by Vella Day
He chuckled. “I hope you aren’t finished. I’ve only just begun.”
She lifted her head and smiled. “Not by a long shot.”
Chapter Eight
Chelsea had never experienced anything so sensational in her life. All Declan had done was press two fingers on her sweet spot as he licked her, and she’d gone off like a rocket. Fate might not think he was her mate, but he or she was dead wrong. It didn’t matter to her what the gods proclaimed. Her body told her they were meant to be together.
Whatever Declan was willing to give her, she’d take and enjoy.
With a huge effort, she pushed up on her elbows. “Let me return the favor.”
Declan chuckled. “Wolf lady, there is no way I would last if your mouth was on my dick. I do not want to embarrass myself.”
“Chicken.”
“We’ll see who’s chicken when I impale you.”
“Hard to do with your pants on.”
“I can change that,” he said.
Faster than she could count to three, he was naked and sporting a raging hard on that made her wonder if he would even fit inside her. “Dragons definitely are bigger than wolf shifters—or any other kind of shifters for that matter.” Chelsea reached out to touch his big cock.
Declan let her grab it. “Think of it as a stick of dynamite.”
Chelsea couldn’t help but crack up. “How about showing me some of your explosive power then?”
Declan focused on her face as he crawled on top of her. “I want you bad, Chelsea McKinnon.”
She cupped his face. “Then have me.”
What happened next defied description. Her body turned into an inferno, shooting off an array of blue sparks, while Declan’s body pulsed red. They looked like a mini light show.
She expected him to plunge right in, but instead, he lowered his head and sucked on one nipple and then the other. Holy sparks that felt good. It could be that brilliant stars were overhead, the night air was balmy, or the fact that the man of her dreams was lavishing amazing attention on her, but Chelsea had never been happier.
“Is it safe?” he asked in between sucking her tits.
She assumed he meant if she could get pregnant. Right after Declan had returned to Tarradon, Chelsea had taken the hormone shot to prevent pregnancy. “Yes.”
“Good, because I didn’t bring any condoms.”
When he dragged his slightly sharpened teeth across one nipple and tugged, waves of erotic lust shot straight to her pussy. If he didn’t take her now, she might combust on him—or worse, shift.
“Before my wolf makes an unwanted appearance, I suggest you show me what you got.”
Declan lifted his head and kissed her. “Ready to put the stars to shame?”
She wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but it sounded good. “More than ready.”
He widened her legs with his knees and slid his huge cock straight into her. Holy shifting constellations. His dick was wider than wide.
She inhaled, trying to absorb the intensity and stretching. When Declan reached the end, he stilled, as if he too needed a moment to compose himself. As the slight pain ebbed, Chelsea’s desires grew once more.
Declan might not technically be her mate, but there was no reason not to pretend that he was, even if it were only for a short time.
“Need you,” Declan whispered.
Those two words melted her heart, and the kiss that followed made her believe in a happily ever after. Fuck you, Fate. This is where I need to be.
Declan eased out and then slowly slid in again. With each stroke, her passion grew. She touched his face, his shoulders, his back, and oh, yes, his hard buns of steel. Everything about Declan was perfect.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he said.
“I’m open to you trying as hard as you need to.” Chelsea was never this bold, but Declan brought out the sass in her.
As if he’d been waiting for permission, he drove in once more, withdrew, and then plowed in again. Not one to be a bystander, she thrust her hips upward and met him stroke for stroke. Her blue light skidded over Declan’s skin, kissing the red scales lit from within. The magic amped up her need and desire so high, her breath lodged in her throat. The blue sparks practically proved he was her mate. Right?
“Chel-sea!”
Declan’s desperate plea ignited every inch of her body and sent her spiraling over the climactic cliff. Her orgasm claimed her so hard, she forgot to breathe. A second later, Declan’s cock exploded.
Neither moved. A minute passed.
And then another.
He finally dropped his head to her shoulder and rolled them over so that she was sprawled out on top of him. He patted her back. “The stars have never been brighter.”
She wasn’t sure if he was talking about the real stars or what they just experienced. “The light show was something else.”
“Amen.”
She didn’t know how long they remained in each other’s arms, since they both might have fallen asleep.
Declan kissed the top of her head. “I think we should head back. I don’t want your brother looking for us and beating the shit out of me.”
Slowly, she crawled off him. “He wouldn’t dare. I’m happy, and that’s all that matters to Finn.”
“I hope you’re right.” He patted her butt. “We need to clean up.”
While the water from the spring was cold, it did the trick. After they dressed, the trip back to the condo was bittersweet. Now more than ever, she needed to move out of Kaleena and Finn’s condo so she might be able to convince Declan to spend the night.
The next day at work, Chelsea was in such a good mood. The sun seemed brighter and the animals calmer. Most likely, her wards were keying off her emotions.
She’d already cleaned the cages and fed the animals before Marty arrived. He’d brought four more animals to the shelter. At some point, they would have to find someplace else to take them—or else build more cages.
She’d only seen two customers show up to buy animals since she’d started working there, making her wonder how Stick managed to stay afloat. He was the one who took care of the transactions, so she had no idea how much anyone paid, but she doubted it was enough to sustain the upkeep. For all she knew, the province subsidized the place. Rules on Tarradon might be completely different than on Earth.
“Can you help me, Chelsea?” Marty called out. He opened the back of his truck and lifted a cardboard box.
She rushed over to him. “What do you have there?” She looked inside. “It’s a litter of kittens. How adorable.”
“Yeah, the mom couldn’t take care of them.”
She took the box from him. “Don’t you worry, little ones, I’ll take good care of you.”
“I also have two dogs in the back, but I’ll take them in.”
She wondered if they were injured, but she’d find out soon enough. Once inside the office, she checked over the kittens. They were mewing up a storm, all seemingly in need of some milk and some loving. Chelsea could provide both.
She spent the entire morning making sure her new wards were happy and free of any apparent injury. Stick had taken the two dogs into the back to treat them. Marty told her Stick was a vet, which kind of surprised her seeing how the man didn’t exude much emotion. She might be biased because the vet back in Silver Lake was so conscientious and caring.
“How about putting the kittens outside in cage number seven?” Stick said as he walked out from the back room. “It has a heated floor.”
“I didn’t realize you had that. Cool.” She might have misjudged the man.
Stick tossed her a brief smile. Happy the kittens would be safe, Chelsea went about her business, caring for the other animals. She’d just finished getting them settled when an expensive looking car drove in and parked. Out popped Sabrina, Stick’s sister.
The woman smiled and came over to her. “How’s the new job going?” she asked.
“Great. Thanks for telling me
about it.”
“My brother says you’re doing a good job.”
Heat flushed her face. “I try.”
“How are you settling in?”
Stick must have told her she was from Earth. “I’ve met a few people.” And one amazing man.
“If you ever want to blow off some steam, let me know.” Sabrina smiled and then walked toward the office, probably to help out.
While the woman seemed friendly enough, Chelsea found the conversation a bit odd, maybe because Sabrina and she seemed so different. While Chelsea wasn’t adverse to nice clothes and even wore some makeup on occasion, she wondered how Sabrina could afford the nice car and fancy clothes on a receptionist’s salary.
Whatever. Chelsea didn’t need to be thinking about Sabrina. She had a job to do.
Declan hadn’t been able to concentrate all day. His mood swings were driving him—and no doubt anyone else he came in contact with—crazy. Making love with Chelsea had been off the charts good, but he needed to be careful. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings. While he wanted to spend every minute with her, it would be wise to keep his distance today before asking her out again. Kaleena had said that Chelsea would be moving into their father’s cabin tomorrow, which would afford him a good excuse to see her then.
No matter how much he rationalized why he needed to stay away, his dragon refused to accept it. Flying over her workplace would give him a chance to see her and to make sure she was okay. He could always cloak himself if she was working outside.
When Declan popped his head into his brother’s office, Stone was hunched over the desk. “Just a heads up. I’m leaving for a bit. I need to check something out, but I won’t be gone long,” Declan said.
Stone straightened. “Everything okay?”
No. I’m fighting with my dragon. I need to stay away from Chelsea, but I can’t seem to function without her. “Just have to do a little surveillance.”
“Good luck.” Stone went back to studying what was on his screen. His youngest brother ran the business end of the Sinclair mines, whereas Logan oversaw the Caspian mine business, and Declan couldn’t be any prouder of them.
Once outside, he shifted and headed for the animal shelter. He hadn’t noticed anything illegal when he’d circled before, but with more time, he might spot something. Chelsea had said that Marty was the one to find the animals. Following him might be the best use of his time, but given it was late in the day, he’d have to conduct that tail at another date.
Making certain that Chelsea was okay needed to be his first concern.
When he drew near the forested area, Declan cloaked himself. If Chelsea saw him, she’d wonder why he hadn’t called, especially since last night had been world-altering for him—and probably for her too.
As he came closer, he spotted a black Lambright in the drive, and his heart jumped. His former girlfriend, Sabrina Parnell, drove a car like that. Oh, shit. Her brother Seth had been in vet school at the time they dated, which was why Declan had never met him. Seth could be Stick.
Some tall woman was talking with Chelsea—a woman who looked very much like Sabrina from the back. Declan dove closer, careful not to let the air from his wing flaps give away his presence. When he moved in front of the mystery woman, his claws tightened. It was her. He could only hope Sabrina was merely making small talk with her brother’s employee. There was no way Sabrina knew that Chelsea and he had hooked up.
Stick would know Chelsea’s last name, but because Finn was new to the realm, he doubted the vet would connect Finn with Declan.
Needing a moment to clear his head, Declan soared upward. Hoping this was an innocent encounter, he did a few more circles, looking for anything illegal. Once Sabrina headed inside and Chelsea went back to work, Declan took off, more unsettled than ever.
Chapter Nine
Yesterday had been stressful. Chelsea had waited for Declan to call and confess his undying lust for her, but he hadn’t. She tried to remind herself that Declan managed the Sinclair and Caspian mines, and that his job was important. Not only that, they weren’t mates. Chelsea had gone into this affair merely for sex, knowing that it could be nothing more, but now she had to admit she’d been lying to herself. Damn. The slow wave of depression that had washed over her had to be a result of her wanting all of him. Too bad that could never be.
Thank goodness, she loved her job. The licks and joy she received from the animals helped get her through the day. She had the next two days off, and she planned to spend the time moving into Kaleena’s father’s cabin. Kaleena had driven her by the place three days ago, and Chelsea had fallen in love with the cute, cozy, wood home that reminded her of something she often saw in Silver Lake.
The best part of the Sinclair cabin? She could walk out of the front door and go for a run. It couldn’t be more perfect. Yes, it was isolated, but she’d be safe. Being a shifter had a lot of advantages.
Just as she was about to clock out for the day, Marty waltzed in and waved to her. “Got a few more rescues,” he called out, sounding more cheerful than usual. “I need your help.”
Curious what new animals he had, she followed him. In the back of his truck sat three crates. One contained a large black dog that appeared to be asleep. She didn’t recognize the breed, but the animal looked healthy. The other two seemed to belong to the cat family—leopard perhaps? They were truly beautiful. Given they weren’t moving, they probably had been sedated. “Are they okay?” she asked.
“They will be soon once the tranquilizer wears off.”
“I’ll get the cart,” she said. Chelsea jogged to the side of the building and dragged the wheeled structure back over.
Once she lined it up to the back of Marty’s tailgate, the two of them lugged the crates onto it. “Help me take them to the side bay. I can handle it from there.”
While Marty pushed the cart, Chelsea guided it. “Where did you find these beautiful animals?” she asked.
“One of the cats was trapped in some barbed wire fence. Once I freed him, his mate came out. I hated to separate them so I took them both.”
She looked at each of the black animals but couldn’t detect any injuries. “Why did you sedate them? Why not let them go free?”
“Stick always likes to make sure they are healthy first before we release them into the wild.”
She let out a breath. “That’s awesome. And the dog? What kind is he?”
“We call him a Labdron. I’ve been to Earth a few times. They are like your Labrador Retrievers.”
“Ah.” They reached the entrance. “You sure you don’t need help?”
“Nope. I’ll get Stick to give me a hand. He’ll need to check them over.”
Marty acted as if Stick were the hired help, instead of the other way around. “Okay then. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
“Enjoy your weekend.” He rushed inside.
As much as she wanted to stay with the animals to make sure they’d be fine, she sensed Marty wouldn’t like it. Quite a few people she’d met on Tarradon seemed different than those on Earth. Marty and Stick were two of them.
As Chelsea drove back to the condo, she decided that many of the Tarradonians needed some lessons in keeping to their side of the road. This reinforced her desire to live in the country. Where she’d go for food when she was far from the town center, she didn’t know, but she’d figure it out.
Thank goodness, Kaleena had added her to the eye scanner. Chelsea let herself into the condo. “Hello?”
No one was there. Darn. Finn might have left for the bar already, and apparently Kaleena was still at work. Chelsea didn’t want to think about either one having to battle with someone and put their lives in jeopardy. She shivered at that terrible thought.
Because it was still light out, she decided to check out the cabin, if only to make a list of what things she’d need. Kaleena had texted her during lunch to say her dad had dropped off the key. It would be on the counter if Chelsea wanted to see the i
nterior.
Excited, she grabbed the keychain and headed back out. Due to rush hour, the trip took about thirty minutes instead of twenty. She thought she would have remembered where the cabin was located, but once she turned off onto a dirt road, she became confused. The road forked twice, and because the sun was setting, she didn’t want to get lost.
Deciding it would be best to let her wolf do the tracking, she parked by the side of the road and headed into the forested area. On Earth, she wasn’t self-conscious about undressing when in front of other shifters, but she didn’t know if non-dragon shifters from Tarradon remained clothed after a shift or not.
She hadn’t passed anyone in the last five minutes, so changing shouldn’t be an issue—nor would leaving her clothes at the base of a tree. Slipping behind a large elm, she undressed and set her folded clothes on an elevated root.
Once she shifted, she took off, inhaling the fresh scent of the forest. After a quick and invigorating run, she spotted the cabin. Yes! She had been on the right road.
Oh, my. Declan was there. What was up with that?
What to do? What to do? It wasn’t as if she could shift back and walk inside naked though. Chelsea wasn’t the type to flaunt herself like that. The only choice was to race back to the tree for her clothes, hike to the car, and drive back in—which was what she did.
As she pulled next to Declan’s truck, he stepped onto the porch and smiled. Her heart actually fluttered, as images of coming home to him every day like this surfaced.
Stop with the fantasy. It would only make it worse when it ended.
Regardless of what she told herself, she couldn’t help but lust over his appearance with his button down black shirt, jeans, and boots.
Trying to appear unaffected by his presence, she slid out of the car. “Hey. What are you doing here?” she asked as he stood on the porch steps.
“I wanted to make sure it was clean inside for when you moved in.”
“That is so sweet of you. I’ve yet to look inside. When Kaleena drove me by, she didn’t have a key, so I never had the chance to see it.”
