“Slade,” she said, standing up higher, “I would do anything for you.”
Her lips crashed against mine, and her hands slid down my naked back.
I love you, Ariana. The words went unsaid, but I showed her. I showed her with my lips, with my tongue, with my hard cock pressed against her waist.
I wrapped my arm around her ass, pulled her hips against mine. I wanted her the way I’d had her in my dreams. I wanted her in every way. Every day for the rest of my life.
She broke the kiss and pulled back. I didn’t want to let go. Never.
She kissed my neck, nuzzled against my chest.
I reached for one of her breasts, sank my fingers down through the v-neck of her black dress, and caressed her hard nipple. She moaned in response and kissed lower, down my chest, down my stomach.
The touch of her lips lingered on my skin in a cool, wet trail. I had to let go of her nipple as she dropped to her knees.
Her hands slid down over my hips, and she looked up at me with lust in her dark eyes. I could smell her desire. I wanted to take her here, tackle her to the ground and lift her dress. I wanted to touch her, to taste her.
She kept her eyes locked on mine as she put her lips against the tip of my cock. In the history of everything, there had never been a sexier kiss. My blood pumped with anticipation.
Her plum-colored lips parted, and she wrapped her fist around me.
Everything else faded away when her tongue touched my head.
I ran my fingers through her hair. It was soft, so soft.
Her mouth was wet and warm as she took me in.
She moved her hand at the same pace as her mouth, stroking up and down as she took a little more inside each time.
Being inside of her was heaven. She was heaven.
She went faster and I remembered the dreams. Flashes came of her beautiful naked body on top of me in a bed I’d never been in. Of lying down in a dark forest as she slid her hand up and down my length. I heard her words in a whisper, even if they weren’t meant for my ears. I love you.
Her tongue caressed me as her hand and mouth slid back and forth.
I said the words, and mine, too, were a whisper. “I love you, Ariana.”
A surge of pressure coursed through me, a release of everything I’d been holding onto, all the tension I’d fought through the past two nights to dispel.
My muscles finally relaxed as Ariana gave me exactly what I didn’t know I’d needed—release.
She rose up from her knees, and I pulled her in. She smelled like apple pie, and happiness, and me.
After kissing my chest, she squeezed me back. “Everything’s going to be okay,” she said. “I’m here for you.”
She let go, and I kissed the top of her head before she turned and headed back inside.
I was completely and utterly in love with that woman. Ariana was everything. I was the luckiest man in the world.
Chapter Nine
Taylor
I tossed an extra pair of socks in my duffel bag. Germany. Fuck. I’d only been in the States for a month, and already I was going back.
It didn’t have to be a bad thing, though. I knew, for instance, that my buddy Berger would have a conniption if I didn’t let him know I’d be in the country. Berger had been like family ever since I’d taken the head of security job at the Wentuffel. I couldn’t pass through Berlin without seeing him. After our flight, we could visit, or at least drive by Germany’s most famous private museum and my home away from home. From there it would only be a five-hour train ride to Versorgungsstelle in the Warzenschwein Mountains.
I carefully tucked my copy of Hafiz’s book, The Subject Tonight is Love, into my duffel, then pulled my phone from my pocket and brought up Berger’s number.
“Hans Berger. Guten Tag.”
“Berger, it’s me, Taylor.”
“Taylor?” he said, his accented voice going high-pitched with confusion. “I don’t know any Taylor. I used to have a friend, but he, oh, he disappeared a long, long time ago.”
I laughed. “I’m coming through your neighborhood tomorrow.”
“Don’t tease an old man, Taylor Stonehall. I wouldn’t be able to take it.”
“Really. My agency has a job in the Warzenschwein Mountains.”
He was quiet for a second. I could practically see him chewing his lip like he did when he was scheming. “You will need somewhere to stay in Berlin overnight before taking the train to the mountains.”
“My partner made us reservations at the—”
“Nonsense,” he said. “That place is a repugnant pigsty.”
I laughed. He hadn’t even let me say where we were staying.
He continued, “You will stay with me.”
“There are four of us, Berger, I couldn’t impose—”
“Taylor Stonehall. You and your—how many?”
“Three.”
“Sehr gut. You and your three associates will be staying overnight in my home. I have plenty of space now with the children all grown up and flown far from my nest.”
It would be pointless to argue with the man. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Suck it up and say Danke, you fool.”
“Vielen Dank, Berger. I’ll call you when we land tomorrow.”
He made a huffing sound of impatience and hung up.
Grinning, I made my way out of my room and found Maisie and Slade deep in discussion in the common area of our suite. Slade had a protective grip on his cat while he tried to thrust a thick folder at Maisie.
“What is that?” she asked.
“Babysitter instructions for Princess Needleclaw.”
“Those aren’t instructions,” Maisie said, shaking her head. “That’s a manual. She’s a cat, Slade. Not a space shuttle.”
“She’s a kitten and she needs special care.” His voice was indignant. “I thought you’d be perfect because you’re a feline shifter.”
Maisie raised her eyebrows. “I’ve never taken care of a kitten in my life.”
Slade frowned, looking like he was seriously reconsidering the situation. “Is there anyone else?”
“To cat-sit on such short notice?” Maisie asked. “Unfortunately, no.” She took the folder from him and flipped through the pages.
I watched, intrigued, as her expression changed from incredulity to horror. “You have a toy schedule for her? Nine a.m. laser pointer. Nine-thirty, feather wand. Ten o’clock, kitty treats. Ten-ten, snuggles?”
“Her brain is growing,” Slade said. “She needs stimulation.”
Maisie set the folder down on the coffee table, looking disgusted. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Laughing, I said, “Sorry to interrupt, but Maisie, do you think you could let Rhetta know she got the job?” Slade, Quentin, and I had held an impromptu meeting earlier this morning when Slade came in, all of us agreeing that Rhetta March would make an excellent PA.
“No problem,” Maisie said, pulling out her phone and tapping out a note to herself.
“Now, back to Princess Needleclaw,” Slade began.
I turned away from them and texted Ariana, telling her she could cancel our hotel reservation, and we’d be staying with my friend in Berlin for a night.
Her response was immediate. Are you sure? There are four of us. It’s a lot to ask of him.
I had a feeling her reluctance wasn’t about the lodging, but about the trip in general. I wanted to go up and see her, but I also wanted to go over maps of the Warzenschwein Mountains before our flight. And if I went up to see Ariana, work would be the very last thing on my mind.
Berger wouldn’t hear otherwise, I wrote back. Don’t worry. This trip is going to be fine. The four of us make a great team. We’ll get the Vergoldet Fortune and make sure Slade’s dad doesn’t get hurt.
I hope you’re right.
I hoped so, too.
Lindenbury was driving us to the airport when Slade’s phone rang.
His face went white. “I
t’s Maisie.” He fumbled to answer his phone. “Is it Princess Needleclaw? Is she all right?”
A second later, he put it on speakerphone.
“Okay, you’re on speaker.”
Maisie’s voice came out of his phone. “I contacted Rhetta, like you asked, to let her know the job was hers and to find out when she could start training. Bad news, guys.”
“What is it?” Quentin asked.
“She can’t take the job after all. Her daughter just announced a new pregnancy, and Rhetta wants to be there for her. Something about being available to bring Chinese food at a moment’s notice, I don’t know. So, I could line up some more interviews…”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” I said quickly. “Call Rourke. The job is his.”
Silence on Maisie’s end. Then she said, “This is what all three of you want?”
Quentin shrugged, and Slade nodded.
“Yes,” I said. “Is this a problem for you?”
“No, of course not,” she squeaked.
Ariana caught my eye and smiled. She mouthed, “She wants him.”
Struggling not to laugh, I said, “Maisie, can you have him start immediately? If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, we’d really like you to show him the ropes.”
I said it with a straight face, but Slade coughed into his elbow, trying to hide a guffaw, and Quentin’s eyes were sparkling. Ariana was the one who laughed.
“You guys aren’t funny,” Maisie said, but she sounded like she was trying not to laugh, too. “Have a good trip, okay? Come back in one piece.”
“With lots of treasure,” Ariana said.
“I expect a big bonus for putting up with all four of you,” Maisie said.
“Of course,” Ariana said. “Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.”
We’d gotten a commercial flight from Emerald Pines to New York, and now we were on our way from JFK to Dublin. Ariana had sprung for seats in business class. She had looked stern when she said, “You guys are too big to try to fit in coach. I don’t feel bad for you, but for anyone trying to share legroom with you.”
Three hours into the six-hour flight, and Ariana had fallen asleep next to me. She looked peaceful, with her long lashes brushing against her cheeks, her dark hair pulled up in a loose, messy bun. I tucked a strand behind her ear and tried not to stare at her.
Quentin and Slade were deep in conversation behind us, so I stood up to stretch my legs and joined them.
“Hey, Romeo,” Slade said.
I rolled my eyes at the nickname, but it didn’t bother me. I figured the only person Slade ever called by their real name was Ariana. I looked down and saw a round metal disk in his hands. “Did you bring the Vibrator?”
“He did,” Quentin said. “He’s been fondling it the entire flight.”
“Shhh.” Slade’s brow furrowed and he punched Quentin in the arm.
Quentin hissed and rubbed his bicep.
Slade’s smile was filled with satisfaction. “It’s called the Phaser,” he said. “And of course I brought it.”
“Of course,” I repeated.
“Forget that.” Slade pointed to Quentin. “Brains and I were talking. Have you been having any...dreams?”
I sucked in a breath. There’d been the vision—me, dying on the beach, my soul leaving my body. Ariana sobbing over my prone form. “What kind of dreams?” I asked.
Slade’s glance darted to Quentin and back to me. In a lower voice he said, “Like, hot ones.”
I leaned down so we wouldn’t be overheard. “You mean dreams about, um, sex?”
He nodded, and so did Quentin. I stared hard at Quentin, because I figured we’d get to the bottom of this sooner if he joined the conversation.
“I believe Slade and I have experienced the same exact dreams. The details are eerily similar. It raises the question, though—why are we having the same dreams?”
I’d had a few dreams myself recently. All of them featuring me with Ariana in various positions and places. Before I woke up this morning, I dreamed I was on the roof with her. I was naked and she took my cock in her mouth. I’d woken up so hard, it was painful.
“Are your same dreams featuring…” I pointed to the chair in front of Quentin, who was seated right behind Ariana.
They both nodded.
“Then yeah,” I said. “I’m having them, too.”
“As I suspected,” Quentin said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, my voice louder than usual.
Ariana’s seat moved in front of us, and she sleepily peered over the headrest. “Everything okay, guys?”
“Yeah,” I said, smiling at her despite my confusion. She looked cuddly. “Just stretching my legs. I’ll be right back.”
She turned around, and I looked at Quentin and Slade.
“We’ll talk later?” I mouthed.
“Sure thing, Romeo,” Slade said.
Quentin nodded.
I couldn’t wait.
Chapter Ten
Slade
When I was a kid, deployment day was the worst day. The day right before deployment day? That one was better than Christmas.
All the things I wanted to do, all the games I wanted to play—we did them all. Me and my dad.
I knew it was going to be the best day ever. It always was. So I woke up early, dark early, and snuck down the hall to my parents’ bedroom. Everything was quiet, and there was a bigger lump on the bed, a lump that wasn’t mom. I tiptoed over to that side.
There he was, the biggest, bestest man in the world. A dragon. My dad.
His eyes were closed. So were Mom’s.
I climbed up slowly, quietly, so as not to wake them.
I made it halfway over dad mountain when his eyes shot open.
Quick as a roadrunner, he moved. His big, rough hands grabbed my sides, and he lifted me up into the air. I squealed in delight as he tickled my sides.
His smile was wide as he lowered me down to the mattress between the two of them. “Hey, kiddo,” he said. “What are we going to do today?”
“Everything.” It was an easy answer. I’d even made a list. “First we’re going to have ice cream for breakfast. Then play catch at the park. Then a movie before lunch, and—”
He hugged me in his giant arms, and the sharp hair on his face scratched my forehead.
“Ouch,” I said, and rubbed the spot.
“Sorry,” he said, and let me go. “I don’t know if we’ll have time for everything, Slade...”
My heart sank.
“...if we don’t get started right now,” he said, and jumped out of bed. “Race you to the kitchen.”
I laughed and dove from the bed, running as fast as my little legs would carry me.
The dream faded from my mind as I groggily got our luggage in Berlin. Taylor stood beside Ariana with his phone held up to one ear and his other hand covering his other ear. There was a lot of people and a lot of noise, so I didn’t catch what he was saying. Then I realized I couldn’t understand what he was saying because it wasn’t in English.
“He’s talking to Berger,” Ariana said.
“Bis bald.” Taylor ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. Turning to us, he said, “Berger’s on his way.”
Outside, cars pulled to the curb and picked up people from the crowd gathered by the door. There were limos and cabs, big trucks and tiny two-seaters. I had no idea what we were looking for, but I figured it was probably not a matchbox-sized sports car. Well, I hoped it wasn’t.
A silver SUV stopped four cars up. When Taylor headed that way, we all followed.
The hydraulic hatch lifted in the back, and a middle-aged human man stepped out of the driver’s seat to greet us.
His frame was small, short and thin. He dressed halfway between Taylor and Quentin, dress pants and fancy shoes, with a vest, but no tie and no coat. He had salt and pepper hair, cut short, and a bushy mustache. His hard face said he was a serious, no-nonsense
type, but the way his blue eyes sparkled when he looked at Taylor told me he cared deeply for him.
The two men hugged with some manly backslapping involved. It was like me with my old war buddies. They started talking again, fast and mostly in consonants. I wondered if there just weren’t any vowels in German. Maybe they were just silent.
“Welcome, friends, to Berlin,” Berger said, with a heavy accent. He offered his hand to each of us to shake. His handshake was firm, strong. I respected that.
“Here, let me.” Taylor took our bags and piled them into the trunk.
“My name is Hans Berger, and please, call me Hans.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Berger. Hans,” Quentin said. “I’m Quentin Phillips. This is my associate, Slade Rouland.”
Hans nodded to each of us.
“And this—” Quentin said.
“Is the reason Taylor moved to Emerald Pines,” Hans said. “Ariana West, a pleasure.”
I expected him to try and kiss her hand with a bow, fancy and European-like. But he shook her hand like he did with the rest of us, and I could tell that earned him some points with her.
We all climbed into the truck, Taylor up front, the rest of us in the back. Taylor pointed to all the buildings and talked about them. Most of it wasn’t particularly interesting. I didn’t care much about fancy fountains or his favorite place for coffee. Ariana seemed enthralled by the whole thing, so that was nice. She sat between me and Quentin, holding each of our hands, and peering one way, then the other, every time Taylor pointed.
It wasn’t until he said something about a museum that I saw a sign to go with the German he spoke. I could have sworn he said something with a V. But the sign didn’t have a single V in it. The golden letters above the glass arched doorway spelled Wentuffel.
“Looks like Waffle to me,” I said.
Ariana squeezed my hand and smiled. “W’s sound like v’s in German,” she said.
Taylor kept talking, and I tried to decipher some of the other signs we passed. None of them made any sense.
Dragon Unbroken_A Reverse Harem Dragon Fantasy Romance Page 6
