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She hummed, and her grip tightened on the back of my shirt. I drew my lips up her neck to the curve of her jaw before capturing her mouth in a hard, searing kiss. For a moment, the intensity seemed to catch her off-guard, but then she matched it. My desire built her desire, the intensity ratcheting up and up as I devoured her.

I wrestled out of my clothes between kisses, and Harley shoved the comforter separating us to the floor. She wore only a pair of white panties, and when she flopped back onto her back, I had to pause and admire her, even with my dragon’s needrushing through me. I ran my hands over her perfect breasts, to the curve of her waist, over her hips, and then squeezed her perfect, strong thighs. She moaned under my touch, pleased and smiling. Her lips were wet and red from kissing.

Fuck, I wanted her.

Harley wriggled up the bed a little, then hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her panties and tugged them down.

“Go ahead,” she said in a voice so low and sultry it was almost a purr. “Take what you need.”

Fuck, Ilovedher.

She kicked her panties aside. I fell over her like rain, covering her body and touching every inch of exposed skin I could. I kissed her again, a hard, devouring kiss, and I didn’t hide my fangs. The feeling of my sharp teeth in the kiss made Harley gasp against my lips. “I love you,” I growled. “Love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered against my mouth. “I’m yours.”

My dragon purred in pleasure. That was what we wanted. What we needed. For her to beours.Being with Harley was the only thing that could calm me down. It was better than a sparring session, better even than shifting into my dragon and soaring around the lake. Being with her like this—close, needy, desperate—sated something deep inside me. Me and my dragon both. Even if I couldn’t claim her, having her beneath me like this helped. It centered me and made me feel calmer. Like I had purpose.

BecauseHarleywas my purpose.

I kissed her again and squeezed her waist. I was nearly delirious with lust. Animalistic. I wanted her in every way, all of her, so intensely that I couldn’t decide where to touch and kiss. I was so hard it was painful.

Harley smiled into our deep kiss. “Like this.” She rolled over onto her front, with her knees beneath her, her perfect round assup. She wiggled her hips, then sent me a teasing smirk over her shoulder.

How the hell did she always know what I needed before I did?

I covered her body with mine and pressed my lips against her nape. My fangs tingled with the desire to claim her, but I tamped it down by kissing every part of her neck I could reach. It wasn’t a real claim, but it was close enough.

With her on her knees beneath me, my chest to her back, it was easy to press my hard cock into her wet, waiting heat. She moaned into the pillow, and I had to bite back a loud groan.

Pleasure rolled through me, and I got lost in it. All my rational thoughts melted away until there was nothing left but Harley, my mate, and my need to make her feel good. Her fingers tangled in the sheets. Our heartbeats synced as I thrust into her.

She trembled through her orgasm, gasping my name, and the sweet sounds of her pleasure pushed me over the edge. When I came, it was with my lips pressed to her shoulder, and my fangs digging into my tongue.

I finally felt like I could breathe. All the stress and anxiety of the day melted away. There was just me and my mate, our home, our bed.

Peace.

I didn’t know how long it would last, but I savored every moment.

46

HARLEY

Iwoke up to the sensation of fingers working through my hair and rolled over still half asleep. “Mm?”

“Morning,” Steph said, tracing his fingers over my cheek.

“Were you just watching me sleep?” I mumbled.

“Just a little,” he said with a smile. “Can’t help it. You’re cute when you’re sleeping.”

I rolled onto my side and pulled him in for a kiss. It started off slow, then deepened. My body was a little sore all over from last night, but it was a delicious ache. Steph had been so wild, so uninhibited, and I loved that side of him. Even though he had taken me so roughly, I’d felt like I was in control. I was the only one who could make him feel like that, and the only one who could give him that kind of release.

Our kisses grew more heated, and Steph’s hand slid to my waist.

“Ugh.” I pulled away as my phone pinged with a text, and the memory of yesterday crashed into my brain. Rolling over, I grabbed my phone and saw my suspicions confirmed. I didn’t open the text. “Mom.”

“Is she okay?” Steph asked.