Page 9 of The Dragon’s Emberlinked Mate (Dragon Flight Academy #3)

Emmen

Hearing those words from my mate’s lips was my undoing.

Though I would never get the image of him lying on that hospital bed out of my head, broken, when his heart had stopped, it was time for me to move past it.

Rhythe had healed. His body was whole again and his heart beat. For me. Just as mine beat for him.

I put my hand behind his head at the nape of his neck and pulled him closer to me. My lips settled over his gently. He opened for me immediately, as if he couldn’t take another moment without my taste. His tongue explored and tasted. I let him devour me.

“Off,” he said.

It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to my clothes. He wasn’t playing games. He wanted this, and now.

“We can go slow, mate, we have all the time in the world,” I said. We had our entire lifetime to explore each other’s bodies, and I planned to do exactly that.

“We can go fast, mate, we have all the time in the world to go slow later,” he countered, his cheeks a deep rosy red. He spoke the words with such confidence, but there was a shyness shining through that was both endearing and hotter than the sun.

I chuckled, resting my forehead against his. “There will never be a dull moment with you, will there?”

“Goddess, I hope not,” he said.

I sat back and removed my shirt, slowly, making sure to at least give him a little show. He was right, we could do slow later, but that didn’t mean we had to rush. There was a fine line between going hard and fast and rushing.

He licked his lips as he soaked in my naked chest. I undid my pants next. Rhythe scooched forward and helped. Apparently, he was serious about moving this along, and my attempt at a show wasn’t in his lineup for the evening.

He peeled off his joggers, and I bit back a groan. He was already hardening for me, and it was a sight to behold.

When we were both naked, I took a moment to appreciate my mate’s physic. He was lean, with sleek muscles, and the outline of his abs were visible. Meanwhile, age and a desk job meant that my muscles had softened. My stomach was no longer defined; instead, it was more round and covered with hair.

Not that you’d know it by his reaction.

Rhythe reached a hand out and ran his fingertips over my pecs and down to my middle. “Fuck, you are gorgeous, mate. I knew you would be.”

“Me? You’re the gorgeous one.”

He laughed. “Maybe we both are.” He captured my lips again and pulled me on top of him. My hard cock met his and electricity shot down my spine. For a moment I worried that I’d lost control of my power, and this was not the time to do that, that was for sure.

Rhythe’s hips bucked as his cock sought friction against mine. “Yes, fuck yes. Please, I want that inside of me so bad.”

“Rhythe, love. I have to ask. Have you done this before?”

He groaned. “No. Never.”

Oh, fuck. I nearly lost it. My mate was a virgin. Untouched by anyone except me. I shouldn’t care. I shouldn’t love that as much as I did, but it gave me a thrill. He was mine and mine alone.

“I’ll take good care of you,” I promised.

“I know you will.”

I kissed my way down his chest until his dick was in my face. I nuzzled against it, letting the velvety-soft skin caress my face. I could sleep like this. Naked with my mate’s cock resting against my cheek. The scent of him in my nostrils and the heat of him keeping me warm.

Rhythe’s hips bucked, and he whined.

“Fuck, Emmen, if you don’t touch me or something I’m going to explode. I don’t have six thousand years of stamina built up. Please just touch me.”

The desperation in his voice spurred me on.

I went to reach for the lube, then thought better of it.

Instead, I let spit dribble from my mouth to the head of his cock and used my hand to spread it down his shaft.

His cock jerked in my hand and precum beaded at the tip.

I couldn’t resist. I swiped at his slit with my tongue so I could taste him.

“More.”

I wrapped my lips around the head of his cock and sucked. My tongue flicked over the sensitive underside. The tugging on my hair grew more frenzied as Rhythe lost control.

“No, I want you inside me when I come, please, please.”

“Mhmm. You can come twice my love. I know you can.”

The scent of his slick filled the air, and I ghosted my fingers over his hole. It was wet with the slick that would ease my way in.

I took him deeper, hollowing out my cheeks as I worked my way down his shaft. The sounds that escaped his mouth filled the air. It was all breathy moans and nonsensical words. My cock grew harder, throbbing between my legs. I hadn't yet touched it, but it leaked steadily onto the sheet below.

I hummed and pushed two fingers inside my mate’s hole.

It was too much for him, and with a jerk of his hips, he was releasing down my throat. I did my best to swallow it all. Some dribbled down my chin, and once I popped off his cock, I licked my lips.

“Fuck, that shouldn’t be so hot.”

I grinned. “Still want to go fast?” I asked.

“Yes, please. I need to feel you inside me.”

His cock didn’t even soften, but I knew he was ready for another round. Oh, to be twenty again. At several hundred years old, I didn’t have that kind of stamina, but I would enjoy the fact that my mate had it.

Slick coated my fingers as I pushed deeper inside him. I pulled out and entered him again with three fingers this time. He opened for me easily, his body ready for his mate.

“Breathe, love,” I murmured as I worked my fingers deeper. The warmth of him clenched around me. He was ready for me. All of me. And I couldn’t wait to fill him.

He whined as I removed my fingers, but he spread his legs so I could settle between them.

I lined my cock up to his entrance. His slick seeped out, covering my cock and easing the way. “Look at me, mate,” I commanded. “I want to see you when I claim you. You’re mine.”

His eyes met mine, full of love and adoration. My gaze was a mirror of his. “Yours,” he said.

His eyes widened when my cock breached his hole. I went slow. Slick might have made things easier, but it was still his first time, and I wouldn’t hurt him. I wanted to savor every moment.

His hands grasped at my biceps as his body let me in, his hips bucking with every thrust forward. We moved in sync, in harmony with each other’s desires.

“More,” he said. “I want more of you.”

I chuckled. “I don’t have much more to give, love.” I was almost buried totally inside him.

Rhythe’s hips jerked, and I was buried to the hilt then. His eyes rolled back, and he let out a moan. “Yes. Yes!”

His fingers dug into my skin as I pulled out and back in, increasing in speed with each new thrust. After centuries, I’d found my home. Found my mate. The one made truly for me. The magnitude of it all washed over me and emotion clogged at my throat.

“I’m so happy to have found you, mate,” I said. “I’m never letting you go.”

Rhythe caressed my cheek. “That wasn’t even an option,” he said. “Now claim me. Leave your mark on me and cum so deep inside me that I’m filled with your cum for eternity.”

Oh fuck. My dragon liked that idea.

I buried my nose into his neck and licked over the area where my bite would go. Rhythe shuddered beneath me. His hips kept rhythm with my thrusts, and the two of us barreled closer to release.

When I knew he was close, I let my teeth sink into his flesh. He moaned loudly, and warm cum splashed between us. My release came soon after, pumping inside him, and then my knot expanded, locking my seed in his body.

“Oh fuck!” Rhythe squirmed. His eyes rolled back and his shoulders arched. “Oh, I wasn’t ready for that,” he said.

“Are you hurt? Mate, are you okay?” I couldn’t move. My knot would lock us together for a while.

“Fantastic,” he said. “Holy hell, this is amazing. I’m going to need this every day.”

I chucked and rolled gently to the side so that I didn’t crush him with my weight. “Whatever you want, Rhythe. It is yours.”

“You. I just need you.”