Page 92 of The Mating Claim

Because she knew he would never hurt her, this powerful and sometimes tempered wizard.Ever.

She trusted him, Lacey realized in startled amazement. Had trusted him all along, even back when he hurled energy balls at her kitchencabinets.

His smile widened and the smoldering look in his blue gaze intensified. “Deal.”

Drust gazed down at her. “You are wearing too muchclothing.”

Sitting back, he waved a hand and suddenly she was sprawled on the bed, stark naked, her legs stretched open wide. Lacey had never felt more vulnerable, not even when they’d made love for the firsttime.

Yet she trustedhim.

She slid her arms around his neck. “Be careful of what you wish for,wizard.”

His kisses were fierce, possessive as they rolled together on the bed, each striving to be on top. Drust won, pinning her to the bed. Lacey arched upward as he thrust deep and hard into herbody.

When she came, he came with her shouting her name. She felt the warmth of his seed shoot deep insideher.

Panting, Lacey fell back against the mattress, overwhelmed, as Drust lay beside her with his eyes closed. One arm was thrown over his head, his other firmly anchoring her to hisside.

Still possessive, even after that amazingsex.

Emotions swirled inside her like colors. Most daunting was the growing love she felt for this wizard. Love was dangerous. Falling for someone like Drust, no matter what they might have shared in a previous life, was like a Skin standing on the edge of a tall, jagged cliff without a safety harness. She could fall hard, fast and gethurt.

Die.

“I need a shower.” In the shower, she could rinse off his scent, the salty tang of sex, and clear her passion-addledbrain.

He opened one eye. “Trying to escape mealready?”

Lacey eased away from him. “Shut up. I’m all sweaty. I need ashower.”

“Huh. You wish to getwet.”

That gleam in his blue eyes should have warned her. But she was slow on the uptake today, itseemed.

The sliding glass doors opened to the fresh, briny air. Suddenly Drust shifted into his dragon form nearly the size of the bed. Jagged teeth showed in a dragon grin. He raised a clawed foot. Before she could squeak, she flew backward, sailing into the air. Panic filled her, and then she was in his arms, his wings flapping as he hovered above theground.

“Drust…”

“So you need to get wet,” he rumbled in his deep dragonvoice.

Drust flew over the pool. Ten feet above the water, he dropped her.Naked.

Lacey landed with a splash. Warm water cascaded over her, refreshing and energizing. She surfaced and sputtered. “Hey!”

Equally naked, now as a Skin, he stood by the pool. Drust laughed, hands on his lean hips. “What is it you like to say? Be careful what you wishfor?”

Lacey wiped the water from hereyes.

Treading water, she crooked a finger at him. “Care to join me? Or are you afraid because you can’t swim as good as Ican?”

He dove into the pool, surfaced next to her and drew her into hisarms.

“There’s no time like the present to practice swimming. It is a lovely day for a swim…and other things,” he murmured, and kissedher.

As they made love again, Lacey tried let go of all her fears of the future. But she could not stop thinking of their past and how they had been lovers in her other life, the dreams she’d had of beingMinda.

Minda, who had died horribly in one of Lacey’s dreams, leaving Drust tomourn.