“That’s the best thing I can hear,” he said. “Well, second best.”
“What’s the best?”
“Dante, I love you. Please let me stay with you forever.”
She crinkled her nose. “Seriously?”
He thought about it. “No, there’s something even better.”
“What?”
He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You coming.”
She flushed madly and pushed back on him, pretending to try and get off his lap. He laughed and held her in against him, and instead of being frightening, his strength was reassuring and warm.
She relaxed in his hold, listening to the pounding of her heart. She loved him. She knew that. She should tell him.
“I… love you, Dante.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I kind of got that when you sent me away to save my life.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Good thing I’m a ferocious dragon and there’s not a shifter alive who can take me. I didn’t even need to shift into dragon form.”
“I see,” she said. “When do I get to see it?”
“I’d show you right now,” he said. “But we’d have to go really out there where no one could see us, and that would take time. And there’s something else I would rather do.” His gaze was heated, and she knew exactly what he meant.
Just being with him, talking to him, holding him was starting up a fire inside her. She had too many memories now of what he could do with his hands.
“What’s that exactly?” she asked, teasing, expecting him to make some kind of off-color remark.
“Make it official,” he said, pulling something out of his pocket. It was the gold ring he usually wore, the one carved in the shape of a dragon’s head.
He took her hand and looked at her ring finger, then put his hand around the ring and focused for a moment, closing his eyes. When he opened it, it was changed completely. A delicate, tapered gold band with the shape of a slender dragon winding around the center of an open setting where a stone would go. There were little flower embellishments around the setting.
She gasped at the workmanship in it. “How did you do that?”
“Gold dragon,” he said quietly, taking her hand and bringing his ring toward it. “Ella, will you mate me? We can get married, but this is for much longer. When we mate, you’ll have my lifespan. Things will be complicated, but—”
She grabbed the ring from him, shoved it on her finger, and threw her arms around his neck, catching his lips in a kiss. When they pulled apart, she giggled and looked at the ring. “Of course I will. I’d be crazy to turn down a dragon. And now we have the rest of our lives to figure out the details.”
He let out a sigh of relief. “Phew. Thank you.”
“What would you have done if I said no?” she asked.
“Died inside,” he joked, but his eyes were somewhat serious. “Luckily, I don’t have to think about it. When we get back, we’ll pick out a stone for your ring. I have some friends who can help us with that.”
She laughed. “Okay, then.”
“So there’s one other thing that is part of mating, and if you aren’t ready for it, I’ll wait,” he said. “I know we haven’t done it yet because I didn’t want to rush you, but…”
As he trailed off, flushing, she realized what he meant. She’d heard about something similar with mountain lion shifters. “Sex, right? Unprotected sex?”
“Yes,” he said. “After you’ve agreed to be my mate. But you can’t catch anything from me, and you won’t get pregnant, at least right now. And—”
“Sold,” she said, putting a finger up to his lips. “I say yes, Dante. I’m ready. With you, I’m not scared. I know you won’t hurt me.”
“Hurting you is absolutely the opposite of anything I want to do.”
“I know,” she said. “So show me. Show me everything. Make me your mate.” She felt so free inside, so ready to finally be open.
The past could finally stay in the past.
Seventeen
When Dante’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her down with him onto the bed so they were lying close together, nuzzling his nose against hers, happiness washed through her like warm rain. Comforting, like Dante was. Sweeping away all the bad and replacing it with good.
“Now to make you mine forever,” Dante said against her lips. With a swift motion, he rolled on top of her, pinning her to the bed. His lips closed over hers and his tongue swiped deftly inside her mouth.
Ella moaned against his mouth, overwhelmed by the sensation of his tongue entwining with hers, each stroke making her shudder with want from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.
Instinctively, she began to tear at his shirt, trying to undo buttons but finding her hands too eager to be effective at it. Noticing her efforts, Dante sat up, tearing the shirt off entirely, sending buttons flying in every direction and giving her the perfect view of his glorious, muscular body.
But beyond his perfectly carved muscles and face was a soul that surpassed anyone she’d ever met before in her life. The kind of guy that only came along every million years or so.
“You next,” he said, his voice husky. For a moment, he appraised the bridesmaid gown she was wearing. Then, to her shock, Dante grabbed it and tore it completely off, right down the middle, as if the fabric were made of tissue paper.
Ella was about to say something when she saw Dante’s eyes appraise her hungrily. Just the way he looked at her made Ella feel so wanted, so attractive that it baffled and aroused her at the same time. Then a second later, her bra came off and she felt Dante’s hands on her breasts, kneading them as his tongue ravished her nipples, and the dress completely disappeared from her mind.
Who cared about a dress when she had a man who could make her melt this way?
She tried to suppress a gasp from the sheer volume of arousal Dante was causing her to feel, when Ella realized Dante was always going to be like this. From the first he’d been a whirlwind, so there was no point trying to hold back. Instead, she just listened to her body as tiny fireworks went off inside as Dante touched her everywhere, ravenous and unstopping in his lust for her.
A second later, he pulled off her panties, leaving her completely bare to him as his finger immediately found her clit, gently flicking with tiny motions so the muscles running up her spine twitched from pleasure. But he didn’t rush, just worked a perfect tempo that kept the pressure building within her until she reached such incredible heights she almost feared the drop.
Dante knew her so well it defied explanation. But maybe that was what made them great together. He knew her even better than she knew herself.
When she reached the precipice of her body’s resistance, Dante held for a second, drawing out the line between pleasure and pain for several wonderful, agonizing seconds. Ella’s body was so taut she felt like a rubber band ready to snap at any second.
And then he lowered himself, his tongue coursing over her center in one long motion, and she flew completely over the edge into a freefall of pleasure that felt like the floor was dropping out beneath her.
But Dante was there with her, holding her steady as his name came off her lips and her body trembled with rapid succession again and again.
And as she came back down to earth, he was still there, golden eyes and glimmering hair proof that this wasn’t all just some crazy fever dream from which she didn’t want to be awoken.
When she’d finally relaxed, Dante raised himself again, and she felt his finger delve inside, surprising Ella with her own wetness.
“Need to make sure you’re ready,” he said intently, his attention entirely on her and nothing else.
“Readier than I’ve ever been,” Ella replied, arching against the feel of his fingers inside her, stretching and making her imagination run wild with how it must feel to have him inside her, not just his fingers.
She could see his hardness pressing against the fitted pants he wore, and she remembered seeing and stroking his sheer si
ze when they’d been in the tub together.
But the night before had just been a taste. An idea of more to come.
Tonight, she was ready for everything her dragon had to offer.
“Okay,” he said, coming out of her and hopping off the bed to take his pants off. “But if you need me to stop, tell me, please,” he said, awaiting her response.
“Get over here, you ridiculous dragon, and finish what you started,” Ella said, making him laugh as he took off his underwear and came onto the bed.
For some reason, the less clothes he wore, the larger Dante looked, and it was hard to not gape at all his raw, masculine beauty as he positioned himself between her legs.
And then, ever so slowly, he slipped inside her, and for a second, Ella felt shock and slight trepidation as her body tried to accustom itself to his girth and length.
Ella took a deep breath, trying to relax, as Dante held steady without moving. Her whole body felt panicked at first as she tried to contain him, and then she became aware of another feeling. Deep, surging pleasure from the pressure he was creating inside her.
“When you’re ready, I’ll move.”
She took a deep breath, feeling tensed at the edge of what he could truly do to her body. She was already so aware of him she could hardly breathe. What would she do when he moved?
She wanted to know.
“Go,” she said.
He pulled slightly out, then thrust in, and it felt as if the whole world shifted as warm, white-hot pleasure surged through her. Through her body, through her heart, as they were fully joined together again. She looked up into his beautiful face, unable to believe they were here together.
That she was giving herself to a man like this.
To a dragon.
She moaned, pushing herself toward him, and he took the hint and began to move again. He was big, almost too big, but that just meant every stretching thrust was exquisite, pleasing her body in a way she knew nothing else ever could.
Wanting something to do with her legs, she wrapped them around him, making it easy for him to come in and out. She bit down on her lip as he did again, and she felt pleasure nearly overwhelm her.
As his hand came down between them and a grin spread over his face as he stroked her in time with his thrusting, she felt sparks all over her light into a fire that engulfed her body in warm pleasure.
She screamed, arching back as she came the hardest she ever had with pleasure and feelings that seemed to reach down to her soul.
She looked up at him hazily, wondering how anything could be so wonderful, and he simply smiled back.
She had the feeling they were just getting started.
Beautiful, sparkling happiness moved through Dante as he watched Ella come with him inside her.
Being joined with her like that, knowing it would be for forever in just a few moments, was the most amazing feeling. Better than flying, more precious than any metal or gem.
All he wanted now was to be completely and officially mated. So from now until forever, she would be his to love and protect and cherish as he’d wanted to from the first time he saw her.
She was trembling in the aftermath of her release, and he loved the soft glow of her body, the sheen of sweat on her skin. She was so incredibly beautiful.
And he wanted to make her come again and again. She growled slightly, moving against him, and he grinned and obeyed her unspoken command.
He slowly pulled out and thrust in again, only slightly faster than the first time. But she was more sensitive now after going once already, and with only a few touches of his hands, a few thrusts together, she orgasmed again.
She arched against the pillows as her nails raked across his back. His name was on her voice, loud and clear, as he held her close, so precious in his arms.
He’d never expected to be so lucky in his entire life. Everything about her was intoxicating.
When she was ready again, her hands eager and searching as she murmured sweet words, Dante moved back into their rhythm. Her wetness created slick friction between them as he pushed inside and then withdrew over and over. Ella was even more ready for it this time, biting her lip as she held on, every centimeter of motion building her closer to another release.
And Dante himself felt tightness within him, too, starting at his core and moving outward toward the far reaches of his hands and feet.
Somehow, this woman had brought down all his barriers, all his pretenses and presuppositions about the way things were in the world. And with it, had shown him a new future filled with wondrous things he never knew existed.
Then Ella thrust her hips against him, urging him forward faster, and he joined her, increasing his speed as they came together harder and stronger with each moment. It was like chasing a storm, a storm of pleasure that got more intense and more frenzied the closer they came.
They were so close now, and Dante could feel the tension deep within Ella as her grip tightened on him, as her eyes closed harder against the tidal wave of release on the horizon.
Ella opened her mouth, and tried to speak.
“Dante, I… I…” But her words were lost as they thrust together, both burning with suspense.
“I love you, Ella,” Dante replied, his words ringing in his mind, unable to be contained as he went all the way into her, hip to hip, so far they were as one being now, and she fell into the indelible embrace of release.
He came a split second later, tightening and tensing beyond physical description as white heat burned all his senses at one time.
Once more she called his name, and he responded by saying hers so the universe could know and acknowledge the gold dragon’s mate as forever his.
For what seemed like eternity, both of them were wrapped up together in the same unified experience, until slowly they both returned to normal. But even when the incredible throbbing stopped, Dante could feel a pleasing lightheadedness in the back of his mind. A sort of heady elation that left him excited.
This was it. The start of forever.
And Dante couldn’t possibly be happier.
He felt Ella’s hand on his cheek, and she watched him with her beautiful brown eyes, the look of satisfaction on her face so perfect he could break.
“So now you’re mine,” she said.
“Yes,” he said. “And you’re mine.”
The truth of it sank in as he stared into her eyes, which were relaxed and heavy with pleasure now. Gazing at him with the love she’d expressed earlier.
He’d been born the gold dragon, been brought up in unimaginable wealth. But it was only lying there with his mate in his arms, listening to her breathe softly, that he felt truly rich.
Epilogue
“So, you finally decided to come back from your honeymoon and rescue me from these turds, is that it?”
Ella’s eyes widened at Robbie’s words and she turned around to look at the dragons, who were circled around Dante, eagerly questioning him about his mate and their vacation together.
“It wasn’t so much a honeymoon,” Ella said. “It was more just us going out to my sister’s destination wedding that she wanted the whole time because Dante sort of…crashed hers.”
“I see,” Robbie said, eyes glinting. “And she was happy?”
“Yes,” Ella said. “Thanks to Dante’s untold riches she was able to have the wedding she always wanted. And Dante has promised me a honeymoon of our own a little later. Although, frolicking on white sand beaches with him wasn’t too bad.”
Robbie’s dark eyes twinkled as she raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Well, I suppose these guys do have their charms. Although there is a lot I don’t understand about them. Like why they are doing this when they seem to have plenty of money without it. And why they’re so…sexy. I swear, I haven’t seen even shifters this sexy.”
Ella bit her lip, wishing she could tell her friend the dragon’s secrets.
Ella had suggested Robbie for the job because of all her contacts, she was sure that fierce
, confident, wolf-shifter Robbie was best to keep these guys in line.
But now they were all in a funny situation, because neither Robbie nor the dragons seemed to know about the other’s shifter status.
And it wasn’t Ella’s secret to tell. She’d found out about it when she and Robbie had been in college together, and she’d seen Robbie fighting a shift. She’d told Robbie it was fine, that she’d grown up in a town with shifters. The two women had been fast friends ever since.
Ella folded her arms and turned to look at the men with Robbie, from the edge of the room where they stood. “So, are they whipped into shape?”
Robbie shook her head. “Nowhere near as much as I’d like them to be. Adrien has been much easier to deal with than I thought. In fact, I think we’re kindred spirits. It’s Citrine I’m having a hard time with.”
Ella had to fight the urge to laugh. “Citrine?” she asked disbelievingly. “You’re having trouble with Citrine?”
“Yes,” Robbie said. “Weird name and all.”
“That’s odd,” Ella said. “When I met him he was the nicest.”
“Maybe he doesn’t like that I put him to work on the floor. But with Dante gone, the men needed someone to guide them. Now that Adrian is a little more polished, and we have no more open houses and much better guidelines for guest behavior, we don’t need him as much.”
“And yet, he’s still there,” Ella said.
“And why shouldn’t he be?” Robbie asked. “It’s just more revenue and a better rep for the company having him on the floor as an option. He’s not really open for being hired though. He told me he gets to pick his clients.”
“Interesting,” Ella said, looking over at him, leaning back with a calm yet repressed expression as he looked up at Dante. He’d gotten a haircut, and his dark hair now framed his face a little better and fell to just mid neck, rather than brushing his shoulders and falling over his back.
His golden eyes, almost orange and a much warmer color than Dante’s, were focused and vaguely irritated.
Gold (Date-A-Dragon Book 1) Page 15
