Page 46 of To Ignite a Dragon's Desire

Malachy cleared his throat. “I’m happy for you. Truly.” I glanced up, seeing the pain and clarity in his eyes. “And I’m happy for Kieran, too. I think I’d like to meet his mate and give a late bonding blessing, especially if she’s anything like our Riley.”

My Riley.My dragon awoke.

I held him back, just as delicate footsteps sounded outside the dining room.

“Did you say you wanted to visit Kieran?” Riley’s sweet voice was less timid than it had been and the relief it brought couldn’t be matched.

I turned to her, feeling the air rush from my lungs as my beast roared his approval.

Black silk curved around her heavy breasts, gathering at her hips and waist before cascading toward the floor. The front bits of her hair were pinned up in curls, leaving the growing length to brush the tops of her exposed shoulders.

Smoky eyes regarded me demurely and she’d put on a splash of dark red lipstick that made my cock twitch just thinking about those ruby lips wrapped around it.

“It’s too much, isn’t it?” she asked. The makeup on her cheeks hid her blush, but her scent heated all the same.

“You’re perfect,” my words rumbled out and my chest kept vibrating as she took my hand.

Are you purring?

I’m happy.

“Where do I sit?” Riley asked.

Malachy stepped back, tactfully averting his gaze as he pulled out the seat at the head of the table.

“Here,” he said, giving her his designated place.

I didn’t let the shock show on my face as I got Riley seated and pushed in her chair.

“It smells delicious.” Riley settled in and draped a napkin over her lap. “I feel silly putting on such a pretty dress just to eat dinner.”

“Don’t be.” I nodded at my brother, discreetly showing my thanks, before returning my attention to my mate. “I’ll buy you a whole wardrobe of dinner gowns if you’d like. One for every night of the week.”

“Tone it down,”Malachy scolded through our link.

“You know what?” Riley smiled. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Why should I?”I resisted the urge to tell my brother that he’d understand someday. Because despite the happiness consuming me, I knew that not all dragons were as lucky.

Instead, I just smiled.“She’s my mate.”

Dinner passed in a blur of free-flowing wine and conversation. Malachy was more animated than I’d seen in years. Riley cleaned her plate.

My chest filled with a quiet sort of pride at feeding her—feeling fuller when she kicked off her heels and her bare foot brushed against my leg under the table, resting there as if she couldn’t bear to not touch me for this long.

“And that’s when he landed in the training yard with the blueberry filling smeared across his mouth,” Malachy explained, laughing at his own joke.

It wasn’t funny.

“I didn’t steal the damn pie,” I growled.

“I know the story.” Malachy rolled his eyes. “The plate was sitting there on the log complete with a fork.”

“It was,” I defended myself for the millionth time.

“Wait. Your father starved you as he trained you for… what exactly?” Riley paled, not amused at our childhood memories even though she’d asked for them.

I wished we could give her better stories.

---