by T. S. Ryder
"No." Jace scrambled away, shaking his head. "No, I can't. I'm sorry."
Amanda lay there, stunned.
"Half an hour ago I was dating another woman. It's not respectful to her or fair to you to jump into this so quickly." Jace inched forward again. "I'm sorry."
Amanda pushed herself up, her cheeks heating. "I understand."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We'll get there, Jace." She found his hand and squeezed it. "We just need a little time. We should get back to camp now."
Jace squeezed her hand back. "Thank you, Amanda."
"For what?"
"Being you."
"Oh. Well, in that case, thank you for being you, too. And I love you."
Jace smiled. "You don't know how good it is to hear you say that again."
"Probably as good as it feels to say it. I love you."
"I love you, too. But you're right. We need to get back to camp. Clarissa isn't the outdoorsy type… will it bother you if I sleep in the tent with her tonight?"
Amanda shook her head. "I know you love me. That's all I need right now."
Chapter Ten
True to Clarissa's word, she left the next day. Logan asked where she was going, but was satisfied with the simple answers he got. Unlike his parents, he didn't need any prompting to happily fall into the new dynamics that the three of them had. They stayed out in the bush for a week, just getting to know each other better, until their food ran out. Logan would have gladly stayed and forged, but Amanda was concerned with the amount of school he had missed already, and they packed up and headed home.
She had a dozen missed calls from Betty, who eagerly told her every scrap of gossip related to Clarissa's supposed infidelity. The media storm lasted for several months, but just as Clarissa had hoped, the pack and humans who lived in town had an instantly improved view of Amanda and Jace's relationship. Instead of people stopping her in the grocery store to accuse her of trying to destroy the pack, they were now asking when the mating ceremony would be, or if she was pregnant, or assuring her that Logan would be perfect as the next Alpha.
During this time, Jace built the house he promised for Amanda, and the three of them quietly moved in together (much to Betty's dismay; when Amanda was packing the last of her boxes, the human tearfully declared she would never again have a housemate as good as Amanda). By the time the papers started publishing that Jace and Amanda were living together, they had been doing so for so long that the pack didn't so much as bat an eye.
The official ceremony where the Alpha leadership of the pack was passed from Jace's father to Jace happened without much global attention. The town was in a happy frenzy for days, but soon enough everything settled into a new normal. And it was good.
***
Amanda sat in bed, a book on her knees as Jace entered the room, scrubbing his hair dry after a shower. She didn't bother pretending to read the book as she admired the contours of his body. His physique was amazing, everything from the sculpted pecs to his six-pack. She loved him just as much as the gangly, pimply teen as she did now looking at him as a heartthrob, but the improved view didn't hurt anything, either.
Jace grinned at her, moving the book off her knees. Amanda's heart rate spiked. There was something that she needed to tell him, but it looked like he had an idea that she wasn't going to say no to… His lips brushed hers gently as he crawled onto the bed, caging her with his body, leaning her back against the headboard.
"God, I missed you," he whispered, nipping at her lower lip.
"We've been together all day."
"No, I mean the past six years." Jace's gaze warmed with love as he cupped her face with a hand and kissed her again. "If I could go back and change things, I would never have left you behind."
"You've said that." Amanda smiled at him. "All is forgiven, my love."
Jace buried his face into her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Amanda hummed in satisfaction, digging her fingers into his scalp, pulling him closer. It took a few months of getting to know one another again before they first allowed themselves to abandon themselves into passion again, but now it was a regular occurrence–making up for lost time.
"I love you," Jace said, for probably the hundredth time that day. He was definitely making up for lost time. "I've always loved you."
"I love you, too." Amanda ran her hands down his back. "I love you more today than I did yesterday."
"Why?" Jace pulled back, looking worried. "What did I do yesterday?"
"Nothing." Amanda shook her head. "I was just trying to be romantic."
"Oh." Jace laughed softly, returning to her neck. His hands worked their way under her nightgown, tugging it up over her head, leaving her bare to his gaze. His hands roamed her body, igniting a fire deep inside of her, and Amanda returned the favor, loving the way his smooth skin felt so warm under her fingers. She didn't think she would ever get used to how right she felt when she was with him.
The fires grew hotter as Jace kissed her collar and moved lower, stroking her thighs with a soft touch until Amanda let her legs fall open. She grasped him as his fingers slipped over her skin to her pleasure center, answering stroke for stroke until they were both undulating towards each other, gasping and writhing while their lips pressed together and parted.
"Always so good," Jace sighed.
"Always," Amanda agreed, rolling her hips towards him, indicating she was ready.
Jace chuckled at her impatience, kissing her breasts and continuing to use his fingers for several moments until she was trembling on the edge, almost ready to beg.
He slid inside her easily; they found their rhythm without effort, the fires in their blood mixing together, making both of their bodies hot. Everything felt tight. Pleasure blinded Amanda until it was too much and she bowed her body towards her mate, dragging her fingers over his back and locking her ankles over his hips as she pulled him deeper inside her. Jace made a choking, growling noise, kissed her hard, and they plunged together, bodies snapping back and forth, cries mingling as their rhythm grew haphazard.
Eventually, they stilled and shared a tender, chaste kiss while their bodies were still twined together.
"I love you," Jace groaned. "I wish I could stay inside you forever."
"I do, too. But then who would take care of Logan and the pack?"
Jace flicked his tongue over her collarbone. "Speaking of which… I'm certain that you're my mate."
"Me, too."
"So?" Jace leaned back on his elbows, raising a brow at Amanda. "How about it, Mandy?"
"How about what?"
"We do a mating ceremony for the pack. Maybe a wedding, too, for the media to report on so that we don't have paparazzi trying to break into the mating ceremony. I officially name Logan as my successor, and then we all live happily ever after."
Amanda considered for a moment. Jace was the Alpha, so after the official ceremony, his mate would be recognized as the Alpha female by the pack. He had already been easing her into her new responsibilities. She wanted to continue working, but with everything she was going to have to do for the pack, it meant she had to cut back her hours at the office. On the other hand, she had taken up a position as a receptionist for Jace, which meant she wasn't just going to be a housewife or arm candy at important ceremonies.
"Mandy?" Jace looked a little worried. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. I was just lost in my thoughts. I never thought that the whole ceremony thing was going to be necessary for me, but with your position… I'll adjust to being in the public eye. So, for our mating ceremony… I would like it to take place out in the bush."
Jace grinned and kissed her. "Sounds wonderful. And for the—"
"Before we start talking more shop talk, I have something to tell you," Amanda grinned at him, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm pregnant."
Jace's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Amanda nodded.
A fiery kiss answered her. Amanda laughed into Jace's mouth as he held
her tighter, kissing her as though he was never going to let her go. Which he wasn't. Never again would they be separated from each other. Amanda pulled him closer, closing her eyes.
My mate, my love, she thought. My forever.
*****
THE END
The Billionaire Dragon's Mate
Description
A curvy witch helping her best friend PLUS a gorgeous billionaire with a secret PLUS a conspiracy to take his wallet and break his heart.
Jesse Barrett is a superhot billionaire businessman and celebrity. His rich lifestyle looks like a dream and women are ready to drop their panties instantly when they see him. But secretly, he longs for a woman who loves him for who he really is, and for the dragon inside of him.
Ella is a curvy, down-to-earth witch who isn’t interested in money or a new pair of Louboutins. What she is interested in is her BFF Charlotte who is in tears because Jesse just broke up with her. She’ll do anything to make her feel better.
Charlotte is out for revenge. She wants to hurt Jesse as badly as he hurt her. And she needs Ella and her magic for it. They want to blackmail Jesse for money with a plan that involves faking a pregnancy, revealing his deepest secret and breaking his heart.
But when Ella meets Jesse to put their plan into action, she finds out that all the magical spells in the world cannot save her when she looks into his eyes.
Can she go on with this game of trust and betrayal? Will the truth come out? Will she have to choose between Jesse and Charlotte?
Chapter One
Ella glanced at her ringing phone, which was sitting on her coffee table. She could have used her magical powers to see who was calling, but she was tired and it was easier just to reach for the device and pick it up. The screen said “Charlotte”. She answered the call, always ready to have a conversation with her best friend. And since Charlotte had started dating the super hot billionaire Jesse Barrett, her conversations had been filled with juicy gossip about her rich lifestyle.
“Spill,” Ella said.
But instead of gushing with joy, Charlotte was sobbing. “Ella—he—he—”
“What’s wrong? Did Jesse do something?”
“Yes—” More sobs and indecipherable words.
“What?”
“He—broke—”
Ah. That was all she needed to hear. “He broke up with you? Why?”
“He—”
“Okay. Stop. Where are you right now, and what are you doing?”
“Home.”
Ella had no idea what Charlotte said next, but it didn’t matter. “I’m getting ice cream and wine, and I’ll be right over.”
She hung up and jumped into action. Her evening had just gone from Netflix in her pajamas to a night of consoling and crying and bad-mouthing another loser man who didn’t know how amazing Charlotte was. Ella threw on her yoga pants and a less-stained shirt, grabbed a few calming potions and slipped into flip flops.
On her way to Charlotte’s apartment, she stopped at the convenience store and picked up the double chocolate chunk ice cream and Merlot that were their typical comfort foods for a night of wallowing. Charlotte pulled open her door with puffy, red eyes and a wadded tissue in her hand. She threw her arms around Ella gratefully.
“Tell me everything.” Ella set the bottle on the table and grabbed two spoons from the kitchen, then joined Charlotte in the living room.
Charlotte held a box of tissues on her lap and she blew her nose one more time before she snatched the potion from Ella’s hand, gulped it down and started.
“He ended it,” she said simply, her tears gentler now. “After six months, that’s it.”
“What happened? Why did he end it?”
“He’s an ass. I should have known. How could I think someone so hot and rich wouldn’t be a complete jerk? Do you have another potion?”
“You can’t drink another one yet. Wait for that one to work. So what was his reason?” Ella asked, pouring some wine into the glasses. “Like, what did he say to you?”
“A bunch of lame lines. I’m not ready for a serious relationship. I don’t think this is working out. Nothing concrete. He basically wants to sleep around.”
“Really?”
“That’s the only thing that makes sense. Why else wouldn’t he want to be in a serious relationship? And if there was nothing specific, then he’s just an asshole.”
Ella took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry. I know you wanted it to be more.”
“I thought I was going to marry him, you know? Have this amazing life of being rich and going to fancy restaurants and events and wearing designer clothing all the time.” She broke into sobs again. “I’ll never have Louboutins now!”
“Does all that really matter, though, if he didn’t love you? I mean, would you want a loveless marriage?”
“Who said it would be loveless? I loved him!”
Ella took a long sip of her wine. “Did you, though? Or did you just love his money? You complained about him a lot. And”—she took another gulp—“you said he wasn’t very good in bed.”
Charlotte shrugged. “I loved him enough. And the sex thing? No one who’s that rich doesn’t have yearly affairs anyway. We probably wouldn’t have sex that often.” She sighed and downed a glass of wine in one long pull. “If I were a witch, I’d just cast a spell on him and make him love me.”
Ella rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you a million times, it doesn’t work like that. Don’t you think if it did, I’d be married by now? Hello?”
“I’m sure you would have been able to cast some spell on him to make him want you. What good is being a witch if you can’t make people do things they don’t want to do?”
“And that would be exactly why the universe made me a witch and not you, dear. It knew you would use magic for evil.”
Charlotte downed more wine and set her glass on the table. “Well, we have to do something. Ooh, you know what would make me feel better?”
“More wine.” Ella filled their glasses.
“Well, obviously, but also revenge. We should get back at him for dumping me. There has to be some spell or something.”
“Revenge? Like, make him grow warts or slash his tires?”
“That’s child’s play. I’m talking revenge for real. I want to mess with his head and his heart.”
Ella raised her eyebrows. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, first, let me tell you his secret.”
Chapter Two
“He’s what?!”
“I know. Can you believe it?” Charlotte said. “The first time I saw it, I was kind of freaked out.”
“I’m surprised he even showed you if he has all these commitment issues,” Ella said. Though it was pretty obvious to her that Charlotte was exaggerating the problems they’d had.
“Well, who knows? So, I think the plan should be that we go and catch him in the act. We take pictures and use that as blackmail.”
“Okay.” Ella finished off her wine and set the glass down, reaching for her spoon and the ice cream. “But what’s the point of blackmailing him exactly?”
“Money. Obviously.” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I want to hurt him worse than that, though. How can we really mess with his head?”
“Make him fall madly in love, then break his heart?” Ella was feeling a little warm and tipsy from the wine, and after hours of talking about Jesse’s worst features, she was starting to feel the desire for revenge right with Charlotte, as if she’d been the one who’d had her heart broken by him.
“I like how you think.” Charlotte pointed at her with her spoon before diving back into the double chocolate chunk. “But you said love potions don’t work like that.”
“They don’t. But there’s a spell that’ll heighten whatever feelings he has.”
“Then why don’t we cast it on him for me?” Charlotte nearly shrieked at her.
“Umm, hello? It heightens whatever he’s feeling. He just broke up with you. If I did the
spell now, whatever negative things he’s feeling towards you would be heightened. Is that what you want?”
Charlotte stuck out her lower lip. “No.”
Ella gave her a mischievous grin. “But, if we convince him to like me, we can cast the spell and make him love me.”
Charlotte leaned forward and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “And then you can fake a pregnancy and really mess with him.”
Ella scrunched her eyebrows. “There is a spell that does that, but what’s the point? We’ll have the photo for blackmail money and the love spell to break his heart. Why bring my pretend future child into this?”
“Because more than anything, Jesse wants to be a dad. If you get him to love you, then he thinks you’re having his baby, when you tell him the truth, it will shatter him.”
Ella poured the last drops of the wine into her mouth. “Well, I guess that’ll show him that you were the one for him all along.”
“Exactly.” Charlotte stuck a huge spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, then started to cry. “Why did he have to break up with me? I love him!”
Ella patted her hand. “I know. I know. It’ll be okay.”
Charlotte sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Yeah. When we get back at him, then I’ll feel better.”
“And I’m going to make it happen.”
Charlotte leaned forward and wrapped Ella in a tight hug. “Thank you. I love you.”
***
The next day, once she’d slept off her hangover and pumped herself full of aspirin, Ella drove to Charlotte’s. She was anxious to see if Charlotte was right and Jesse’s secret was for real. If it was, then that would be huge for the magical world. She was also a bit curious about Jesse. Charlotte had talked about him plenty in the months she was dating him and before. It was enough to make Ella interested in him as a person, and part of her just wanted to know if this was really possible. Could she actually make a billionaire fall for her, fake a pregnancy, then have the freedom to walk away from it all? That seemed like a great deal of power.
