PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Pregnant by the Dragon Shifter (Shapeshifter Protector Pregnancy BBW Romance)

by Jasmine Wylder

There was a large garden in the back that had clinched the decision for Coll, saying it would make Iona, “Feel more at home.” Which she appreciated more then she wanted to say.

  The quiet street was dotted with similar houses, each with an overflowing garden, and large trees. It was the sort of house she assumed she’d have grown up in if she had been a normal American girl.

  “What are you doing?” Iona asked David as he looked in the drawers and cabinets of the kitchen.

  “Just having a look around,” He smiled tightly at her and she could tell that he was doing the observing, knowing of exits, and whatnot he’d been talking about two mornings ago. What he thought he mind find was beyond her.

  “I’ve found the perfect room for you,” Coll said as he walked into the kitchen. He glanced briefly at David’s opening and closing then walked back out. Iona followed then heard David’s footsteps behind her.

  All three went up the small staircase, they continued on past the second floor and up to the third.

  “What do you think?” Coll extended his hand into a sunny attic room. It was filled with flowers. There was a vase of pink and red roses on her dressing table and another on the bedside table. Flowers also gilded the room in other ways. The wallpaper was covered in plumes of lilac, oil paintings of tuberose and chrysanthemum hung above the bed, and even a floral terrycloth robe was placed on the bathroom door.

  “It’s lovely,” Iona walked in and looked around. Her bags had already been placed by the bed by her father.

  She opened the side window to let in fresh air as David once again opened and closed drawers. “You’d think I was the president with my secret service detail,” She said as she watched.

  “All done,” David said as he snapped a drawer closed. He tilted his head at Iona and exited the room and she could hear his heavy footfalls on the landing.

  “Thank you, daddy.”

  “Let me know if you need anything,” Coll leaned forward and kissed Iona gently on the forehead.

  He closed the door behind him and Iona took a long breath of incoming air. She mimicked David a bit by looking in all the drawers and closets, but more from curiosity then some strange defense against ill will.

  She filled the bath and put on the flowery robe. Her stomach was settling down and the vast overwhelm she’d been feeling all day was starting to trickle away.

  After her bath she lay in her robe on the soft down comforter and closed her eyes.

  Chapter Five

  Iona woke with a start. It was dark outside. She’d slept straight through the evening and no one had thought to get her up. Her neck ached from sleeping on a new, overly stuffed pillow and Iona felt irritable.

  A chill wind blew in through her open window and she stood up in the dark of her room to close it. A clanking noise came from outside and Iona wondered if it had been such a noise that had woken her in the first place.

  Moving to the side of the sill, Iona peered out into the night. The moon was large and bright so the back and side of the house were easily seen.

  Iona stood staring out at the flowerbeds. She was just about to the close the window when she saw a shadowy movement. Iona pushed herself back against the wall. The shadow moved again and she saw the flicker of reddish blond hair in the moonlight.

  With a thrust of her hand she slammed the window closed and backed away. Iona turned and ran from her room into the darkness of the house. Her eyes had adjusted and she didn’t dare turn on any lights least the man or men outside were watching.

  Iona ran down the steps. She didn’t actually know where her father and David were sleeping.

  She went past the first two open doors then knocked lightly on the next before letting herself in. She walked in quietly. The bed was unmade but no one was in it. Her father’s things were laid out on the dresser, but his watch and wallet were missing.

  Walking back out she went over to the next closed door and knocked.

  “Iona?” David’s face filled the gap in the open door. “What’s the matter?” He opened the door the rest of the way to show his shirtless chest in the moonlight.

  Iona walked in past David. His bed was still made and the window open.

  “Don’t you sleep under the covers?” Iona turned to him.

  “I get too hot, plus I don’t sleep well,” He walked over to the window where Iona was looking around the sill out into the yard.

  “I saw a man out there, someone is here, I think it was one of the men from the airport,” She whispered. “Where’s my father, he’s not in his room?”

  “He went out for some business in the evening, not back yet I suppose,” David looked at Iona’s face then out into the yard. “Stay here, I’ll go look around.”

  “David,” She whispered loudly as he began to leave. “Be careful.”

  David smiled, “I’ll be fine. Just stay here.”

  He left the room and Iona stood at the window, not sure what to do with herself. She listened for sounds of David but there were none. No sound of footsteps, no sound of opening doors. Just quiet nothingness.

  Her stomach tightened as she waited. She began imagining David running into the group of men, what if they had a gun? What if they had found a way into the house? Who were these men and why were they at the airport, why would they come here?

  Iona looked out into the moonlit yard and saw a movement. She pushed herself back against the wall, out of sight. David moved into the moonlight and waved up at the window. She let out a breath. He moved away again.

  Iona looked around. His room was slightly less floral then hers but still a bit too feminine for such a man.

  The bedroom door opened again and David walked in.

  “It’s all clear. If they were here then they’ve left.”

  “If?” Iona asked, wondering if she sounded like a crazy person making up stories.

  “I meant if it was the men you saw at the airport, you said you weren’t sure.” David walked over to where she stood. He lifted a hand and moved a stray bit of wild hair from her face. His fingers were hot. Iona looked into his eyes and saw a flash of gold in them.

  “Your eyes,” She lifted her own hand and moved her thumb under his right eye. They burned back into his normal liquid brown color. “They looked…”

  David looked at her questioningly and Iona couldn’t help but see what he was feeling.

  “Why do I need a bodyguard? Why was there someone outside?”

  “I don’t really know,” David took a long breath. “But you’re safe here.”

  “With you?” Her voice was still low, not fully believing they couldn’t be overheard.

  David nodded, “With me.”

  Iona moved forward and took David’s mouth with her own. Her hands reached for his chest and an overwhelming desire rushed over her body.

  “Wait…” David pulled back. He looked about to say more but didn’t.

  Iona walked to the door. She thought of leaving, of going back to her own room. She closed the door and turned back to David.

  When Iona reached for him again David responded with a deep-rooted hunger. His body was hard and strong beneath her hands. She moved her fingers, trying to feel every bit of him.

  David lifted her as if she were no more than a stray branch. His muscles flexed as he walked her to his bed. Her body was craving him, on her, in her. She hadn’t even realized the craving until that moment but as soon as she did she knew that she’d been craving it from the moment she’d seen him. She wrapped her legs around him as his fingers moved to the belt of her robe.

  She was naked underneath, her breasts rising and falling with her captured breath. Her fingers moved quickly for the tie of his pants, and she looked over his newly revealed skin in the moonlight. Her mouth opened with anticipation.

  Her hands moved to touch him, and his fingers slid along her until they touched slippery supple skin. She sucked in sharply at the feel of him on her.

  “I want you inside of me,” She whispered hoarse and breathles
s. David spread her legs wider and moved his head toward the opening of her legs. His mouth teased, his lips traveled along her inner thighs until she felt his tongue. She bit down on her lower lip to keep herself from crying out.

  David lifted himself and looked right into her eyes as he put himself inside of her. His eyes flashed gold again and Iona lifted a hand to touch them. She gasped at the pain that turned to pleasure. Their bodies moved together both pressing closer, moving him deeper.

  Iona tightened her legs around his back and pulled him in harder.

  Her body clenched around him. His heat reached her easily and turned her own flesh hot and flushed. Her back arched and she tilted her head back, opening her mouth.

  A soft moan lifted from her and David placed his finger in her mouth, her teeth held the proffered finger, keeping her from making noise. He made no indication of pain but smiled as he watched her face contort with pleasure.

  The intensity of her feelings was beyond her control. David moved in ways she hadn’t known she wanted. Her body was building so that she could barely hold back the intense shudder and final release of control, giving herself fully to David.

  He watched her face through the whole thing like she was some wild, beautiful creature, he’d never seen before. His body tensed and Iona watched the same jerky contractions of exquisite finality she had made.

  David stayed inside of her for a long time looking into her face. There was nothing left to hold back. There was nothing she wanted to keep from him, everything already given willingly.

  Iona breathed a slow, long breath, trying to steady herself. David dipped and kissed her gently on the lips then slid to her side. He pulled the extra blanket up and wrapped it around the front of her body then wrapped himself around both.

  Chapter Six

  David barely slept. He’d been too absorbed watching the outline of Iona’s face captured in soft steady breath. He listened for Coll and listened for the men who’d been spotted earlier, but there was nothing to be heard.

  When the sun rose he gently nudged Iona. Despite her nap she’d slept soundly, deeply. She turned slowly still full of sleep toward him, then she smiled.

  “You have a competition today,” David said to her. Her face seemed to register the idea.

  “I thought maybe I’d dreamed last night,” Her face was beautiful when she smiled. “Your eyes turned gold.”

  “Well that must have been a dream,” He tried to smile.

  “What’s wrong?” Iona turned fully to him, sensing something of what he’d been feeling as the sun crept over the sill.

  “Nothing,” David rolled off the bed. “There’s a lot to do today.”

  Iona sat up watching him, “Something’s wrong. Are you having second thoughts about… last night?”

  “No, last night was wonderful. It’s just… I’m not sure it should happen again. Your father hired me to protect you and…”

  “You’re going to make this about my father?” Iona pulled the blanket tight to her chest as if just noticing her nakedness.

  “Why don’t we just take showers, have some breakfast, and we can talk about this after the competition.”

  “You mean when you’re about to leave?” Iona made a disgusted look. She pulled her flowery robe over her shoulders and wrapped it around herself while still under cover of the blanket.

  “I just feel like this could be the wrong time,” David tried to sound reasonable. He was being reasonable after all. “Today is about the competition.”

  Iona walked around the bed and past him, “Are you afraid of my father?” She turned again before leaving the room.

  “No. I’m not afraid of him… but I do feel like he entrusted me with your safety and that maybe… I…” He couldn’t find the right words to finish. Iona sneered and exhaled loudly before turning and slamming the door behind her.

  “That went well,” He said aloud to no one in particular.

  He took a quick shower then dressed in the clothes Coll had purchased for him so he would look suitable at the tournament. He buttoned the well-cut shirt and tucked the ends into perfectly made trousers. He looked at himself fin the mirror, hardly recognizing the man that looked back. He ran a hand over his damp thick hair then walked out onto the landing.

  David heard the shower running upstairs. He moved to Coll’s room and gave a knock on the door. There was always the possibility that Coll had come home in the middle of the night and David had slept through it. Not likely, but a possibility.

  There was no answer from inside. David edged open the door and looked inside. No Coll.

  He walked down to the kitchen and ate two bananas while standing at the counter. There was oatmeal, granola, cheese, bread, and fresh fruit as well but David had a few things to do first. He pulled out his phone. No calls, no texts from Coll. He dialed Coll’s number and waited through endless ringing until the call went through to voicemail.

  David sighed. Coll had told him he was going out but he hadn’t mentioned where or what time he was coming back, if he was coming back at all. Perhaps he’d gone out with friends or business associates, gotten too drunk, and slept on someone’s couch? That sounded more like a college-age boy then the dapper man David had met.

  Staring at his phone he listened to the noises of Iona getting ready for her big day. David dialed out to Coll’s Toronto driver. No he had not driven Mr. Fraser into town and no he had not been called to pick him up, but he was coming to get the party in an hour to take them over to the tournament.

  After a quick walk around the house and yard in the daylight, David wiped a hand across his face and set himself to the task of making breakfast.

  Iona looked stricken when she heard that her father had not come home and that they would be leaving for the tournament without him.

  “He would never miss it,” Iona said in a near panic.

  “Then he’ll be there, he will probably meet us there, I’m sure of it,” David tried his best to console but Iona didn’t want David’s consolations.

  “You’re unbelievable,” Iona scoffed at David.

  David reached for Iona’s archery bag.

  “Don’t,” She grabbed the bag from his hands. “I can get along quite well without you.”

  She moved into the SUV and closed the door firmly behind her signaling that David should sit in the front with the driver—which he did.

  The tournament was to be held in an outdoor arena and people swarmed everywhere. There was security at all entrances and David kept a close distance to Iona. Normally haughty and confident, Iona looked pale and fragile now.

  “Have you heard anything from my father yet?” Iona leaned close enough for David to hear but didn’t look in his eyes.

  “I will tell you the minute I hear from him,” David looked at the pallor of her face. Her eyes snapped to the crowds around her.

  “Are you doing ok, with so many people?”

  Iona pointed toward a sign ignoring his question, “I need to sign-in.”

  They moved through the crowds and David wondered how many stray arrows had become a real danger to the spectators at such events. David’s eyes browsed for reddish blonde men, and anyone else who looked like any sort of threat. He moved around Iona, creating room for her to move forward easily, though she didn’t seem to notice.

  “How are you feeling?” David leaned down as they got into line.

  “Who’s asking, my bodyguard or the man that slept with me last night?” Iona’s nostrils flared and she turned to look straight ahead of her.

  He didn’t like the way the day was going. She was cold and distant and how could he blame her? He’d handled everything very badly. He sighed aloud thinking about it and Iona made a withering look at the sound.

  Once she’d signed in she walked silently away from the tables.

  “Where to?” David looked around to look for signs. He guessed that everything looked just as foreign to Iona since she hadn’t been to any tournaments before either.

&nbs
p; “The ladies,” She pointed to the women’s bathroom. “Let me borrow your phone, I want to try to call my father.”

  David handed her the phone, “I’ll wait right here.”

  Iona nodded as she walked toward the line. He would be standing here for good bit of time, if the line was any indication. He watched a few more women step into line and David shifted his weight.

  He watched as people went by. Bursts of excitement surged from certain competitors or enthusiastic spectators. A few serious competitors walked by with grim resolute looks. David wondered again about Coll. It was strange. Iona was right that her father would never miss her in competition. Maybe Coll’s phone had run out of power, maybe he was stuck in traffic.