“Isn’t this all so much better?” she asked. “The past two days, compared to the other days, I mean. That’s what being friends is. Something that helps both people.”
He didn’t answer.
She leaned her head on him, and he jerked away.
“I can’t do that,” he said. “Stop touching me. When you do that, when you stroked my dragon…”
She pouted and pulled back. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just… I’m trying to be your friend when my dragon wants so much more than that. I’m trying to respect you. But when you’re so accepting, so wonderful, I feel like I’m going to lose control.”
“Over me?” she asked.
He pinned his eyes on her, glaring. “Yes, of course because of you. I’m your friend, yes, but I’m still wildly into you.”
She flushed, fighting back a smile at his bluntness. Somehow, after what they’d been through today, it didn’t scare her.
She wanted to be closer to him.
“Dom,” she said. “What do you think it wants? Did you see it in the clouds?”
“Yes,” he said. “I see him at the oddest times. I saw the kittens’ mom when we were at the shelter. She told me what happened, so that’s how I knew.”
Her heart nearly melted at that confession. So he hadn’t just wanted some kittens; he’d been trying to do a duty as well, to a dead cat who’d been asking for help.
Why didn’t he realize what a special person he was? Why was he so afraid to show that to others?
“I think that’s amazing, not freaky,” she said. “For what it’s worth.”
He straightened and looked at her with shock. “What?”
She brushed unruly hair back from his forehead, loving the unexpected softness of it. “You help people. Creatures. You take on so much, all alone. Why don’t you let people in on it?”
He looked forward. “It’s dangerous.”
She reached up to tilt his face to her, but he stubbornly kept it pointed away, and he was far too strong for her to force it. “Fine, don’t look at me, but I’m going to say this anyway. I think most people would think you were incredible if they knew what you went through. I mean, I’m only hearing the tip of the iceberg, and I’m practically falling in love with you.”
His gaze snapped to her. “What? I send you flowers and chocolates for days, and you hear I’m crazy and that’s what wins you over?”
She shrugged. “I guess tortured bad boys who secretly have hearts of gold really do it for me.”
“You only heard one thing,” he said. “You still don’t know me.”
She felt offended by that and jolted back to glare at him. “Stop with the pity party and tell me about you, then. Don’t you see it’s not scaring me off? If that floating head didn’t, nothing else is going to.”
“I’m not right,” he said. “My powers are more than even my father or other amethyst dragons had. Amplified by the fact that my human mother was empathic and had psychic gifts of her own. I’m a monster not fit to be with humans or dragons. But I keep trying because when I help, I feel like more than the abomination I am.”
“What other powers do you have?” she asked quietly.
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to go over this right now.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “I mean, I guess you know as well as anyone; sometimes you have to take this in little bits at a time.”
She nodded, sitting back on the bed. “I guess so. But I had no idea you had such fascinating mysteries. All I have is an uncaring family and the fact that I was molested.”
He let out a growl. “It’s not a competition for who is more fucked up. I just want to be there for you and pretend there’s nothing wrong with me.”
“I think that’s part of what made me run from you,” she said. “Other than the fact that you’re a shifter. It was like I could see you were hiding something, holding back while pursuing. Like being chased by someone in a mask.”
“And now that the mask is down?” he asked, tentatively hopeful.
She stared him up and down. “Much better.”
He reached up to put an arm around her and then thought better of it. But she ducked under it, keeping it around her and cuddling against his side. “Are you sure?” he asked.
She nodded. “You know, the more we open up to each other, the more I think we’re pretty similar.”
“Maybe,” he said. “Though that would be more flattering to me than you.”
She thumped him on the chest, which was rock hard, and winced. “Shut up. If you say one more mean thing about you, I’m going to have to do something about it.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “What are you going to do?”
This was it. Do or die. Touch him and start to explore him, or turn and run from him and everything he represented.
It would have to be up to her.
All she could think of was soaring in the sky and the way he’d dipped with her, swirled with her, caught her, laughing, and buoyed her up in the sky.
She put a hand up, cupping his cheek as his eyes widened in surprise.
So freaking beautiful, even if he was a dragon.
“Something like this,” she said, touching her lips to his.
Dom couldn’t believe it.
She’d seen him with Thurston, seen him freak out midflight, picked the lock on his door, and now she was kissing him.
If he’d known she had this big of a thing for freaks, he would have shown her more sooner.
No, I wouldn’t, he thought, winding an arm around her waist, deepening the kiss. He couldn’t have. He wasn’t the type that could show people his pain. Neither was she. They had to have people barge in on them, lancing their hidden wound and sharing everything ugly that came afterward.
But there was nothing ugly about this kiss. Hot, intense, claiming. Her tongue roamed in his mouth, begging him to join in, and he did, clashing against her, loving the hot friction, the tension it stirred in his body.
He pulled back and placed their foreheads together, taking a deep breath. “What do you want from me? Do you want me to do anything or just let you—”
“Do everything,” she said.
“But you said—”
“I know what I said,” she snapped. “But I take that all back. Make moves on me. Be with me. Let’s do this thing.”
“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked.
She scowled, so cute with her wild curls and her pursed lips. “I won’t be if you keep ruining it.”
He laughed. “Okay, okay.”
She pushed him back onto the bed and climbed onto him. He had to grin. His mate really liked being on top.
He scooted back so they were fully on his bed, and she took his mouth in another hungry kiss, her hands twisting in his shirt front, her warm thighs straddling him tightly.
He kissed her back, bringing a hand up to stroke through the hair at the back of her head, letting her curls twist around his fingertips, teasing him.
She was luscious. Every time he kissed her, she tasted better. Like heat and home and sweetness and acceptance. And lust. Pure, burning lust that he’d never felt for anyone but her.
But in the back of his mind, he wondered if this was going to hurt their friendship. Hurt the progress he’d made with her.
“Stop hesitating,” she said. “This isn’t going to ruin anything.”
He stared in shock. “You can read minds.”
“No,” she said, laughing. “But even humans can tell what someone is thinking by the look in their eyes.” She drew a finger down the center of his stomach, along the ridge between his abs. “The tension in their body.”
He shivered, letting her explore his body, feeling the muscles, pulling his sweater over his head so he was only in a thin tee.
It was hard to stay still and let her touch him. He liked to be dominant. Liked to be the one feeling the woman, watching her arch in pleasure.
And he’d nev
er wanted that as much as he wanted it with Lana. But he wanted her to be happy, and she was happy like this, humming contentedly as her fingers explored him.
He blinked as she grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it off, baring his torso.
Her brown eyes glowed with warmth as she took him in. It was a look he’d never seen, at least so bold. She wanted him, badly.
His body twitched in response, and her eyes shot to his cock.
Damn.
She grinned, reaching down to feel it through the zipper of his jeans, and he bit back a groan, covering her hand with his.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t.”
He pulled his hand back. “Damn.”
She stroked her hand down and then up over the hard bulge. “This thing is huge. Dragon indeed.”
He rolled his eyes but felt a groan rumble in his throat when she undid his button and slowly started pulling down his zipper. He tried to reach for her again, but she pinned him with a glare that bespoke danger if he disobeyed.
“Don’t you dare,” she said.
“I should be the one giving to you,” he croaked out. “Not the other way around.”
“You’re my friend, right?”
He raised one eyebrow, looking at her fingers on his zipper. “I think it’s gone a little past that, don’t you?”
She shook her head. “Regardless, you said you’d give me what I want, right?” She ran her hand over his shaft, inside his boxer briefs. “I want this.”
Chapter 9
He twisted his hands into the sheets to resist reaching for her. Lying back and just letting his mate do the work was not in a dragon’s nature. But seeing the hot look in her eyes, the lack of fear or reluctance, he realized this was working for her.
Perhaps, after a man trying so hard to force everything on her, it felt safest for her to be the one in control.
So Dom would just have to deal with it. With the sweet agony of her fingers on his skin and the tortured temptation to sit up, flip her over, and give her everything she gave him, tenfold. Tenfold pleasure, tenfold happiness.
She shoved his pants down and then his briefs and cupped him in her hand, running up and down his shaft.
He bit his lip, drawing blood, and reached back to hold the headboard. She was driving him crazy with her light touch.
“So big,” she murmured, leaning down to look at it. “So well shaped.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You want to study it or something? Like art?”
She laughed, and her curls jiggled. Her lush lashes lowered and then rose, revealing heated, golden-brown eyes. “No, I want to do more than that.”
And then she took him in her mouth.
Holy shit. Oh, holy shit. That was…That was…
She licked around his tip, swirling him in her mouth, grinning at him and making eye contact, and his cock jerked, his body arching back.
“Stay still,” she said.
“Easier said than done,” he said.
She was setting him on fire. She was enjoying it. It was an unexpected turn of events but a welcome one. He could get through anything if it was for her.
She was inexperienced, more exploring and wandering than trying to go straight for the end goal. But it was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced, watching his mate play with that part of him without fear or worry.
With a look that said he was delicious.
She ran her tongue all the way from his balls to his slit, and he groaned, arching again. He wanted to be in her, wanted more of her mouth, but had to hold back.
Her hand wrapped him again, holding the base tightly and stroking up and down as her mouth took his tip again. The combination of sensations was owning him.
“Lana,” he grated out. “I’m going to come. I don’t want to…”
She just grinned at him, her full lips curving as she moved up and down on his dick, and he was stunned into silence at how beautiful she was. So determined. So fierce and amazing.
This was the Lana he’d been waiting to see. True, he loved every side of her, but there was something different about this Lana. She was taking what she wanted, reveling in her victory, wiping away the fear in her past.
His hands felt raw from gripping the sheets, and he tried to hold back, not wanting to end something she was enjoying. But then her hand stroked extra hard down his cock, her tongue licked his slit, and he felt everything explode inside him.
He jerked, shouting her name, seeing nothing but her face, her hair, her curves, her soft eyes, as pleasure wracked him. He hadn’t felt anything like this ever. Like lightning was striking every part of his body, like he’d never be the same ever again.
She held on to him, sucking him, swallowing everything as he jerked in her mouth.
He leaned back in dazed shock, feeling his body convulsing. Embarrassing that she’d done this for him and he’d done nothing for her.
“Lana,” he grated out, and she raised her head slightly, pressing a kiss to his tip, making him twitch. “Lana, please, let me do something for you.”
She frowned in a playful pout, splaying her hands over his bare chest. His pants were still pushed down, trapping his legs, and she seemed to like her position of advantage.
“Please, honey.”
She adjusted herself on top of him. “You did do something for me.”
“Let me please you,” he said. “Let me do more.”
She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. “I don’t know. I have to be in control. I don’t know if I’m ready.”
He nodded. “Of course. If you don’t—”
“But maybe…” She thought for a moment, looking at his face intently.
He looked down at her crotch, rocking gently against his hard abs. “I have an idea.”
“What?” she asked.
He pulled up his pants, loosely covering himself, and reached for her hips, pulling her forward over his chest. Closer. Closer.
She gasped as he pointed at her pants button. “Undo it,” he commanded.
“Why?” she asked. “I told you I need to be in control.”
“You will be,” he said. “I promise. Now strip if you trust me.”
She did. Either that, or she was overcome with the pursuit of pleasure, because she pulled off her top, then her bra, baring tawny, beautiful skin. Then she undid her jeans and wriggled out of them, lying forward on him to do so. When she was only in her panties, he grinned.
Soft, silky black lace that looked amazing on her skin, that cut in slightly, emphasizing the gentle roundness of her hips and belly. Feminine. Indulgent. All he wanted was to reach up and cup her full, heavy breasts, feel the weight of them in his hands, take them into his mouth and suck until she exploded, screaming his name.
But that wasn’t right for this moment.
She straddled him again, on his waist, and he motioned for her to scoot forward.
“Closer,” he said, pointing to his face. “You ever sat on one before?”
“No.” She shook her head, but a wicked gleam lit her eyes, and a curl fell forward sexily, obscuring her gaze. She left it there. “But I want to.”
“You’ll be in full control,” he said, gently squeezing her hips, letting his hands sink just for a moment into the skin there. “You can get off anytime you want. Or you can stay, and I’ll give you as much pleasure as you can take.”
She scooted slightly forward, up to his neck, and then hesitated.
“Nothing you don’t want,” he said. “It’s up to you, Lana. Take it or leave it. I only want what you want.”
That seemed to seal the deal, and her eyes softened as she rose and came forward. His hands moved over her, holding her thighs, helping support her as her soft, wet, satin-covered sex came over his mouth.
She seemed fine with him supporting her, seemed to know if she wanted to move, he would immediately let her.
It was all in her power. She owned him, and he was only here to please her as she let him.
She s
quirmed above him, as if not knowing what to do, and he reached up with his tongue, flicking tentatively at her center.
She gasped in surprise and arched back, and he relaxed at the evidence that she was feeling pure pleasure. He grew bolder, gripping her gently, keeping her spread as his tongue played along the soft folds of her sex covered by the panties. He longed to be under them, kissing her raw skin, but this was better. This would feel safer to her, one step removed.
She was already giving him so much trust it took his breath away. She was such an interesting woman in that everything that was supposed to work didn’t, and then when he didn’t try at all, she came to him.
It was more than he’d ever dreamed.
Her scent, her taste was home to him, and he licked furiously, pulling her against him with his hands for the best access, sucking at her clit and loving the way she bucked and writhed against him, growing wetter by the second.
The thought of them joined, her soft and wet, him hard and unyielding, stole his breath, and he moved faster, swirling his tongue on her, hearing her little cries for more.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, yes, yes. Oh, Dom, it’s been so long.”
He growled in jealousy and upped his pace. When she came, it was going to feel unlike anything before. Because he was a dragon. Because he was her mate.
He breathed just a bit of his fire, knowing it couldn’t hurt her, and felt her arch in surprise at the warmth of it and then grind against his mouth, wanting more. She was so hot, so wet, and it was easy to find all her spots. He would take her to the very edge of sensation and then pull back, softly kissing her thighs and waiting for her to relax.
Then he’d start the agonizing build all over again. He had just this one chance to show her everything, and he wasn’t going to waste it.
He cupped her butt cheeks and pulled her close, burying himself inside her, and then sucked hard on her clit. She arched back with a scream, curls bouncing as she shook her head side to side at the onslaught of pleasure that came with her orgasm. Her hands fell back, resting on his chest behind her, and her beautifully arched, curvy body lit up his senses.
Lana, he thought. Holy hell, Lana, you’re everything.
Amethyst Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 5) Page 7
