Flight of Dragons

by Elianne Adams, Sadie Haller, Zoe York, Shelley Munro, Zara Keane, LC Alleyne, Skye Jones, Evanne Lorraine, Ann Gimpel

  She touched him first, and he couldn’t restrain his flinch. Her finger pads were hot, the heat searing through his thin shirt and into his skin beneath.

  “You enjoy my sighs.” Her voice was low. Breathy. And she made him think of sex even more. His cock was painfully tight, nudging against the placket of his trousers.

  “No.” Damn, the one night had been bad enough. Another… His conscience groaned and spoke sternly. Don’t. Do. It.

  “You’re trembling.”

  Him? He didn’t…shit! He was shaking like a tree in a storm. “Shouldn’t you get ready for the pirate dinner?” Feeble, Jack. Real feeble. Exert yourself, man. Act like her boss instead of a victim. She moistened her lips until they gleamed in the moonlight, sidetracking him.

  “I don’t feel like going to the dinner. I’m tired.” He caught her glance at the bed with a sense of alarm. With that come-hither expression, no way did she have intentions of resting or sleep.

  Chapter Five

  The woman was undressing him with her eyes. Jack felt the situation escalating from his control and with his taniwha’s roars resounding in his mind, his grip was tenuous at best. Then, she raised a hand and traced the V of flesh visible at his neck.

  One tiny touch, and he lost all restraint. He grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her against his chest. Fuck, her soft curves pillowed him, fitting as precisely as his prized army boots. So good. She leaned her weight against him, brushing her belly against his cock. His cursed trousers had grown so tight Jack wondered if he’d lose circulation to his groin.

  The horrible thought faded once their lips collided, greedy and ravenous for a taste of each other. He explored her mouth, the contrasting hardness of her teeth and the softness inside her cheek. She tasted of limes and salt. Emma. It was damn addictive. When they finally parted, they were both breathing hard.

  A soft smile played on her lips. “Did you want to go to the dinner?”

  “No.” But he didn’t want this either. Another night of horizontal dancing with Emma smacked of heading down Commitment Road. Just a hop, skip and a dance away from Wedding Row.

  His hands tightened around her shoulders. Nope, not a good idea. He’d push her away. Push her away—

  Liar.

  Jack wanted sex with Emma so badly his body still trembled. Even the idea of voyeurs didn’t bother him as much as it had at the start.

  Her warm hands burrowed under the fabric of his shirt, and just like that, Jack’s willpower toppled and he gave up the fight. “Dammit, woman. You’re killing me here. If you’re going to undo things, start with the trousers. They’re cutting off my circulation.”

  “Poor baby,” she cooed. “Can’t have that.” She redirected nimble fingers to his fly and cupped his erection, teasing him some more.

  Jack heard her wildly beating pulse and knew she was excited. “I bet your panties are wet. I bet you’re wet for me.”

  A soft blush suffused her cheeks. “Why don’t you find out?” she whispered, her lashes drifting downward to hide the sleepy expression in her blue eyes.

  With a reluctant grin, he slid his hands beneath the hem of her T-shirt. Blue. It matched her eyes. His fingers skimmed the warm flesh of her belly. She sucked in a rapid breath and her stomach as well. He ignored the feminine vanity. To his mind, she was perfect. He didn’t suffer from a sore neck when he kissed her, and there was no danger of flattening her in a missionary position.

  Yeah, she was perfect—more’s the pity.

  His fingers traced across her rib cage then a little higher to hold the generous weight of one plump breast. He lifted her T-shirt, exposing her breasts to his gaze.

  “Beautiful.” Jack wet his forefinger in his mouth and traced around the areola of one breast. Her pink nipple puckered, drawing tighter before his fascinated gaze. Leaning closer, he blew, his breath warm.

  Emma shuddered and made a tiny sound of encouragement at the back of her throat. Jack had never taken the time to explore a feminine body in this detail. Had never been interested in anything but satiating his taniwha’s demands. But now, despite the insistent pain in his groin, he wanted to stroke and pet, to explore the mysteries of Emma. He pressed a kiss in the valley between her breasts and licked along the fine web of blue veins beneath the pale surface. Strawberries. Tonight, she smelled of sweet, juicy strawberries.

  “Stop teasing me,” she said in a thick demand.

  “I want to make sure I win my bet. I want you wet—dripping with your juices—so I can pound between your legs the minute I remove your panties.”

  Another shudder racked Emma. Jack smiled against the curve of her breast and placed tiny kisses, tantalizingly brief on her plump flesh, near her nipple and on the undersides of the weighty globes.

  Emma tangled her hands in his hair, gripping tightly as she tried to direct his mouth to her nipple. Her fingernails dug into his scalp, and his amusement deepened.

  “Hurry,” she said with a grumpy edge to her voice.

  Instead of giving her the relief she wanted, Jack let his hands drop to the dome snap at the waistband of her shorts. He tugged the fastening and it parted with a sharp crack. The zipper slid down, allowing the denim material to sag around her hips. Jack wet his finger again and ran it along the elastic waistband of her panties. He studied the damp trail he’d left and sucked in a deep breath. Fuck. His cock ached, the pressure for release intense and unrelenting. But if he waited, held off, his orgasm would be mind-blowing. A memory to dig out once he returned to solitary life alone in his seaside home with only his scruffy tomcat for company.

  Jack knelt in front of her, sliding the shorts down her long legs. He helped her balance so she could step out and kick them away.

  The increased scent of her arousal hit him hard—spicy and seductive and with a hint of strawberry. The same fruity aroma that perfumed her skin. He pressed his nose against her lower belly and breathed her in so he would remember. His lips moved, and he scraped his teeth against the sensitive flesh, nipping then soothing.

  “I’m hot for you now, Jack,” she said almost defiantly.

  “Let’s see, shall we?” But even though his words indicated action, he still dallied, teasing both of them to the point of madness. He palmed her naked buttocks, gripping one cheek in each hand. More than a handful, just the way he liked—a sexy curve to hold on to when he wanted to thrust into her tight pussy. He kneaded the flesh, enjoying the fact she never attempted to hide her generous ass or try to wriggle away from his attentions. Jack liked that about Emma—the acceptance of her size.

  He loosened his grip on one butt cheek and ran his fingers in the crevice between. Emma jumped in surprise as he followed the G-string down. Then she rocked her hips, trying to massage her clit to gain relief.

  “Not yet, sweet cheeks.” Jack allowed his finger to travel between her legs, just a brief foray. His finger emerged wet. Emma was ready for his possession. Jack tipped back his head to meet her gaze.

  “Please,” she murmured, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

  He lifted the damp finger to his mouth and maintaining her gaze, licked it clean, savoring the tart taste of her juices. She moaned, her blue eyes dark with arousal.

  “Would you like my mouth on you? We haven’t done that yet.”

  Her nose wrinkled a fraction before she nodded.

  Jack ran his fingers under the elastic band of her G-string and tugged away her panties.

  There were changes from this morning. “What have you done?” he murmured, shaking his head. It seemed the spa had a lot to answer for. “What else did you do in that spa?”

  Emma glanced at her pelvic region. “I thought my heart looked sexy. And besides, you made the appointment.”

  Well, he couldn’t argue with that. “It’s…cute.” Jack stared at the close-clipped heart that shielded her femininity. He drew her panties down her legs and then leaned closer to lick around the edge of the heart. She smelled intoxicating, and he gave in to the temptation to co
mb his fingers through the heart then made a quick foray along her naked cleft. “You’re not sore?”

  “No side effects from the shaving. Not yet anyway. They gave me some cream in case I have itching. Are you going to take all night?”

  “Just drawing out the anticipation.” And making himself crazy with lust, but the wait would be worth it. He glanced at his hand and saw the glint of scales starting to form on the top of his hand. The shadow of claws had formed beneath his fingernails, ready to pop into webbed talons. He’d run out of time to play. “Turn around. Put your hands on the wall.”

  She hesitated, tugging her bottom lip between dainty white teeth.

  “Do it.”

  Slowly, she turned to face the beige-colored wall but cast another doubtful glance over her shoulder.

  “Hands against the wall.”

  Emma sucked in an audible breath, but she placed her hands, one at a time on the painted wall, her heartbeat double-timing and drawing his taniwha even closer to the surface.

  Jack ripped at the laces that fastened his shirt at the neck.

  “What are you doing?” Emma half turned.

  “Look at the wall,” he barked. Jack scrambled for an excuse to keep her from seeing his partial change. Iridescent scales shimmered on his chest—pearl-gray scales the same color as the inside of a mussel shell. Thank God, his chest always changed before his back. If he hurried, the change would recede. “We’re doing a role-play and you’re the submissive. That means you follow orders. For a change.”

  Please let her follow his directions. Jack eyed her still body with misgiving. He yanked at his belt buckle and peeled the trousers over his swollen cock with care. Seconds later, he kicked the trousers out of his way and grabbed a condom. His breathing sounded harsh to his ears, and his hands shook, suddenly clumsy, dexterity compromised by the start of his change to taniwha form. He unrolled the condom awkwardly onto his penis, hoping like hell he didn’t put a hole in the rubber with the sharp claws that extended from his fingers. The last thing he needed were baby taniwhas running around Auckland.

  “What does a submissive do?” she whispered, still thankfully staring at the wall.

  “Follows orders,” he growled. If Emma decided to disobey, he wasn’t certain of his next actions. Maybe he should introduce a bit of kink. Keep her busy with new experiences. And definitely a blindfold because if he didn’t make haste, it was going to take time for the scales to fade back into his skin. “A submissive does what they’re told without questioning. I’m not sure you could manage.”

  “Of course I can,” she snapped.

  Jack grinned at her indignation. A sharp, nagging pain knifed him in the gut, making him fold forward in agony. Damn, if he didn’t hurry, he’d land in trouble. He cast a belligerent gaze toward the window. The moon was almost full, and he could feel its siren pull with every particle of his body. Another sharp twinge made him grunt. Fuck, he hoped Emma was as ready for his possession as he thought, because he wouldn’t manage gentle tonight.

  Jack ambled up to Emma and gingerly ran his finger pads over the silky smooth skin of her back, taking care not to scratch her with his claws.

  “Spread your legs farther apart,” he whispered, hoping she wouldn’t notice the changed timbre of his voice. Generally, his vocal cords changed slowly, allowing him to speak in a growl before he shifted. Once he changed, all he could do was grunt or roar.

  Emma widened her stance, drawing his attention to the full cheeks of her ass. He stepped up behind her so the fronts of his thighs brushed the backs of her legs.

  “You feel hot.”

  “I am.” Jack curled his hand around his cock and brushed the tip across the soft flesh of her backside. The resulting jolt ran the length of his body. He changed the direction, massaging his tip down the crevice between her ass cheeks.

  Jack fingered her, skimming his fingers across the sensitive nub nestled in her core.

  “Ohhh,” she whispered, shifting her weight slightly and pushing her arse outward.

  The soft moan reverberated, and his lips quirked as he leaned closer to nip the sensitive cords of her neck. Emma was responsive with no pretenses. No secrets. Jack’s hands snaked around to cup her breasts in his hands. Guilt rose but he shoved it aside. He had a job to do, and this was the best way to complete his mission.

  “I’m wet for you now,” she complained. “You must have noticed. Ohhh! Do that again.”

  A muscle jumped in his jaw and his cock swelled impossibly tight at her sexy sound. Jack kissed her shoulder again then sucked on her flesh. “You ready for me to fuck you?”

  “Yesss,” Emma hissed with a trace of impatience.

  Jack felt the absurd need to hold himself in check, to savor this experience, but he already balanced on the line between pleasure and pain. He pumped his cock with one hand then pushed into her warmth. Fuck. So damn good. The feel of her—tight, clinging. Grasping his dick so sweetly. Enough to send a man mad or keep a taniwha sane. God, she felt so good. Deep shudders shook him as he stroked, hard and fast into her heat.

  Thank God, the change had slowed. His claws retracted a fraction. The closeness with Emma and the charged hormones running through him had pushed the dragon back to its den. Scales still glinted beneath his skin, but he could explain the phenomena away if necessary.

  “More,” Emma demanded. Although she’d been skeptical about him taking her against a wall, he’d made her so hot, so quickly she could barely think. All she could do was feel. Jack slid a hand over her belly then lower, to rub her clit. His cock filled her impossibly full, possessing her and stamping ownership. Frissons of excitement swelled to a heady spill of pleasure. Another pass of his finger pushed her over the edge and she shattered—a full body experience with fireworks of color flickering behind her eyelids. Her breaths came in harsh pants, echoed by a grunt as Jack pumped into her then held still, his cock expelling semen deep inside her.

  She sighed as the ripples of pleasure kept coming, gentler now, but still consuming. Already, she wanted another turn. Jack had her hooked, literally addicted, and she didn’t think she’d ever manage to look at another man again.

  He nuzzled her shoulder, his chest pressed against her back. He pulled out of her, removed the condom and led her over to the bed. They stared at each other for a long moment. Jack looked away first, glancing at the mirror above the bar.

  “Interested in trying out some of the toys you’ve won?” he asked.

  “Yes, please.” Happiness suffused Emma without warning. Sometimes, it seemed as if Jack was making love to her against his will. But if he wanted to play with toys, then it must be her imagination. She plucked her box of goodies off the bedside table and handed it to him. “What do you want to do first?”

  She took pleasure in watching him as he studied the contents of the box. His face was in the dark, his hair tousled, making him look mysterious and sexy. She leaned closer, brushing her breasts against his dragon tattoo.

  Jack chose two items from the box and handed them to her. A glowing thing that resembled a penis but had a sort of handle at the end. Emma read the packaging and felt hot all over. A butt plug. She’d liked it when Jack had touched her there before. Excitement rose inside at the thought of trying something new. The other was a jar of chocolate paste. Emma turned the package over to read the instructions. There were several illustrations of breasts decorated with the paste and made to resemble edible items. A snigger emerged. “Which one are we going to try?”

  Jack grinned suddenly, making Emma catch her breath and stare. So sexy. She wanted to soak in the warmth and wallow in his attention. “I’ve always liked Christmas pudding,” he murmured, reclaiming the package from her. He opened it, and the deep, rich scent of chocolate filled the air. Emma watched as he dipped his finger into the jar. He raised it to his lips and licked the paste away.

  Desire unfurled in her belly. He pushed her back against the pillows and bent to take a nipple in his mouth. Jack drew hard. And just l
ike that, Emma was hot and ready for another round. Needy. Desperate. Why play with toys when she had the real thing?

  “Jack?”

  He glanced up, his dark eyes glowing strangely. A quirk of the light. “I need you inside me,” Emma said. “We have all night. We can play with toys later.”

  Maintaining her gaze, he set the jar aside and reached for a condom. He covered his erection with calm, confident moves. “Just a little chocolate,” he murmured. “I want to taste it on your skin.”

  Emma shivered at the avid note in his voice. No doubt about it—she was gonna die a happy woman.

  ***

  “You like Thai food, too?” Emma paused in the middle of applying suntan lotion, ready to hit the pool straight after breakfast. “There’s a great Thai restaurant near Botany Downs. We should go out for dinner when we get back to Auckland.”

  “We’re not a couple.” The flat and final tone of his voice made Emma stare.

  Shock punched her in the lungs, stealing her breath. “I thought—”

  Jack scowled. “Emma. I’m a male, and I need sex. You’re handy and willing. It’s as simple as that.”

  Her mouth opened then snapped shut. Her jaw worked but words jammed in her throat. She swallowed once. Twice. After coughing, she managed to squeeze out a few words. “What you’re saying is that our affair comes to an end once we leave the resort?”

  Jack lifted his gaze toward the ceiling. “By George, I think she’s got it.”

  “You bastard.” The urge to wrap her hands around his neck and squeeze until he gasped for air struck so strongly she shook with the need. Tempting, but too quick. He needed to suffer. “I have—” She broke off mid-sentence. No way was she letting him trample her feelings more than he had already. Tears built but she fought the feminine weakness. She straightened her shoulders and forced herself to meet his gaze without a flinch. “Fine. At least I know where I stand. I won’t force myself on you again.” Although she tried to keep her voice even, the bite of temper colored it dark and gave her words weight.