Dragons For Hire: A Dragon Shifter Romance

by Sadie Sears

  “No.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Well, okay then. It’s not a big deal. It just means we’re destined to be together, and you’re the other half of my soul.”

  “Uh-huh. That sounds like kind of a big deal, Sam.” I considered the notion in the context Sam had said it, that destiny had decided we were meant to be together. “But wouldn’t I know?”

  He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, then glanced at me again. “It’s a little different on your end than on mine.”

  “Because I don’t have a dragon the size of a football field inside me?” We hadn’t exactly discussed size, but I’d done my reading in med school and I could make the comparisons.

  “Basically, yes. Shifters can have a shifter or a human who is their mate. A shifter will always feel that pull. A human doesn’t.”

  “That’s a little unfair. But does that mean we’re, what, like promised?”

  He smiled and reached for my hand before running his thumb over the engagement ring. “It means my soul is bound to yours.” He kept stroking my hand even as he concentrated on the winding roads. “But it’s more than just physical attraction. For a dragon, finding their mate causes a powerful and unquestionable urge to protect.”

  I had so many questions—so many. Did it happen all at once, a big bang, and he knew, or was it more like in waves where it came over him bits at a time? But the one I wanted him to answer was whether or not he had a choice. Would he have chosen me, or was destiny forcing her will on him despite what he wanted?

  And as much as I wanted him to answer, I didn’t want to know. And for now, not wanting to know won. Besides, we’d arrived.

  "Over there." I pointed to Bill's house. And thank the powers that were or would be, his car wasn't in the driveway. But I had a spare key, and if ever there was a time to use it, this was it.

  We carried the boxes inside and stacked them just inside his front door. Sam carried Bill’s chair in, and then the TV, placing it carefully on the sofa. I took video of all his crap, boxed, delivered, and in one piece. If he was going to sue me, I would at least be able to prove none of it was broken when I left it.

  I also took a video of the collection of lingerie in his living room. It didn’t surprise or shock me. He’d moved on, and so had I, but it was further proof our relationship was definitely over. If he tried to say otherwise, I’d make sure he didn’t have a leg to stand on. When I was done, I left the spare key on the table and then closed the door behind me. Closing that door felt like I’d finalized a part of my life, and I was no longer burdened with the remnants. With a smile, I texted Bill to let him know what I’d done, and then I attached the video.

  "Sent and blocked. Good riddance."

  "If he bothers you again, Gretta, I'll have to convince him you’re off-limits." He angled his body trapping me between him and the truck door.

  “As long as you convince him without pounding his face into dust, I don’t care.”

  “I will not touch his face. You have my word.”

  I nodded. It was time to forget Bill and move on. With Sam.

  "Do you want to stop for dinner while we're in Burlington? My treat." He’d driven us here, carried another man’s stuff into his house, been one hell of a good sport about it all. The least I could do was buy him a steak.

  Sam shook his head. "Better yet, let's go back to my place. I'll cook dinner for you."

  “You can cook more than just omelets?”

  “Let’s say I’ve had quite a few years to practice.” His grin was too charming not to respond, so I nodded, enjoying the chance to spend more time with him that didn’t involve lugging boxes and furniture around.

  After an enjoyable ride back to Spruce, he pulled the truck in front of his place and shut off the engine. He leaned over the console and cupped my face in his palm. “Thank you.”

  “For?” I like gratitude as much as the next girl, but I also liked to know what I’d done to deserve it.

  He kissed me, soft and slow, a caress of his mouth against mine. When he pulled back, he leaned his forehead against mine. “Everything. And now I have a surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes when we get to the porch.” He cocked his head. “Promise?”

  I nodded and walked beside him after he came around and opened my door. Though he knew I was more than capable of doing it myself, he seemed to like doing it, and who was I to argue. He made me feel cherished, something no one other than my family had ever made me feel.

  "Careful, don't trip," he said as he guided me through the doorway. "Okay, you can look now."

  A metal and glass table replaced the old trunk he used as a coffee table, but the old couch remained.

  "You kept it." I looked back at him. That couch inspired a fond memory or two, and I would be sad to see it go if he decided to switch it out.

  "Of course. I did promise, after all. Wine?"

  I nodded, and Sam wandered over to the kitchen then came back with two glasses and a bottle.

  I picked up the bottle and looked at the label. “Ah, the house white. A delightful oaky blend of citrus and ripe melon.” I read from the label like sommelier at Xavier Red’s had done as he introduced us to the wine Sam had chosen. While Sam opened the bottle, I pointed to his new dining table in front of the fireplace. “I like it."

  "If you go down the hall, there’s another surprise waiting for you.” I walked into his bedroom. It was now fully furnished with a chest of drawers, two bedside tables, and a bed that could have slept ten. The granddaddy of beds. It even had a printed comforter and pillows. So many pillows.

  “You like it?”

  When I didn’t answer immediately, he pushed past me into the room then threw off his shirt and posed, revealing the tightest pecs and most well-defined abs I’d ever seen. The man was sheer Adonis on legs, and he knew it.

  “What about now?”

  Wondering what else he might do if I kept my mouth shut, I waited. Sam grinned then flicked the button on his jeans before kneeling in the center of the bed. Then he tucked his thumb in the waistband and pulled it down a couple of inches.

  “I can keep going.”

  Yeah, he could. And I would have let him, but my stomach, the traitor, had other ideas. It growled, and Sam chuckled.

  “I promised to feed you.” He slid off the bed and took my hand, and then led me back to the living room. “Come on, beautiful. I’ll cook you a nice dinner. I’ll even let you put your feet up on the new coffee table.”

  He let go of my hand and walked to the corner, opened a free-standing cabinet and flicked on some jazz, then dimmed the lights at the wall switch.

  "Chilled wine. A new bed. A crooner on the sound system. This has all the trappings of a seduction.” I tilted my head and faked a scowl. “All that’s missing is chocolate-covered strawberries and a can of whipped cream.”

  The grin he sported turned wicked, and he disappeared into the kitchen. When he came back, he was carrying a platter of strawberries in one hand and a can of whipped cream in the other. “If they’re chocolate-covered, why do you need whipped cream?”

  “It’s not for the strawberries.” There was something decadent about being able to say that, and I deliberately let my gaze fall to his jeans and licked my lips.

  With movements faster than I’d anticipated, he put the platter on the table then jumped onto the sofa and pulled me down on top of him. I laughed into his kiss and ground my hips against his, feeling the way he instantly hardened.

  He groaned, but then pulled back to look into my eyes. He had the most intense stare with the most incredible eyes. “Gretta, if you don’t let me up, you’re not going to get fed.”

  “So, no sex before dinner?”

  He smiled. “No sex before dinner.”

  That sounded like a challenge to me, and the flash of orange in his eyes told me it was. I immediately began to think of all the ways I was going to win, but I had to at least give him a fighting chance. I
held up my hands and climbed off his lap.

  “Okay, go feed me.”

  Within minutes, Sam was clanging pots and pans around in the kitchen. I finished my glass of wine, and when I decided I’d given him enough time, I slipped out of my jeans and panties and then strolled to the opposite side of the counter from where Sam was chopping vegetables. When he lifted his gaze to mine, I slowly undid three buttons on the old flannel I was still wearing.

  “What are you doing?” There was a note of mistrust in his voice, which I ignored. I didn’t have any sexy moves, but I sashayed my hips and padded behind him, and then I pressed my front against his back while I slid my hands from his pecs to his abs to his zipper.

  “Woman, you are cheating."

  "All’s fair, baby." I twirled around the kitchen, swaying to the music, slowly unbuttoning the flannel shirt.

  Sam stirred the vegetables sautéing in the pan and glanced over at me.

  "Gretta,” he groaned piteously.

  I dropped the shirt on the floor and walked closer, this time turning him to face me. His erection pushed against his jeans, and I slowly traced the tip of my finger along the hard bulge. His pained groan said it all, and he scooped me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and nearly ripped off my bra with one hand, revealing all of me to his gaze. With a moan, he bent his head and took my nipple into his mouth.

  I hissed in a breath and he sucked and teased, but after last time, I wanted to do something for him too.

  "Put me down.” The words came out in a breathy whisper. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I unfastened his pants, shoved them down. Apparently, he was going commando, his cock hot, hard, and ready.

  I knelt between his legs and noticed a bead of precum glistening at the tip, tempting me. First, I licked my lips, and then I licked off the clear salty drop, teasing him with my tongue as I swirled it around the slit. I knew damn well I’d never tasted anything so good, and I wanted more, so I sucked him into my mouth.

  Sam groaned and bucked his hips, using one hand to brace himself against the counter while raking the other through my hair, pushing it back to watch me as I took as much as I could into the back of my throat.

  “Holy fuck, Gretta.” His voice was deep, husky, frantic. I swallowed and then pulled back a little, continuing to suck and tease while cupping his balls with my palm. His muscles were so tense, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he were deliberately trying to hold back from coming.

  Another challenge.

  I sucked harder, bobbing up and down, and then I kicked it up a notch and stroked the sensitive skin behind his balls. His legs trembled, and a low groan filled the kitchen.

  “Fuck, I’m going to come.”

  His words were like an aphrodisiac, and I moaned as my pussy throbbed. The need to have him inside me almost had me stopping so I could feel his hard length filling me up, but he was too far gone, and a second later, he flooded my mouth. I swallowed again and again, relishing in the taste of him, the knowledge I could give him that type of pleasure.

  When I pulled back and looked up at him, he smiled. “My knees are weak.”

  Mine were sore, so I stood up, but Sam picked me up and put me on the counter.

  “Ah! That’s cold!”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll soon warm you up.” He shoved my thighs wide and stared at my pussy, which I knew was wet and swollen. I imagined him flicking his tongue over it, tasting me as I’d tasted him, but when I glanced down, he was stroking his cock, which was as hard as it was before I’d sucked him off. My mouth watered again just watching him.

  “Another benefit of being a dragon.” He winked, smarmy and exaggerated, and then he guided his cock until he slid the tip into my wet pussy. I groaned, never wanting anything so badly as to have all of him inside me right then. I tilted my hips and scooted closer to the edge to make sure I didn’t lose an inch of him, and when he began to thrust, I met every single one of them, using the back edge of the counter for leverage. He filled me up, over and over, pounding harder as I cried out. He was so thick and long, and he hit all the right spots until I was so close I could barely do much more than suck in tight breaths.

  And then he did that thing again where he brushed my clit with his fingers, and I was totally gone. Waves of pleasure washed over me as my pussy contracted in one prolonged spasm, and if that hadn’t felt good enough, it was the sight of Sam gritting his teeth as his cock erupted inside me.

  After a moment where we both caught our breath, Sam wrapped his arms around me then kissed the top of my head.

  “You okay?”

  Okay? I was better than okay. I was the epitome of blissed out, and I was just about to say so when the smoke detector blared.

  I’d never pictured a fire dragon afraid of fire, but Sam jumped back and started swearing as he rushed to throw a damp tea towel over the pan that billowed smoke. I fought back a laugh as Sam dashed around the kitchen, pants around his ankles, waving a cookie sheet to fan the smoke away from the little white disc in the ceiling. When the alarm finally quit, he yanked up his jeans and came to stand in front of me, a slightly sheepish grin on his face.

  “I can order pizza, and we can shower while we wait.” He looked me up and down. “I’ll wash whatever you’ve got.”

  I laughed because the man had all the right answers. “That is an excellent plan, Sam O’Lachlan. And afterward, we can go test out your new bed.”

  I sipped my tea and shifted uncomfortably on the wicker chair on Lila’s front porch. Lila had eyes that could see things others couldn’t. About me anyway. It might have been an older sister thing, but I didn’t always appreciate her intuition. Today, though, I wanted to talk.

  "You look like you’re not getting enough sleep." She ran her finger under her own eye to indicate I had bags, but I had a reason. A tall, blond, and gorgeous dragon reason.

  "You told me to let him bang my head into the headboard until I saw stars. So…”

  Her face lit up. “Oh, so the boy toy is keeping you up at night. I knew he’d be the kind of guy who could keep you interested for longer than twenty minutes.” She smirked, smug and taking credit like she’d choreographed the whole thing.

  I shook my head and tried not to encourage her, but I had come here to talk about Sam, so it wasn’t as if I could change the subject.

  “He told me he loves me.”

  Lila sat forward on her chair. “And?”

  “I told him I loved him back.”

  “Wow. Isn’t that a bit soon? You’ve only known him for how long?”

  “A month, but time isn’t important here. What I feel is.”

  “I’ve got to tell you; it worries me that he’s a dragon. I’ve read things and heard things.” She sighed. “I want you to be happy. I really do. Just make sure he’s it before you go hanging his TV on your wall.”

  I nodded. She’d told me not to let Bill move his crap in. She’d seen the jerk in him a long time before I did, but I hadn’t listened. But Sam was different, though. He was kind and loving, and he gave out compliments like candy and kisses like air. He wasn’t simply different, he was better. He was everything.

  As I took another sip of my tea and tried to figure out how to articulate that, Lila yawned and shifted in her seat, wincing as she did so. A red flag waved high and hard in my mind.

  "Lila, what’s wrong?” I didn’t immediately go for my house call bag from the car, but I scooted forward on the chair. She’d switched out the cushions from Easter egg print to ones covered in the American flag.

  "I don’t know exactly. I just feel so drained. It’s not like a flare-up exactly because though I hurt, it’s not like my normal pain. I feel like I’ve done several hours of a vigorous physical workout, and now my muscles are cramping. I know my yoga and massage can help with that, but I’m just so tired. I fell asleep during dinner last night and poor Zoe had to call Sophie to come put me to bed."

  I should’ve been there. I should’ve been the one Zoe called to care for Lila.
Instead, I’d been off having sex with Sam. Hell, for all I knew, Zoe had called and then had to call Sophie when I didn’t answer. My stomach ached from the guilt.

  The need to get the research position increased exponentially. I had to get it, and I had to help her. Seeing her suffer like this was tearing me up inside.

  She set her teacup down abruptly then shook her head. “I can see you thinking you failed me, and it’s bullshit, Gretta.” She narrowed her gaze at me. “You need to be living your life. If I have to get a nurse to stay here with me, I will, but I won’t have you giving up what you want for me.”

  “I am living my life.” I just needed to remember to check on her every day the way I used to before Bill made her feel bad about it, and she asked me to stop. “And what I want is to see you pain-free, cured.”

  She frowned and nodded at me, and though I was never surprised at the strength Lila had, I was shocked at the steely resolve that settled in my bones. I was never going to give up until my sister was healed.

  12

  Samuel

  Leath and Mitias picked the place—a bar—because they didn’t mind the smell of stale cigarettes and alcohol. And it was convenient for a lunch meeting to discuss new intel on the wizards' activities in the area. I squinted, letting my eyes adjust to the dimly lit room as I scanned the weathered bar's length. A group of guys sat near a dartboard halfway across the main room, and I recognized Mike, the wolf shifter, among them. Mike smiled and waved me over.

  “Hey, about the other day when I was with Gretta. I’m sorry if I was rude to you.” Looking back, I’d been an ass.

  “No worries. You were just protecting what’s yours, right?”

  I frowned. Did everyone know Gretta was my destined mate? I was about to ask when Mike nodded toward the back room.

  “Mitias is waiting for you in the back.”

  “Great, thanks, and next time I see you, I’ll buy you a beer.”

  Mike’s grin was quick and full of warmth, and I clapped him on the back as I walked past and headed for the doorway.