by C. D. Gorri
“Put off? On the contrary,” he moved closer once more, allowing her to feel the proof of his approval, “I like that very, very much.”
And he did. Both Dragon and man were incredibly turned on by her show of strength. He wondered what else his little mate was capable of, what other secrets she kept hidden. The very possibilities made him burn with desire. Sizzle.
“Really?” Her mouth had gone slack, and dark brows drawn together in confusion as she queried him yet again. She seemed shocked and he wondered who made her doubt herself that way? He’d find them and decimate the lot of them!
“Of course,” he answered, “do you still not believe me?”
His mate was strong and fierce, beautiful and smart. He’d smite anyone who made her feel anything less than! Grrr.
“I don’t know you.”
“You are my fated mate, sweet Cora, I will never lie to you,” he began, but he fell silent at once when she closed her eyes and raised her lovely hand.
“I’m tired from my trip,” she started to explain.
“Yes, I guess that is true,” he exhaled softly, not wanting to leave her but knowing he must.
“Please, make yourself at home. Take a shower or bath. Enjoy a leisurely soak. Hot water in minutes is truly one of the marvels of this age,” he grinned broadly and gestured to the bathroom, holding the door open for her.
“Like the hot water on tap, do you?” Her amused expression squeezed his heart. She was so lovely.
“Certainly,” he agreed aware she was teasing him, “I find the plumbing advances to be phenomenal. Though as a Dragon, I admit I could warm your bath for you, water on tap or not,” he growled.
“Easy there, buddy,” Cora laughed and sidestepped him as she looked around the large bathroom.
He found the sound pleasing to his ears. Like bells, he mused. Her happiness was infectious, and he found himself laughing with her.
“There are bathing sheets in the closet there,” he nodded to a large wardrobe, watching her every move as she gracefully stepped to the right and opened the large wooden door. She withdrew two of the carefully folded towels and placed them on the heating rack.
Rei frowned. The bathroom was not as large as the one in the master suite, but it was well equipped to care for his mate’s needs. Of course, he wanted to see to all her needs. As soon as possible.
The very idea of exploring her splendid curves caused him to pulse and throb in his suddenly restrictive jeans. He turned around lest she object to his uncontrollable hunger for her.
Slow down, our mate needs patience, his Dragon spoke clearly in his mind and Rei wanted to roll his eyes. Wasn’t this the same beast demanding he drag her to his bedroom just minutes ago?
Frustration and need vied for dominance and he pushed both down. He tried to think of something, anything to change the subject and finally recalled an interesting fact she’d brought up earlier in their conversation.
“You know of more Dragon Shifters?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, I do,” she returned.
“Who? Do you know their Clan names? Where are they located?” He asked rapidly, forcing his voice to remain friendly.
He was not faking it exactly. Rei was curious about the others. Dragons were often comprised of smallish Clans lead by a Chief or ruler. His own title of King came from the power he wielded as opposed to him having any sort of subjects.
He did not have a Clan per se. In fact, he’d been alone so long he’d missed having others of his kind nearby. Rei had discovered as a young Dragon that his talent was too strong a temptation for him to remain around more of his kind for any length of time. Dominance fights had started breaking out before he’d finished with puberty.
Tiring of all the fighting and arguing that would erupt over his particular gift, Rei retreated into himself. He’d spent many decades alone before venturing out into Europe.
He was favored among the rich and aristocracy alike for his good looks and suave charm. But that too grew old. He’d retreated to this mountain island in hopes of living apart from all that drama and boredom.
Ever since he’d woken up to learn the new government had taken back his island and normals had begun to dwell on Sol Dorado, he’d been lonelier than ever. Yes, he still retained the deeds to the land atop the mountain, but there was no one here he could really connect to. Until her arrival.
“There is a small Clan near where I live actually, in New Jersey. One of the Dragons there is responsible for developing the software we use at Merlin Banking Solutions,” she replied.
“Ah,” he said, thinking more on how much he’d like to kiss her lips.
Is this what his life was to be now? A constant barrage of sexual wants and needs? He shrugged lightly and shook his head as if to dismiss the inquisitive arch of her eyebrow. Finally, he would not be alone anymore.
He’d known loneliness before. It was one of the reasons he’d been so desperate to believe Tricia was his mate before he went to sleep. Fool, he chided himself. He did not need to have Cora in front of him to show him the folly of his ways.
The Witch had been a diversion. A way of slaking the physical demands of his body, but even there she’d failed to satisfy his carnal hunger.
There was only one woman who could do that. One perfect being who was made solely to sate his every need. As he would do for her. Cora was simply the most desirous creature ever created in the universe. Rei wanted no other.
“Easy there, fella,” she mumbled and walked backwards shaking her head.
“No what?” he asked.
“No to this,” she gestured between the two of them and Rei’s Dragon roared in protest.
“I would like some privacy,” her eyes glittered with mischief as she raised a delicately arched eyebrow and waited.
His reaction was immediate. Lust and more enflamed him. His powerful body stood rigid as he tried not to answer the challenge to his dominance. He was a Shifter, but he was a man too. A man did not need to dominate his mate.
A slow smile started in the corner of his mouth as he took one then another step back, allowing her some space. He would do anything for her, that was a truth he would gladly shout to the entire world. Amused at her nervous swallow Rei inclined his head, ignoring his Dragon’s rumbling.
Es meus, his Dragon growled. His hand went to that place over his heart where his golden rose pulsed beneath his shirt. Undeniable certainty that she was his suddenly hit him with an incomparable force right in his gut.
Thunder drummed in his ears, threatening to overwhelm his senses. He should leave. Now. Before he did something foolish.
“I will leave you to your bath, Cora Tesoro,” he barely got the words out, rushing from the small room before he did something utterly idiotic. Like beg.
Air. He needed air. Otherwise he was bound to pounce on her like the Alpha he was at heart. His charm with women had once been renowned, and yet now he trembled like a youth at the thought of touching her.
Calm yourself. Find something to occupy your mind...Her things! Yes. She needs her things. But first a quick flight.
He closed the bedroom door behind him and took the stairs to the roof two at a time. He thought about sending Alameda to get her luggage for a second but dismissed the idea immediately.
He would see to it himself. No one else would touch her or her things.
He tore off his clothing. Shredding his beloved jeans as his claws burst through. Good thing a few thunderclouds had appeared overhead. They would mask the beat of his wings until he achieved the necessary height to cloak himself from the normals below.
Golden scales erupted from his skin as his body lengthened and grew heavy and dense with his transformation. Power rolled through him like the waves in the ocean below.
Yesssss, he welcomed his change, reveled in his strength. And yet there was one thing that preoccupied his mind even in this form.
Rei had found his one true and fated mate. His golden rose. Now he just needed to make her his.
Es m
eus.
CHAPTER 7
Cora released a long slow breath the very second Rei left the room. Alone in the extravagant bathroom, she could finally think.
Whew. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Did that really just happen?
“Oh boy,” she said aloud. She turned to the faucet and ran some cool water. Scooping up a handful of the liquid, she splashed some onto her flushed face.
That’s better, she thought.
How could one man take up so much space? Rei Dorado was one blatantly male specimen. He was gorgeous and refined, sinfully attractive and sexy as all hell.
Of course, the man was deluded if he thought she was going to just give in to all his muscly hotness. She scoffed at the notion. Hadn’t she learned her lesson? Cora just didn’t have any luck with men.
This one is different, her cat insisted, but she wasn’t listening. The sound of thunder clapped overhead, and she jumped. She’d never been afraid of a storm, but for some reason this sounded different to her highly sensitive ears. Almost like wings.
She shook her head at her fantastical notions and went back to reality. Her client had the hots for her. She could deal with this.
I’ll just ignore him. Yes! Great idea! At least it was until she got a whiff of his fresh pine and smoky hardwood scent. The seductive fragrance lingered in the room and damn her if she didn’t want to roll around in it!
Yes, her Lynx agreed, rub all over him. Good idea.
No! She firmly yanked on the mental leash she’d secured around her beast. Not a good idea!
His blatant masculinity and cocky arrogance filled the entire room threatening to overwhelm her. Not easy since she was suited to overly confident Shifter males. But none of them came close to this man.
His sultry eyes glittered as he looked her over. Cora’s pulse sped up. He was undressing her with those eyes. Using his intense stare as a weapon to leave her utterly defenseless and bare before him.
She trembled. Anticipation making her knees knock. Cora sucked in a breath and straightened her spine. She might be unused to men like that paying attention to her, but she was not about to be thrown off her game.
Chubby Lynx Shifters may not be a valued commodity in her world, but she wasn’t about to let herself believe this man felt anything other than lust for her.
Don’t fall for it, Cora, she told herself. He’s just horny. Any woman would do.
She couldn’t afford to believe that a man like that could feel anything other than lust for her. That would be a monumental mistake.
Rei Dorado was her client. Yes, he was a virile and healthy Shifter, but nevertheless she was there to do her job, not him!
Besides, it wasn’t as if someone like that went for brainy, curvy chicks like Cora. Not that she was usually down on herself, but all she had to do was look at him! Him and her? Nah. He’d just been stuck on this island with nothing but normals since he’d woken up from his hundred plus year nap.
It was only natural for him to want to have sex with the first supernatural he saw. A product of his time, that’s all this was. She’d heard tales of older generations of supernaturals who preferred to gravitate towards each other instead of preying on humans to satisfy their carnal urges. She was simply handy.
Not that she believed any of that bigoted crap. She knew plenty of supernaturals who’d successfully mated with normals. Hmm. Maybe he was some kind of species-ist?
No. That didn’t ring true. Not that she really knew Rei. Still, she felt compelled to defend him even if only to herself.
Because he is our mate, her Lynx insisted, pacing up and down inside her mind’s eye.
Cora closed her eyes and counted to ten. She pushed the animal back down. She needed her brain not her fur to figure this out.
After all, the second she’d scented him in the air her brain had screamed mate. If he really was her fated mate, she needed time to think it through. What did she know about him or his kind? Did they even take mates for life?
What if he had like a slew of other mates hidden around the place? The castle sure was big enough! She’d heard of other Shifters and supes who took multiple mates over the course of their lifetime. Would she be able to handle sharing him?
Mine, the word reverberated in her head. Her Lynx was getting antsy. Damn. She needed a run and soon.
Later, she told herself and turned to undress.
Back to the facts. Just because her nose thought she’d smelled her mate didn’t mean she had to blindly agree and fall in line. Her mother had practically died with the loss of her mate.
The very idea of being so dependent on another person for her happiness terrified Cora. But at least she knew her father had loved her mother desperately. Maybe she should examine her own feelings for a minute.
What did she know about Rei Dorado? He was a Dragon, first of all, and some kind of nobility. The file she had dubbed him the King of the Golden Flame, whatever the hell that meant. He didn’t have subjects though, so maybe his title was meant more for this golden flame thingy than it was about ruling people. That was actually kind of a relief. She wasn’t quite prepared to be Queen Cora. LOL.
What else did she know about him? There was the obvious of course. He was sexy as sin with dark, gorgeous hair and deep amber eyes that lightened to gold whenever his beast was about. Tall, even for a Shifter, he was lean and muscular, with wide shoulders and big hands and feet. Elegant even in jeans, he had the look of someone perfectly comfortable in his own skin or scales as it were.
Yummy. Cora squeezed her thighs together as thoughts of his superb form filtered through her mind. Rei was all male, cocky enough to make her drool like a cat in heat, which she would be in very little time. Stupid Lynx Shifter genes.
He was shrewd and very intelligent. She knew that from his business dealings and the few emails he’d sent to Merlin Banking over the past few months.
Charming too. There was no denying that. Cora sighed. Uh oh. It was quite possible she was falling in love with the man after a mere few minutes in his company. Crap. Not her fault. She cursed her genes again.
She knew the stories. When you met your fated mate, it was like lightning striking. Her heat would come on strong after meeting her one true mate and after they joined, it would only respond to him. He would become her entire world.
Her heart thudded in her chest. Was it fear or worse, anticipation that made her palms tingle and her brow sweat?
Shit. There was no way the Dragon Shifter would love her like that! And she would not settle for less. No. She had to shut this down. He was simply reacting to her own dumb desire!
Okay. I need to take control before this gets ugly. Need a plan, Cora. For now, take a swim in this tub and try to come up with something.
She lit a few candles and dimmed the lights. A nice, long soak, and she should be in a much better frame of mind to handle this little problem. Well, maybe it wasn’t so little, after all it wasn’t every day her Lynx scented one of her clients and shouted mate at her.
Yeah, a nice soak would at least calm her nerves. Just a half hour or so, then she would get dressed. That should give Rei’s housekeeper or assistant plenty of time to get her suitcase to her rooms.
She piled her hair on her head and pinned it carelessly in place. She’d removed her clothes and casually glanced at her nude body in the mirror.
Nope, nothing had miraculously changed in the last couple of hours. Her figure was as full as ever. Belly still round and soft, butt still wide, thighs still jiggly, breasts still too large.
Cora shook her head and turned around. What woman was ever fully satisfied with her body? Didn’t she have plenty of skinny friends who were always complaining about something or other?
It didn’t matter. She’d stopped trying to change long ago. She was curvy. She’d had a long time to come to the conclusion that she liked food. She was healthy and active, but she also had an appetite for real food. Cora ate steak, chicken, fish, with sides
of pasta, potatoes, and veggies. She could not exist on watercress and broth and she was never going to try.
She huffed out a sigh, angry at herself for even thinking this way. She found lavender bath salts and added them to the steaming water. They filled the room with a light, subtle fragrance that instantly put her at ease. Why worry over nothing?
She could handle this. Dropping the oversized bath towel back on the heating rack, she caught another glimpse of herself in the mirror and frowned.
So what, she thought to herself.
So what if no miracle had happened to her short, curvy frame to make it firmer, more toned, or sexually appealing to her mind? Something about her had made a certain hot Dragon take notice.
Yes, he most certainly had noticed, that little voice in her head insisted. Cora turned her back on her reflection and stepped carefully into the tub.
“Ah,” she groaned. It was even better than she expected! The water was piping hot and the bath salts relaxing. She leaned her head back on the cushioned headrest and let her eyes drift closed.
Intent on the soothing hot water and the calming salts working their magic through her travel weary bones, Cora didn’t hear the sound of footsteps or the turning of the knob. She did, however, hear the sharp intake of Rei’s breath.
Her eyes flew open as she took him in, standing in the doorway. His lips were turned down in a deep frown, eyes riveted to her body. She really should have covered herself through the translucent water, but she was immobile.
Rooted to the spot, her eyes focused on his brandy colored ones. She gasped when they glittered with the gold of his beast. A cloud of white smoke puffed out of his nostrils and Rei craned his head. His chest rumbled with a sort of Dragon-y purr as he looked his fill.
Cora’s body reacted immediately to his presence. Her breasts swelled with need and her nipples hardened to tiny, pebbles, aching for his attention. Heat warmed her belly and moisture slicked her sex, readying for him. Only him.
Shit. Her heat was coming. She knew without the flare of his nostrils that he scented it. Her heat, her need for him and him alone. She waited to feel embarrassment or shame, but it did not come.
