by Minx Malone
After all it wasn’t like he’d be here much longer. No doubt he’d be flying back to wherever he came from as soon as he woke up.
She startled at the loud knock on the door. Who was coming by at this hour? Then she glanced at the clock and chuckled. It was almost eleven in the morning. She hadn’t slept this late in years.
When she pulled open the front door, she cursed inwardly. Maybe it was time she started being more careful about checking the peephole before opening the door.
“Hi, Morgan. Mother sent me over for that stomach tonic you mentioned yesterday.”
“Right. Of course. Just let me get it.”
He tried to come in but she leaned against the doorframe. His brow wrinkled when she blocked him.
“I’ll just grab it and be right back.”
“Uh, okay. Sure.”
She closed the door and then retrieved the stomach tonic from the refrigerator. It could be taken straight or mixed into juice or water. All she needed was to put it into a bag. At the sound of the door closing, she whirled around. Paul wandered into the living room and then sat down on the couch.
“Paul, what are you doing?”
He shrugged. “Just waiting. What’s the big deal?”
She could feel the blush working its way up her neck. If he only knew.
“It’s not a big deal. I just don’t have time to talk today.”
He looked around suspiciously. “Still, you’re acting like you’ve got something top secret going on in here. It’s not like you have a guy in here or anything.” He laughed at that, as if the idea was ridiculous.
Morgan ripped a paper bag from the stack in the pantry. She put the tincture in the bag and rolled it up. She walked over to him and shoved it against his chest.
“Okay, it’s time to go.”
“Aww, come on Ganna. Don’t be like that. I’m just joking.”
“Whatever, Paul. I really don’t care. I’m exhausted and I have a lot of work to do.”
He stood reluctantly and walked back to the door. “Mom ordered that new superhero movie. You could come over and watch it with us.”
“Maybe. I’ll have to see how I feel.”
“Come on. It’ll be fun.” He reached out and ran a knuckle down her cheek. She flinched and took a step back. His eyes narrowed at the action. “What else have you got to do?”
Any guilt she felt for blowing him off evaporated. For months he’d been making these half-ass attempts at flattery that were usually mixed with insults over her weight or how she should be grateful he was bothering. He barely managed to conceal his disdain for her shape and acted like just because she was a bigger girl she should be grateful for his attention. Ugh. No, thanks.
Maybe there was a time she would have thought so, too. Her desire for a boyfriend was usually more about wanting companionship than sex. Honestly she had always assumed that she just wasn’t a very sensual woman. But one stranger had proven that wrong.
“I want you to leave, Paul.”
She opened the door and stood there waiting. Paul’s face turned red and his fingers tightened around the bag in his hand. For a long moment she thought he wasn’t going to leave and Morgan swallowed over the lump in her throat. She’d seen a more aggressive side of him lately, every one of her refusals seeming to attack his ego. But she’d never actually thought he could hurt her before.
A door opened and Paul turned in confusion at the sound. Ian strolled through the kitchen and into the living room, every muscle on display since he was still naked.
“Everything okay, Morgan?” he asked with a hard look at Paul.
“Yeah, everything is fine. Paul was just leaving.”
“Wait a minute. Who the hell is this?”
Ian crossed his arms and glanced past Paul as if he was a non-entity. “Do you want him gone, angel?”
The implication hung in the air that if Morgan wanted him gone, Ian would make it happen.
Morgan stifled a laugh. Years from now she’d probably still pull this memory out when she needed a pick me up. Paul looked like he was on the verge of having a tantrum. But he still didn’t move. Then Ian’s eyes shifted into gold slits.
Paul backed up a few steps. Then he glanced at her with a nasty expression and left.
Ian turned and walked back into the kitchen, afraid that if he didn’t remove himself from the situation he would do or say something that might scare his mate. But he’d never experienced rage quite like this.
He’d roused to the sound of a masculine voice and it hadn’t even crossed his mind that Morgan might not want him to intervene. Lack of clothes be damned, he’d come straight to her, unable to cope with the idea of his mate so close to another male. Whatever he’d been shot with was starting to wear off to his relief but with that came the return of his dominant dragon instincts. If he’d been able to, he knew his scales would have been on full display, ready to physically protect his mate if necessary. Even without his scales, he could take a puny human any day.
“Um, Ian?”
He turned at the sound of Morgan’s voice and raised his eyebrows at her tentative question.
“Maybe we should find something for you to wear.” She bit her lip and kept her eyes above his torso.
The pink in her cheeks betrayed her discomfort at having a naked man walking around her house. Ian was glad for that because it meant he wouldn’t have to fight off too many men for her affections. But his bashful mate would have to adjust because dragons loved being nude. It was his favorite state of being. Clothes just weren’t practical if you were shifting anyway.
“That’s okay. I’m comfortable just like this.”
She coughed. “Right. So I guess you’re going to be leaving soon.”
He didn’t say anything. It almost sounded like she was trying to get rid of him. All he needed was a little more time to spend with her, to allow her the time to discover the connection he could already feel was there. He wasn’t a romantic type of guy but maybe he could take her on a date. Or bring her some flowers. Shit. He had no idea what kind of things human women expected.
Maybe his brothers would have some insight. There had to be something he could do that would soften her heart toward him. Fate couldn’t be so cruel as to throw his mate in his path without giving him a chance to win her.
“I need to call my brother. Maybe they’ve gotten some new information since everything happened yesterday.”
“Of course. I’m just going to finish up a few things.” She didn’t look at him again, just rushed toward a room off the side of the kitchen.
He leaned over, trying to see what she was doing. She’d told him she was an herbalist and mentioned gathering herbs. She must prepare medicines out of her home. His heart swelled at the thought. His mate was a healer. Even though they’d just met, he felt an unmistakable sense of pride.
My mate is extraordinary.
The cell phone was still in the bedroom on the night stand. He dialed Nathan’s number this time. He had no doubt that his younger brother had already filled him in after their conversation yesterday. But while Gavin was the one to call if you needed information, Nathan was the one to call when you needed to strategize.
Nate didn’t even greet him when he answered the phone. “Good to know you’re still alive.”
“Fuck off. Have there been any other developments since yesterday?”
“None. Other than the fact I formally mated Evie last night. I’ll introduce you to your new queen as soon as you get back.”
Just a few days ago, Ian would have been dismissive or even distrustful of his brother’s sudden devotion to the human woman he’d saved from human trafficking. Now, he found himself wanting to ask a million questions.
“Nate, when you met Evie did it feel different right away? I mean, could you tell she was the one.”
Silence. Ian resisted the urge to squirm. As much shit as he’d given both of his brothers over the years about women, he was sure Nate would take the opportunity to bu
st his balls in return. But to his surprise, when his brother answered, it was in earnest.
“I felt… something. I wasn’t sure what it was at first but I knew I couldn’t leave her alone. I didn’t even want her sleeping too far away from me that first night.”
Ian gripped the phone tighter. He’d been expecting Morgan to confront him this morning about how she’d ended up in bed with him. He’d awoken in the middle of the night, his body roiling with heat. His strength had come back even though he still couldn’t shift. All at once, he’d been obsessed with seeing Morgan and making sure she was safe. He’d had every intention of leaving her on the couch, curled up under her blanket with a hand pillowed beneath her cheek. She’d looked so peaceful and it should have been enough to see that she was all right.
But something inside had demanded that he pick her up and bring her back with him. It wasn’t enough to know that she was safe. He needed to know that she was warm, safe and protected. He couldn’t rest without knowing he could defend her while she lay vulnerable. To his surprise, she’d turned into his embrace immediately, snuggling against his chest trustingly.
“Ian, are you okay?”
“Yeah. I was going to come home today but I think I should stay here.”
Nate chuckled lightly. “That must mean you’ve found something to distract you. Is she pretty?”
He wasn’t sure why he didn’t just confess it all, tell his brother he’d found his mate. But something held his tongue. What if he was wrong? Saying it out loud felt risky, like he was daring the universe to take it away from him. It was better to let his brother think he was just out chasing ass due to the Mating Fever. Especially if he couldn’t convince Morgan to give him a chance.
“Stunning,” he said finally. It was true even if it wasn’t the whole truth.
“Well, for once I actually agree with your plan, even if it’s for different reasons. Right now, you’re hidden and no one would think to look for you there. It’s best you stay out of sight until the drug wears off and you can shift again.”
Ian had to concede the point. If he tried to walk home in his human skin, anything could happen and he wouldn’t be able to defend himself.
“Let me know if anything develops. You can call me back on this same number.”
After they hung up, Ian sat down on the side of the bed. Despite the crazy way they’d met, this was fate giving him a once in a lifetime chance. He wasn’t going to bother asking Morgan if he could stay. That would be giving her the opportunity to say no. The same way he developed a strategy for dealing with his treacherous royal cousins, he had to develop a strategy to show Morgan that he could love her forever.
This was war and it was for more than just land. It was his opportunity to win his mate.
chapter five
Morgan pushed the box of homemade lotions away in frustration. It had been over an hour since she’d walked away from Ian and she hadn’t gotten much done. Every thing made her remember how he’d confronted Paul on her behalf. He hadn’t hesitated to get involved. As an independent woman she should resent him butting in but a secretive part of her liked it. It was a heady thing to have a man willing to fight over you.
Another throb radiated through her, the heat settling right in the pit of her stomach. This had been happening all day. Rolling waves of heat that made her feel achy and wet. Every movement she made seemed erotic, like even the drag of fabric over her skin was trying to make her crave him.
What the hell is wrong with me?
She rubbed the back of her neck in agitation. It suddenly seemed really hot in the house but she never turned her thermostat that high. Nonetheless there was a line of moisture between her breasts and even after putting her hair up in a ponytail, damp curls stuck to the back of her neck. Whenever she was this tense she took a hot bath to relax but she was hesitant to try that when she was already on the verge of overheating. But at least the water could soothe her muscles. It was worth a try.
She knocked lightly on the bedroom door. “Ian, I’m going to take a bath. Do you need anything?”
He opened the door and this time she didn’t even bother averting her eyes. She took in every inch of his spectacular body before finally coming back up to his face. His dark eyes sparkled with knowledge. Morgan pushed her shoulders back and met his eyes squarely. So what if he knew she was checking him out? If all of his flirting was any indication, that was what he wanted. If he was going to walk around naked all day then she couldn’t be faulted for noticing!
“I’m good. Enjoy your bath, angel.”
She clenched her teeth together so tightly it hurt. Damn him! Even that sounded suggestive, like he thought she was taking a bath to do… naughty things. She ignored him as she pulled a thick towel from the hall closet and then entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Ten minutes later she was up to her neck in fragrant, steaming water. She stuck out one of her legs and trailed a toe over the faucet.
Her grandmother hadn’t been keen on too many updates while she’d been alive, so the majority of the cottage was still original. However the first thing Morgan had updated when she moved in was the bathroom. Sand colored tiles surrounded the deep, whirlpool tub. The separate shower was enclosed in glass and had a fancy showerhead with multiple streams of water that she’d found online. It was one of Morgan’s favorite places in the house. Pampering herself never failed to relax her.
Until today.
She squirmed, turning on her side. The movement sent a small wave of water crashing against the side of the tub. The hot water was supposed to be relaxing but it was making her more aware of the ache between her thighs. She ached. It actually hurt to be this aroused.
She thought back to Ian’s dirty smile when he’d told her to enjoy her bath, like he thought she was going to be doing something sexy. Maybe he had the right idea. She could take the edge off a bit and stop thinking about him all the time. Her hand drifted down and rubbed her clit.
“Mmmm.” She bit her lip to stifle the sound. The cottage wasn’t that big and Ian was right across the hall.
Just the thought that Ian was so close and had no idea she was touching herself made it even hotter. Her hand moved faster, stimulating the little nub of flesh until she shuddered in pleasure. Afterward, she lay panting against the wall of the tub wishing Ian was with her. He could lift her up and take her hard, giving her the deep, satisfying lovemaking she’d been missing out on her whole life. She slapped the water in frustration.
“Ugh. I can’t even get myself off without bringing him into it.”
The water had cooled slightly so she climbed out and wrapped herself in the towel she’d left right outside the tub. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as the cool air hit her warm flesh. Her bath hadn’t really relaxed her but instead made her wish for more. Things she had no right to wish for.
She opened the door and ran into a wall of muscle. Ian stood right outside the door and his lazy smile was absent. He didn’t even say anything just stood watching her with those intense gold-slitted eyes. While she watched, his lids drifted down shielding the incredible color from view.
“I could hear you in there, angel. Every little gasp and moan. Did you enjoy your fingers?”
Morgan buried her face in her hands. She’d tried to be quiet but she’d forgotten just how sensitive dragon hearing was. The thought that he’d been outside of the door listening while she was moaning like a cat in heat was mortifying.
“You were listening? That’s so embarrassing.”
“It was sexy as hell. I wanted to give you your privacy but no man has that kind of will power.”
He inhaled, drawing the scent of the fragrant air swirling around them into his lungs. “Even the smell of your arousal makes me crazy. It makes me want to show you exactly what your body is made for.”
He scooped her up and she grabbed on to his shoulders as her towel fell to the ground behind her. Not that it seemed to matter to him. His big hands settled right under the curve of he
r ass, holding her perfectly so his cock was trapped between them.
“I was trying to give you time to get to know me. Time to understand how I feel. But you’re my mate and there’s only so much a dragon can take. I listened to each and every sound you made and wished I was the one in there making you scream. And now I’m going to.”
There were any number of things Morgan could have said in that moment. She could have told him this was crazy or that she didn’t like being told what to do. But she couldn’t because for the first time ever, she didn’t care about any of that. All she cared about was that for once, she was the focus of a man’s complete attention. There was no doubt in her mind that he was serious about showing her pleasure and that he wasn’t playing a game.
This was definitely not relaxed, flirty Ian. This was one hundred percent aroused dragon.
And he wanted her.
Ian carried Morgan back to the bedroom, every step jostling her in his arms right against his cock. After listening to her arousing little moans for the longest bath in history, he was being driven completely by his instincts.
Every attempt to slow himself down had been unsuccessful. The poor girl was probably frightened after he’d basically accosted her outside of the bathroom but without his dragon control, his mating fever was burning through him. But the defining moment was when Morgan had wrapped herself around him so trustingly.
It was time to take what was his.
He put a knee down on the bed and lowered her gently. But Morgan had other ideas. She arched and squirmed beneath him, rubbing her pussy against him like she couldn’t stand for their bodies to be separated for even a moment.
Ian growled low in his throat as he watched her sexy movements, her full breasts bouncing enticingly. His mate was perfectly built with curves in all the right places. The fragrance that had been taunting him for the past hour drifted around him, mixed with the sweet, warm scent of her arousal.
