Page 30

Her fingers wound into the hair at the base of my skull, holding me close. Her blue eyes searched mine, and the skin between her brows creased slightly. It was like she wanted to believe me, but something was holding her back.

What was it? Was it fear? Disbelief? Pain? The weight of the years between us?

All I wanted was for her to trust me. To believe me. To hand off some of that weight to me and allow me to support her. I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone—not anymore.

But I couldn’t prove that to her. Not with my history and my brother’s shadow hanging threateningly over us. She knew this was risky, and yet, she was still here. Still looking at me with those soft eyes that held a hint of uncertainty.

Before I could think better of it, I leaned down and kissed her.

Her lips parted immediately against mine, her breath escaping in a soft sigh.

Her fingers tightened in my hair as I pulled her closer.

It was easy, instinctive, for me to deepen the kiss.

It was even easier for me to spin around and press her back against the door.

Harley leaned into me, like she was finally letting go of some of the tension she’d been holding for God knows how long.

Desire smoldered through me like embers. My dragon purred as I ran my hands up along her waist.

“Slow, right?” I murmured against her lips. I felt unsteady. The kiss sent fire burning through me. I wanted to let go and let my dragon take the wheel, but not if Harley wasn’t ready for that.

“Maybe…” she whispered. “Maybe not tonight.”

The ember of desire roared into a flame. I gripped her waist tightly and she exhaled a sweet, desperate sound into my mouth.

“You’re sure?” I asked.

She pulled back and stared intently into my eyes. That fierce determination I loved so much was back in her gaze. When Harley set her mind to something, she stuck with it—like leaving Lakeview behind for a decade.

“I’m sure.”

I wasn’t going to let her slip through my fingers again.

I lowered my hands to her ass and lifted her up.

She made a small, desperate sound against my lips, that I yearned to hear more of.

I needed to hear that all night. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and her fingers dug into my scalp.

I kissed her deeply, devouring her mouth, and only broke away to trail more kisses over her jaw.

Her head knocked back against the door, and she swore under her breath.

“Shh,” I teased her in a low voice. “Can you keep quiet?”

She knocked her heels into my back. “Can you?”

I growled and kissed up her neck. She shuddered. Her body was so soft, so warm. Her perfect, thick thighs were strong and plush in my hands. “Let’s find out.”

I opened the door without releasing her from my hold, and squeezed her thighs as she kissed my jaw. “You’re strong,” she murmured.

“You’re the perfect size.” Carrying her was barely any effort at all—if anything, it only made my desire burn hotter.

She laughed quietly and clung closer to me.

I kicked the door shut behind me, then strode straight to my immense bed in the center of the room.

My bedroom wasn’t much to look at—closer to a den than the airy room I’d made up for Harley—but it seemed to brighten up with her in it.

I dropped her on the bed, and she landed on my mussed sheets with a little oof of surprise.

I stood at the foot of the bed. For a moment, that was all I could do—stand there and look at her.

I’d been sneaking looks since she’d moved in, trying to memorize the curves of her waist and her hips, and now, finally, I could look my fill.

Her tank top had rucked up to her ribs, revealing her tan skin, and her nipples were hard through the thin fabric.

Her sweatpants clung to the curves of her thighs as she shifted restlessly on the bed.

Her auburn hair sprawled out like a halo around her.

She drew one hand up to her face, thumb near her bottom lip. “Stop staring,” she murmured.

“No.” I crawled onto the bed, caging her in. Hovering above her, I slid one hand under the hem of her tank top and relished the warmth of her skin. She shivered. I’d forgotten how sensitive she was. Every touch made her gasp, sigh, quiver. It was addictive. “I want to stare. You’re beautiful.”

Her cheeks went that adorable shade of pink I loved so much. “Not like I was back then.”

“That’s right. You’re even more beautiful now.”

She inhaled sharply, then pulled me down for another kiss.

I wasn’t about to complain. I explored her mouth, then withdrew my hand from her shirt to slide up over her chest, feeling the swell of her breast through the soft fabric.

I ran my thumb over her nipple, and she gasped into the kiss, her back arching slightly beneath me. Sensitive.

If the smallest touch made her react like this, how would she react to a claiming bite?

I pushed the thought away, much to my dragon’s dismay.

She giggled into the kiss, then pushed my hands away. I pulled back, ready to give her space, but she grasped the hem of her tank top and pulled it over her head before tossing it aside.

Heat surged through me, and my mouth actually watered.

All that soft, perfect skin was suddenly exposed to me.

I dropped down and kissed her mouth, her neck, then lower, to her shoulder, her sternum, her breasts.

She moaned as I drew my tongue teasingly over one nipple.

I didn’t linger there, though. I trailed kisses down her lips, her belly, her hip, right over the waistband of her sweatpants.

She smelled so fucking good. Sweet, soft, musky. I wanted to devour her.

She tugged at the neckline of my shirt. “Off.”

Whatever Harley told me to do, I did without question. I sat up and tugged off my shirt. She brushed her fingertips over my abs, then dipped into the waistband of my jeans, biting her lip.

My jeans suddenly felt really tight.

“These too,” she said and popped the button.

“Christ, Harley,” I muttered.

Her eyes blazed with desire. She wanted this as badly as I did.

I stripped out of my jeans as quickly as I could, then covered her body with mine.

All that separated us were my boxers and her sweatpants.

Even that felt like too much. She gasped as she wrapped her arms around me like she couldn’t get close enough.

I kissed her deeply, slowly, savoring the sweet taste of her lips.

I slid one hand down the curve of her waist, then over her hip, then dipped my fingertips under the waistband of her sweatpants.

“Yes,” she whispered against my lips, raising her hips to let me tug the sweatpants off.

Then, finally, Harley was bare beneath me.

I’d dreamed about having her like this for ten years. Every time I was with another woman, it was Harley in my mind. My dragon breathed a slow sigh of relief. This was where she was supposed to be. Safe. Happy. Warm and needy beneath me.

Our legs tangled, and her hips rocked of their own accord, meeting mine. I groaned. Fuck, she was so hot, so wet. The hard length of my cock pressed against her, and she moaned softly.

Fuck. I needed her. Now. I slid my hand over her belly, then lower, lower, to the crease of her groin and her soft inner thigh. She spread her legs, and I could almost taste her desire.

I wanted to taste her desire.

My fingers slid closer to her center, and I kept kissing her, only pulling away to murmur against her mouth. “I want to taste you.”

She laughed and tipped her head back with a sigh. “Next time, just… God, please just touch me .”

My dragon purred with delight. Next time. She’d said it impulsively, yet I knew it was the truth.

Next time. And there’d be many times after that.

I stopped teasing and slid my fingers over the warm, wet folds of her pussy. Her mouth opened around a moan of pleasure. It was easy, so easy, to slide two fingers into the welcoming heat of her body and feel her clench around me.

“Feel good?” I kissed her neck as I began to move my fingers.

“So good,” she gasped. “Ah, Steph, I missed you.”

I loved when she called me Steph instead of Stephan.

It was like her own little name for me, and I knew that meant the wall she’d put up between us was coming down.

My teeth tingled. God, my dragon wanted to drop his fangs and claim her right there.

I growled and kissed her neck, her jaw, as I curled my fingers deep inside her.

Her legs wrapped around mine, keeping me close as he rocked her hips to match my pace.

“Ah, hell,” she whispered. “Slow—slow down, you’ll make me come?—”

“Go ahead,” I said in a low rumble. “I’ll make you come again.”

A full-body shudder coursed through her, then she sank back.

I kept touching her, a slow and steady pace, my fingers deep inside her and my palm pressing against her sensitive clit.

She buried her hands in my hair, and I nuzzled her neck, kissing her skin, breathing in her sweat, feeling her racing pulse.

Her breath came in fast, short gasps. I remembered this.

I remembered her body. Her sensitivity. How easily she came apart beneath me.

Then, her back arched, and she tipped her head even further back. Her breath escaped in a near-silent sigh as her body clenched around my fingers. Fuck, I needed to feel that heat around my dick .

I withdrew my fingers slowly from her trembling body.

Her eyes blinked open, dazed, and she pulled me close for a slow, sloppy kiss.

She slid her hands down my sides, then over the waistband of my boxer-briefs.

Her movements were shaky, but sure. I was hungrier than I’d ever been.

Burning with desire. With want. But I didn’t want to overwhelm her. Not yet.

In between kisses, she slid one hand over the length of my erection. The pressure sent another rush of heat through me, and I bared my teeth into our kiss.

She huffed a small laugh. “So big,” she muttered. “I almost forgot.”

Yeah, that felt really fucking good to hear.

Suddenly, I was desperate. I needed to be inside her yesterday. I shoved my boxers down just enough for my cock to spring free. I hadn’t felt like this since—well, since the last time I’d had Harley in my bed. Ten long fucking years ago. “Shit,” I muttered. “Condom?—”

“I’m on birth control,” she said. “Please, Steph, I need you . ”

“I got you, baby.” I grasped her thigh and hiked it up higher around my hips. I rubbed the head of my dick against her core, sliding it through her slickness. Gasping, she clung to me, digging her fingers into my shoulders so hard it hurt deliciously.

I slowly, slowly, pressed inside.

She was so tight. So hot. So perfect. A low, soft moan escaped her.

A low moan escaped her as I began to move, keeping the same pace I’d had when I fucked her with my fingers. There was no space at all between us, only skin and breath.

I lost myself in the sensation, in her. My dragon surged closer to the surface as I thrust into her and swallowed every little moan, gasp, and cry.

The flame inside me burned hot, my teeth itched, my body ached to claim her.

But it was still incredible to be inside her.

Back with my mate. As close as we could possibly get—somehow.

She came again, shuddering beneath me and gasping my name. I wasn’t far behind her. My orgasm crashed through me as I pinned her to the bed, spilling deep inside her.

Fuck. I wished she wasn’t on birth control.

The thought nearly made my head spin. I shoved it aside, like I’d pushed aside thoughts of claiming her.

This was more than I thought I’d ever get.

And even if I couldn’t claim her, I could ensure she was safe and happy.

With Harley curled up against me, I got the best night of sleep I’d gotten in ten years.