by Minx Malone
His head dipped and he teased her clit with the tip of his tongue. She let loose another one of those sexy little moans that made him instantly hard as stone. Her thighs clamped around his head so tight he could barely breathe and Ian grinned. His angel wasn’t ready for what he was about to do. There weren’t too many things he loved more than pussy and he had no doubt that his angel’s had been neglected for too long.
He slid down the bed so he could get comfortable. Morgan watched him bashfully, one finger hooked in the side of her mouth. He trailed his hands gently over her legs and thighs, rubbing her smooth skin until she finally sighed and allowed her legs to fall open. Her scent hit him full force then and he had to clench his jaw to prevent his fangs from descending.
Our mate is ready. Take her. Bind her. Mate her.
Ian groaned, fighting off the urge to bite her and bind her to him. Morgan didn’t even understand fully what it meant to mate with a dragon and she’d probably run away screaming if he bit her.
Patience.
His dragon instincts screamed in the back of his mind but he ignored them and nuzzled his nose in the soft skin on her lower belly. Then he licked her mound delicately, waiting until her tense muscles relaxed before going lower again. He knew she was expecting him to just go in immediately but he wanted to keep her off guard. There was an art to loving a woman this way and he wanted her completely satisfied. Once she relaxed, he licked her from bottom to top, ending with a curl around her clit.
Morgan reared up, then let out a choked moan when his hand on her belly stopped her from escaping. He pressed gently, holding her in place when he licked again. She shivered.
He slid one finger deep, stroking her inner walls rhythmically until she shuddered beneath him. The sight of her trembling snapped the last remnants of his control. Suddenly he needed to taste her, take her and mark her in every way. He wanted her covered in his scent and her belly full with his child. The intensity of those desires made him lightheaded.
“For years, I’ve been on my own. I didn’t believe the stories of what it was like when you found your mate. But I knew as soon as I smelled your scent, Morgan. I knew.”
“You knew what?”
Her eyes closed on a sigh as she tried to fight through the sensations his seeking finger was drawing out of her. He watched her greedily, not wanting to miss a moment.
“That you were my mate. My angel. Mi tesarik.”
She opened her mouth to respond but when he twisted his fingers, all that came out was a choked gasp. “Ian, please. I need you.”
The sound of his mate begging for him made his heart pound. He lowered himself until he rested just above her, holding his weight off her with one arm. She was so wet that he could feel her arousal all over her thighs and his stomach. It was exactly how he wanted it. Soon they’d both be covered in the evidence of their lovemaking and all other males who approached her would know she was taken. Protected and satisfied. By a mate who would die to protect her.
“You’re mine, angel. You’re everything I ever dreamed.”
Her eyes softened and then glazed over when he thrust deep. The sensation of being buried deep in his mate transported him to another realm. All hope of being gentle went out the window when she gripped his back, her nails digging into the skin. The pain blended with the pleasure and he was lost in it.
She took it all, canting her hips upward to meet every stroke, scratching and clawing at his back like she couldn’t get enough. One of her hands anchored in his hair holding him still and then she was kissing him. Their tongues tangled together and her taste was like a drug. Her mouth clung to his as her pussy tightened around him. He circled his hips, riding her through her orgasm until she clamped down one last time and he lost it.
They strained against each other, limbs and lips entwined as they came down from the high. Ian pulled out gently and settled behind her. Her hair was tangled all around them and when he leaned over to look at her face, she was breathing deeply with a little smile on her face. That little smile satisfied the part of his dragon that was still angry he hadn’t bitten her.
“All in good time,” he whispered before kissing her forehead.
He pulled the covers over them and settled back in the bed. Morgan shifted, pressing her round ass back on him. Instant hard on.
Ian cursed.
“Such language. What am I going to do with you?” Her voice was husky with satisfaction.
He kissed the back of her neck, pleased to see the goosebumps that appeared on her arm. It would take years for him to discover all the secret spots on her body that brought her pleasure. He looked forward to discovering every single one.
“I think you should be more worried about what I’m going to do to you,” he growled before he disappeared beneath the covers.
chapter six
For the second time in her life, Morgan woke with a muscular arm holding her hostage. She giggled at the imagery. After everything Ian had done to her last night, nothing should shock her anymore. But it was definitely unexpected that her big, sexy dragon was a cuddler.
She sighed and snuggled deeper into his embrace. It was so nice to just stay here under the covers and let the outside world keep spinning without her. Her predictable, everyday existence would intrude before long so she planned to enjoy every bit of her temporary insanity. This wasn’t the kind of thing she did. She couldn’t even imagine what her friends and family would say if they could see her now. They probably wouldn’t believe it.
Boring, predictable Morgan had hot sex with a dragon shifter? Not likely. Nothing this exciting ever happened to her.
Her intellect interrupted with a reminder that it wasn’t going to last. Ian had been hurt and obviously had way bigger things to worry about than her. She didn’t know much about dragon politics but it sounded like he was at the center of a nasty feud with his family. When would he even have time to come back and see her?
She’d tried a long distance relationship briefly when her high school boyfriend had gone away to college and it had been a disaster in every sense of the word. Not just because of how young they’d been but because it was really hard to share experiences with someone who just wasn’t there.
Once Ian left, no doubt he’d call or come by a few times but then the novelty would wear off and she’d see him less and less. It was a depressing thought.
But what was to stop her from enjoying a temporary fling? Did she really want to live her whole life without knowing passion? Maybe one day when she was old and gray she’d look back on this with fondness. Her one moment of rebellion.
“Why are you awake so early?”
She glanced over her shoulder to find Ian watching her. He blinked at her lazily. His hair was a mess and there was a crease on the side of his face. It was almost disgusting how he could look so hot first thing in the morning. Suddenly self-conscious, she brushed her hair down and covered her mouth with her hand, hoping her breath didn’t smell too bad.
“No reason. I’m an early riser most of the time.”
“That’s not going to work. I can’t deal with that.”
Her heart sank until his eyes traveled down to where the sheet stopped right above her breasts. With one tug, the sheet slipped down to her waist.
“You can’t deal with it?”
“Nope. I guess that means I’ll have to work harder to wear you out every night.”
She shivered as his mouth licked a trail down between her breasts to stop at her belly button. Her thoughts blurred but she grabbed his arm right when her phone rang.
“Ian. The phone.”
He ignored her, placing gentle bites on her lower belly until she thought she’d melt into a puddle. The phone went silent and then started ringing again.
“Ian!”
He tensed and then laughed softly. She took advantage of his distraction to reach over to the night stand and grab the phone. It was Hailey.
“Hey there. How are you feeling?”
She hope
d she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. Hailey knew her better than almost anyone and was always hounding her to get out there and give guys a chance. If she knew Morgan had a hot man in her bed, she’d be way too excited.
“Much better. I think I just needed to sleep it off. Sorry about leaving you in the lurch. I know you got a bunch of rush orders yesterday.”
Morgan gulped. Her work ethic was one of the things she was most proud of and even though she’d worked through the evening last night, she was currently lazing around in bed with a man between her thighs. What did it say about her if she was willing to jeopardize the business she’d built from the ground up just to spend time in bed with a guy who’d be gone in a few hours?
“It’s no big deal. I’m almost done.”
“Are you okay, Morgan? You sound different.”
“Different? I’m not different.” She winced at how defensive she sounded, something she was sure Hailey would pick up on. “Just tired. You know, from packing orders. You can pick up a batch and do a post office run this morning if you’re feeling okay.”
“Um hmm. Sure thing, boss. I’ll be there soon.”
Morgan rolled her eyes at being called boss. No one bossed Hailey around. Hailey had been helping her with packing orders ever since she started and it had been her idea to put her homemade skincare items up for sale online. If it wasn’t for her friend’s encouragement, Morgan would likely have had to take a job working one of the local restaurants or moved away to find work like so many of the kids they’d grown up with. Her friend was fearless and regularly pushed Morgan to try new things and get out of her comfort zone.
She could feel Ian’s eyes on her as she stood and grabbed a robe from the closet. She pulled out an oversized T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants and placed them on the end of the bed. It was a good thing she was a big girl otherwise she wouldn’t have anything that could fit him.
“My friend is coming over. These will probably be tight but they’ll have to do.”
He seemed to sense that something had changed because he stood and stepped into the sweatpants without comment. They bagged at the waist a little but were tight in the thighs and calves. They also stopped a good six inches from his ankles. He looked up at her with a smirk.
“Hey, that’s as good as it’s going to get. It’s lucky I have such a big ass or you wouldn’t be able to get in them at all.”
She drew in a breath when his eyes heated. He walked behind her and lifted her hair to place a kiss on the back of her neck.
“I am definitely lucky.” His hands slid down to cup her ass and Morgan moaned as her core clenched.
“Ian, I have to get to work. My assistant is coming over soon.”
He sighed heavily. “And I have to get home. I can fly now. The effects of whatever that was must have worn off completely last night because I can shift again.”
Fascinated, she turned in his arms. “You can? How can you tell?”
“I can feel it.” His jaw clenched and then scales erupted all over his skin. They were shiny and gold but a darker tone than his eyes. Morgan reached up tentatively and then snatched her hand back before she made contact.
“No, touch me. I want you to.”
Morgan trailed a finger gently over his arm and then up to his face. She’d expected the scales to be cold but they pulsed with heat. They were hard but smooth to the touch.
“You’re so shiny,” she whispered then instantly felt stupid for saying it out loud. But Ian just grinned.
“They’re not for decoration, angel. It’s armor. Only dragons descended from the royal line can control their shift like this.” He closed his eyes and the scales retracted, as seamlessly as they’d appeared.
“Wow. You are… incredible.”
It was overwhelming to see him like this. Of course, she’d seen him in his dragon form first but over the past two days, she’d started to see him as a man. It was a heady reminder that he wasn’t just a guy with a smoking hot body. It would have been hard enough to maintain their relationship, or whatever this was, if he had been. But throw in the fact that he was a whole other species, not to mention some kind of royalty, and it started to sink in that this would likely be the last time she ever saw him.
Morgan launched herself at his chest, hoping he couldn’t feel her trembling. He gathered her close, resting his head on top of hers.
“You’re distressed, angel. Why? Tell me what you need and I’ll get it for you.”
She peeked up at him, trying to commit everything about him to memory. He was so sweet and the idea of never seeing him again hit her harder than it should have. But she wasn’t going to have his last memory of her be a tearful wreck. So she squared her shoulders and smiled softly.
“I just hate saying goodbye.”
Ian frowned. “This isn’t goodbye. Morgan, you’re my mate. I have to go home to deal with my brothers but I’ll be back. Now that I’ve found you, nothing can keep me away from you.”
Hope soared before she clamped it down.
“No promises, Ian.”
He didn’t look happy about that but he nodded. “Okay. You won’t believe me so I’ll just have to show you.”
With one last kiss, he walked out.
Morgan’s shoulders slumped. Pushing him away had been the hardest thing she’d ever done but she couldn’t afford to let her heart get any more entangled.
He was attached to her right now because she’d taken care of him when he’d needed it. Especially since she’d saved him. They’d had fun but it wasn’t like he’d had much else to do while stuck in bed the past few days.
Men were well-intentioned in the beginning of a relationship but once he was back home, the little bubble of intimacy they’d created would pop. There was no way she could compete with the types of women and the exciting things he was used to doing.
He’d move on with his life and forget all about the boring girl who lived in the cottage in the woods.
It’s over.
Three days later, Morgan dug into the earth with a small spade and threw the dirt over her shoulder. After Ian left, she’d been floating on an orgasmic high for the rest of the day. By day two, she’d figured he was busy dealing with his crazy family and all the other dragon stuff she couldn’t even imagine. But when she’d woken this morning with no sign of him and not so much as a phone call, she’d had to accept that once again she’d allowed herself to believe in the impossible.
When would she learn? It was so easy to fall for the illusion of a happy ending but that wasn’t real. Even though it had been fun while it lasted, she wasn’t built for short term flings. Her heart yearned for something that mattered, for someone who wanted to come back to her. Even though she’d known this would happen, she hadn’t thought he’d forget her that quickly. But he obviously hadn’t meant any of that stuff he’d said.
Pretty words and a handsome face weren’t worth the disappointment and the pain that inevitably followed.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?”
She glanced over at Hailey, who was working in the plot next to hers. Her friend looked like a woodland sprite or some other kind of fairy creature with her strawberry blond hair and blue eyes. Her delicate appearance disguised a wicked sense of humor and a dirty mind. Morgan adored her.
“I met someone.”
Hailey dropped her shovel. “What? Man, I get sick and all the good stuff happens.”
“He fell into the clearing right there.” She pointed to a spot a few feet away. “He was in his dragon form when he fell. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Whoa. You met an actual dragon shifter. That’s so cool. What was he like?”
Morgan blushed and tried frantically to think of something to say. The only things coming to mind were things she could never say out loud, not even to her best friend.
Hailey gasped. “You didn’t?”
“Oh, don’t give me that. If you’d been here, you’d understand. There was ju
st something about him.”
She tried to think of a word that could come close to describing the way he made her feel. He had a way of looking at her that made her feel like she was the only thing he could see.
“He was magnetic,” she finally said, feeling like it was a completely lukewarm way of describing the draw she’d felt to him from the moment their eyes had met.
“I’m not judging. I’m so happy for you!” Hailey grabbed her in a sweaty hug. “No one deserves a hot one night stand more than you do. But if you got down and dirty with a sexy shifter, why do you seem so sad?”
Morgan sighed. “Oh, Hailey. He was just… amazing. So focused on me and what I needed. I’ve never had a guy look at me like that before. Like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. And it didn’t come across like flattery but like he really believed it, you know. But I guess it was all just a game to him since he hasn’t even called.”
“Maybe he lost your number?” Hailey offered. “It happens.”
“Well, I actually didn’t even give him my number. But he called his brother from my phone several times so if he’d really wanted to call me, he could have. I guess all that stuff he said was just to get in my pants. Not that he had to try that hard.”
Now Hailey looked sad for her.
“Sorry, honey. Guys are jerks. I guess that’s true whether they have wings or not.”
Morgan shrugged and dug another row with her spade. “I’ll be fine. I just wanted it to be real, you know?”
“I know.” Hailey’s gaze moved to something over Morgan’s shoulder. She grabbed her shovel and stood up. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Morgan turned to see Paul walking across the clearing. He hadn’t been back since Ian had threatened to throw him out and she’d enjoyed the reprieve. Paul thought Hailey was a man-hating shrew. Hailey thought Paul was a spineless mama’s boy. Whenever Paul came around she ended up having to referee between the two which was exhausting. Well, no more. She didn’t think he was a bad guy just incredibly immature but she was done trying to placate his ego at the expense of her own.
