The countertops in the bright, cheery kitchen were covered with various paper bags overflowing with boxes of food, veggies, and other household sundries.
“Awesome.” Glancing around her, she wondered where Daniel was.
“Daniel has gone to work,” Thoralf offered, as if reading her mind. “He informed me that he will be back later tonight, but to call him should we need anything.”
Disappointment flooded her, but she ignored it. “All right. Have you eaten?”
His dark blond brows snapped together. “I confess I have not. My skills in the kitchen are quite limited, but I’m sure I can find some fruits or vegetables to eat.” He dug through the bags and took out a bag of apples. “Ah! Something nutritious. This shall do.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Surely you need more than that. Hold on.” Searching through the first bag within her reach, she found some eggs, milk, and bread. “Ah, here we go. Why don’t I make us some breakfast?”
“You don’t need to—”
“It’s fine, really. I’m starving.”
It didn’t take her too long to find everything she needed to put together a simple breakfast. Thoralf was happy to help root around the kitchen for things she needed or with tasks like breaking the eggs into a bowl or making toast. Soon, they were sitting down to some scrambled eggs, toast, juice, and coffee.
“This is most kind of you, my lady,” Thoralf said as he took a spoonful of eggs into his mouth. “Delicious.”
“Thanks. And please, call me Sarah.” She didn’t quite know what to make of the dragon shifter. It was almost like he stepped out of a medieval TV show or novel from the way he acted, talked, and dressed. This morning, he wasn’t wearing his armor, but instead, donned a long-sleeved white shirt and tan pants. “So … you’ve been traveling for a while now, Thoralf?”
“Yes.” He took a gulp of orange juice. “My quest has taken me far and wide. I began in Europe and made my way through Asia, South America, and now I am here in the United States. It’s my first time here.”
“And you said you’re from the Northern Isles?” she asked. “I’m afraid I’ve never heard of that country.”
“Few have my—I mean, Sarah,” he corrected. “We are a small country and prefer to be left alone. It’s better that way to protect our people and natural resources. It’s also a difficult place to get to unless one has a private plane or can fly on one’s own.”
“Like you?” Curiosity got the better of her. “You’re a dragon, right?”
“A water dragon, yes.” He took a large bite out of a piece of toast.
“Water dragon? There’s more than one kind?”
“Yes, several in fact. My kind is different from the Blackstone dragons, who are mountain dragons. They are perhaps what you imagine when you think of dragons—large wings, sharp claws, and they breathe fire. Our queen, Queen Sybil, is one of them and is sister to Jason, Matthew, and Luke Lennox.”
“Huh. I did remember something in the news last year about an American marrying some king of a small European nation. Do you miss home?”
A nostalgic look passed across his face. “Yes, I do, terribly. But I must complete my quest before I set foot on the Isles again. I must restore my lord’s dragon.” Pushing his empty plate away, he stood up from the kitchen counter stool. “Again, I thank you for this meal. I would be happy to clean up the dirty dishes as my share of the labor.”
Hopping off the stool, she laughed. “I hate doing dishes, so yes, please. I’m going out to the car to get my stuff now.”
She was grateful Christina thought to check her out and send her things—along with the overnight package from Darcey—saving her a trip back to the motel. Then she went in search of the laundry room to wash her dirty clothes and changed into fresh underwear and one of the dresses Darcey had sent.
As she did that, she checked her phone—still no reply from Adam—and her email and social media accounts for SLW. There were a number of interview requests from media outlets, but she ignored those. Surprisingly, she found a few nice messages from people who had discovered her website and well wishes on her marriage to Daniel.
There were also some not-so-nice ones. Though she was used to getting one or two pieces of hate mail from crazy people, she’d never received anything like this, specifically, those that called her a “shifter lover,” “human traitor,” and a bunch of other vile and disgusting names. It was a good thing Darcey didn’t have access to these accounts. Though she was tempted to reply to all of them and give them a piece of her mind, it wasn’t worth the trouble and brain cells, so all those messages were trashed and their senders blocked.
Feeling hungry sometime around one o’clock, she headed back to the kitchen and made herself a tuna sandwich. Thoralf was nowhere to be found, but she made him a couple of sandwiches in case he was hungry. There were more emails to answer, from her accountant, from the bank, and a few more orders and customer inquiries had come in. With all the busywork done, she could now get down to photographing the samples and put them up on the website.
With no extra cash to hire models, photographers, or even a website designer, Sarah did everything herself, learning how to use all the apps and programs to take and edit photos and put them up on the site. She modeled the lingerie pieces, used her phone and a tripod to photograph herself—from the neck down, of course—and a nifty app on her tablet to erase her tattoos so no one knew it was her. Thank God for photo editing apps. The last thing she needed was pictures of her in lingerie splashed all over the news.
Now, where to take the photos? Usually she used the white wall of the bedroom she shared with Darcey. There were a couple of white walls downstairs, but Thoralf might walk in on her. She didn’t even want to think about having to explain that to him. The bathroom! Yes, the shower stall was huge, and the wall should work. The white tiles would be easy enough to erase.
After setting up her tripod and tablet in the bathroom, she selected her favorite among the samples—a red sheer lace teddy embroidered with roses and a T-strap choker. There were also matching garters and stockings which completed the look. She took a few test shots to adjust the settings and the positioning of the camera before she proceeded.
Modeling her creations was her least favorite part of the process, and she vowed that once she could afford it, she’d hire professionals to do this part. It took a long time because she had to take hundreds of shots before she could narrow it all down to about half a dozen or so that would be featured on each product page. As the timer on her tablet clicked away, she bent back with her hip cocked, stretching out her torso to elongate her body and show off the design.
“Sarah? Are you in here?”
The familiar masculine voice sent a jolt through her, which was unfortunate timing giving her current position. She yelped out as she started falling back, so she extended her arm. Grasping for anything that could prevent her fall, her fingers gripped the tap and twisted it, and a cold blast of water burst from the shower head.
“Motherfucker!” She steadied herself before she did fall, but the water continued to spray at her, blinding her. Her hands found the tap, thankfully, and turned it off. “Damn it!” She was soaking wet. “Goddamm—oh shit.”
The door had burst open, and Daniel careened into the bathroom. “Sarah! Are you hurt? Is—” He stopped short, his jaw dropping as his eyes landed on the camera set up—and her.
Kill me now. “I can explain.” Warmth crept up her … well, everywhere. “T-this isn’t what you think it is.” Oh God, I’m in trouble. Daniel probably thought she was a cam girl or worse, that she was using his home to turn her tricks.
A spark of something lit up his silvery blue eyes. Something she didn’t want to name. “Oh yeah?” He took a few steps closer. “Do you want to know what I think this is?”
The low thrum of his voice caressed over her skin like a lover’s touch, and her mouth went dry as a desert. She was in deep trouble, but not in the way she thought she was.
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Chapter Eight
After last night’s debacle, Daniel knew staying away from Sarah for now would be the best thing. He’d been curt to her, and he hated that those were the last words she heard from him, but he didn’t know what to do. It had been a long, tiring day, and arguing with her only agitated his grizzly even more. His animal didn’t know why their mate was being belligerent when they only wanted to protect her and why she didn’t want to stay in their den. But he couldn’t make it understand, and when he told it that he didn’t want to argue anymore, he had inadvertently said it out loud, and Sarah thought he had said it to her. He wanted to explain, but it was obvious she wasn’t hearing any of it.
So, he went to bed, got up early to grab some groceries, and left for work. He stayed inside the office, only because he didn’t want to have to face anyone else, though all he wanted to do was go back home and see Sarah again.
His grizzly snarled at the thought of her alone with that other male. His human side knew that the dragon shifter had no interest in Sarah, but all his shifter side saw was a rival for their mate’s affections. No amount of explaining or pleading could convince the bear otherwise.
Finally, it was time to clock out, and he drove home. Thoralf was nowhere in sight, but he had the distinct feeling that the dragon shifter was somewhere around. Probably using his creepy-ass ability to Cloak himself so he could lurk around the perimeter unseen.
Seeing as Sarah wasn’t downstairs, he went up to the bedroom, intending to apologize. She didn’t answer when he knocked or even when he called her, so when he heard her shout, his protective instincts went into overdrive and he burst in. His imagination ran wild. Did The Knights find them? Were they holding her in there? Or was Thoralf in there with her, and it was a different kind of scream? His grizzly was ready to burst out of his skin at that point to tear any rival off her.
But this … this wasn’t what he was expecting.
Jesus Almighty.
She had that deer in headlights look as she stood in the shower stall, dripping wet and dressed in that sinful red concoction. “T-this isn’t what you think it is.”
Daniel knew what he should do. He should act like a gentleman, back away, and close the door to give her some privacy. It’s what he’d been taught all his life, the principles he lived by. Wait. Be patient. Ask, don’t just take.
But he was tired of that. Of being the nice guy. He wanted to take, to claim. He wanted Sarah. “Oh yeah?” He moved a few steps closer. “Do you want to know what I think this is?”
Her plush lips parted, and her gaze lowered, her sweeping lashes leaving shadows over her dusky cheekbones. Fuck. Seeing her like this … dressed in nothing but red lace … She trembled as he stepped into the shower. “Sarah.” Reaching out, he touched his finger to her chin and tipped her head up. “Sarah,” he repeated.
Her lids opened, those soft brown eyes looking up at him with unmistakable desire. His finger traced a trail down her chin, to her throat, his entire hand covering the bit of lace around her neck in a gentle, but possessive grip. Her pupils blew out, and the scent of her arousal teased his nostrils.
Fuck it.
He slammed up against her, pressing her body up the tiled wall as his mouth slotted over hers. His blood sang in his veins, and he knew this was not the first time their lips had met. She didn’t hesitate in responding either, as she opened her mouth to him and slid her hands up to his shoulders to pull him closer.
Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he tasted her sweetness. Bits of memories flooded his brain telling him he knew this taste and this body pressed up against him. That didn’t make him want her less, in fact, he craved more of her. He devoured her mouth, and she eagerly let him, giving him more, her lips and tongue tasting and battling his. Feisty. He groaned at her eagerness, wanting more. And he would take it.
His hands planted at her hips, sliding up her lace-covered ribcage to cup her breasts. This, too, seemed familiar, the weight of her breasts in his hands. Pulling away from her, he licked and kissed a path down her neck.
“Daniel.” Her warm husky voice laced with longing went straight to his cock. Now fully hard, it strained painfully against his pants. Squeezing her breasts together, he licked at her cleavage, eliciting a moan from her. His thumbs found her nipples through the wet lace, and he covered one with his mouth.
Fingers raked through his hair and gripped the roots. That only made him groan against her breast and suckle the stiff nipple through the lace harder. Her hips start to roll against him, and he knew what she wanted.
Moving even lower, he kneeled in front of her. He saw the snaps holding the teddy between her legs, and he pulled them apart. “Ffuucck.” Her pussy was pink, shaved, and absolutely perfect like everything about her. Lifting one knee up, he hoisted it over his shoulder. The smell of her was powerful, and his cock twitched painfully, but he was determined to give her pleasure first, so he teased her by licking around her thighs.
“Daniel,” she panted. “Please.”
The word coming from her mouth broke something in him, and he pressed his mouth to her clit. She gasped and clutched at his hair harder, her hips pushing up. He lapped her little bud with quick, hard strokes that had her panting.
“Keep going. Oh God!”
He could feel her at the edge of her orgasm as he continued to lap at her. However, just as she was about to come, he slowed down. She let out a frustrated grunt, and he couldn’t help but smile.
Spreading her thighs more, he slipped a finger in her, making her yelp out. He stroked her deep, making a “come here” sign with his finger, and she grew wetter with each stroke. Looking up, he saw her eyes roll back as she squeezed hard around him. Knowing she was close, he put a second finger inside and then slid his tongue across her clit.
“Daniel! Ohfuckohfuckohfuck!”
Her pussy gripped his fingers tight as her entire body went rigid. Her hips bucked against his mouth as she flooded him with her slickness, a litany of curses spewing from her mouth as she came. He continued to pump her with his fingers even as she shuddered and her body went limp.
“God, Sarah,” he groaned. “I need you so bad.”
Her breath came in deep gulps. “Yes. Daniel …”
He hauled himself up and captured her lush mouth again, letting her taste herself. She kissed him eagerly, even as her hands went to the front of this uniform shirt to unbutton it. Reaching down, he unzipped his fly and pushed down his briefs, his cock springing out. He wrapped his hand around his shaft, and she spread her legs eagerly to accommodate him.
A loud crash jolted him out of his desire-fogged haze, and every hair on the back of his neck rose as lust was replaced with danger. He quickly pulled away from her.
Her eyes snapped open. “What the—”
“Stay here,” he commanded, as he righted himself. “I heard something. There’s trouble downstairs.”’
“W-what?” Her gaze was still clouded. “You’re kidding, right?”
She didn’t hear it, of course, because she wasn’t a shifter. “Where’s your phone?”
“I-in the bedroom.”
“Use your panic button,” he said before turning toward the door. “And lock yourself up here.”
“But—”
Though it pained him to leave her, he knew she was safer here. Hopefully, the agency would send someone right away, but he would take care of whoever that intruder was. As he rushed out of the bedroom, he didn’t hear any more crashes or commotions, but there was still noise coming from downstairs. It sounded like two people arguing.
“… I said I want to see her, now!”
Rage pushed him to use his shifter speed, and he reached the bottom of the stairs in half a second.
“Young man, if you would please calm down—”
“I am fucking calm! Get my sister or I’ll—”
“What the hell is going on here?” This was not what he’d expected. Not at all.
Thoralf stood in the entryway to t
he living room, not moving a muscle, while a man in a wheelchair faced him, one hand raised menacingly at the dragon shifter.
“I said, what’s going on here?”
The wheelchair-bound man turned his head toward him. Jeez, he’s just a kid. Probably fifteen or sixteen, with wheat-blond hair and green eyes. Eyes that widened in recognition when his gaze fixed on Daniel.
“You,” he said, swinging his hand around. “This is your fault.”
“My fault?” Daniel saw something spark in the kid’s hand. “Is that a taser?”
“Where’s Sarah?” he asked.
“Sarah?” His body tensed, and his grizzly bared its teeth. “How do you know her? Who are you?”
“Daniel?” Footsteps pattered down the stairs. “Daniel, who’s down—Adam?”
“I told you to stay upsta—hold on.” His gaze ping-ponged from her to the teen in the chair. “You know this kid?”
Sarah, now dressed in a shirt and jeans, stopped halfway down the steps, blood slowly draining from her pretty face. “He’s my brother. What are you doing here, Adam? How did you get all the way here?” Rushing down, she sailed toward the kid and knelt to his level. “Does Darcey know you’re here? She must be out of her mind with worry! And how did you get here anyway?”
“You said you wanted to talk,” Adam sneered. “Well, here I am. Were you even going to tell me about him?” He glared at Daniel. “They said you were married three months ago. Why would you keep something like that from me?”
She turned even paler. “I didn’t … I mean, I wasn’t—”
“I had to find out from those assholes at school.” His face turned red as he clenched his fists. “And they found your website, too. Don’t even get me started about that. Did you have some secret life you weren’t telling me about all this time? Were you going to run off with your new husband and your new business and leave me and Darcey behind? Is that why you didn’t tell me?”
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