18. Reylor

Chapter 18

Reylor

“ I ’ll go out with you tomorrow night,” she said firmly. “I’ll ride or let you hold me while you fly, though don’t be surprised if I keep my eyes closed.”

“You’ll ride on my back. Why will you close your eyes?”

“Because I don’t love heights.”

“You think I’d actually drop you?”

She winced. “Well, uh . . .”

Man, did I love teasing her. “I haven’t dropped any women yet.” I said it quite sternly.

“How many women have you taken flying?” she asked in a somewhat shrill voice that my heart said could indicate jealousy that she had no reason to feel. It made my pulse surge, however, and that was always a good thing.

“None yet.”

“Yet?” she barked.

“You’re the first person I’ve offered a flight to, sweetheart.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders loosened.

“I will never drop you.”

“What if you crash?”

“A dragon, crash? It’s never happened.”

“It must’ve happened,” she said. “What about bad weather? Maybe the dragon couldn’t see, and they flew into a building. Or the snow was so thick, ice coated their wings, and they spiraled to the ground.”

“We’ll check the weather before we fly.”

“Hmm.”

I could tell she wasn’t convinced, but flying with me would reassure her. And I would make sure the weather would be clear tomorrow night, though there was no chance of snow in late summer.

“I’ll try to open my eyes,” she finally said.

“I appreciate your confidence in my flying abilities.”

Her frown only deepened. “No reckless moves.”

“Never,” I vowed.

“No dive bombing toward the ground only to pull up at the last moment for the thrill of it.”

“Not while I’m carrying you.”

“And no pretending to drop me only to call out that you were teasing.”

“That will be a challenge, but for your first flight, I will hold myself back.” I pressed my palm against my heart. “No dropping.”

“Ever.”

I sighed dramatically. “Never ever?”

“I’ll let you know if I change my mind,” she said primly, though this woman was anything but. I sensed a banked fire inside her that made my dragon roar. I couldn’t wait to coax that Hannah out into my world.

“But I’m not going to your nest tomorrow night,” she said, clearly scandalized. “We just met.”

“We can wait until the next night, then.” I was joking. I’d grant this woman all the time she needed to decide she wanted to be with me.

I’d already made up my mind. The mark nudged me closer, but from the moment I met her, I knew somewhere deep inside that she was special, that she’d soon come to mean everything to me.

“I can’t shift,” she said, backing away from me. “And I’m not having sex with a dragon. You’re big. Huge. Feisty.”

“Feisty?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’ll be happy to have sex with you in this form instead.”

“Reylor,” she warned. “Stop. I’ve agreed to one date but nothing else.”

“Alright.”

She huffed. “Just like that? You don’t want to lift me off my feet, set me on the counter, then step between my legs where you use your considerable charm to persuade me to do more?”

I swung Max off my shoulder, onto the floor. He sat and looked up at me, disgruntled that I wasn’t still holding him. But my mate had just issued a challenge, and I was going to meet her more than halfway.

With a sly smile, I strode toward her. “Would something like that work?”

She backed up until her ass reached the counter. “I’m not daring you or anything.”

“That sounded like a challenge to me, and I’m the best dragon shifter to meet it.”

“You’re the only dragon shifter in town, so being the best doesn’t mean much.”

I spanned her waist with my hands, stroking her t-shirt up so my fingertips could meet her skin. There was no way I’d ever be able to resist this woman even if we didn’t wear matching symbols to prove we belonged together.

Her jaw dropped as she looked up at me.

“Did you think I wouldn’t take you up on your offer?” I asked, lifting her up onto the counter and nudging her thighs apart so I could step between them.

“It wasn’t an offer.” Her chin lifted and a flinty look settled in her eyes.

“Are you saying you don’t want me to kiss you?”

“What would your kiss mean?”

Everything. “What do you want it to mean?”

“I told you I was burned, that I’m on a hiatus.”

“You agreed to go out with me tomorrow night.”

“We’re friends. Why not?”

“Do friends do this?” I leaned in close and for an instant, I took in her heady scent, a mix of something sweet, a touch of spice, and pure woman.

My woman.

I kissed from the lobe of her ear to her chin before lifting my head. Her eyes had slid shut, and her lips had parted.

“Or this?” I claimed her mouth, taking at first before giving way to the warmth flooding my soul and softening my touch.

I wanted so much from this woman, but I would never force this. I was walking a fine line between making demands, something I knew could drive her away, and begging.

She was the only one I’d ever need. If I hadn’t realized that already, this kiss would do it for me.

I held her in place with my hands on the counter on either side of her hips before using them to nudge her closer, to the edge of the counter. Now I could stand between her legs and feel her heat and the passion she couldn’t deny.

The realization that she’d soon mean everything to me made me hesitate a moment. The deeper I got into her, the harder it would be to drag myself away. I’d never want to leave, but I’d have to if she said she’d never want more. I had to respect that she was hurt, and she might not be ready to fall in love again.

But oh, how amazing it felt to kiss her.

With a moan, she grabbed onto the front of my shirt, dragging me fully against her.

I wanted to tumble her to the floor and take everything she seemed to be offering.

I slid my tongue across hers and she groaned, pressing her breasts against me. Her hands fluttered between us before she slid them around to my lower back, diving beneath my shirt to find my overheated body. She ran her nails across my skin, making it prickle with heat and a growl rip up my throat.

It was all I could do to remain in control. I wanted . . . so much. Much more than she was prepared to give.

She kissed me back, her tongue sliding into my mouth to duel with mine. She was issuing a challenge, and I was taking her up on it and issuing my own in return.

I deepened our kiss, claiming everything I could from this woman with all the recklessness of the dragon slumbering deep inside me. A mate was a sacred thing, yet she was also someone to adore and treasure. If I could get her to my nest, I could show her, prove to her that what we were building could last for a lifetime.

I would never hurt her like her ex had. I couldn’t, not while this woman held the very key to my soul.

Lifting my head, I gazed down at her, taking in her lips pinkened from my kiss and the way her eyes focused on my mouth.

It took every bit of willpower inside me not to kiss her again, not to tug off her clothing and explore her body.

I backed away from her and ran my fingers through my hair.

Her gaze slid down my body like a caress, focusing on my groin. I might be able to contain my inner drive—somewhat—but there was no denying my body’s response to hers.

“Well,” she said.

“Yes, well.” A smile teased across my lips. I wanted to slip back into the drawling, flirty guy I was when I placed her on the counter, but something had changed inside me during our kiss.

I’d started to fall in love.