“ A ll right, Ruby, we’ve got you scheduled for a full-body polish and masque for next Tuesday. See you then!”
Julie hung up, finished her cup of herbal tea, and set it on the cabin’s coffee table.
She scooted forward to escape the cozy embrace of her reupholstered floral couch.
A fire crackled merrily in the familiar wood-burning stove.
Beside it was the cabin’s ancient wooden table with four sturdy new legs. Polished kitchen chairs glowed gold.
Sard looked up from where he was playing with Copper, swinging him around the confined space. “All done?”
“Yep, that was my last one.” She heaved herself to her swollen feet, wincing.
He was at her side in an instant. “We’ll go to the medical office again.”
“Oh, I’m okay. I just sat in the wrong position for too long.”
He touched her belly possessively, his eyes glowing. “Will you…”
She braced herself for more argument, but she really did feel fine, and she wasn’t particularly in the mood to travel just to be told what she already knew—that she had to stop getting so focused on projects and take a few more breaks.
“…let me care for you?” Sard asked, sounding both humble and also having a gruffness, a burr in his throat that made little shivers go up her spine.
When he asked like this, she couldn’t deny him, and she was starting to think he’d figured out her weaknesses because he’d been using this tone on her a lot recently. “Yes.”
He beamed.
“Just let me finish up.” She waved her hand across the stove’s glass.
The “fire” inside turned black. It was just a view screen, although it did have some kind of technology in it to give off real heat if she wanted.
She followed Sard, who’d collected Copper once more, out the old cabin door—which still had the cracked wood around the latch—and into the bustling salon.
Not the original Rebel Roots Salon in Portland.
The windows of this satellite location showed a glowing moonscape against a background of millions of stars.
This “satellite salon” was on a literal satellite.
The people inside, dragon clients, mostly, but also a few training under human stylists, waved and wished her a good night.
Sard led her through the massive tunnels into his lair.
They’d taken her grandparents’ cabin—with the consent of her uncle, who’d been happy to have the property cleared with no hassle to himself—and the parts they could salvage, she’d brought with her across the stars.
Sard’s engineers had reconstructed it to keep the most soothing and calming parts for her private office at the new satellite salon.
She played with Copper in his new dragonlet-appropriate playroom, a vast cavern with plenty of nooks and crannies, while Sard made them an evening snack.
He had more than enough wealth to hire an army of assistants, but he liked to do these little things for her personally.
Watching him, a giant man with piercings, hum as he moved around his kitchen constructing a small meal of hummus, apple slices, and, of course, her eternal pregnancy craving of air fryer french fries made her chest ache.
When she was pregnant with Copper, she ate an unusual amount of blueberries and yogurt, to the point that she was starting to wonder what was wrong with her, and now that Copper was eating solid foods, he absolutely loved all types of berries and tangy yogurt.
Now, with her second pregnancy, she’d started craving all kinds of potatoes, but especially baked french fries, often without any ketchup or sauces. That would’ve been unimaginable before, but now she just guessed that their second baby—their daughter—might be born a fan of fries.
After dinner, Copper had a half hour of “baby games” on the view screen, which was the time Julie called up several other human moms with dragonlets and let their babies all communicate with each other while they chatted.
Sard had arranged it for her so she never had to leave the convenience of his carefully guarded lair.
Julie and Copper had already met his mother, a gigantic dragon named Ferocia, and been officially welcomed into the family. Before, Julie hadn’t had these resources and had felt isolated and alone. But now, she felt relaxed. This pregnancy was much easier, and she wasn’t stressed.
Sard put Copper to bed while Julie stretched out, then she awoke as he came in. He paused, his eyes darkening on her. Even now, he looked at her in a way that made her feel more beautiful than she was. If beauty was in the eyes of the beholder, Sard’s gaze made her feel like a total goddess.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he murmured, going to the foot of his vast bed.
This section of his lair was more dragon-like, the cushions fitted to the stone of his cavern. The intercom to where their son was sleeping was one-way, so they could hear his baby snores, but no sounds from this room were transmitted out.
Sard knelt before her, peeled off her socks, and massaged her feet.
She lay back as the delicious feelings of relaxation rolled up her body in waves. “That feels amazing.”
He grinned again. She’d never seen him smile, almost never, in the salon, and now he almost couldn’t stop smiling. It made her heart swell up again in her chest. He’d been so stressed too.
His fingers traveled up her legs, massaging away any knots in her calves.
She moaned. “You’re too good for me.”
“I have an ulterior motive.” He massaged higher, then peeled off her leggings and tossed them aside so he could massage her bare thighs. “I get to touch you.”
“It’s good,” she sighed, opening to him.
He continued his loving massage over her lacy hips and extra gentle over her rounded belly, then soothing across her breasts.
He removed her shirt and bra. Her nipples beaded up for him, sensitized by the air and his expert touch.
He rumbled approvingly deep in his throat, then hooked his thumbs in the lacy straps of her panties.
She stopped him. “I have a surprise for you.”
“For me?” His pierced brows lifted, and his red irises glittered like the gemstones of his namesake. “Will I like it?”
“It’s hidden colors.”
She pushed down her panties herself—he sometimes still got excited and accidentally sliced them in his eagerness to get her nude—and revealed her smoothly shaven area dotted with tiny gemstone beads in a pattern of dragon wings and one word.
“Sard,” he read, his hand hovering over them. “Can I touch?”
“Gently. They’re only glued on.”
“Glue,” he repeated, touching her with the softest and most careful fingertips. It was amazing that a man who looked as rough and brutal as he did was capable of such gentleness. “What is this?”
“It’s called vajazzling,” she said, a little shy from how intently he studied her. “I’ll never shift into gemstone dragon scales like you, so I thought it could be fun.”
“It is fun,” he confirmed, still intent.
She felt embarrassed but also very deeply loved. “My body’s changing even more this time, and you missed it last time. It’s a lot to get used to.”
He looked at her. “I love every part of you.”
“Oh, that’s good, but…well, anyway, I just thought, maybe this would keep your interest…”
“I’m very interested. Let me show you.”
His large hand moved upher inner thigh as he crawled up her body, his eyes burning with passion as he gazed possessively overher bare flesh.
Lowering his head, he captured one of her nipples with his hot mouth.
His fingers caressed her pussy, stroking and playing at exactly the right pressure and speed.
Pleasure radiated outward. She arched into his touch, grabbing his broad shoulders.
The hard ridges of muscle rippled. He rose and kissed her.
His long, thick tongue drove into her mouth, conquering her as he rocked his fingers into her channel.
He circled faster, pushing her toward the edge until she tumbled over.
She cried with release, and he rumbled with approval.
Panting, shaking, Julie held on to him as he pulled back.
His eyes smoldered on hers. “You are my wife.”
Tears prickled her eyes. “I am.”
His nostrils flared, caught by the same emotion that hooked into her. They’d gone through so much apart, never knowing what the other had endured, and now they were together, and would remain soforever.
He kissed her neck, her breasts, her belly. “Irresistible,” he murmured against her skin as he gazed down again at the cute little gemstones she’d had placed. “You’re irresistible, Julie.”
Chest heaving, heart pounding, Julie slid her fingers down his rippling abs, across his belly button ring, and tugged at his waistband. It fell apart into pieces from his claws. Sometimes he was even more impatient at getting himself naked for her.
She encircled his thick, girthy cock, her fingertips playing over the metal.
He rumbled deep in his chest, a sound that made her own arousal throb once more.
“Your piercings are so pretty,” she murmured. “So, I thought, this was something I could do to match you.”
His fiery eyes captured hers. “You are perfect exactly as you are.”
A lump formed in her throat. She coughed. “Oh, I know…”
“It is common for dragon aristocrats. We show our wealth on our bodies to separate us from the poorer low castes and to make ourselves attractive to future mates. I will have no more done…unless there’s something you think would make me more handsome?”
She shook her head.
“A large number of piercings is less common in humans, I think.” He touched her earlobes. “And no part of your body is pierced. I had no expectation for that to change. I assumed you had a reason.”
“I never liked needles.” She shrugged. Ironic, maybe, for someone who’d ended up at a salon, but she’d never been bothered about it.
He shrugged too, mirroring her. Any reason was good enough for him. “Roll to your side, and I’ll massage your back.”
She obeyed. “You’re making me feel good everywhere.”
Another rich chuckle made her skin bump. “That’s the idea.”
His hard fingers dug into her shoulders and traveled down her spine to her hips, where the extra weight was starting to affect her. His touch evaporated her soreness.
She moaned and heard his own breath hitch, uneven, as he reacted to her. It made her feel powerful and feminine. She arched her back, brushing her buttocks against his hard cock.
He growled against her neck. “Julie…”
She shivered. “Please?”
He gripped her hips, pulling her hard against him. The head of his cock rubbed against her entrance, and she arched, encouragingthe contact. He felt good from every direction, and she liked teasing him.
His metal-ribbed cock slid along her slick folds coated in her arousal. He glided forward, his tip to her clit. Pleasure built up inside her, but she wanted more, so she shifted her hips and rolled onto her knees, opening herself for him.
He leaned over her back, nipping her shoulders, andpressed his cock deep.
All the way in, his metal piercings thrummed her sweetest and most sensitive pleasure spot, making her cry from how good it felt.
He pulled out and thrust again,rhythmically, the ribs of hardness gliding his engorged cock over and over inher slick channel.
Their primal couplingfilled the room. He moaned her name as he caressed her swelling breasts.
Her pleasure mounted andfinally pushed Julie over the edge.
She came with a sharp cry, her pussy clamping down on his silver-adorned cock.
Her climax triggered his, and his release poured into her and he roared.
Afterward, she lay on the bed, totally stretched out, sleep flirting with her. Sard stroked her belly pensively. Her lashes fluttered open. She expected to see his usual proud or possessive look, but this time, he was sad.
“What is it?” she murmured, rotating to him,concerned.
“I thought this experience would erase my regrets, but instead, I’m more aware of what I missed, and my regrets are deepening.”
She cupped his proud jaw. “You had no choice.”
“I know. And that is why I accept these feelings. I accept them deeply.” He heaved a big sigh, then kissed her belly. “I am grateful to have this second chance with you.”
Her heart swelled. She wasn’t beautiful or powerful or rich or a dragon woman, but she washis chosen wife.
Sard’s ex hadn’t had any choice in marrying him. For years, dragon society had been forced to shove down their true feelings and put on an act every day. Living these lies had caused so much damage. Now, they were free.
Because of her. Because of Sard.
Because of love.
And Julie did loveher powerful dragon husband with his fierce, muscular heart. Hisgood deeds glinted like his piercings.
She held his face. “Let’s have a super-boring life where every day is normal and ordinary and happy.”
“Just like my dreams,” he murmured, nuzzling her. “I am happy so long as I can wake up next to you.”