Dragon's Fake Mate (West Coast Water Dragons Book 4)

by Kayla Wolf

  He couldn’t believe it—his face felt like it was about to split with how broadly he was smiling. “Seriously? And you didn’t—you didn’t notice either? This whole time?”

  She cleared her throat, casting her gaze down. “Well. I mean—I might have—”

  ”Might have what?”

  ”Had a bit of a crush on you,” she said, looking acutely embarrassed.

  He stared at her, absolutely taken aback. ”Seriously?”

  ”You didn’t know?” She tilted her head, curious. “I thought a people person like you would figure it out easily. Didn’t you wonder why I was always so quiet around you?”

  ”I just thought you were quiet!” He was outraged. “You mean you—you felt this, you knew this was—for how long? How much time have we wasted?”

  She was laughing. “I thought it was just a dumb crush! Maybe if you’d talked to me for longer than a few minutes you’d have figured it out too—”

  ”I don’t care,” he said, pulling her into his arms and holding her close, feeling like he was flying. “You’re mine now. And I’m yours.” He pulled back, looking down at her. “Right?”

  ”Right.” She was looking at him thoughtfully … and the look in her eyes was reminding him rather a lot of the night they’d spent together, the insatiable way she’d kept drawing him back into her arms again and again ... he could feel his body responding already, feel his breath catching in his throat, acutely aware of where her legs were pressing against his, and as if she could read his mind she shifted her body deliberately to graze against him, the friction sending a spike of pleasure down his spine. “Did you put our suitcases in the back seat or in the trunk?”

  He stared at her, absolutely baffled by the non sequitur … until it dawned on him what she was actually asking. They left the dunes hand in hand, half-walking and half-running back to the car. He started the engine quickly and pulled the car off the road—there was a stand of trees that was just tall enough to hide them from the road. And almost before he’d turned the engine off, she’d pounced on him. Gone was the hesitation of their first contact, the sweet, careful way she’d touched him … now she knew exactly what she wanted, and there was a frightening single-mindedness to the way she yanked at the buttons of his shirt. Not to be outdone, he pulled her shirt over her head, too, chuckling a little at the growls of frustration she uttered when it got caught around her arms. Then she was in his lap, kissing him again … and they both jumped in shock when an injudicious movement set off the car’s horn.

  ”Back seat?” he suggested, his voice already hoarse and his breathing heavy. God, how did she do that to him? He’d been cool, once. But this woman turned him into a pile of mush with the touch of a hand.

  They climbed into the back seat, somehow, still locked in each other’s arms—back here, there was much more room to spread out (and less likelihood of drawing curious onlookers by leaning on the horn). Alice was all over him, seemingly determined to strip his clothing off him before he could get to hers—and with the seats hemming him in, there wasn’t much he could do about it. So he co-operated, shivering a little at the cool air on his exposed skin. She grinned down at him in satisfaction, kneeling above him on the seats … and then, before he could protest that she was still wearing both bra and panties, she was kissing him again, her hands roaming down to where his manhood was aching for her touch.

  He groaned as she touched him, his head dropping back against the seats, completely abandoned to the sure touch of her hand and the heat of her body against his, keeping him warm against the cool sea breeze that was moving in through the half-open windows of the truck. He was mindful of making too much sound, even though they were parked in such an isolated place … it wouldn’t do to draw the attention of curious passersby. Not now … not when he had every intention of taking his time with the gorgeous woman who was kneeling above him.

  He reached out with one wondering hand to caress her side, smiling a little at the way her body trembled and shivered at his touch—he ran his fingers carefully up her back, curving around to caress her breasts through the bra she was wearing. She shivered impatiently, arching her back to encourage him to touch her more, and he grinned, reaching around her back to unclasp the bra and let it fall to the floor of the car. She raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.

  “I picked up a few tricks during my misspent youth,” he told her, grinning.

  ”I can see that,” she said wryly, bending her head to kiss him as he caressed her body. He could feel her breath picking up, feel the drumming of her heartbeat through her soft skin—it was unbelievably thrilling to know that she was reacting to his touch the way he reacted to hers. Impatient, his hands strayed further down, exploring the curve of her hip, toying again with the band of her panties—she was breathing hard, bracing herself with one hand on the roof of the car as she kept her balance on the seat in front of him. He tugged her panties down and took a moment to admire her in the full light of the morning … the other night, as wonderful as it had been, he hadn’t gotten the chance to really admire her. She stared back at him, a blush on her cheeks—was it arousal or shyness? Some combination, he realized as she bent her head to kiss him again.

  He pulled her close, kissing a trail down her body until he was nibbling at her hipbones, enjoying the soft gasps she was making as his hands inched closer and closer to her sex … then, unable to resist her any longer, he buried his head between her legs, gratified by the choked gasp of delight she uttered as his lips and tongue set about exploring her, coaxing pleasure from every nerve ending it came across. He lost himself in her, his hands holding her steady as he savored the taste of her, the scent of her body, the heat of her against his face as he drove her steadily towards the edge of her climax. Her hands were buried in his hair, urging him deeper, guiding his mouth to bring her more and more pleasure … guidance he was more than willing to accept. And when she was gasping and writhing, clearly on the absolute edge of her climax, he pulled back, his own body desperate for more.

  She locked eyes with him, gasping and shuddering for breath as she refocused. Her eyes were dark and hazy with lust, her hair askew, her lips bright red and slightly parted, and at that moment, she was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen. And she was his, he thought dizzily, just staring at her, too overwhelmed to even move. She felt the same way about him as he did about her … she wanted him, she wanted him to be her mate, to do this kind of thing for the rest of their lives together …

  ”What?” she said impatiently, clearly not following his erratic line of thought—her mind was on more important things. “Why did you stop?”

  ”To tease you,” he said simply, and the look of utter outrage on her face drew a laugh out of him. Before he knew it, her hands were on his shoulders, pressing him hard against the seat of the car as she settled her body down over him … and he gasped, his eyes rolling back as her body enveloped his throbbing manhood. It was a new position, not one they’d been able to try last night—he braced himself against the back seat of the car, smiling as she reached out to grip the passenger seat for purchase. Then she rocked her hips against him, and he bit down hard on a yell—the angle was utterly exquisite. He shifted his hips, the muscles in his legs straining as he worked to find the perfect angle to thrust himself inside her. They worked together, seeking out a rhythm that would suit them both, and before long, he could feel the undeniable force of his orgasm rushing up to meet him. She wasn’t far away—he could hear her breathing hard, see that familiar unfocused look coming across her face … but she locked eyes with him, and a challenging glint came across her face.

  ”You first,” she dared him. He grinned, knowing a challenge when he heard one.

  ”No way,” he breathed, and he took a deep breath, focusing on holding himself back from the edge as she whimpered and gasped, rocking against him, cursing under her breath as she tried to do the same … but he knew what he was doing. He shifted his hips, driving himself right up against what he kne
w was a sensitive spot—and he grinned in triumph as he felt her body spasm with the onset of an undeniable orgasm. And just in time, too—he was right behind her, his vision going blurry as the aftershocks blasted through him.

  She flopped down beside him, completely spent, both of them breathing hard. The distant roar of the sea and squawking of seabirds broke the pleasant quiet between them, and he reached over to press a kiss to her sweat-soaked, tangled hair.

  ”I won,” he murmured into her ear, grinning to himself as she growled and punched him gently in the arm.

  ”This time, maybe.”

  Daniel chuckled, pulling her into a tight hug. They lay together for a long time, utterly content ... somehow, the knowledge that they’d be home a little later than they’d planned didn’t bother him in the slightest.

  Chapter 13 – Alice

  It was late afternoon by the time they pulled into their village. It had been a pretty wonderful drive, all told … Alice felt an odd pang of sadness when Daniel pulled his car into the familiar driveway of her little cottage. How could everything here look just the same as it had looked when she left? How could her house be the same when everything about her life had changed over the course of one short weekend? She glanced across the seat at Daniel, who, by the looks of things, was thinking along the same lines.

  ”Feels weird to be back,” she said softly, gesturing at the peaceful little settlement they’d driven into. He smiled that dazzling smile of his—that expression that came so easily to his gorgeous face, as though it was always ready and waiting to come out and play. She felt like she could look at that smile for the rest of her life.

  ”Because everything’s so different, right?”

  ”Right.” She sighed. “My house is gonna feel so empty.”

  ”I guess.” He tilted his head. “I mean, I’m not doing anything. If you want company …”

  So they headed inside together, Daniel insisting on carrying her suitcase for her despite her protests. The place was a little messier than she’d have liked, though Daniel promised he didn’t mind … she clattered around the kitchen making tea, feeling a little embarrassed that she hadn’t bothered doing the dishes before she’d left. Of course, it wasn’t as though she’d been expecting company on her return, had it?

  ”Oh, shoot, that reminds me. James is coming over for dinner tonight.”

  Daniel looked at her, a cautious look of concern crossing his face. “Oh yeah?”

  ”Yeah.” She hesitated, the tea forgotten in the wake of a consideration she’d been putting off for a long time … ever since she’d first noticed her crush on Daniel, actually. He was her brother’s best friend. How was he going to react to this new development? Should they tell him right away? What was he going to say? Would he be angry with her for taking his best friend away? Or would he be angry with Daniel for making advances on his sister? Or both? Or neither? A few years ago, she’d have known exactly how he’d react—they’d always been so close. But ever since he’d met Julia, he’d been changing so fast that she could barely keep up. He was a father now, a family man … he was settled down, committed to his soulmate. Maybe he’d think a little differently about new love … right?

  But Daniel didn’t look convinced. “Maybe you should tell him by yourself. Kind of—soften the blow.”

  ”I was thinking the exact same thing—except it’s you that should tell him. You’re his best friend; he’ll take it better from you.”

  ”You’re his sister! You’ve known him longer than me—”

  ”And you know him better, I bet,” she challenged him, amusement warring with her concern. This was a pretty ridiculous situation. “Should we tell him at all?”

  ”Yes,” Daniel said simply. “I don’t think I could keep it from him if I tried.”

  ”You’re right,” she admitted, a flush of warmth suffusing her chest at the soft way he was smiling at her. She’d never seen that particular smile before this weekend … now, she only had to look at him sideways before he was giving her that soft look. It was wonderful. “He’s got to know. He might even be happy for us. Stranger things have happened.”

  ”I don’t care,” Daniel promised her, his eyes serious. “If it’s a choice between him and you … I choose you. Just so you know.”

  She bit her lip. “I hope it doesn’t come to that, Daniel. He’s my brother. I can’t just—cut him out of my life if he doesn’t approve of us …”

  They were interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door. Her eyes widened. “Shit. It’s later than I thought.”

  If James was surprised to see Daniel, he didn’t mention it. He pulled Alice into one of his patented bear hugs—she squirmed irritably in his grasp, as was tradition, but she secretly appreciated the gesture of affection. He hugged Daniel, too, a huge grin on his face as he slapped his friend on the shoulder.

  ”I want to know absolutely everything about the partying you got up to,” he said firmly, his eyes twinkling. “But business first. How was the conference?”

  ”It was great,” Daniel said, shooting Alice a glance. “Really, really good. We learned a whole bunch of stuff, met a bunch of great new people … I’ve got a thousand ideas for marketing this place better. And we handed out basically all of those flyers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if our bookings shoot up over the next few weeks. Lachlan got the new cabins listed on the website, right?”

  James nodded. “Last week.”

  “Great,” Daniel said, satisfied. He glanced over at Alice … and she took a deep breath. Better to get this over with.

  ”Hey, I wanted to—tell you something,” she started, completely unsure of how to even begin this conversation, but emboldened by Daniel standing at her side. “Something kind of crazy happened while we were away.”

  ”I knew it,” James said instantly, his eyes shooting over to Daniel. “Tell me everything about every single party.”

  ”No, it wasn’t that,” Daniel said, looking uncomfortable. “We—”

  ”We’re soulmates,” Alice blurted out, sick of trying to figure out the best way to say it. James blinked at her. She knew that look well—her brother hadn’t really heard what she’d said. Well, he’d heard—but he hadn’t listened. He wasn’t processing it. “Me and Daniel,” she clarified patiently, waiting for his brain to catch up. “We’re—”

  ”Nah,” James said blankly, looking back and forth between them with an amused kind of suspicion on his face. “You’re gonna have to do better than that if you want to trick me. Seriously?” He was looking at Daniel now, a broad grin on his face. “You had the whole drive back to plan this, and this was the best you could do? I’m disappointed, dude. I thought you might try to trick me after that game me and Emerson played on the road, but—”

  ”It’s not a joke,” Daniel said softly, reaching out to take Alice’s hand in his. She squeezed it tight, grateful for the support—she hadn’t realized how much she needed it. “We figured it out while we were away. It just kind of … clicked.”

  James stared between them, and she could tell he was going to be stubborn about this. That smile was still dancing across his face, as though he still thought it was a joke. “Seriously, though. This isn’t funny.”

  ”It’s not meant to be funny,” Alice said, her temper with her brother flaring despite her determination to be careful with this conversation. “It’s true. We—he and I—we’re mates. You know what that’s like, when you realize it, surely.”

  The grin was fading now—a clear sign that he was starting to take them seriously. But Alice didn’t like the look that was replacing it. “No way. You two have known each other for … years. Decades.”

  ”And I’ve had a crush on him for decades,” Alice said. Daniel glanced sideways at her.

  ”Seriously? You hid it so well—”

  ”Don’t be ridiculous,” James said, narrowing his eyes. “If you were soulmates, you’d have figured it out ages ago—”

  ”Oh, like you and Julia?” Alice challenged
him, raising an eyebrow. “The way you guys knew the minute you met each other? Did I dream the part where you had a one-night stand, disappeared for three years, then happened to run into her again and figure out that you were soulmates?”

  ”That was different,” James said through gritted teeth. “Julia’s a human. They don’t have any concept of soulmates. And I—I didn’t believe in it, I didn’t … but even then, I knew something. I had a feeling, you know? You guys—if you were really mates, you’d have known about it.” His face flickered with a realization he clearly found unpleasant. “Oh, gross, does this mean you two—”

  ”None of your business,” Alice snapped, her temper flaring. Daniel squeezed her hand again, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down before she kicked James out of her house. But his attention wasn’t on her—he was staring at Daniel, his mind clearly racing.

  ”This is a joke, right? She just came along on the trip as your fake partner. She’s my sister, dude. She’s not … she’s not your type,” he said, throwing his hands into the air. “Do I actually have to explain this to you? This is insane. She’s the shyest person on the planet. She’s terrible with people; all she ever wants to do is sit inside with a book. You’re such an extrovert you socialize in your sleep. How the hell would you two ever work as a couple? You’re not even the settling down type! Is this why you took so long to return my messages over the weekend?” That was real anger flaring to life on his face—he got angry slowly, her brother, but once he was angry, it was hard to talk him back down. “I thought you were out partying, but it was worse. You were running games on my sister. I thought you were better than that—”

  ”Don’t be disgusting,” Alice snapped. “I’m right here; I’m not some possession for you to argue over, okay? He didn’t—trick me, or whatever disgusting stuff you used to do to get women to sleep with you,” she growled. “He talked to me. We got to know each other. The more time we spent together, the more we realized how compatible we were. I’d barely gotten a chance to talk to him because he was always your best friend, not mine. Do you have any idea how lonely it’s been for me out here? I came for you—I moved here for you. But you already had your little group of friends—and now you’ve got Julia and Riley. You barely see me, barely talk to me anymore. And now this has happened—and you’re going to get mad at me for falling in love with someone?”