The Dragon's Mate

by Emilia Hartley

  “You’ve never brought anybody up here to look around?” Lucy asked, surprised.

  Dan's chest rumbled with laughter. "Who would I bring, exactly?" he chuckled. "Tom and Nick aren't going to sit here, enjoying a sunset with me now, are they?"

  Lucy turned to face him a little more fully. “So, you’ve never shown this place to anyone before?”

  He looked down at her, his eyes suddenly serious. “No, I haven’t,” he replied, softly. “Not to anyone except you, Lucy.”

  Lucy felt her heart leap into her throat, before settling itself again. Turning her eyes back towards the sunset, she tried to resist the sudden and almost inexplicable urge to cry. Dan had brought her here, to a place that was clearly quite special for him, so that he could share it with her. He'd not shown it to anyone else, and that made her realize that she actually truly meant something to him. Her strange feeling of wanting to laugh and cry at the same time grew steadily until she wasn't sure what to do.

  “Are you okay?”

  Looking up at him, Lucy’s heart slowly settled, and a sweet calmness spread over her whole being. “Yes, I am,” she replied, eventually. “I’m just struggling with being treated like this.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Seeing him frown, Lucy shook her head in exasperation. “I don’t mean it in a bad way, but that no-one’s ever made me feel….well, special, I suppose.” Her brows knotted as she tried to explain herself. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before, Dan.”

  She slowly felt him relax, his arm tightening just a little around her shoulders. "I guess I've been afraid to really trust you or to believe that I genuinely mean something to you."

  “You thought I might just spend a couple of nights with you and then break things off?”

  Wincing at the hurt in his voice, Lucy forced herself to nod. "At the back of my mind, I've always been questioning what's going on between us and whether it's real." Looking at the gorgeous sunset, she let out a long, happy sigh. “Now I don’t have that worry any more.”

  “Good,” Dan muttered, still sounding a little frustrated. “So long as that’s clear, then.”

  Lucy smiled up at him, waiting until the lines on his face smoothed out. “I feel something for you too, Dan, in case you were wondering.”

  The old familiar smile quickly reappeared. “Do you?”

  She nodded, closing her eyes as he brushed her hair back with his free hand. He was always so tender, so gentle. It was no wonder she was so drawn to him. When his lips met hers, she kissed him back, wondering if he could tell just how much she desired him.

  “We’re going to miss the sunset,” he whispered against her lips.

  A shiver of anticipation ran through her body as her mind went through a few possibilities of what could happen if they’d continued. After a few seconds she leaned her head on his shoulder and turned her eyes back to the sunset. She couldn’t remember when she’d ever felt this happy.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lucy couldn’t help but watch Dan as he walked into the shop the next day. He’d been the perfect gentleman the night before, walking her back to the truck and giving her a long, lingering kiss, filled with promises about what could happen between them.

  Lucy knew, deep down, that Dan was desperate to talk to her about her shifting, but, instead, he was doing what he’d promised and keeping it to himself until she was ready to talk. She appreciated that about him. It was so different from Dominic’s way of barking orders and expecting her to follow through without question. There was no fear with Dan, only trust and a slow growing love that Lucy knew she couldn’t deny any longer.

  “Morning,” Dan murmured, as he came over to her. “You look beautiful, Lucy.” Dipping his head, he kissed her quickly, before giving her a wide smile. “Fresh air must agree with you.”

  Lucy knew she was blushing at his compliment, her eyes dropping to his mouth. “Perhaps it was the company,” she replied, softly, looking up at him. “Last night was wonderful, Dan.” She meant every word and could see the happiness in his eyes.

  “Yes, it was,” he agreed. “Maybe we can go there again some time.”

  "How about tonight?" Lucy asked, quickly. "Let me organize things this time. Maybe we could get some of that infamous takeout and have it at the top of the hill?"

  His wide grin brought a flurry of awareness into her stomach. She hadn’t been intending to ask him to go again so soon, but one kiss and all she could think about was being alone with him again.

  “That sounds really good, Lucy,” Dan replied, lifting her chin with one hand. “I can hardly wait.”

  Lucy gazed into his eyes, as pure happiness shot straight through her. She felt as though this was where she belonged, right here, with Dan. Even the feeling of her bear growling contentedly wasn’t worrying, because, for the first time, her entire being was at peace. Bear and human, both together, happy.

  “Oi,” came a shout, just as Dan was about to kiss her again. “None of that in the office.”

  Nick’s grinning face appeared in the doorway, making Lucy sigh heavily. Now Dan would head back to work and she’d barely see him for the rest of the day. It was almost strange to admit it, but Lucy knew she’d miss him despite the fact they were literally only a few yards apart. It was obvious to her now that she was falling in love with him and she desperately hoped Dan felt the same way, even if they had a difference of opinion when it came to shifting.

  “Sorry,” Dan murmured, brushing her cheek in a quick kiss before stepping away. “Duty calls!”

  “I’ll see you this evening, then,” Lucy said, smiling after him. “Do you want your usual takeout?”

  Dan nodded. “Yes, please. Looking forward to it, Lucy.”

  “So am I,” Lucy whispered to herself, as Dan walked out of the office. “So am I.”

  “Looks like you’re doing a great job with the place, Lucy!”

  Wiping her forehead with the back of her hand, Lucy tried to smile. Getting old, stubborn wallpaper off the wall wasn't exactly easy, but at least her efforts were being appreciated. "Thanks, Jo," she replied, stepping down carefully from the ladder. "Any idea what color you want to paint the place?"

  Jo shrugged, holding the ladder steady as Lucy came down. “No idea.” She gave Lucy as grin as she handed her a cup of freshly brewed coffee. “What do you think?”

  Lucy thought for a moment. "If I'm honest, I have had a few ideas." She launched into her design idea, including everything from light fixtures to a brand new office counter. Completely unsure as to what Jo's reaction was going to be since her face was still expressionless by the time she finished, Lucy held her breath.

  Jo began to nod thoughtfully. “That’s a lot of work there, Lucy.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t mind doing it. To be honest, I’m quite enjoying coming up with ideas.” Suddenly worried that Jo was going to think she was trying to take over, she stumbled over her words. “Not that I mean you have to do everything I’ve suggested, that’s not what I mean at all. It’s just a few ideas, and I’ll go with whatever you like.”

  To her relief, Jo laughed. “Don’t worry, Lucy, I think what you’ve suggested sounds great. In fact – ” she grabbed her phone and typed in a couple of things before looking back up at her. “Lucy, I’d like to offer you the position of interior designer.”

  Lucy stared at Jo for a moment, not sure what she meant. “Uh…I don’t have any qualifications or anything, so not sure I can call myself that.”

  Jo shrugged. “It looks like you’ve got a natural talent for this kind of thing. So here’s what I’m going to suggest. You do whatever you need to, in order to make this place look great. I’ll give you a budget of course, and there’ll be a wage in there too. After all, we can’t have you working for free!”

  “What’s happening?”

  Jo turned to Savannah, who was just walking in. “I’ve just hired Lucy as our interior designer.”

  “Oh, really?” Savannah asked, turning br
ight eyes on Lucy. “Great! If you do a good job, I’m sure Tom and I could do with your help too.”

  Lucy was flabbergasted. She didn't know what to say. Jo had just put her trust in Lucy to reorganize and redecorate their whole office space, and was going to be paying her a salary too? "I – I don't know what to say," she whispered, hardly believing what Jo had offered. "That's a lot of trust you're putting in me, Jo."

  Jo gave her a gentle smile, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. “Listen, Lucy,” she said, softly. “This place is for people like you. People who don’t have a place of their own or a family they can rely on. We trust each other. That’s how this pack works. Besides, from how you and Dan have been looking at each other, I’m guessing you’re not planning to leave any time soon?”

  Heat flooded Lucy's cheeks, but she nodded. "I really appreciate the offer, Jo. I'd be honored to accept."

  “Great!” Jo exclaimed, squeezing Lucy’s shoulder. “Then let’s call today your first day of work, okay? Savannah can get you all set up.”

  “Sure,” Savannah chimed in, walking over to the computer. “Welcome to the family, Lucy.”

  Lucy walked up the hill behind Dan, trying not to feel completely overwhelmed by the events of the day. She'd found herself as an official employee, given complete creative freedom and a budget to boot. Even though she hadn't been with the pack long, Jo, Savannah, and the others all seemed more than happy to have her officially as part of their team. It was almost unbelievable.

  There wasn't much conversation between her and Dan, not until the blanket and a couple of cushions had been laid out on the grass, and they were sitting with their backs against the bench they'd sat on the night before.

  “Here’s yours,” Lucy muttered, digging through the bag of food. “I bought a couple of drinks too, and there should be some prawn crackers in here somewhere.”

  “Great,” Dan said, digging into his food almost straight away. “Sorry, I’m really hungry.”

  Lucy grinned. “Me too.”

  “Lots of work today?” Dan asked, in between mouthfuls.

  Nodding, Lucy looked up at him. Obviously, he hadn’t heard her news. “Jo gave me a job.”

  He froze, staring at her for a moment before his mouth split into a wide smile. “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” Lucy replied, happily. “Interior designer.”

  “Wow!” Dan exclaimed, leaning over and kissing her cheek. “That’s brilliant news, Lucy. I’m so pleased for you.”

  “Thank you.” Turning back to her food, Lucy smiled to herself before she carried on eating. “If I’m honest, I’m really happy about it. It feels like I belong here now, you know?”

  Dan smiled, putting one hand on her knee. “That’s because you do belong, Lucy.”

  “Even though I don’t shift?”

  Her question hung in the air, as a sudden tension sparked between them. Eventually, Dan shook his head. “If it’s important to you that you don’t shift, Lucy, then the rest of us will understand.”

  Lucy let out a slow breath, her appreciation of him growing even more. Even when he had the chance to start questioning her again about her decision, he didn’t. He respected her. Something began to burn slowly in her soul, spreading heat through her limbs. “Thank you for understanding, Dan.”

  He grinned at her, breaking the tension. “I might try and change your mind one day though.”

  “I know.”

  They ate the rest of the meal in silence, enjoying the quiet and the view in front of them. The sun would be setting again soon, and Lucy was sure it was going to be another spectacular evening.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dan sat back heavily, leaning his head against the wooden bench and looking up at the sky, which was now filled with pink and orange hues. He was happier than he had been in a long time. Finding out that Lucy had now got a job at the mechanics – and that she’d accepted it – meant more to him than he could say. He’d have to remember to thank Jo later. It meant that Lucy was going to be staying with them for a good long while, which, in turn, meant that their relationship could continue.

  He glanced over at Lucy, who was lying on the picnic blanket with her head on a cushion. Her face was calm, with an almost serene smile on her face. She was happy. Dan sighed contentedly, as his bear did the same. Even though Lucy wasn't shifting yet, Dan was sure she would one day. He would hold out until then. Until she was ready.

  “How does it feel?” he asked, lazily.

  He caught the confusion in her eyes. “How does what feel?” she asked, looking up at him.

  “How does it feel to finally be in charge of your own life?” he asked, softly. “The moment you made the decision to leave Dominic put your entire life into your own hands, and look at you now!”

  Lucy's face lit up with a slow smile, as though she'd not considered things that way before. "It feels pretty good," she murmured, her eyes darkening just a little as she kept looking at him. "I suppose I didn't realize that before, but you're right. I am making decisions for myself. I decide what happens to me, no-one else."

  “Exactly,” Dan replied, closing his eyes and settling his head back. “You decided to take that job, Lucy, which means you’ve decided to stay with us for a while.” He opened one eye a crack, with a grin on his face. “I hope that means you’ve decided to spend a bit more time with me. I don’t think I could do without you now.”

  Her cheeks dusted red, but that only made him smile even more. “You know I care about you,” he continued, his grin fading. “I’m really glad you’ve chosen to stay.” He closed his eyes, catching her soft ‘me too’.

  Lucy lay back, thinking hard. Dan was right. She was able to choose things for herself, for the first time in a long time. Dominic had always basically ordered her around, but now she was the one making decisions for herself. It was incredibly freeing.

  A sudden tension welled up in her chest as she looked at Dan, who was sitting back with his eyes closed. Examining her feelings for a moment or two, Lucy admitted to herself what she wanted. Him.

  What would he do if she said something? Would he haul her into his arms and respond in the way she’d hoped?

  Frowning to herself, Lucy realized that she was basically waiting for Dan to be the one to act. Why wasn't she doing something about how she felt herself? Heat rushed into her cheeks as she pushed herself up on her elbows, seeing Dan's eyes still closed. It would be so easy to sit astride him and kiss him senseless. Perhaps she'd be able to show him what it was she wanted without even having to say anything.

  Before she could change her mind, Lucy pushed herself up onto her knees, moved closer to Dan and swung one leg over his thighs. His eyes shot open the moment she touched him, but Lucy kissed him before he had a chance to say anything.

  Passion roared through her body, setting it on fire. Throwing away all her restraints and her worries about going too fast too soon, Lucy let herself go with her desires. She wanted Dan and she hoped he wanted her too.

  “Lucy,” Dan whispered, his breathing ragged as he pulled back.

  For a moment, Lucy wondered whether or not he was going to ask her to stop but, after a few seconds of looking into her eyes, he pulled her close again.

  There was something raw, something almost animalistic roaring inside her, as Lucy tugged her top over her head, fully aware that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Dan’s eyes scorched her skin as he looked at her, but Lucy dropped her mouth on his again. She liked the sensation of being the one to take the lead, to show Dan exactly what it was she wanted. Running her hands down the front of his chest, she pulled at the bottom of his t-shirt, which was off in a moment. Licking her lips, Lucy let herself take him in, her heartbeat increasing with every second that passed. His skin was almost golden in the decreasing sunlight, and she couldn’t help but run her fingers down his chest. Lucy heard Dan catch his breath as she touched him, evidently as aroused as she was. Wiggling her hips just a little, Lucy grinned when Dan let out a sof
t groan. He wanted her, that was for sure.

  Dan could barely breathe, as Lucy carefully got to her feet and peeled off the rest of her clothes. He swallowed hard, willing himself not to jump to his feet. She’d surprised him, that was for sure, but he wasn’t about to stop what was happening between them. He’d wanted to ask, to be certain she was sure about them taking the next step in their relationship, but he’d seen the heat in her eyes and the question had died on his lips.

  “Now, you,” Lucy smiled, reaching out a hand to him.

  Dan didn’t hesitate and soon they were both standing, completely naked in the open air. The sun was sending beautiful colors across the sky towards them and Dan caught his breath at just how beautiful Lucy was.

  “I’m one lucky guy,” he murmured, reaching for her. Pushing one hand into her hair, Dan pressed his lips to hers, he felt the searing heat and his entire body burst into flame.

  Before he knew it, he was lying back on the blanket she’d brought, and she was on top of him. He kissed her cheek, down the line of her throat and towards her collar bone, as Lucy arched back, a sigh escaping from her mouth.

  All Dan wanted was to be with her, but still he held back. There was so much to see, so much to experience. Her skin was soft as he ran his hands down her back, taking in every curve.

  To his surprise, Lucy pushed herself forward so that her breasts were near his face. She was really taking control, letting him know exactly what she wanted. He couldn’t do anything except oblige, his hands cupping them, brushing his fingers lightly over her nipples. Lucy let out a soft cry, arching back even more. Dan’s breathing grew quicker as he let his mouth move down her collar bone and towards her breasts, feeling the way she tensed.

  She was electrifying. Letting one hand slip further down her body, Dan pressed into her soft core, making her gasp. His mouth worked hard at her nipples while he forced himself not to push up and into her. Her breathing came faster and faster as he worked his fingers gently until she was panting.