Page 5 of Wild for the Wyvern (Mated to the Monster: Season 3)
Four
Kori
I ’m not innocent, but that was by far the greatest sex of my life. I’d be willing to bet it was the best sex of anyone’s life. I probably should feel some shame for urging a stranger to take me to bed, but all I feel is sated and, well, great.
“Are you alright?” He combs his fingers through my hair and holds me as if I’m precious to him.
I sigh, wishing this moment would never end. “I’m fine.”
“I didn’t hurt you?” There’s a hint of panic in his deep voice.
Pressing on his broad chest, I look him in the eye. “No. It was wonderful.”
The set of his jaw eases, as does the worry in his eyes. “I thought…” He takes two long breaths. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, sweetheart.”
He must be mad. I came five times. I don’t think I was quiet about it. I do love him calling me sweetheart. I sigh again as the knowledge that I’ll have to get back to my friends soon sinks in. “I hope you enjoyed it too.” My cheeks heat.
Lifting his head, he kisses my forehead. “It was perfect, Kori. You’re perfect.”
A nervous laugh escapes. “You are the only person who thinks so.”
Blinking his golden eyes, he cocks his head and stares for a long moment. “Are you hungry?”
“Starved.” And my stomach growls in agreement.
Then he smiles and my lady parts contract just as it did the first time I saw him. He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Giving my ass a light tap, he says, “Come on. Your clothes will be dry by now; I’ll get the pasta cooked.”
The insecure me, which is my normal state, thinks he’s ready to do what he promised and be rid of me. At least he’s a man of his word. I roll off him and when he gets up, I pull the borrowed robe from the bed and wrap it around myself. “You don’t have to feed me. I’m sure you have better things to do with the rest of your day.”
He stops buttoning his jeans and stands like a statue, staring at me. Blinking, he shakes his head and kneels next to me. “I have nothing in my life more important than you, Kori.”
It’s by far the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me and I have no response. I nod and swallow the tears trying to escape with a swarm of emotion.
Standing, he kisses the crown of my head. Then pulls on his shirt and walks out of the bedroom.
Unsure what to do or say, I stare at the hardwood floor and wonder if all of this has been a dream. The delightful soreness between my legs is welcome proof that Drayce is real and I’m not insane.
With an armload of my clothes perfectly folded, he returns and hands them to me. “Do you need anything else?”
I shake my head and a tear escapes.
Before I can dash it away, Drayce catches it on his thumb. His eyes fill with worry. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He leaves no space between us as he continues to wait for the truth.
“People just aren’t usually as nice as you. I’m not used to it.” I want to tell him everything about myself, but I’ve been told all my life that no one wants to hear that sad story. First dates are for brief, light information, not deepest, darkest truths. Only this isn’t a date. It’s a fantasy.
His jaw ticks. “Who would be unkind to you?” Tucking my hair behind my ear, he adds, “You should be worshiped.”
More tears get away and I wipe them on my shirt. “The world is full of all kinds of people, Drayce. Here on your mountain, I may seem special, but in the real world, I’m an orphan who was inconvenient. I made my own way in the world and managed to be good at cooking. Without food, I’d be nothing in most people’s eyes. As it is, once the meal is done, I’m forgotten by even the patrons who raved about me.”
His eyes read like an open book: rage, sorrow, pity, and something I can’t identify. “You have your friends.”
I smile. “Dean, Meg, and Lori are my family. They don’t share blood, but they do share my life’s experience. We met in a foster home when we were kids.” I have no idea why I told him so much, but he hasn’t run away and his eyes haven’t glazed over. In fact, he’s completely engaged with every word I say.
Cupping my cheek and jaw in his big hand, he presses a soft kiss on my lips. “On this mountain, you are the most important person alive, Kori Devers. That will never change.”
Except that in another hour or so, I’ll never be on his mountain again. I force a smile. “Thank you.” Taking a breath, I hug my clothes against my chest like a shield. “I’ll just get dressed and meet you in the kitchen.”
After a long look where it feels as if he’s reading my mind, he nods and steps away.
A moment later, I’m alone in his bedroom. I head for the bathroom and wash my face with cold water. It’s how I keep those darker emotions at bay. It’s been working for me all my life. Crying never helps anyone.
I return to our suite in the resort after ten, but as promised, Dean, Meg, and Lori are waiting. I tell them about my afternoon and evening, because I always tell them everything.
They all stare wide-eyed.
Finally, Dean says, “So, this gorgeous man found you in the woods and took care of you. You had sex with him, he fed you, and then he brought you back here. Now you have a date with him for tomorrow night. Did I miss anything?”
“No. That about sums it up.” Except that it was the greatest day of my life.
“You’re blushing.” Meg narrows her gaze. Her black hair is braided and hangs over her shoulder, ending under her breasts, and she toys with the end. “You like this guy. It wasn’t just a hook-up or thank-you kind of sex. I mean, he did save you from some kind of bear trap, but you like him.”
“He’s different.” I take a deep breath and push down my feelings. It’s ridiculous to have so many strong emotions attached to a man I barely know.
Lori asks, “Is there something you’re not telling us?”
“Why would you ask that?” They know me too well, and I have no intention of telling them about the creature I saw or that I passed out when a giant dragon carried me over the trees. These are my best friends and my family, but if I told them that, they’d have me committed. I wouldn’t blame them. I was distraught and lost. I imagined the monster.
Narrowing her gaze, Lori stares. “I’m not sure. Is there more?”
I shake my head. “Well, it was the greatest sex of my life and I did come five times.”
“Five!” Meg and Dean scream at the same time.
My cheeks are on fire.
“No wonder you agreed to a date.” Dean cups his own cheek then runs his finger along the rainbow shape carved into the fade at the side of his head. “I mean, any man who takes the time to give you that much pleasure when he doesn’t know you is worth a second look.”
“Maybe a third or fourth, if your heart can take it.” Meg grips her chest and falls backward on the bed. “Draaayce.”
We all dissolve into a round of laughter.
A t seven the next night, I walk across the lobby of the Greentree, heading for the sliding double doors. I keep my focus straight ahead. I don’t want to make Drayce wait, and I couldn’t decide what to wear. I settled on a short white sundress and strappy sandals.
Movement from my left pushes me to walk faster. Someone is about to cross my path and I don’t want to wait, so I speed up. My toe catches on the edge of the tile near the door. Before I tumble to the floor, a strong arm bands around my middle and presses me tight to a very large warm body.
Drayce’s deep voice whispers in my ear, “Don’t hurt yourself, sweetheart. I’m sure whoever you’re rushing to will wait. I know I’d wait a lifetime for you.”
My heart was already pounding from the near disaster, now it’s hard to breathe with him so close and so male. My body is on fire with need. What the fuck is wrong with me? “You’re going to have to stop rescuing me.”
“Never.” There’s so much breathtaking truth in that one word; it stuns me to silence.
I get on my feet and face him. In gray trousers and a white button-down, he’s almost as sexy dressed as he is naked. Almost. “Hi.” So lame.
He releases me but keeps a hand on my waist possessively. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Dammit, I’m blushing again. I take deep breaths. “We should go before my friends show up with twenty questions for you.”
His gaze shifts to something behind me, and he grins. “Too late.”
I turn and sure enough, here they come, with Lori leading the way in a full power walk.
Panic rises inside me and I face Drayce again. “I’m so sorry.”
Running his thumb along my collarbone, he adjusts my spaghetti strap. “Don’t worry. I like that they want to protect you, Kori.”
I t takes an hour to get away from my best friends, but in the end, they all adore Drayce. He charms them with ease and doesn’t balk at a single question, not even when Meg demands to know the name of the restaurant where he’s taking me. Then Lori tells him that if he doesn’t bring me back by midnight, she’ll have every cop in the county after him.
When we’re walking away, as a final cherry on top of my mortification, Dean calls after us, “I’m expecting a full report on all your orgasms, Kori.”
“Oh. My. God.” I cover my face and wait at the curb. I figure after that, Drayce will get in his car and drive away, leaving me behind. A knot forms in the center of my chest.
His laughter eases the pressure. He kisses my cheek, just behind my hand. “You tell them everything, I guess.”
I peek through my fingers as he opens the passenger door of a large black SUV. “Too much, it would seem.”
Standing in the door, his body hovering warm and hard over me, his eyes simmer with promise. “I hope your next report won’t disappoint them.” His lips cover mine and he makes love to my mouth right there at the front of the resort, with guests, valets, bellhops, and of course, my friends, all watching.
Magically, I don’t care that everyone can see. Within seconds, those people are not important. The only thing that matters is Drayce. I thread my fingers through his soft, dark hair and press my tongue against his.
A low growl emanates from his chest and rumbles in his throat. He breaks the kiss. Meeting my hazy gaze, he studies me. “If I don’t stop, I’ll need to rent us a room at the Greentree for the rest of the night.”
“I’m not sure I would mind that.” My voice is rough as I catch my breath, taking in the warm pine and wood scent of him.
He kisses my forehead as if I’m some cherished person in his life. “I want all of you. Don’t mistake my desire to take you on a real date for not wanting to worship your perfect body. It’s only that I want more.”
Before I can ask what he means, he steps back and closes the door before rounding the SUV to the driver’s side.
Dean, Meg, and Lori gape at me from outside the sliding doors.
“Ready?” Drayce asks.
Gathering what’s left of my wits, I pull the seatbelt and clip it in. “Ready.”