8. Chapter Eight

Icould have watched her squirm for hours. Maybe that made me a jackass, but I'd gladly wear the title to see her this way. Her fingers were turning white from clutching her towel so tightly.

She almost looked as if she thought I may snatch it from her grasp, which may have crossed my mind once ... or twice.

With her back against the wall, she glared at me as if she didn't remember that I'd told her I would come to see her. "How will I get the nails back in?" she asked.

I bent down, grabbed a nail, and pressed it back into the hole. "I'll take another window when I leave."

"I need a moment to get dressed."

Smiling, I covered my eyes with my palm.

"Turn around," she demanded.

My dragon stirred at the words. For her to be so direct, it was a contrast to the girl we'd met so far. Dragons were alphas, but he seemed to want her to tell him what she wanted.

With a sly smile, I turned and faced her wall, listening to her heartbeat as she dressed quickly. When I turned back around, she was slipping a large t-shirt over her head.

It was a male's t-shirt unless she bought clothes three sizes too big on purpose. "Whose shirt?"

She glanced down, fingering the hem of the t-shirt, she sighed. "My dad's."

By the look on her face, I figured he wasn't in the picture anymore, and I planned to find out as much as I could in a short amount of time. "So," I said, grabbing her desk chair, turning it around backward, and sitting down to face her. "Tell me about you."

Amara looked uncomfortable for a few seconds but sat on the end of her bed near me. "What do you want to know?"

I tapped my fingertips against the back of the chair. "I want to know why you're twenty-five years old and living in this attic."

She chuckled humorlessly. "Well, it's not because I want to be here. My father stated in his will that he wanted me to stay here so that Stepmother could help me. I had to take medication for a condition that my biological mother had. I see hallucinations and whatnot. So, I'm doing as he asked, but I don't think he thought his new wife—Helena—would treat me this way. I was booted out of my room because Zella needed a room closer to the bathroom because of her made-up bathroom problem. Shortly after, I became the maid." She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "I'm afraid that if I leave the restaurant she will let it go down. She only wants the money. Her business skills suck. I take care of mostly everything."

My anger slid up my spine and took root at the base of my skull. She said it so nonchalantly as if it was okay.

"Oh, Little Mouse, you sound too okay with this. I hate to tell you that I can't simply sit back and watch them treat you this way."

She looked blankly at me. "Why is it that you just inserted yourself into my life? Why are you here, Dorran? Is that too blunt of a question to ask The Dragon Prince?"

Oh, formalities.

Lifting a brow, I leaned forward and tapped my fingertips against her knee. "How many times do I need to answer it? I want to get to know you."

Amara leaned forward, as close as the alleyway, and whispered, "Why?"

Was she taunting me? Because it was working.

"I have to give you a reason to want to know you?" When she didn't answer, I laughed. "I like to look at you."

A blush crawled up her neck and settled on her cheeks.

"I like the way you didn't fawn on me," I said, "on the bridge. I like that you haven't slipped me your panties, and you're withholding information. Color me curious, Amara. Is that enough?"

"Don't talk about my panties," she whispered.

It was at that moment that I saw it. The truth. This girl had never been touched. It was leaking off her in a sweet innocence that woke my dragon. She glanced over at me, and her fingers curled into the covers beneath her. "Your eyes—,"

"It's my dragon," I said, feeling my voice drop to a lower octave.

Amara leaned forward, her blue eyes wide in shock, and whispered, "Why is he coming out?"

"Because you intrigue him, Amara."

She swallowed deeply, her eyes moving from mine, she interlaced her fingers on her lap. "What else do you want to know, Dorran?"

Before I could stop myself, I lifted my hand and pressed my thumb against her bottom lip.

I loved the way her pulse jumped as I touched it.

"Have you ever been kissed?"

The question fell from my mouth, and it seemed to shock her. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. "I'm sure it's not because no boy has wanted it. Were you allowed to date?"

"No," she whispered, turning her head from me. "No, to all of it."

More for me...

My dragon rarely spoke. Only when we were in danger, or if he had something very important to say. Amara fell in that category. Important to my dragon.

"Hey," I said, reaching over to grab her jaw. "Well, when I kiss you, I'll make sure it's something to remember."

Amara sat silently still for a while before letting her head fall back into laughter. "The Dragon Prince is going to kiss me," she whispered to herself. "Dear Lord, I've fallen into Wonderland."

"I can give it to you now," I said coolly. "Have you brushed your teeth?"

She narrowed her gaze. "Funny. You should probably leave. My step-monster will be back from this announcement soon, and I was supposed to do the dishes already."

My dragon flamed red. He hated the idea of her doing everyone's bidding. "You're kicking me out?" I asked. "Wow. That's rude."

She stood up, her chest eye-to-eye with me. My gaze wavered. I wanted to tighten my fingers into her t-shirt, lift and run my tongue against her skin.

What will she taste like?

"As much as this relationship—or whatever it is—intrigues me. I can't afford more chores."

"Well," I said, standing to hover over her. "When you decide to admit that I do more than intrigue you, I'll make sure you never do another chore again."

Amara became still. "You can't change the fact that I can't live alone or that Helena will run the restaurant into the ground."

"I'm The Dragon Prince. I can make anything happen," I said, walking toward the door, I stepped out into the hallway. I didn't care about her hallucinations or her medication. We all had our problems, and I wanted hers to become mine. Amara's soft footsteps followed me to the first bedroom down from hers.

I stalked toward the window, lifted it and I felt Amara's hand on my forearm. I turned to look down at her, and the moonlight hit her face.

Those baby blue eyes were intent on me.

I couldn't stop myself.

My arm snaked around her waist; I pressed her back against the cool glass of her stepsister's window and lifted her to my hips.

The surprised look on her face lingered as I watched her mouth with nothing less than complete hunger. "What are you doing?" she whispered.

I chuckled softly, running my mouth against the length of her neck, I stopped against the shell of her ear. "Is being kissed in the moonlight of your stepsister's room not admirable?"

She slowly shook her head. "Kiss me on her bed."

I lifted broth brows. "On the stepsister's bed, that is mean to you?"

"I want to know The Dragon Prince kissed me on her bed. When I'm forced to make it, and when I pass by and see her sitting here, I want to think about it."

I couldn't even laugh properly, because the invitation had my body humming. Carrying her toward the bed, I dropped her head on the pillow and covered her body with mine.

It was too much for a first kiss, but I was too big of an asshole not to take the opportunity.

I held myself against the V in her legs and tangled my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck. "I think you're naughtier than I imagined."

Amara's gaze settled on mine, and my dragon stirred.

Lowering my lips toward hers, I brushed them against her pouty mouth. She screwed her eyes closed, and her legs tightened around my waist.

I watched as she reached forward and touched my wings because I liked to keep them out in the open. There was no reason to hide them any longer. We'd won the war many moons ago.

She'd been wanting to do that...

And I'd been dying to kiss her...

Flicking my tongue out, I touched her bottom lip, making her moan. Her fingers tightened against my deltoids, her entire body was stiff, and her breathing was uneven.

The moment I pressed my mouth against hers, Amara's body relaxed against me. I didn't push it—like I wanted—I tried to make it sweet.

Savory.

Unforgettable.

A deep chuckle vibrated in my chest at just how sweet Amara tasted. My dragon stirred, ungodly things trickled through my mind. There were too many clothes between us.

My fingers tightened in her hair, and she rewarded me with a soft gasp that sent liquid fire into my veins. Softly, I slid my tongue against her mouth, begging to be let inside.

She opened slowly when the front door slammed shut.

Dammit, it all to Hell.

Bringing Amara with me, I walked us over to the window and sat her down. She was breathing hard, her gaze settling everywhere but on me. Gripping her chin, I lifted her face so she would look at me.

"We're not finished, Little Mouse. Get to your room, and make sure the nails are secure." I bent down, my mouth inches away from the shell of her ear, "And when you pick up this slob"s laundry, remember how that felt on her bed."

I opened the window and slid out into the night.

Amara was gone when I glanced back over my shoulder, but I could still hear her pounding heart. The taste of her mouth clinging to me like a childhood candy. Something I would never forget.