“Did you... want children?” For all that she knew, he had no desire to father a child, and all of her concerns were the product of a tired mind.
Saul chuckled in the dark. “Once I did, but that is an interest long lost to me. Females of my kind are few and far between, and those with a good heart even more rare to find.”
His words confirmed Chloe’s darkest fears.
“Okay,” she whispered.
“My love, I am happy as we are.” He tucked her in close to his body, an arm wrapped her waist and his cheek atop her head.
She should have been comforted. So why did she feel so uneasy instead?
Chapter 2
Marcy was absolutely smitten by Saul, and if they weren’t such close friends, the Latina might have been jealous that she hadn’t found him first. At some point during their visit, Chloe had wanted to confide the secret of his true nature but couldn’t bring herself to admit that the sexy Viking was a giant fantasy monster.
To their immense relief, Saul adjusted easily to Houston, claiming his life to be no different in the girls’ shared home than his day-to-day activities in California. In the mornings, he and Chloe slept in, and by the afternoon they roused to walk Felix and sight-see local attractions. She even took him to the Houston Zoo, where he became an eager child, thrilled at every new sight.
“You’ve never visited a zoo?” she asked in disbelief.
“Many of these creatures are food to me. I have never pondered their existence beyond the taste of their flesh,” Saul replied, his honesty taking her by surprise. He glanced at a nearby giraffe stretching its neck toward a branch bearing green leaves. The creature remained blissfully unaware of the predator observing its mealtime.
“And now you do?”
“You are a poor influence on me, my love. My behavior would shame others of my kind.”
“Why’s that?” Saul rarely spoke of his people. Between his scant clues and the information Chloe dragged out of Mahasti, she understood Saul to be a rarity among the great dragons in the world.
“My kind prefer solitude, and most certainly wouldn’t mate with a human or live in her domicile for any extended time.”
“If dragons prefer solitude, why do you have a company, a home, and friends like Mahasti and Leiv? Why befriend and care for me after I hurt my ankle? You could have left me there.”
“A corporation is viewed as an extension of my horde, but as I said, I am considered eccentric among my kind. Perhaps Mahasti’s presence has given me more freedom to live so openly.”
Chloe considered that possibility and nodded. “I guess a djinn is handy to have around. But still, you have a job.”
“I was curious, I admit. Theater amused me in my younger years. Mahasti encouraged my fascination by presenting it as a challenge. A test, if you will. Her powers can grant me the physical possessions to accompany humanity but they cannot make me more human. To learn their nuances, I had to walk among them.”
Laughter filled the air between them. “Oh wow, I can almost picture it. So you went out, liked what you saw, and started your own business. But you kept a distance, too.”
“I did, but nothing about this world intrigued me or held my interest for long. Before you, I visited my office when necessary. I did not make friends beyond the company of Leiv’s father Ivan and Mahasti. When Ivan died, I understood how it felt to mourn for a mortal and felt comfort when Leiv took his place. They are both servants, and yet they are my closest and dearest friends,” Saul said quietly, his breath a soft tickle against her ear. He snuck his arm around her waist and tugged her close.
“But I thought...” Chloe’s voice trailed, a pause allowing her the time to search her memory. “You made it sound as if you’d taken other women to bed before me.” In her mind, she had imagined a bevy of women flitting in and out of Saul’s life, each of them fucked to the point of absolute bliss and left hungering for his prolonged company. She had pictured a playboy in search of a mate to fulfill him, and had taken profound pleasure in knowing she was the first to bring him to orgasm.
“On occasion,” he admitted. “But only to sate an urge. I did not linger for sweet words and soft touches, and I never experienced the same satisfaction.”
“You made it sound like you didn’t come either,” she pointed out.
“I did not. It was deeply irksome.”
“Okay, okay. We’re going to have to talk about this later when we’re not surrounded on all sides by strangers attempting to muscle past us to see the okapi.” Chloe had the sudden itch to find a secluded spot and show her man all the wicked things she could do to him to achieve his release.
God, I am such a nympho lately.
“Very well, but only if we go to see the camels. I promised Mahasti we would take photographs.”
“Deal.”
***
The morning at the zoo transitioned to an afternoon on Galveston Island. Marcy’s current boyfriend, Antonio, met them at Hotel Galvez where they’d arranged for an overnight stay in one of the expensive spa suites. Saul had insisted on covering the rooms but had to promise to let Chloe, Antonio, and Marcy handle the rest.
Chloe dressed in beach attire beneath her summer dress and twirled in the mirror. “Tomorrow we go for a harbor tour,” she explained.
“And this eve?”
“The aquarium, the beach, and then dancing around the town. Is that acceptable?”
“I do not dance.”
She skipped over and tickled her fingers up Saul’s delectable, bare chest. “Is that because you don’t like dancing, or you don’t know how?”
“I do not understand the purpose,” Saul admitted. “From what I have observed in movies, human females prefer to perform awkward mating dances, each one adorned in plumage more ridiculous than the last.”
Chloe attempted to maintain an even expression, but his serious features shattered her efforts. “Because it’s fun, and yes, because it’s sexy. Do you need a better reason?”
Saul grunted and said nothing further about dancing, much to Chloe’s amusement. To prompt a reaction from him, she tugged the Velcro closure of his board shorts and loosened the tie.
“What are you doing now? Marceline and her suitor await us.”
“Ever heard of a quickie?”
“I am a dragon. I do nothing quickly and perform all deeds with the utmost regard—” Chloe’s decision to turn around and bend over the mirrored bureau distracted Saul mid-sentence. She flipped up the skirt of her sunny orange dress to expose the tiny swimsuit beneath.
“Wanna find out?”
She released the left hip-tie of her bikini bottom. It slipped down her thigh and tumbled to her ankle as she spread her legs. Sex with Saul had been on her mind since their provocative talk at the zoo, and hell if she planned to miss the opportunity. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve been wanting to jump him from the moment we woke up.
To provide a little inspiration, Chloe trailed her fingers between her legs, gliding them between her slick folds until the returning stroke found her easily stimulated clit. A single touch made her core clench in anticipation, desiring his cock’s deep penetration.
“See how wet I am?”
Saul’s nostrils flared. His gaze focused on the path her fingers took, tracking their movement. The low rumbling sound he made in his chest aroused Chloe and tightened her nipples.
She watched in the mirror as Saul fucked her from behind. It was even sexier than she’d dreamed of, and about ten minutes later they determined that dragons did things quickly enough when given proper motivation.
Afterward, they freshened up to meet Marcy and Antonio in the lobby. As promised, the group’s path led to the island’s prime attraction for an afternoon of marine animals and rainforest exhibits.
“I’m so glad I bought this new camera, girl. These photos are going to be gorgeous,” Marcy commented. She had crouched to angle the camera between the slats beneath the bridge railing. A white-faced monkey fastidiously groomed
his dark fur on a nearby branch.
“Can you believe we’ve both lived in Houston all this time and never come down this way?” Chloe asked.
The two women chatted animatedly about the biospheres within the glass pyramid then continued their exploration from one exhibit to the next. With Saul at her side, Chloe listened to his tales of visiting the cloud forests of South America in his youth.
“I’d love to visit one of these places in person outside of a regulated habitat,” Chloe said.
“If it is truly your wish, we will visit. I have a dear friend who lives in the Yucatán Peninsula. Teo would be thrilled to entertain us for a time before we continued farther south to Bolivia.”
“You’re going to take me to Bolivia? Saul, you’re the best!” She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him in the middle of the walkway.
“Most women celebrate when you bring them wine or flowers. This one wants to hike in a muggy forest,” Antonio muttered.
“I love the tropics,” Marcy defended herself. “Did you forget what I told you about my family? I grew up on the beach in Mexico.”
“I like flowers just fine,” Chloe argued. “Is it bad that I want to see them in the wild and thriving instead of in a vase and dying?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay.” Surrendering, Antonio raised his hands like an outlaw facing the cops. “My bad, ladies.”
Saul chuckled.
“See, Saul knows to keep quiet,” Marcy said.
By the time they completed their tour of the various rainforests around the world and admiring a gorgeous ocelot beyond the glass, Marcy’s wavy black hair was a frizzy mess. The group escaped into the cool, air conditioned hallway and settled at a table near the food court so that Chloe could wrangle her friend’s hair back into a single plait.
“I told you that wasn’t enough hair spray... there. You look fabulous again,” Chloe said as she fastened a band around the tip.
Antonio shook his head. “All of that effort for her to get in the water at the beach in an hour.”
“Hey, looking this fabulous takes work,” Marcy laughed as she returned to his side. Chloe caught the disapproving glance she gave when Antonio wasn’t looking, and didn’t need to read minds to know what Marcy thought — Antonio wasn’t working out to be as fun as she’d hoped for. His tendency to complain was putting a bummer on the entire outing, whereas Saul went with the flow and never fussed.
Dinner in the adjacent restaurant afforded Saul the chance to see an all-you-can-eat buffet for the first time. He marveled over the assortment in passing on the way to their table then pulled back the seat for Chloe to sit her like a gentleman. Antonio shot the pair a bewildered look, especially after Marcy stared him down for failing to do the same. Chloe almost felt sorry for the poor guy. Almost.
“I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Wait. What?” Marcy paused with her fork halfway to her mouth.
“I... made up my mind today. I’m going to go back to California with Saul.” Part of Chloe had known what she wanted from the start, but she’d needed to make sure before making a drastic change to her life. The interaction between Saul, her oldest friend, and even Felix, gave her everything she needed to know. Her new lover had passed the test.
“But... I’ll never get to see you.”
Saul spoke up before Chloe had a chance to comfort her morose friend. “You may always come to our home to visit, Marceline.”
“I guess,” Marcy agreed quietly. She stirred the food on her plate in silence without looking up again. Antonio excused himself to ravage the buffet for a second helping, and Saul wisely followed his example, leaving the two women alone.
Why’d I have to pick now to tell her? Chloe sighed and dropped her head, overcome with guilt.
“Sorry, Marce. I didn’t mean to be a bummer.”
“Nah, it’s all right. I sort of figured, I guess.” Marcy looked up with a smile, but her eyes were watery. “Plus, it’s not like I can disapprove of Saul. He’s great. I mean, really great. I’m happy for you. You deserve better after Malcolm and Freddy.”
“I can still help cover rent ‘til you find someone else.”
Marcy waved her off. “No, don’t do that. I paid the rent just fine before you moved in, chica, and I can do it while you’re gone. That’s not a big deal.”
“Are you sure? It’s not like Saul allows me to pay for anything. When I told him that I wanted to work, he told me he’d hire me on in his company’s legal department.” Chloe shook her head and chuckled softly.
“You’ll be a glorified housewife, basically?”
“Not even that. He has a housekeeper and a driver, so I’ll have no idea what to do with myself. But you bet your ass I don’t plan to sit around his giant mansion on my bum every day.”
“That’s right. You tell him. You’re a strong, independent woman.” Marcy picked up her glass and clinked it to Chloe’s. “I’ll fly out and see you this Christmas, girl.”
“If you wait until Christmas, I’ll start to think that you don’t love me.” Chloe blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “Saul’s gonna take us on set, remember? You can bat your lashes at the leading actor and steal his heart.” She waited a moment before she whispered, “Because Antonio sucks.”
They both laughed over the idea, which had the intended, comforting effect. Once Marcy cheered and Chloe didn’t have to worry about losing her best friend, both men returned like a masculine third sense told them the coast was clear.
The decision to take a stroll down the beach followed dinner. Jokes ensued in the car ride to the seawall about whether or not Chloe would sink like a stone to the bottom of the gulf after appearing to compete with Saul’s ravenous appetite. She showed her friend and boyfriend up when she shed her dress and boldly raced Marcy for the waves.
“This was a great idea!” Marcy called to her minutes later.
“Remember how gross the water was last time we came out here?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. Hey Antonio! You coming in or what?” Marcy called out toward the beach.
“Where’d Saul go?” Chloe asked.
Hands grabbed her beneath the water and tugged Chloe under. Spluttering, she resurfaced and slapped water at her grinning mate, but he evaded her playful attack like a dolphin. His uncanny grace and impressive lung capacity held an unfair advantage over the rest of them in their water play.
If he didn’t already tell me that he breathes fire, I’d think he was a water dragon.
Chloe discovered her dragon didn’t excel at beach volleyball when a group of college coeds invited her, Marcy, Antonio, and Saul to join their game. Eventually, after he missed enough serves and passes, Saul excused himself from the game to spectate instead, much to everyone’s relief.
“Your boyfriend definitely needs to remain on standby as eye candy until we can teach him to play,” Marcy teased.
“Well, at least he’s a damn good distraction. Their back corner player keeps ogling him instead of watching the ball,” Antonio commented.
With Saul gone, their team won the next game. The loss of the sun brought in a cool breeze from the gulf and visitors on the beach thinned. It turned out that a long day of touring Southeast Texas’ attractions and waterfront athletics had worn them all out. Dancing was off the agenda.
“Wanna stop for snacks to take back to our rooms? Room service is a little too rich for my pockets,” Marcy commented on the way to Antonio’s SUV.
“I don’t want to look at anything else to eat for the rest of today,” Chloe muttered. “I think I’m good.” Chloe lay down in the rear seat and set her head upon the beach towel covering Saul’s lap. A half hour later, she awakened to find her cheek against his shoulder.
“Tell Chloe we’ll meet you both for lunch tomorrow if you want. Me and Antonio plan to visit his family before we meet you both for the harbor tour.”
“Of course. Have a pleasant eve, Marceline.”
“Night, Marcy,” Chloe mumbled.
Marcy flounced away to join Antonio in their hotel room. Once Saul and Chloe showered off the salt water residue, a strange sense of vitality seeped through her veins. It hit her like a shot of adrenaline and quickly shed her exhaustion.
“Saul?”
“Yes?” He sprawled beside her, silent but peaceful in appearance with his golden eyes shut. He often feigned sleep but rarely dozed off before her.
“Are dragons nocturnal?”
“Most are. Why do you ask?”
“You always get up to go snack and stuff.”
“Many centuries ago, my kind once awakened with the arrival of false-light and hunted freely. Many of my ancestors delighted in setting villages ablaze until the flames could be seen from miles away,” he admitted. “I have adapted over the years and overcome my natural inclinations. It allows me to pass for a human more easily.”
“I certainly appreciate it. No wonder you always snore until noon. You must be rubbing off on me because I can’t sleep either.” All of those long nights of cuddling and drifting off just prior to the sunrise took their toll on Chloe’s circadian rhythm. “This problem is all your fault, so you can fix it,” she teased.
Once he stifled his laughter, Saul kept her entertained through the night with tales of his ancestors. He told her about his mother’s gentle heart, the contrast between his parents’ personalities, and how she had tamed the worst of his father’s habits only just before the dragon’s demise. Even his ruthless grandfather was a beast feared so greatly that the legendary St. George slew him, among many others, and yet Saul had inherited neither male dragon’s tendency toward violence.
“So what you’re saying is that it’s a good thing you guys have adapted to other methods of conquest that don’t involve fire?”
“You misunderstand, Chloe. Our disguises are a necessity in these modern days of missiles, tanks, and jet planes. But yes, you are right. Many of my kind do prefer to manipulate humanity from behind our corporations.”
Mated by the Dragon (Loved by the Dragon, #2) Page 3
