Miles

by Ava Benton

  The dragon felt her keen attention and deflated a bit.

  My consciousness came flooding in, just soon enough to make me hold back from tearing Antonio limb from limb.

  She would never forget a thing like that, and it would always stand between us. She hated him more than I did, but there was no forgetting the sight of such brutality.

  The glint of his pistol in her hand when a flash of lightning lit the room sent her message home.

  I dropped him on the floor, letting him land on his head.

  She stood over him, the gun steady as she aimed. “God forgive me for this,” she whispered.

  He didn’t have the chance to beg again before she pulled the trigger.

  16

  Savannah

  Mary’s expression was grim. “There you are. You’re free.” She tried to sound cheerful, or at least neutral, but that wasn’t possible after having lost four of her soldiers that night. Because of me.

  I flexed my arm and leg, marveling at how there wasn’t even any scarring from the broken bones sticking through.

  I felt lighter without all that plaster weighing me down—though it had helped at the right moment, when I’d smashed my arm against Antonio’s face. That had felt good.

  Almost as good as…

  “This was all because of me, and I’m so sorry,” I whispered, trembling so hard my teeth chattered.

  “No, no.” She rubbed my arms with brisk hands, shaking her head. “You didn’t do any of it. And by now, everything’s getting cleaned up, and we’ll all move on. Soon. Before the authorities come looking.”

  “I understand.”

  Even though I had no idea where I would go. I wrapped my arms around her in an impulsive hug, suddenly so desperately grateful for my life. A life I had been so ready to throw away only a week earlier.

  “Thank you so much. For all of this.”

  “People like you are the reason we do what we do.” She returned my hug, then cleared her throat. “We should get ourselves together. We’ll move out in the morning.”

  I nodded, letting her go, and followed her out into the hall.

  The girls were waiting there, and some of the men.

  I couldn’t forget having seen all of them in their dragon forms—but at the moment, they were the people I had met while staying there, who had taken care of me. Ainsley and the girls came in for a hug, as did Bonnie, and I thanked them tears in my eyes. We promised to keep in touch, although I wondered how that would be possible. I didn’t even know where I’d go from here.

  Miles waited, watching, leaning against the wall. His eyes followed me everywhere, as they had followed me earlier. But they’d looked different now. A dragon’s eyes. He was a beautiful dragon, too, just the way he’d been in my dream. All golden and shiny. But dangerous, too, for the wrong people. People like Antonio.

  When I was finished saying goodbyes, he slid an arm around my waist. A welcome arm. “Come on. I’ll take you back to your room.”

  I was too tired and too pleased with being so close to him to protest. It would be an early morning for all of us. I sat on the bed, my eyes already half-closed. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I was exhausted.

  Would I be able to sleep, though? With the memory of what I had done?

  “It needed to be me,” I whispered, more to myself than to Miles. Maybe if I said it enough times, it would feel right.

  “You did what you felt you needed to do,” he assured me, rubbing my hands between his.

  Free of my casts, I could relish the feel of his touch on both arms. I needed that touch. I needed the connection to something good and real. Otherwise, I might fall to pieces.

  “You got the revenge you needed. And I think God will forgive you, if that’s what’s worrying you. I don’t think there’s anything to forgive.”

  “What about the people who died because of me?” I stared at him, willing him to look at me if he was going to tell sweet lies to make me feel better. He could at least do that.

  “They do the work they do and accept the risk.”

  “It’s that simple?”

  “It is.”

  “I wish I believed it.”

  “There’s no reason not to. Phillip and the others were good, decent, honorable. But their lives weren’t as simple as they appeared. This is merely a stopping-off point, close to the place where we conducted a mission only days ago. A dangerous one, at that. We were all on a bit of a vacation. Their jobs involved real danger on a regular basis.”

  I didn’t know what to say.

  He knelt in front of me, on the floor by my feet while I sat on the bed. “And there’s the matter of nobody having forced that bastard to come back here for you. I’m sorry I gave you away today. He was right—I was too interested. It must’ve shown that I cared so much about you already. But you didn’t make him do it. He walked in here with those gunmen, and they got what was coming to them.”

  “Like I said before: I get it up here.” I tapped my head. “But not here.” I placed my hand over my heart.

  “You will, in time. When it isn’t so fresh.” He covered the hand on my chest with his. “There are so many other things I want you to feel in this heart of yours. I want you to know you’re always safe. I want you to feel cherished and respected. I want you to know you’re mine, but not because I want to own you or force my will on you. I just want to love you. I need to.”

  “Oh, Miles…” I reached out to stroke his cheek.

  He was so handsome, with a face I could look at for the rest of my life. He had saved me. He had killed to keep me safe. He loved me. It was all so improbable, but there it was. The plain, hard truth.

  And I loved him. It was as natural and necessary as the air I needed to stay alive. I didn’t even have to think about it. I had no choice in the matter—and I couldn’t have been happier about it.

  When he leaned in, I whispered, “I love you, too. But I’m so tired.”

  He burst out laughing—a little wry, a little frustrated, but understanding.

  “There’s plenty of time for that. I’ll stay here with you, then.”

  “Please, do.” I worked my way back until I could rest my head on the pillows, lying on my side.

  He slid in behind me, curling his body protectively around mine and sliding his arms around me.

  I was smiling as I drifted off to sleep, and remembered to thank whoever was in charge of such things for bringing Miles to me. Or vice versa.

  17

  Savannah

  I didn’t know what time it was when I woke up, but the sky was still dark, and the grounds were still quiet.

  I felt him behind me—his warmth, his strength, his protection. His body. I was keenly aware of that, too, its lines and planes, the way it seemed to fit perfectly around mine.

  I wriggled slightly, not even noticing at first. Not until he stirred in response.

  We were still half-asleep, but our hands began traveling over each other in a slow, easy sort of exploration.

  I soaked him in, wanting to remember this moment always. His thick forearms and even thicker biceps, the way the muscles flexed as he moved.

  I touched his thighs, where it pressed against mine, and let my legs slid against his. His breath was hot on the back of my neck, his lips brushing against my skin as lightly as the touch of butterfly wings. But no butterfly had ever sent bolts of fire all through me, the way he did.

  I turned in his arms, facing him, and his mouth covered mine almost before I could take a breath. Nothing was standing between us anymore.

  I gripped his shoulders, then slid my hands over them and down his broad back as we kissed again and again, tongues swirling together, both of us gasping and grunting, sighing and groaning. It was the sweetest thing I had ever known, just lying in bed with him and letting him love me.

  He gripped one of my thighs and wrapped it around his own, positioning his leg between mine. I pulled him in, gasped when he pressed against my already aching mound.
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  Just that slight touch was mind-blowing, making me want to beg him for more. My body spoke for me, writhing against him, helping him take off his shirt and feasting my eyes and hands on him. He groaned, throwing his head back, eyes closed. A powerful feeling, knowing I could pleasure him.

  It made me want to give him more.

  He ran a hand over my body, taking me in. Lingering over my breasts, cupping them, running his thumb in circles over my nipples until they stood at attention.

  “Yes…” I whispered, my head rolling from side to side. “Yes, yes, please…” Only I wasn’t certain whether I was begging him for more or to stop, since I didn’t know how much more I could take.

  I was already close to exploding, and he was only making the ache worse. Sweet, delicious torture.

  His lips skimmed my throat, my chest, as he took the row of buttons down the front of my dress one by one, peeling it open as he went. Goosebumps rose over my skin when the night air touched it, followed by Miles’s warm, wet tongue as he tasted me. I sank deeper into pleasure, running my hands through his hair, holding his head close while muttering incoherently as he licked every inch of me. I needed to tell him how good it felt, how much I loved him, how much I needed all of him.

  He lifted my hips, and I helped him take off my panties. His strong hands parted my legs, running over the sensitive skin of my inner thighs before his fingers stroked my moist slit.

  My entire body jumped like a spring, my hips jerking upward, acting without my thinking. Working for satisfaction. He went deeper, sliding into my folds, working my clit with a gentle touch that still managed to set my world on fire.

  I raked my nails over his back, panting for air as the tension built and built and finally burst.

  “Miles! Oh, God!” I tensed all over, then fell back against the mattress with a contented sigh as the orgasm receded.

  That didn’t stop him. He kissed me again, deeper and harder than before, grinding his erect shaft against my hip. Grunting, panting breathlessly, his tongue thrusting into my mouth the way he wanted to thrust into my body.

  I moved against him, grinding back, losing all inhibitions in favor of sensation.

  He was losing control of himself. I could feel the animal inside struggling to break free, wanting its satisfaction. And even that excited me, maybe more than anything else had. Being taken by a dragon.

  I raised myself up on my elbows, letting the dress fall from my body to leave me naked, then I pulled him back down on top of me.

  “I need you,” he grunted between kisses, the pressure against my thigh proof enough. He was huge, hard and more than ready.

  I wanted to take him inside me, all of him, to complete the connection we had forged. I trembled with impatient desire as he took off his jeans and shorts, then lowered himself over me again.

  His weight was welcome, as was the heat of his body and the touch of his sweat-slick skin against mine.

  “Yes?” he whispered, shaking as hard as I was with the strain of holding himself back.

  I looked deep into his eyes, more certain than I had ever been in my life.

  “Yes.”

  And he parted my folds, sinking deep into me, wiping away every other thought but the startling, mind-numbing pleasure of him. He groaned through gritted teeth, pulling back to drive forward again. Again. Taking control the way his dragon wanted him to. There was still so much for me to learn, and this was my first lesson.

  I lost myself gladly, arms and legs wrapped around him, letting him take me the way he wanted to—the way I wanted him to.

  His thrusts sharpened, deepened, sped up until our bodies crashed together and I realized another orgasm was already building.

  I realized he was saying something, too. With every thrust. Mine. Mine. Whispering it against my throat as he thrust.

  I held him tighter, overjoyed, whispering back that yes, I was his. I would always be his. He had given me my life back, and I would love him until the day I died because that was how it was supposed to be. From the moment I opened my eyes and saw him sitting there, so concerned about me. I was his, forever.

  I clenched around him, moaning softly as I did, and he slammed into me one more time before finding his own release.

  I was never so happy, so satisfied in my entire life. And so full of hope for the future.

  We stayed that way for a while, wrapped up in each other, still connected. Our gasps for air eventually quieted down until the room was silent. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to break the sweet, solemn, almost holy feeling of it all.

  “I love you,” I whispered, kissing his shoulder and the side of his head. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you.” He raised himself up, and I was glad to see he was smiling. I had satisfied the dragon. It was a real boost to my ego.

  He settled in behind me again, clutching me close. I belonged to him, wholly and completely. My shoulder ached slightly—when I noticed the bite mark, I craned my neck to shoot him a confused look. “What’s that?”

  “You didn’t notice at the time?”

  “I guess I was a little… overcome,” I grinned.

  “That’s a mark. You’re mine now. It’s what we do. One of the many things I have to tell you about us.” He frowned. “Does it hurt?”

  “No. Just a little ache. But it’s almost pleasant. Like after a workout.”

  “I think you just got a workout, didn’t you? I know I did.”

  “Just call me your personal trainer.”

  He laughed. “I would be all right with you whipping me into shape, if every workout were like that.”

  The sky was beginning to lighten, revealing the damage done to the grounds during the storm.

  “We’ll have to leave soon,” I murmured, realizing I would never see St. Lucia again. Realizing I didn’t care. I would be leaving nothing behind. Nothing worth missing.

  “We will.”

  “And you’ll go home? With Gate and Martina?”

  “You’re coming home with me too. You know that, right?”

  “I do.”

  “I haven’t even told you where home is yet,” he murmured, chuckling softly as he kissed my shoulder.

  I closed my eyes, burrowing deeper into his embrace. “You poor thing. Don’t you know?”

  “Know what?”

  “You don’t have to tell me where we’re going. Home is where you are.”

  18

  Savannah

  “You’re sure about this?”

  “Why do you keep asking me that?” I smiled, pulling my carry-on from the car. “I mean it. Why do you expect me to change my mind?”

  “It’s not that I expect you to, or that I want you to. It’s a lot to ask, is all. I don’t know what I’d do if you decided you made a mistake.” He ran his hands through his hair, as he always did when he was frustrated and unsure how to explain himself.

  I was already picking up on those little tics in his personality, as I was sure he’d picked up on some of mine. There were moments when I truly couldn’t remember life without him, though I’d known him for less than two weeks.

  My heart knew him. It had only been waiting for him to show up.

  “Listen to me, please. Before we get on this crazy jet and fly off to our crazy new life.” I left the bag on the ground, at the base of the stairs which led up into the private jet Mary had lent us for the trip.

  It made the most sense, seeing as how my father might still try to track me down. I slid my arms around his waist, grinning up at him. “I want you to understand something, for once and for all.”

  “What’s that?” he asked, tucking windblown hair behind my ears before clasping his hands behind my back and pulling me close.

  I would never get tired of being that close to him, our bodies touching as they were just then. His heart pounding in his chest, matching the beat of mine.

  “I love you, for one thing. You’re the only man I’ll ever want. I owe you my entire life—no less than
the entirety of it, really. I will spend the rest of the time I have left making it up to you. I promise you that. And I would go anywhere with you. I’d live anywhere, so long as you were there. You’re all I’ll ever need.”

  He kissed my forehead, the tip of my nose. “You’re good with words. Has anyone ever told you that before?”

  “Once or twice. Maybe.” I brushed my lips against his and couldn’t wait for us to be alone again. We’d have all the time in the world once we reached the cave. He stole another kiss, then another, and I forgot myself for a moment.

  But it was only a moment. “Come on, you two,” Gate called out, his head sticking out from the open door. “We don’t have all day for you to canoodle.”

  “Says the man whose hands were super glued to his mate for the first week they were together,” Miles muttered.

  19

  Savannah

  “We’re here.”

  My eyes snapped open at the sound of Gate’s voice, and I sat up with a start. “I didn’t know I fell asleep.”

  Miles winced, rubbing his shoulder. “Trust me. You did. I didn’t know how right I was when I thought of you as hard-headed.”

  “Ha, ha,” I snickered. “I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time I fall asleep near you.”

  “No, you don’t have to.” He nuzzled my neck, nibbling my ear before whispering, “You can fall asleep on me anytime you want. So long as you allow me to exhaust you beforehand.”

  “We’re not deaf, you know,” Martina snorted from the front seat.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you a bit put-off by our affection? Does it make you uncomfortable? Do you want to tell us to get a room?” Miles winked at me, and we both chuckled. “How does it feel?”

  “All right, message received,” Gate smirked before getting out of the SUV.

  I took a deep breath before following him and the others. We were home. For good.