both of their bags into one hand and turned towards her. “We have to be more careful when choosing partners. Dragons mate for life.” He held out his free hand to her.
This bit of news shocked her. No wonder he had rejected her last night. How could she blame him for it? If one bout of sex could tie you to someone for life, she sure as hell would want to know who her partner was before banging him. But, then again, there were celebrity dragons that had partner after partner.
“From sex?” she asked as she took his hand.
He chuckled and pressed the button for the lobby again. “No. But sex can have a lot to do with it.” When the door opened back up, he pulled her into the lobby. “Securing a mating bond is a complicated process, but it starts with an act of emotional intimacy. And there aren’t many things as intimate as a really good orgasm.”
Terra had to hand it to him there. If done properly, a good bout of sex would bring people closer together. She had never really stopped to think about how bonding the experience could be.
“So you can’t have sex?” With the way he responded to her in the elevator, she was sure he was far from virginal, but one could never make assumptions on those things.
The noise he made in his chest confirmed her thought. Oh, he had been there many times!
“I enjoy sex as much as the next man.” He found a table in the small breakfast area and placed her in a chair as he talked. “But casual sex with a potential mate can lead to… lasting issues.” Dropping their things on the chair next to her, he released her hand, then pulled off the leather bag and placed it on the floor next to the chair. “Wait here, and I’ll bring you breakfast.” With that, he turned and left her at the table with their things.
Wait, what? Terra stared at the dragon man’s back as he went over to the bar and pulled out two plates. What the hell was going on?
Her mind ran over the conversation again and again. Okay, so she understood that casual sex was out, but what was this whole deal about a mate? She considered him and his calm façade as he filled the plates with choice bits from the bar. What was wrong with him? They had just had one of the most passionate moments in her life… in an elevator. She was still all messed up inside, but he was amazingly serene. And what was the deal with his eyes?
He came back over with two heaping plates of food.
Terra’s eyes widened as he set one down in front of her. There was no way she was going to make it through all of that.
“Juice or coffee?” he asked.
Looking up, Terra met his gaze. “Both.” His eyes were still weird.
He nodded and went to get their drinks.
Still confused, Terra watched him until he returned. “What’s going on?” she asked.
Sitting down, her dragon man raised a questioning eyebrow at her.
Terra raised her hand in the air and waved it around. She wanted an explanation for everything, but she didn’t know how to voice the question. Apparently, her movement was enough for her dragon man to get the idea.
He smiled and nodded to her plate. “Why don’t you eat, and I’ll try to explain.”
Agreeing, Terra picked up her fork and started into her food.
8
A wave of pleasure rippled through Alex as he watched Terra take that first bite of food. He closed his eyes, trying to contain the feelings washing through him. It wasn’t the fact that he found enjoyment in watching her eat; it was the fact that he had just fulfilled one of the basic needs of his instincts—providing for his mate. And right now, his instincts were riding him hard.
Drawing in a deep breath, Alex opened his eyes back up and looked around. He always loved the way the world looked when he was in dragon form, but this was the first time he had seen it that way in human form. His dragon was so close to the surface that it would take nothing to pop out scales. Just that passing thought sent a ripple along his shoulders and down his arms. It was probably a good thing that Terra had gotten him a long-sleeved shirt. A half transformation like he was experiencing usually signaled some form of mental break. Had anyone seen the blue tint to his skin, they would have been on the phone to the authorities, and he didn’t have time for that now. There were more important things to do, like telling Terra what she needed to know. Only then would his dragon back down again.
“How familiar are you with dragons?” Alex asked. He could almost see her thoughts swirling as she considered how to answer him.
“Not very.” She set her fork on the table, waiting for him to continue.
Two long sections on his back itched as his dragon pushed against his skin. “Please eat, and I’ll explain.”
Terra gave him a pointed look but picked up her fork ag
ain.
The itching along his back subsided. He needed to get himself back under control before things got really bad. And it started with telling her everything.
“Dragons are complicated creatures. We are blessed with rational minds, but we are also driven by instincts. And that can give us issues from time to time.” He pulled his glass of juice over and rolled it between his hands so his fingers would have something to do while he talked. “Every dragon has three forms; a grand form, a lesser form, and a human form. While we can switch between them at will, it’s very rare for the forms to overlap.”
“But, your eyes?” She pointed towards him with a forkful of eggs.
Alex looked down at his glass and smiled. Of course she would notice his eyes. He was just lucky no one else had.
“Yes.” He looked back up at her. “There are times when the two sides merge. It’s called balance, and it’s usually a bad thing. It’s a sign of mental instability.”
Tension ran through Terra, making her sit taller in her chair.
“Relax,” he soothed her. “A dragon can also enter into balance when there is a major split between their two halves. Say, if the dragon wants something, but the human half won’t give in. If the want or need is strong enough, the dragon aspect will force its way to the surface, creating a balance—a merging of the two forms.”
Carefully, Alex pushed his sleeve up. The tips of blue scales had already pushed their way through his skin.