Page 8

Chapter 8

Ollie

“T he kids are asleep.” Malric settled onto the couch next to me as if his limbs couldn’t hold him upright anymore. A dramatic sigh escaped his lips. Three was a lot of kids… full stop. But especially when they were clutchmates.

I laughed. “Forgot what it was like to have little ones?” I teased.

“Oh, no. I remember all too well. It just feels more exhausting now.”

“Because you’re so old?” I pushed my shoulder into him and stuck out my tongue. Way to make myself appear older and wiser.

“Ouch.”

“Ouch as in I hurt your shoulder or your pride?” I watched his face, hoping I wasn’t crossing any lines. I felt comfortable with him, comfortable enough to be myself and have fun. That didn’t mean I should be doing so. He was still related to my bosses. It wasn’t like I randomly met him at a coffee shop and it was time to get my flirt on.

“A little from column A and a little from column B. I’m not that old, not as far as dragons go.” Great. I hurt his feelings.

“I didn’t mean either. And for what it’s worth, you look great for your age.”

“For my age?” He quirked a brow.

“Period. You look great period.” And I needed to stop going down this path. And quick. “Anyhoo, tell me about what it was like when your kids were young?”

His lips turned into a half smile, and his eyes took on a faraway look. “Well, as you have already indicated… it was a long, long, long, long time ago.”

I couldn’t help but giggle.

“But seriously, it was a lot different but also the same. Kids are kids. That doesn’t change.”

“That makes sense.” But didn’t give me insight into the alpha I was crushing so hard on.

“Tell me about you. How did you get into mannying?”

Was he asking about how I chose this career or why I was alone? That one I’d heard a lot over the years, as if being a manny was somehow such a horrible job that people would only take it on if they had no other choice, like they wanted to be married with kids but no one wanted them. Malric wasn’t that kind of guy, though. At least I didn’t think he was. I was still getting to know him, and it would be fair to say that my attraction to him might cloud my judgement.

“I’ve always loved kids. I’m certified to teach, and while I was looking for a teaching job, I got a gig as a manny. Turned out I liked that a lot better.” As great as being in the classroom was, there was so much grading and paperwork. With my job, instead of spending my time on that, I was able to focus on the parts of the job I loved. “I’ve manny’d for three different families now. I love it.”

“You’re great at it.” Malric’s gaze locked on mine. “It’s like it comes naturally to you.”

I leaned closer, licked my lips. The scent of him drew me in like a moth to a flame. For a moment I lost myself in the what-if. What if I leaned in even closer? What if I put a hand on his thigh and felt the heat of him beneath my palm? What if…

Then reality came crashing back.

This was my boss’s father! It was bad enough I had the naughty thoughts I did about him. But to actually contemplate acting on them? That would only result in disaster.

I got up from the couch. “Let me get you—” I tripped over my own feet, and before I knew it, I was falling directly into Malric’s lap. Because of course I did.

He caught me—his hand clasped over my arm, while my body landed on him. Our heads collided, his nose was mere centimeters from mine.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

I was categorically not all right.

With him this close to me, his scent was the only thing I could think about. It wrapped around me, trapping me, keeping me from moving. My gaze dropped to his lips. Surely a taste wouldn’t hurt.

Mine . My mouse told me so.

He was mine, and I wanted him more than I ever thought possible.

Mine .

I closed the distance between us, crashing my lips onto his, not caring about the consequences. If this was all I got to have with him, so be it.

For a split second, I thought maybe it was just me, his body frozen against mine. Maybe I acted too impulsively and Malric didn’t feel this attraction. Maybe he thought me too young or my beast too small.

But just as I was about to break away and apologize a gazillion times, he kissed me back.

Fire warmed in my belly. His hands went to my waist, and he lifted me as if I weighed nothing. Hie settled me onto his lap so that my knees were on either side of him. The kiss deepened, his tongue sweeping into my mouth and devouring me. I moaned against him and rocked my hips.

“Mal,” I moaned against him mouth.

Malric threaded his fingers in my hair and held my head with his firm grip. My cock ached, and I rocked forward, needing the friction. Needing to cum.

“Ollie. Tell me you want this,” he said.

“Fuck. So much. Take me upstairs.”

It was reckless. Stupid. Inappropriate. But I was lost in his touch, and there was no returning.

Holding me tightly against him, Malric stood. I locked my legs around him as he began to walk. I grabbed the baby monitor. The three angels were all still asleep, and I prayed to the dragon gods that they would stay that way.

The trip to my room was quick, but not quick enough. I needed him naked, his body pressed against my own.

Mal closed the door once we entered, and he placed me on the bed. He made quick work of removing his clothes until he stood in front of me gloriously naked. He was a work of art, and I wanted to explore every inch of him with my mouth.

I palmed my erection through my jeans.

He quirked an eyebrow. “Care to join me?” he asked. “You seem overdressed.”

Right. I was supposed to be doing something. It was his fault… he looked too freaking good.

I tugged at my shirt, pulling it over my head. My pants were next. My clothing was gone in record time.

Malric’s gaze roved over my body. I was smaller in stature than him, and I felt very much like the prey shifter that I was when his gaze was zeroed in on me. The heat in his eyes spoke volumes. He wanted me the same way I wanted him.

“Well? Are you going to let me get cold in here by myself, dragon?”

He growled. The rumble set shivers down my spine. “No, mouse. I won’t be letting you get cold.”

He covered me with his body, and his lips were on mine again. I opened my legs and let him settle between them. His heat enveloped me, lighting my skin on fire.

His lips left mine, and he trailed kisses down my neck, meanwhile his hand snuck between my legs until he found my hole. Slick leaked from me, and he used it to smear around my rim.

“Fuck, I bet you taste delicious, Ollie. So much slick. All for me.”

“Yes,” I breathed. “Only you. Taste me, alpha.”

A groan rumbled out of him. “Later. I want to fuck you first.”

“Yes!” Fuck, I wanted that. So much. My body burned with need to have him fill me.

My hips bucked in invitation. His fingers danced around my rim until they finally entered me. First one, then two.

I kept my hands on him. His broad shoulders, his powerful back. His muscles flexed and moved as he touched me. I pressed my lips to his pecs, letting his chest rub against my face.

“Malric. Please. I’m ready for your cock. Please.”

He sucked at the skin on my neck, and my cock ached with need. He hadn’t even touched it yet and I was ready to erupt. His own cock was hard, pressed against my middle. It would take time for me to take that considerable length inside me, but I wanted the chance.

“You’re so responsive for me, baby.”

“Need you.”

Every instinct I had screamed for me to be claimed by him. He was mine. He was my mate. The one I’d been searching for, waiting for my whole life.

He withdrew in his fingers and cleaned them off with his tongue, sucking the two digits into his mouth with a loud moan. “Delicious,” he said. “Just as I suspected.”

Then he was gripping my hips and settling his cock between my thighs. He pushed forward, the tip of his cock pressing against my hole. I opened for him. The stretch of having his thick cock breach my hole burned. I gritted my teeth and relaxed, letting my body open for him naturally.

“There it is,” he said. “Fuck, baby, you take my cock so nicely.”

I whimpered with need. I needed him deeper. I needed his mouth on me. I needed his cum to fill me up.

“More, dragon. Please.”

Malric pressed on. My body accepted him. My channel walls clenched around him, and he moaned with each inch that he drove into me.

“Ollie. So fucking tight, Ollie.”

My legs wrapped around him, and I urged him deeper until he was buried deep within me.

I kissed him then when he was buried to the hilt in my channel. We were one. One being, one heart beating in sync.

When he moved, I thought I might die from the force of it. He stole my breath as he thrust into me, chasing my orgasm.

It built quickly, faster than I wanted it to. I wanted this to last forever, but instead, I had to fight to keep from coming too soon.

When Malric kissed me, I couldn’t hold back anymore. Cum spurted from my cock, coating my stomach.

He followed soon after, his seed releasing deep within my body.