by Amelia Jade
Except her grandfather. He’d understood, oddly enough. The kooky old man had spent enough time in the military before he’d unofficially adopted her that perhaps he’d gained some insight into that whole thing. He was smarter than he let on, she knew that much.
“Fill out this form,” she said, trying not to admire his biceps as he lifted an arm to take the piece of paper and pen that she offered him.
He walked over to the nearest chair in the front row, and without hesitation bent at the waist directly in front of her, his ass sticking directly out while he read and filled out the entry form.
There is no way that’s accidental. He wants me to look. To admire. Okay fine, I’m looking, Rokk. I’m admiring. Just because you’re a snarky jerk doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate your fine curvature and muscular structure. You dragons have got it made.
While he scribbled out his answers Linny’s mind wandered. What would it be like to hook up with a dragon shifter? There were rumors. One of the battlesuit soldiers had found herself mated to one of the onyx dragons, and a particular loudmouth female in that unit had shared some stories which had quickly made the rounds.
They all spoke of incredible sex and a tenderness and understanding most men seemed to lack. What would Rokk be like in bed? Would he treat her gentle and soft, the way she craved, or would he just see her hard body and assume she wanted to be jackhammered for half an hour like every other guy?
He looked back at that moment, flashing her a quick smile before resuming his work.
Did he just read my mind? She’d been led to believe that dragons couldn’t do that, but there was so much about them they just didn’t know, that it could very well be true. She certainly hoped not, because the thoughts now flitting through her brain were very, very inappropriate.
They were exciting though. It had been quite a while since her last attempt at venturing out into the world of men, either for a relationship or the odd sexual encounter she allowed herself to have.
Too bad he was a dragon though. That meant she had no chance with him. They were all about their mates and didn’t sleep around, much to the dismay of the several hundred women who served at Fort Banner. Many of them had pools going to see who could sleep with one of them. The dragons had been offered some pretty depraved things, but they’d turned them down.
That was fascinating and said a lot in itself. Any normal man would have been salivating at the offers presented to them. Multiple women, freedom to do whatever they wanted to them, whatever. It wasn’t Linny’s way, but if there was one constant when it came to soldiers, it was that the majority of them were always horny.
“All done, Sergeant Cantor.” Rokk handed her the sheet.
“Thanks.”
His head bobbed up and down in response, but the way his eyes locked on to her said he had no idea he was doing it.
“You can go now,” she said, wondering if he would take the hint and leave. If she couldn’t hook up with him, then all this was going to do was make things awkward between them. She didn’t have time for awkward. Linny needed to put together her act and start practicing. It was imperative that she win.
Now that a dragon had entered, her odds of doing that had plummeted. A lot. How was she supposed to compete with someone who could change forms and spew lightning on demand? That just wasn’t fair! She should have adjusted the rules to prevent him from competing, but it was probably too late for that now.
Besides, if she brought it up, everyone would accuse her of trying to get rid of her competition. She was trapped. Her only option now was to be better than him. She needed that leave.
Coming back to the present, she noted that despite her words, Rokk hadn’t left. He was still standing in front of her.
She asked her next question without thinking. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
Shit.
Chapter Five
Rokk
“Yeah, there is,” he said evenly, trying to contain the butterflies as they strained to escape his stomach.
Such a weird saying. How would one get butterflies into their stomach in the first place? Odd, and somewhat nauseating as well to even think of.
“W-What’s that?”
The tremor in her voice was there and then gone. If he’d not been so laser-focused on her, he would have missed it. He didn’t, and she knew it, her cheeks going rosy in color for a few seconds until Sergeant Cantor could get her reactions under control.
“I wanted to apologize for being snarky to you in front of everyone during our simulator run the other day. That wasn’t necessary, and you were right to chastise me.”
It irked him to say all that, but he wanted her to know it hadn’t been anything personal. His mind had been distracted with her voice and trying to take the team lead from Aric.
“You needn’t worry. I stopped listening to your audio for a bit until the Walker came through, and instead focused on watching your fighting skills. Then I turned it back on because I wanted to hear you complain. Which I did.”
Rokk nearly deflated with relief. “Probably for the best,” he agreed. “Though that still wasn’t fair.”
Sergeant Cantor laughed, but he almost missed it, caught up in his own thoughts.
She hadn’t heard the bet. It was just his luck that the fates would make it so that his mate could have listened to him boast about finding his true love first, and even wagering six figures on it with his brother. That was ridiculous, and he didn’t want to have to explain that to her. After all, he couldn’t fake who he was mated to. She was it for him, and that was that.
Humans were a little more uneasy about the subject, like they were with most things emotional or sexual. And idioms. They had the worst kinds, like the one about butterflies. Still, he’d found his mate, and now it was time to claim his money from Pyne.
He froze, hand halfway into his pocket reaching for his cell phone as Sergeant Cantor started talking. Right. She was still there. Calling his brother and laughing at him probably wouldn’t be the most diplomatic thing to do right now. After all, he still had to win her over!
“I’m glad you can understand my point though,” she was saying.
“Of course.” He had no idea what she was talking about, having tuned her out by accident, but one thing Rokk had learned with women was when in doubt, tell them they were right even if they were horribly, horribly wrong.
“It’s good to know you can act like a grown-up sometimes, Rokk.” Her eyes twinkled with delight.
Oh crap. What the hell had he just agreed to? “Nothing to it.” He had to force the words out.
Why was he acting so weird? Where was his normal confidence? His charm? What the hell had she done to him?
“Do my grown-up activities warrant getting a first name?” he asked.
She hesitated. Noticeably. Not one of the quick moments to think, but a long pause, easily several seconds in length. It was awkward. For both of them.
“Maybe next time.”
Her willpower was astonishing. It was obvious she saw him as attractive. He’d seen her looking him over while she talked, and then after as he talked to her and filled out the form. She hadn’t been secretive about it at all. Her eyes had roamed at will while they talked, as if she didn’t realize he could see her doing it. Rokk wasn’t about to embarrass her by saying so, but knowing what he’d seen, and then hearing her refuse to give out a name put him at odds.
“Okay, Sergeant Cantor,” he replied. “I understand, Sergeant Cantor.”
Her eyelids lowered.
“Is something wrong, Sergeant Cantor?”
The chestnut ponytail flicked back and forth as she turned her head sharply once to the left and then once to the right.
“Okay, Sergeant Cantor. I’m glad to hear that, Sergeant Cantor.”
He thought she was going to crack, but her expression only hardened in determination not to crack. Rokk grinned. He liked a challenge.
“So, Sergeant Cantor, what’s your job o
n the base?” He knew she was with headquarters; her presence in the training VR the other day told him that much. What it didn’t say was just what she did. Sergeant wasn’t a particularly high level in the military, so for her to oversee the dragons meant she was probably undervalued in her current rank.
“I’m the aide to Major Von Kemp,” she said, turning on her heel and heading toward the entrance to the hangar, no doubt trying to get rid of him.
It wasn’t going to work. He could be more stubborn than she believed possible. A century of experience told him that. They were all alone though, so he walked with a slight space between them. The last thing Rokk wanted was for his mate to feel trapped, or in any sort of danger. With him she had nothing to fear, but all he had so far was his word, and that wasn’t going to be enough to truly make her feel at ease. Not yet.
“That explains your presence in the VR then, Sergeant Cantor. Do you usually oversee us, Sergeant Cantor?” They’d only trained in it perhaps half a dozen times or so, and that had been the first time anyone had spoken to them besides the VR techs.
“No, not normally.” She didn’t elaborate. She also, unless he was misreading her, was starting to get irritated with him. The way her cheeks clenched together tightly was just so adorable. Part of him wanted to reach out and pinch them, but that would just be a disaster in the making.
“You’re not going to stop, are you?”
“Stop what, Sergeant Cantor?” He blinked innocently.
“Unbelievable,” she growled to herself. “Fine. Linny.”
“Pardon?” He frowned in confusion. “I don’t recognize that word.
Although he spoke English, until recently he hadn’t spoken it frequently, using his native language most often in his daily interactions. There were plenty of slang words that he was still picking up, though like any dragon, he could learn a new language at a phenomenal rate.
“Linny,” she repeated. “That’s my name? You know, the one you wanted to know.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Linny. Rokk.” He held out his hand.
She took it briefly, clasping him with a strong, respectable grip, and then dropped it. Everything happened so fast he was barely able to process the charge that zipped through him when they touched. The next thing he knew they were stopping at the door.
He looked around, pretending not to know why they’d stopped. “Are you not leaving, Linny?”
“No, I need to wait here for the next batch of people interested in the talent show to arrive, so that I can give them the same speech you received.” She didn’t seem excited at the idea.
“It was a good speech,” he offered, trying to sound supportive.
Linny snorted air softly, but the side of her mouth lifted. “Thanks, I guess.”
Neither of them spoke right away, not with words. Their looks said enough. She was glancing at him shyly, reluctant to meet his eyes for any length of time, but never turning away for very long. He on the other hand let his gaze rest on her face, making his intentions very clear. Hopefully.
“Don’t you have places you should be?” Linny asked. Her voice was barely audible and fraught with tension.
She understood. He let himself sway closer. She didn’t move away. Her head twitched, the ponytail falling on the inside of her shoulder, reflecting the red like crazy in the hangar lighting. He liked it.
“I don’t have anywhere else to be right now.”
“Oh.” She looked up at him, both of them stopping their fidgeting in time, gazes locked. “That must be nice.”
He followed her every move as she reached up and pushed her hair back over her shoulder.
Her chin tilted up as she finished the movement, and in that second he made his decision. Rokk leaned in, cupped her jaw, and brought his mouth down to cover hers. Linny squeaked in surprise, lifting a hand to his chest as if to stop it, but she melted into him a second later much to his delight.
Their mouths parted in time, exploring and expressing interest with soft, tenuous strokes. Her hand twisted his shirt up tight, quickening his blood until it thundered in his ears, blocking out the rest of the world until the only thing in focus was the press of her firm mouth against his, and the warmth of her tongue.
Thinking that he was pushing the limits he started to back away, but Linny growled through their locked lips and pulled him closer, wrapping her other hand around his head so he couldn’t get away. Rokk’s eyelids raised momentarily, her reaction unexpected.
“Ahem.”
They leapt away from one another at the sound. Linny started reflexively tugging her clothes back into place while Rokk spun to face the unexpected noise, assessing the situation for threats. Energy coursed through him, though he kept it from showing on the surface.
His eyes focused on a familiar face. It was the VR technician who’d helped him in and out of his suits during the training runs. “Hey,” he said, acknowledging the man.
“Hi.” The tech’s voice broke and both men winced at the unavoidable. “Um, I’m here to sign up for the talent show?”
Rokk nodded. “You’re in the right place, but you’ve got the wrong person.” He pointed at Linny. “She’s running it. I’m just entering it.”
The tech’s eyes flicked back and forth, and then he nodded at Rokk. “Okay, sorry.”
“Not to worry. It happens.” He glanced over at Linny, saw her lick the corner of her mouth surreptitiously, and had to leave the hangar before he burst into laughter at her forthrightness.
He didn’t wish to leave Linny, not after sharing their first kiss, but several other figures were coming inside now, and it was obvious she was going to be busy.
Besides, he needed to track down Pyne and rub it in his face!
Chapter Six
Linny
She was back in the hangar the next afternoon and all she could think about was the feeling of Rokk as she pulled him in close to her. His size. Strength. Musk. The force of personality he managed to exude whether he was sitting in a chair while she talked or exploring her mouth with his tongue.
“Get out of my head,” she hissed, giving it a shake to try and dislodge her unruly thoughts.
Nothing that she’d tried since he left had worked. The dragon had effectively imprinted himself upon her. Linny had tossed and turned in her bed for several hours trying to get him out, until she’d finally given in and relented to the desire to fantasize. Only that exertion had allowed her to eventually fall asleep.
Right now she needed to focus. The chairs were all still set up, but that wasn’t what concerned her just now. The emptiness beyond them was where she was headed. Normally it wouldn’t be open, but with so many of the available combat battlesuits on deployment with the dragons to chase down the rogue Outsiders, there was plenty of space available to her.
This was going to be her training grounds. The equipment she’d requested was on its way, and she could begin setting up and then practicing. She was going to need to do a lot of that. Many years had passed since the last time she’d attempted what she was going to do. If she wanted to avoid being laughed out of the final stage, then she would need to do it right.
Which is why Rokk needed to take a back seat for the time being. Once her time here was over he could take over her mind and his phantom touches could caress the parts of her that he hadn’t the day before.
Turning to the door controls, she punched the red button. Pistons hissed and the big doors behind her slid closed. Privacy was going to be key as well. She couldn’t have anyone watching what she was doing, lest they find a way to one-up her with their own displays. Linny had to be the best. She desperately needed that prize.
The doors came together with the soft sigh of gasses escaping as the compressors came to a rest. It should have felt empty. Peaceful. Instead Linny felt cramped. The sensation didn’t go away after a few moments either. Frowning, she looked around to figure out what the source of her discomfort was. She found it standing just inside the now-closed doors.
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“What are you doing here?” she asked, consciously aware that they were now inside a closed building. Just the two of them. And she was off duty.
That meant nothing though. It had to mean nothing. What had occurred the day before had been fun, but just that, fun. Nothing more was going to happen, she told her suddenly overactive lady parts. They disobeyed, however, and Linny gave thanks that her uniform was thick enough to prevent her nipples from pushing through. What was going on between her legs was annoying enough; she didn’t need Rokk feeding off visual cues to continue what they’d started. She had other priorities right now besides the tall, hulking mass of ultra-sexy muscle that just screamed out to be touched, kissed, and licked everywhere.
“I need to practice,” Rokk said, pitching his head at an odd angle as he looked at her steadily.
Linny returned the gaze. “So practice?”
“Awesome, thank you.” He started walking out into the hangar.
“Not here,” she snapped. “This is my hangar.”
Rokk turned on his toe. “Well, where am I supposed to practice?”
“Find a spot? Preferably one that isn’t here.” Her irritation returned. This was the same guy she’d slapped down during the simulation. Cocky, arrogant, and so completely sure of himself it made her doubt her own words.
“I need somewhere I can practice without people spying on me.” He grinned. “That includes you.”
Linny rolled her eyes, ready to tell him to go solve his own problems when a solution came to her.
No. I don’t want to do that. I don’t have to. He can figure it out all by himself.
“You have an idea, don’t you?” Rokk pressed, stepping closer.
“Maybe.” She sighed. Why do I do this to myself? This is just asking for trouble.
“Well, what is it?” He sounded so hopeful, so excited. How was she supposed to say no to that eagerness?
“We can divide the hangar in half,” she explained, pointing out the big dividers that retracted into the far wall. “If that’s enough space. If it’s not, then you’re on your own.”
