Dragon's Curvy Invader

by Mychal Daniels

  The silence grew between them, each seeming to process the meaning of her words. After a few moments, she asked, "Are you still with me? Mister, are you okay?"

  Mister, something about using that word sparked a hint of familiarity deep within. Like a faint mirage, the thread to what that meant was gone as fast as it came.

  "Yes, I'm still with you. What I would like to know is if you found what you were looking for?"

  He eyed her hard enough for the intensity to become palpable.

  "Why are you so interested in my research? You aren't from a rival research firm or something, are you?"

  "Hah, not a research firm." He got up to put the towel back close to the sink, but not before adding in a lower tone, "but maybe a little bit of the or something."

  Amber's gut buzzed. There was something to what he said. She watched him again, blatantly following his movements. When he turned back around, crossed his arms and leaned back against the countertop, she didn't stop looking him straight on. Something was up with this guy, and she aimed to find out what.

  “I heard that or something bit. Know what I didn’t hear? Your name.” Amber liked how the lazy grin stretched across his striking face.

  “You caught that, did you?”

  “Yeah, so if you won’t give up the or something part, hit me with your name—Mister.”

  She waited, hoping her stare down was convincible enough for him to know she was done sparring with him.

  Five long strides and he was back at the table, this time standing near her. Amber refused the urge to look down or away. Instead, she locked eyes with him. She wouldn’t issue a direct command, but she wouldn’t back down either. Green eyes of lush promise probed, deepening their scrutiny. Still, she held firm. The exhale of his warm breath coupled with his prominent body heat closed the distance between their physical forms. Amber remained still, willing herself not even to blink.

  He leaned in supporting his weight by placing hands on the table and back of her chair. Amber took in the delicious scent of something foreign but familiar and alive. He smelled like what she’d imagine realized hope, success, and accomplishment would if they had a fragrance. What she struggled to ignore was the other components of his prominent influence on this moment, like how her body arched toward him, or how fast her heart beat with want instead of fear or frustration.

  “Say my name,” he whispered, the depths of his voice rustling up deep-seated desires she’d never nurtured or tended.

  “I don’t know your name,” was the honest reply she offered.

  Focused concentration was a laughable understatement for what they were engaged in at the moment. If this was his idea of chicken, she wasn’t going to be the first to let up and lose. Leaning in a fraction of an inch, Amber made her move mean that whatever challenge he extended she would meet. This close she noticed the flecks of vibrant gold within the green that danced and darted in his eyes as he continued their stare down.

  Not sure what took over to make her do it, but Amber’s tongue slowly licked her dry lips of its own accord and those moistened lips morphed into a smile that she could only think of as defiantly devilish. The play of interest that danced through his magical eyes was reward enough that she was turning the tide of their encounter.

  “What-is-your-name?” she whispered, slow and dare she admit it, sensual.

  He moved in closer, inhaled deep and slow and gave another smile that shook her foundation of resolve, yet, she held her ground. He cocked his head to the side. Much closer and they would be in the perfect position for Amber to kiss him. It was too late for her to turn back, retreat, and cower. If he made another move, she would go for shock value and kiss him with everything she had. The idea of feeling those firm lips against her own exhilarated and excited her.

  He watched, fascination blooming.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked.

  “What your name must be,” she answered.

  He smiled. She grinned, loving this exchange. He leaned in; she leaned in. He looked down at her lips. She licked them again, allowing the tip of her tongue to play and tease as she traced the outline of her upper lip. He watched, heat coming off him in waves.

  “You’re sure you don’t remember my name?” The arched manly brow that raised in punctuation of his question was so dense and silky; Amber restrained her hand from darting up to touch it.

  “I’m sure you need to say it.” She didn’t know why this felt so good and right to tangle with him like this, but this might be a once in a lifetime event. Amber would milk it for all it was worth. Allowing a small bit of how aroused she was to accent her voice, Amber said, “This is my last time asking. Tell me your name.”

  “That’s not a question; it’s a command.”

  “Why is it so hard to do my bidding?”

  “Because I don’t know if you mean me good or evil.”

  This time Amber moved in and tilted her head. “Trust your instincts. Something tells me you can handle anything I throw your way.” Who was this woman who’d commandeered her mind and body? This woman was so wanton and naughty, and Amber loved her!

  “You make a solid argument,” he said, still engaged and clearly enjoying this tango they were dancing. “How do I know you’re not just using me to get what you want?”

  “By knowing your name? You know mine. Is that a fair playing field for me to not know the same about you?” She couldn’t help it. It honestly just happened. Amber's lips parted as a faint moan escaped, and before she could stop her momentum, she leaned in the few more inches and connected with the most pillowy delicious lips she’d ever encountered.

  He was never stunned or repulsed if by how he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her up into his massive chest was the gage. Height difference be damned, Amber’s neck craned to an impossible angle to accommodate meeting his searing kiss. When the tip of his tongue darted in to gain access to her mouth, she denied him.

  Pulling back to take in a gulp of air and gain some much-needed footing, Amber said, “Tell me your name.”

  His arms that might as well be corded steel pulled her back in. She turned her head. He kissed her earlobe and followed it by tracing the outline of her ear. The moan that seeped out of her traitorous mouth elicited a deep chuckle.

  Egged on by his outright refusal to answer her, Amber pushed back. Her chest heaved with life and excitement, giving away the effect the nameless man had on her. He stayed back, allowing her space. In his eyes, she observed a complexity of happenings. Desire, want, and need sizzled and popped sending torrents of energy in and through her body. Amber’s skin felt as if it could charge the atmosphere. This man had her in a way no one ever had before. He could never know this. Willing her body to resist the inertia of his impact and go against biology, Amber took three long breaths.

  She huffed more than spoke this time, “For the love of sanity, please, tell me your name.”

  “Or else?”

  “Or else, I punish you,” she said not believing the words that flew out of her being as the answer.

  “You promise?”

  “Ooh—you’re a scoundrel.”

  “I’ve been called worse.” He recaptured her into his embrace, hoisting her up. “Hang on to me,” he whispered.

  She obeyed, wrapping her legs around his trim waist, as her nameless tormenter kissed her. This time when he prodded for entry into her mouth, Amber opened. The reward was mind-blowing. Never had a kiss felt more like everything life-giving she’d never known she needed. With each flick of their tongues, suck on a lip, sharing of breath, he pulled her deeper into a place of pleasure previously unknown but addictive. When she was certain an explosion was mounting to decimate her into a trillion particles, he released her.

  As gravity pulled Amber back down to the ground and reality, he bent over, placed his forehead to hers and whispered, “My name is Noran. Do-not-ever-forget it again.”

  A quick peck on her forehead and he stepped back and took her now cold teacup to th
e sink. Unable and unwilling to conceal his effect on her, Amber grabbed hold of the table and allowed the heaving breaths to rush in hard and fast.

  Across the room, his booming voice filled the space.

  “Next question—why did your research lead you here?”

  "Dude, really?" Amber couldn't believe how much of a long-lasting effect she didn't have on him. Pissed was the kind way to describe her reaction to him now. "Okay, how about this, Noran?" She made sure to stress his name. "Where's my van? See I can do it too."

  9

  Noran

  His beast clawed close to the surface. Noran couldn’t fault his Dragon side. It had taken an active miracle for him to step away from Amber. He wanted the scientist turned vixen. He wanted to have her just as much as the beast did. Only now wasn’t the time to try to have his way. Not with what was at stake.

  Goddess blessed was the only way to describe the bullet he’d dodged having her wake with no memory of his Dragon state. This little give gave him more time to work. How much more was anyone’s guess? What he wouldn’t do was to squander the chance to move out of her crosshairs.

  Noran’s first duty was to Clan, and Amber Chastain had become his biggest desire and threat. Not only was she as determined as ever to conduct her research to find and expose him and those like him, but she'd also confirmed that she was specifically looking for him and his kind on their lands.

  His one ray of hope was that her memory loss would last long enough for him to figure out how to get her off the Dragon’s Bond trail and pointed in another direction. He’d have to work fast. Too much time near her and he’d have more than one major problem to deal with.

  Amber seemed authentic in her memory loss. She didn't remember anything about their meeting last night. That kiss proved it. It also confirmed that there was a mutual attraction between them. What he wouldn't give to be able to go against his integrity to exploit it. But, that wasn't the Dragon's way, and he'd never go that far. The golden rule of respect was universal among all humanoid species.

  As for why she couldn’t remember last night? That was another story. The only thing he could attribute her memory loss to was that terrible episode she'd endured.

  Fighting with his Dragon to break away from her and come to stand across the room had been a victory as hard-won as his most fearsome battles. It had taken just as much power and will. Noran tapped skill developed over many years to calm himself and regroup before turning around to face her again. She might be his undoing if he didn’t keep a tight reign over his base nature. This battle was his new focus. Where she was concerned letting up for one nanosecond might be the difference between safety and exposure to the human world, but he still wanted her just as badly.

  Based on how she clung to the table and her ample breasts heaved with deep breaths, she was at least attracted to him. On second thought, she was drawn to only half of him—his humanoid side. Looking deep into her eyes, he knew she spoke the truth that she didn’t remember him as a Dragon.

  Large, expressive sable brown eyes had stared back at him showing interest but not knowing of his Dragon. She looked at him as a man, that was evident, nothing more. Based on her tenacious nature, he was aware that had she remembered him as a Dragon she wouldn’t have been able to shield that knowledge in such proximity. One thing about humans, Dragons could always discern hidden truths when able to capture their gazes for more than a few moments. She’d proved to him that she spoke honestly about her memory loss. Still, Noran didn’t doubt that the most random of triggers could happen to restore those same memories. That threat was the catalyst for his next move.

  He'd keep her occupied with the mundane for as long as possible. His clan's peaceful existence depended on him not falling for the female. She might as well be an invader, come to destroy life as he and the Clan had come to know it.

  “Are you still hungry?”

  He watched as a wave of the possible mixed meaning of that statement washed over her, bringing the loveliest red hue to blossom beneath her skin.

  Instead of addressing his double entendre slip up, she took the better of the paths and said, “I could eat—a bit of food.”

  Noran couldn't stop the smile that broke forth. Ah yes, she was indeed exciting to be around.

  Determined to stick with the mission, he pushed aside all the various ways he wanted to take the conversation, staying close to the plan. “Good, are you up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner fare?”

  As humanoid and living on Earth for so long, he and the other Dragons ate as the humans did when in this form. He kept his pantry, freezer, and refrigerator stocked for when he was able to stay here.

  “I could go for a nice lunch. A sandwich, if you have it.”

  Ah, she had simple tastes. Despite internal counsel to stay distant, he acknowledged that he liked her even more. Moving about the kitchen, Noran felt her eyes tracking his movements. He wouldn’t give in to the urge to drop this pretense and take her back to his bed. Pushing visions that easily formulated of how her soft body would receive his deep thrusts, Noran almost crushed the rustic loaf of bread he’d gotten earlier on his quick run to the local market.

  “I can do a sandwich for you.”

  "Sounds great."

  Turning to steal another look at her, he added, “Sit back down, and I’ll have your lunch ready soon.”

  “You sure I can’t help? It seems like I should be doing something.”

  “You’re doing exactly what a guest should—relaxing.”

  “Oh, so I’m your guest?”

  He heard the bait in her voice. His shoulders relaxed, and he plastered on the smile that made humans ease around him as he said, “After you eat, I’ll be happy to take you to your van and escort you back to the main highway. I don’t want it said that I ever sent a guest away hungry.”

  He turned back around to begin his task and avoid whatever verbal rebuttal was headed his way. To his surprise silence filled the room. What he wouldn’t do was turn around and fall into any trap she was attempting to set. Noran created a vortex of concentration as he focused on crafting the best lunch for her within his skillset.

  Grabbing smoked aged cheddar and gruyere cheeses, a package of wrapped ham from the deli, a sweet tomato from the vegetable bin on the counter and some sprigs of fresh basil from the herbs sitting in the window box over his industrial-sized sink, Noran set about his work.

  After cutting half the loaf into six hearty slices, he buttered a pan and placed it on the stove to melt the butter. Eyes watched him from the little table in the eating nook. Noran paid as little attention to them as possible. Taking each of the pieces of bread, he swiped both sides in the melted butter. Then, he cut slices of the ham and placed them in the same pan to heat. The aroma of the meat filled the kitchen. He neither asked nor hesitated on making her sandwich with ham.

  She continued to watch with intense scrutiny of his every move. Noran ignored her. Placing a container of tomato bisque from the market in a saucepan to heat, he set his sights on making the warm sandwiches for lunch. Warm pieces of the ham came out of the pan, leaving a nice buttery seasoning for him to finish the sandwich. Placing three of the buttered bread slices back into the pan, he assembled the two kinds of cheese on the face and waited for them to begin to melt. When the edges of the cheese began to hang over the bread, Noran added the fresh basil followed by thin slices of tomato and topped it off with the warm ham slices. Another few moments to let the flavors meld together and he added the top slice. For added flavor and visual appeal, he slathered the outer sides of each of the sandwiches with mayonnaise. A quick flip on each side and the even golden brown of the bread gave him a sense of pride. He cut the sandwiches on the bias and added a bowl of tomato bisque garnished with more of the basil sprigs.

  “For you, kind Amber.”

  He placed the heavy stoneware plate and bowl in front of her and turned to return to the cooking area.

  “Aren’t you going to join me?” Her voice held a bi
t of pleading to it.

  He smiled, loving how she wanted to have him close.

  “Yes, I’m just going to wipe down everything and grab some water. Oh, I only have water here.”

  “That’s what I drink. Thanks, but hurry” she said, looking down at her plate. “I don’t want to start eating without you, and the food is getting cold.”

  Another smile and reason to hurry up, had him cleaning the pot and pan faster than usual. As a Dragon, he had to have an order to his surroundings. Hate it as he might, but Amber’s van the night before had him itching to clean and organize. It looked like a technology bomb stuffed with clothes had exploded inside. If he were willing to admit it, the cleaning, cataloging of her equipment, and other things happening to her van right now were more for him than what the mission required. A small bit of guilt tried to slide into the back of his mind as well.

  He’d been stalling for time concerning her van. Away from prying eyes, in a secure location of Sanctuary land, his team worked on her van. They’d need at least the rest of the afternoon to complete the tasks he’d ordered. Part of his job was to keep her occupied, if and when she woke. After they finished getting the contents of the van documented and the vehicle cleaned and checked for any needed repairs, his team leader would neural link to let him know when everything was done. No messages yet, so he kept her occupied. Noran would have to make sure that this tempting occupation didn’t land them back upstairs in his bed.

  He quickly rejoined her at the table and allowed her to say a prayer to bless the food. When Amber bit into the sandwich and her eyes rolled back in their sockets with pleasure, he wanted to puff his chest out with pride.

  "Oh, my freaking gosh, this sandwich is good," she said, through a mouth full of food.

  He liked how freely and opened she was about her love of the meal.

  "Don't forget to try it with the soup. The tomatoes add a bit of acid that makes the flavors of the sandwich pop a bit more."