Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

J enna felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. Besides Maggie, no one else knew about her past relationship with her boss, and telling Eron made her feel free. As if the other man's words didn't hold as much weight as she'd originally given them.

She wasn't sure why she'd opened up in the first place, but there was no denying the pull she felt towardhim, and she loved the way he'd stood up to her boss. She understood he could be putting on some huge act to get her into bed again, but she didn't think that was true. Besides, what would be the point? He'd already confirmed he could have any woman he wanted, and for some reason, he'd chosen her.

Now that he knew about her ex—and what the other man thought of her—she'd be stupid to let Eron go.

When she finished her food, Eron cleared those plates and brought over a warmed cinnamon roll. The soft bread was huge, and the top was covered in a thick layer of icing. In her mind, the only way to eat something like that was to tear it apart with your fingers, so that's exactly what she did.

If they were out in public, she might try to wrestle with a fork and knife, but she figured Eron might as well see all of her before he decided to keep her around.

Because she was pretty sure that's what he was trying to do.

She glanced at the small gift bag sitting on the edge of the table, and wondered what was inside. Eron had said he'd picked out the item himself, and though it seemed way too soon to receive an expensive gift from him, she wasn't stupid enough to reject the present.

She moved her gaze back to Eron and froze when she found him watching her. Her fingers were covered in icing, and she'd been about to lick the fingers of one hand clean when she noticed his heated amethyst eyes watching her every move.

If it were any other man, she would feel self-conscious, or even embarrassed, but Eron made her feel bold.

"This is amazing," she said, licking up the side of one finger. "Thank you."

He watched as she slid the whole digit into her mouth and sucked it clean, and then he looked at her other hand.

She reached her hand out with the first two fingers extended, and he closed his mouth around the offering and swirled his tongue around the digits, licking them clean.

Her pussy throbbed with every brush of his tongue, and once again, her panties were soaking.

Too soon, he pulled back, letting her fingers go, and she held his gaze as she slowly lowered her arm back down to the table. She knew they were supposed to talk, but right now all she wanted to do was strip down and suck his cock into her mouth. She hadn't done that their first night together, and now she wanted to correct that mishap.

"Stop looking at me like that, sweetheart," he growled. "No sex until we talk."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes and laughed, and then started in on the cinnamon roll again. She'd only eaten half of the thing so far, and she was already getting full. "Everything is delicious. You are truly talented."

"I'm glad you think so. What is your favorite food? I'll make that for you next."

"I like breakfast for dinner. Doesn't matter what it is as long as it's not cereal or oatmeal. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits. Any and all of that kind of stuff. I love all of it. What's your favorite food?"

"Chicken Parmesan."

"You made me your favorite food?" She couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, but in fairness, because it's my favorite, I do make it a lot."

"What else do you make often?"

"Dragon-sized sandwiches and casseroles like lasagna and chicken parm. I also bake a lot, and make a lot of grab-and-go snacks like power bars. Those are things I just like to have on hand for everyone, but I make lots of other food, too. I experiment a lot, and my family will often try to trick me into making something they're craving."

He used air-quotes around the word trick, and she laughed.

"What do you mean? How do they try to trick you?"

"They'll claim they think I can't make something, like it will be too hard, or that some restaurantthey went to has the best whatever it is they are craving. I'm a bit competitivewith my food, and they know I won't back down from a challenge, but I've been on to them for years. My sister is the worst, but I play along because I love them and I enjoy feeding them."

An invisible band tightened around her heart as she wondered what it would be like to be loved by this man. Not in the way he loved his siblings and friends, but in the way he would love a... mate.

The word wasn't one she used often, but in her mind it somehow fit. Once Eron decided on a woman to spend the rest of his life with, he would never let her go. Jenna feltthat truth all the way to her core, and she desperately wanted to be that woman.

But she wouldn't be. Men like Eron didn't do forever with girls like her... Right?

Right!

She had no idea what this was, but it was just talking. It wasn't some declaration of forever.

"That's sweet."

She managed to make the words come out sounding completely normal, and then stood to take her plate to the sink. She needed to put some distance between herself and Eron, and after washing her hands, she turned to find him standing right behind her.

He advanced on her, crowding her space, until she bumped into the countertop, and then his arms caged her in on both sides as his hands gripped the marble.

"I can tell you're thinking about running again, so I want to make some things clear."

"Okay." He was so close she could barely think, and when she pushed on his chest he didn't budge. "Eron..."

Her voice broke, and he studied her face for a full minute before gripping her waist and lifting her off the ground. She yelped in surprise at the same time her arms went around his neck, and he had the nerve to laugh as he turned and plopped her on the island. Then he started pushing her skirt up her thighs.

"What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly. "I thought you wanted to talk."

"I do." He'd pushed the fabric up so far that another inch would reveal her soaking wet panties, and then he moved his big body in between her open legs. "But I have things to say, and I'm not giving you a chance to run until I'm done."

"Eron..." God, she could barely think with him this close. Her pussy was tingling, and every nerve ending felt like it was on fire.

"Just listen, and then I'll make you feel good. Okay, sweetheart?"

Yes! That sounded amazing.

"Okay."

"Good." He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, and then, after a low rumble vibrated through his chest, he started talking. "First of all, I want to be with you. As in forever. I know that probably sounds crazy, but I know what I want, and I'll explain more about that in a minute."

He wanted her? That couldn't be right. She opened her mouth to say... something, but he placed a finger on her lips and continued.

"Second, your ex was a fucking asshole for saying those things to you. They are simply not true. You are perfect,and even if I didn't want you so bad, I would still be able to appreciate how perfect you are. There will always be assholes and haters, but I will never be ashamed to have you on my arm in public. When you're with me, you will be seen, and I want everyone to get a good look, because there is no one else for me."

The things he was saying sounded amazing, but they were just words. He couldn't possibly want her forever. They barely knew each other, and that just didn't make any sense. It did feel right, though, and she wasn't sure what to do withthat.

"Finally—and this is important—I don't care what you wear, or where you shop. Whether you spend five or five-hundred dollars on a pair of jeans, it doesn't matter to me. A t-shirt from a discount store? Great! I literally don't care. But, Clara is a personal shopper, and she likes to buy for her family and spend money while she's doing it. She will buy you things. It gives her great joy, and there's no way to stop it, so I ask that you don't. Just be honest with her about the purchases. Like it? Great, then keep it. Don't like it? Tell her why, and she'll return the stuff. But don't get offended. She's not trying to make you look better, or fit you into some mold. She literally does it to all of us. All the damn time. Hell, I think she picked out everything I'm wearing right now, although I can't be sure. I do sometimes buy my own stuff, but my sister is a force."

"But..."

So many questions were running around in her head, that she didn't know where to start.

"You're mine, and that makes you family. Also, money isn't really an issue here. I have tons of money, and so does Clara, and no one expects you to pay for anything out of your own pocket. She'll use her own money, or she'll use mine. Or the clan's. It just kind of all works out."

The clan?

Oh, god. Was he in some kind of cult? As much as she wanted to believe in forever, she knew his words were too good to be true. Especially since they barely knew each other.Sure, the sex had been amazing, but that wasn't something that bound people together for life, and she definitelydidn't want to be some kind of sacrificefor his weird cult.

She pushed on his chest, but he didn't budge, so she scooted a little further back on the counter. The move caused her skirt to rise up a little more, and the dark purple lace of her panties was revealed.

He zeroed in on the tiny patch of lace between her thighs, and inhaled deep.

"What's a clan?"

E ron snapped his eyes back up to Jenna's and hated the look of fear he saw on her face. He thought they were making progress, but then he'd stupidly let the word "clan" slip, and he already knew what she was thinking.

That he was in some kind of cult, and that his attraction to her was for some sort of sacrifice.

He could understand her fears to some degree—after all, they barely knew each other—but he still hated the way she watched him now. As if he was going to hurt her in some way. He forced himself to take a step back from the counter. If she tried to get down, she would still bump into his hard body, but he understood that she needed space.

"Okay," he nodded. "This part is going to be a little bit hard to hear, but please listen. I will answer all of your questions and show you as much as I can now, and hopefully you'll want to see more later. If not, that's okay. I will let you go if that's what you really want, and I will never force or hurt you. Do you understand, sweetheart?"

"Yes." She nodded obediently, but she was still wary, and he hoped she followed through on her promise.

"I'm a dragon shifter. It means that I can shift—change—into a dragon. We are immortal beings, and I've been alive for a little over two-hundred-and-fifty years. When a dragon finds his true mate, the attraction is instant. There is a pull toward the other person, which you probably feel, too, and the knowledge that they have found the one is unmistakable. You're that for me. It's how I know that we are meant to be together, and the reason that I tracked you down after you ran out on me.

"A clan is a group of dragons that chose to follow an Alpha, and form a family of oath and blood. We live in the same dwelling to stay hidden and protected, and we fight and support each other no matter what. Of course, not all clans are like this, but ours is. We also follow a lot of the old rituals, and even though we are more casual than some Royal lines, we do still use the titles. So, my brother is our Alpha, but also our King. And I'm his Second-in-Command, and have the title of Prince. Also, the mansion is a castle that is shielded from the world by dragon magic."

He watched Jenna carefully, and could see her trying to place all of the pieces together. She wasn't trying to run, yet, so that was a good thing, but the night was still early.

"So... You're a wealthy, old dragon Prince, who likes to cook and bake, and you think that I'm your mate? That we're supposed to live together forever and have dragon babies? Is that my role? To be bred by the dragon prince? Because I'm not doing that, Eron. I'm sorry. I like you, but I have dreams of my own, and they don't involve being pregnant my whole life."

Well, that was an interesting turn of events. He'd never said anything about babies, but thinking about her round with his child made his cock go rock hard. He found it odd that she didn't even question the stuff about him being a dragon, and figured she was in some sort of shock. Or denial. Because, if the tables were turned, he wasn't sure babies would be the first complaint on his list.

He also desperately wanted to know about her dreams, but they would have to deal with that later.

"Whether or not we decide to have a family is a decision we'll make together, but there's no rush. Once I mark you as mine, you'll turn immortal like me, and we'll have all the time in the world. And, because I know what you're thinking, this isn't come weird cult breeding program. Everything I'm telling you is true, and if you promise not to run, I can start to show you."

He watched as she glanced at the door, and seemingly weighed her options.

"How will you show me?"

"I can't turn into my full beast in here. He's way too big, and going onto the roof isn't an option because though I can turn invisible in my dragon form, it's too dangerous out in the open. Obviously, my ability has to stay a secret, and since I'm guessing you won't be willing to go to the castle with me just yet, I will do a partial shift of my arm from my hand to my shoulder. It's incredibly difficult, and I won't be able to hold it for long, but hopefully it will help convince you. I can also show you my heat, but again, only in small batches until we are someplace outdoors with a little more privacy."

"Does it hurt to do a partial shift?"

Deep inside, hope flared at her question. Even though he could detect a small trace of fear wrapping around her, she wasn't running, and she cared about his well-being. That had to be a good sign.

"Only a little. Are you ready to see?"

She nodded, and he took a deep breath. A partial shift was actually incredibly painful, but he wasn't going to tell her that. Not if it kept her from running.

"Don't forget: it's still me, and I would never hurt you."

"Okay."

He took another deep breath, and another. His dragon growled beneath the surface, but that didn't stop him from getting ready for the change. Jenna watched him with rapt attention, and he took another deep breath and closed his eyes.

Pain raced up his arm, and seemed to slam into the side of his head, but he held steady and opened his eyes. Jenna looked slightly blurry, and he realized the change had gone up the side of his neck and into one eye. That view was probably scary as fuck, but his mate wasn't running, so he held steady.

Jenna studied his dragon arm, and then raised her hand as if to touch him. When she looked to him for confirmation, he nodded once, and seconds later, he felt a finger outline one of his talons, and then her soft palm smoothed up his scales from his wrist to his bicep.

"You're amazing." She pulled her hand back, and he took that as a sign that she was done.

Which was good because he couldn't hold the half-shift much longer.

He shifted back, and swayed on his feet. His head felt like it was being split in two, and he vaguely realized that he should have changed closer to the couch or the bed, because he desperately needed to lie down.

He reached out to grab the counter so he could steady himself, but suddenly he was falling. Jenna's alarmed shout was the last thing he heard before everything went black.

E ron sighed as he felt the softness under his back, and slowly opened his eyes.

It took him a minute to realize he was in a bed, and then everything came rushing back. The partial shift, Jenna's shout, and then blackness. He needed to find Jenna, but when he started to move, a strong hand landed on his shoulder and pushed him back into the mattress.

"Don't even think about it."

He knew that voice, and when the turned his head to the side, he was surprised to see Marcus hovering over him. His sister's mate was the clan healer, but how did the man get into his hotel room?

"Marcus? What are you doing here? What happened?"

"What's that last thing you remember?"

"I did a partial shift for Jenna, and I over did it. The last thing I remember is falling as she shouted my name. Where is she? Is she okay? And how did you get into my hotel room?"

"Your mate is fine. Pissed, but fine," Marcus laughed. "Smart, too.She's talking with Clara in the other room right now, and they've been at it a couple of hours. After you blacked out, she tried to pull you back out of it, but when you didn't move, she used your finger to unlock your phone and found Clara's number."

"She called you guys?"

"Yes, and it's a good thing she did. You banged your head pretty hard on the ground, and you were severely dehydrated. It would have taken a lot longer for you to heal without my help, and understandably, your mate was pretty scared. Clara talked her down, and explained how we heal. They've been bonding over cinnamon rolls, coffee, and chicken parm, though I'm pretty sure the cinnamon rolls are long gone."

Fuck!

He hadn't meant to scare her, but he was also incredibly proud. Calling Clara had been a good idea, and he was glad she'd thought of it. Still, passing out on your mate wasn't the best way to make a good impression.

"Shit! I fucked up."

"Oh, you royally fucked up,"Marcus laughed, "but I'm sure you're already forgiven."

"Is he awake?"

Jenna!

He turned his head so he could see her, but she was standing just out of his line of sight.

"Yes," Marcus nodded. "Awake and almost good as new. Come see for yourself."

He heard the sound of her soft steps along the carpet, and then she was leaning over him with unshed tears filling her eyes.

"Eron?" Her voice was small, and though she put on a good front for his sister and brother, his mate was still scared.

"I'm good," he started to nod, and then stopped when the ache threatened to return. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"You scared me half to death," she said, her voice no longer a whisper. "And you will never do that again."

Behind her, Clara and Marcus burst out laughing, and then Clara came to stand next to Jenna.

"I'm glad you're okay," Clara said, all traces of humor gone. "But that was really stupid. I've given Alric an update, and he's not happy. The only thing that stopped him from coming down here was the prospect of overwhelming your mate, but he expects to see you as soon as you get home. And he and Petra want to meet Jenna as soon as possible."

He glanced at Jenna standing silently by his sister.

"I'll see what I can do."

"You do that. I love you, and I'll see you soon."

Clara leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek, and then moved out of the way so Marcus could move in.

"You're still a little low on fluids, so make sure you drink plenty of water, and stay horizontal for the next twelve hours. I mean it. You can go to the bathroom, or sit up to eat, but that's it. I've left some extra meds just in case, and you can take them again in two hours if needed. Also, no strenuous activities. That goes for the both you."

Eron wanted to laugh at the way Jenna's cheeks heated at Marcus' words. The man had basically just told them that they couldn't have sex, and though he was a doctor, she didn't know the man. At least not yet. But he was sure she would soon, because if she'd wanted to leave, then she could have done so as soon as his sister showed up.

Marcus picked up his bag and glanced at them both once more.

"Call us if you need anything, and we'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Marcus," Jenna whispered softly. "Bye Clara."

"Bye Jenna. I'll see you soon."

Eron watched as Jenna looked in the direction of the door until he heard it close with a hard click, and then she turned her gaze toward him, and one single tear slipped down her face.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I still have a bad headache, but I'll be okay. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

She turned to leave, and he closed his eyes, trying to ward off the ache filling his chest. He'd fucked up, and she knew he couldn't go after her. At least not now. He'd thought that his sister had helped him make things right, but he guessed Jenna was only sticking around until they left.

He heard some rustling, and then the soft sound of a zipper filled the room. When he opened his eyes, he turned to find her pulling one of his t-shirts over her head.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting comfortable," she laughed, crawling across the bed. He opened his arm, and she plastered herself against his side, and wrapped her arm around his waist. "I'm exhausted, and refuse to wear that skirt for another minute."

"Do you promise not to leave this time, sweetheart?"

He wasn't sure if he could bear waking up without her again. Especially not like this.

"I promise," she smiled against his chest. "We'll talk in the morning. Or afternoon. Whenever you feel better. I have to get up and call out from work, but then I plan on spending the day with you... If that's what you want."

"That's what I want," he said, tightening his arm around her.

The move shifted her even closer, and she looped a leg around his thigh. His dick swelled, and when her knee brushed across his hard length, she let out a soft laugh.

"Don't even think about it," she teased. "Doctor's orders."

They both laughed, and a few minutes later, her breathing changed and he knew she was asleep.

He closed his eyes, grateful that even though he'd fucked up, his mate seemed to accept every part of him.