Page 178 of I Dream of Dragons

“Darling,” I whisper, wishing I could give her this moment of joy. “I don’t know if it could be him.”

“But Remi has said things that nobody but my brother knew. It has to be him!”

I lift a hand to stroke the satiny skin of her cheek, feel the feathery flutter of her lashes. “Then ask him. That would be fucking great.”

“Wouldn’t it, just? Even though he’s a dragon now.”

“The soul is what matters,” I inform her, hearing a secret question underneath her words. Does she think I’d be repulsed by the idea of her having a different body? “Not the shape. We may crave the body, but what we love is the spirit. And I love you, Little Thorn, more than you can ever imagine.”

I lay her down right there, on the terrace, under the morning sky.

She opens herself to me. It’s different from taking her the last time. This time her trust shines through her eyes, her body language. She welcomes me with no restrictions, no hesitation.

It fucking slays me.

I kiss the hollow of her neck, that sweet depression of her collarbone, then trail kisses down to her breasts, taking my time to torment each pert nipple until she moans my name and pulls on my hair.

Owning me.

I use my fingers to spread her open and marvel at the sight that greets me. She’s pink like a flower, and so wet for me, shiny and bright.

I taste her, because I can’t help myself, but then use my cock to tease her opening until she uses her grip on my hair to pull me up and kisses me.

Until I sink inside her and shudder with the rightness of it. The way she grips me, the way she moves under me, it’s how the sky was made, how the universe works.

She’s everything. She is my world.

The shape doesn’t matter, but I love her shape. It hasn’t changed. I love every curve and every spot that makes her writhe.

How will she look as a sea dragon?

Beautiful, I just know it. She’s beautiful in every form. She was a beautiful girl, and she will be beautiful when she grows old.

Always the most gorgeous woman, to me.

“Come with me,” she says, turning in the circle of my arms, pressing her body to mine. “We can bathe and break our fast together, and… spend more time together.”

We would have more sex—in the tub, on the carpet, on her bed. In front of the grand window overlooking the sea. In front of her mirror.

It’s tempting. So damn tempting. There’s nothing I want more.

“First I have to find Tru,” I tell her regretfully. “Haven’t seen him in days and I have to talk to him.”

She stiffens in my arms and her gaze shifts away. “Oh. Is it urgent? Did something happen?”

“I told Arkin that we can’t touch the king because of his mark on you. Ark wasn’t happy and Tru is likely to go off… and do stuff without consulting me. I’m worried about that.”

She gives a strange little laugh. “Right. Go on, then, and speak to your loyal friends.”

I frown. “Is something the matter?”

“In all this?” She waves a hand as she draws back, away from me. “Not a single thing. Everything is perfect.”

“Rae…”

She flashes me a quick smile, her gray gaze softening. “No, really, I mean it. Listen… I came here for revenge.” Her voice goes low and easy, the tension leaving it. “But I found you. I can’t wrap my head around it. I’m afraid to go to sleep in case it was all a dream.”

Something in my chest tightens until I can’t breathe.