11. Adrian

ELEVEN

He couldn't help but marvel at his complete self-control. Even as his inner dragon was screaming to claim his mate immediately, Adrian managed to take his time with Chloe.

The full moon heat had hit him harder than normal. Possibly because every part of him knew he had a mate, and his body was aching to know why he wasn't inside her at that very moment.

His fated mate was right there, naked and seemingly willing. The fact he hadn't claimed her yet felt ludicrous.

Later. There will be sex by the end of the night, I promise. But first, we have to make things right.

Chloe stood with her back against him, making for deliciously tight contact, his cock hard against the curve of her ass.

Adrian's mind filled with images of how easy it would be to grab her hips and set her down on his cock, right there.

Instead, he peppered her with soft kisses.

He laid kisses on her ears and the back of her neck. He tilted her head back to graze his lips against her forehead. He massaged her shoulders and ran his fingers through her hair.

Then, he took her by the hand and helped her settle into her warm bath.

The steam smelled of lavender and rose but did nothing to mask the beautiful, natural scent of his mate.

She sighed as she rested back against the tub, letting the water roll up over her breasts to her collarbone.

Chloe's hair floated around her shoulders. The sight reminded him of masterful paintings made so long ago.

Adrian leaned against the bathroom wall, simply happy to watch her relax. He could see the tension melting from her face. Her lips parted slightly as she exhaled deeply, the sound coming out in a contented sigh.

Then Chloe opened her eyes again and looked at Adrian accusingly.

"Why did you lie to me?" she asked.

There wasn't a great deal of malice or anger in her words. She sounded more hurt than anything.

The realization stabbed Adrian in the heart.

"About what?"

"About being soul mates, or whatever. Clearly, that wasn't the case. You were able to go so long without seeing me, after all." She closed her eyes again, a slight frown pulling at her features. "Kind of an elaborate story to tell just to get a one-night stand."

Adrian felt confused for a moment but then recalled his earlier conversation with Gayle. She'd told Chloe a half-truth, and now he needed to defend himself.

"That's true for younger shifters. The younger they are, in fact, the more painful it is to be separated from their mate. I've heard it's akin to falling down a flight of stairs. Your entire body aches, and it hurts to do just about anything until you're reunited. But I'm an old dragon."

Centuries old, in fact,he thought.

Old enough to feel love and heartache at losing everything over and over again.

Old enough to know this sort of attachment always ended in tragedy.

"Age and experience tend to numb you to the call, at least somewhat. Yet I still found myself aching to reunite with you. Imagine if someone tied a belt around your chest and kept pulling you somewhere. The more you fight it, the tighter the belt gets, and you find it harder to breathe and stand still. But even with all that unpleasantness, I thought I could maintain my distance."

"Unpleasantness?" Chloe asked, her voice tinged with offense. Her brows shot up her forehead.

Adrian nodded, assuming his continued explanation would suffice to calm her.

"Now, the full moon? It … does things to shifters. It urges us to let loose and run, or in my case fly, in our animal form. Wolves and bears long for the forests, and I take to the skies. Most importantly, a shifter of mature age under the full moon feels the urgent desire to … well, to fuck," he said matter-of-factly.

Chloe let out a short giggle from below the water line, making flower-scented bubbles rise to the surface.

"Yes, it's pretty annoying. That's why we have that party. It's to get it all out of our system until the next full moon. I knew it would make me want to fly and fuck … but I had no idea just how strongly it would make me crave you."

Her eyes opened a little wider as if she were still brimming with questions. Adrian couldn't be sure if Chloe believed him. At least she was still giving him the chance.

That was encouraging. He still had an opportunity to make this work.

Adrian grabbed a bright pink loofah from Chloe's shower caddy and got down on his knees by the tub. He squirted coconut-scented body wash onto it and rubbed it to start a lather.

Chloe sat up with a short smile and pulled her wet hair over her left shoulder.

Slowly, he scrubbed her all over. First her shoulders and back, then her arms.

Next, she laid back and raised her leg into the air, giggling as he scrubbed her foot down as well.

Adrian wanted to take his time and worship every inch of her body. And it seemed Chloe was ready to let him do just that.

I owe her this, he thought.

He wanted nothing more than to bring her unbridled pleasure in any way she would accept it. He had so much to make up for after ghosting her and giving her the cold shoulder for weeks.

He was determined to take his time and make this right. To savor every single moment.

He let go of the loofah, letting it float across the tub's surface as he massaged her skin again.

He rubbed her feet, legs, shoulders, and arms.

With each limb, he took his time. Her sighs and moans filled the small bathroom, creating a lovely score to their passion.

Then he took a chance and grazed his fingers over her breasts.

She sighed again and arched her back into his touch.

Adrian gripped one, then the other, teasing her nipples with his thumb until each hardened in arousal.

Chloe groaned and bit her bottom lip.

"Adrian," she said breathily.

Her voice spurred him on, memories of their one night together filling him with inspiration. Slowly, he trailed his fingers down her breast, over her belly, and continued down until he found his destination.

Chloe cried out as he dipped his fingers between her folds, making contact with her clit.

She gripped the sides of her tub tight, throwing her head back and moaning his name.

"That's right," Adrian whispered. He cupped his free hand under the back of her head, lifting her to meet his lips. Chloe easily opened to him, letting his tongue in to explore.

His fingers trailed over her folds, finding her entrance. Agonizingly slowly, he pushed in, delighting at how Chloe became completely undone under him.

She gripped the sides of his face, keeping their lips pressed together.

Adrian pumped his fingers in and out of her. His thumb stayed pressed to her clit, making small circles.

Every gasp, cry, and moan made him sure he'd died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for how incredible he felt.

Finally, Chloe's body tensed as she gasped deeply. Her eyes squeezed shut as she let out a deep cry of orgasmic bliss. Adrian helped her ride over each wave, delighting in every pulse and tremble that came from her body.

When it ended, he gently pulled his fingers out, ready to continue lavishing her with anything she wanted.

"Stand up," Chloe demanded. Her breaths continued coming in shallow rasps. He raised an eyebrow at her demand, but her look of determination made him comply.

As Adrian stood, Chloe reached up and grabbed onto his erect cock. He groaned at the contact alone.

He'd been given so many hand jobs over the last century that he'd lost count. But somehow, Chloe touching him stirred him to life.

Sex with his fated mate was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. This was like a powerful drug.

Adrian considered how wrong he was to keep away from this.

Chloe got up on her knees, staring her doe eyes up at him as she licked the head of his cock.

"Fuck," he whispered. "What are you planning?"

She gave him a devilish smile, then opened her lips and took his length into her mouth.

Every nerve ending shot lightning throughout his body. It was pure pleasure; there was no other way to describe it.

Chloe teased the head and shaft with her tongue, using her hand where her lips couldn't reach. Though she seemed very determined to remedy that.

As he stroked his fingers through her wet hair, he realized he was incredibly close to an orgasm. Adrian pulled his hips back, releasing his cock from her lips with a loud pop.

She looked up at him in confusion, almost hurt.

"Not like this," he explained. "I want to fill you."

His inner dragon wouldn't settle for anything less.

He leaned down, pulled the plug, and then picked Chloe up in his arms, water dripping all over the floor.

He'd clean it up later. There was no time for drying off right now.

"Now," he said quickly, "which way to your bedroom?"