Page 66 of Shifting the Flame

"I was incomplete before you," he whispered against her mouth. "Like this chair. Half-done, gathering dust."

Danica's fingers traced the dark hair on his jawline. "We make a good team."

"The best." Asher pulled her closer, their bodies fitting perfectly together like pieces of a handcrafted puzzle. "Two halves of one whole."

Asher deepened the kiss with a hunger that burned hotter than dragon fire. His hands roamed her body, tracing the curves he'd memorized but still couldn't get enough of. The workshop, his sanctuary, felt alive with the energy between them, the air thick with the scent of sawdust and desire. He broke the kiss just long enough to lift her effortlessly onto the sturdy workshop table, the same one where he'd crafted countless pieces of furniture. But tonight, it would serve a far more intimate purpose.

"You're my finest masterpiece," he murmured, his voice rough with need as he tugged her shirt over her head. Her bra followed, leaving her bare from the waist up. Her full breasts rose and fell with each breath, her nipples already hard and begging for his attention. He didn’t make her wait. His mouth descended, capturing one taut peak while his fingers teased the other. She gasped, her hands tangling in his dark hair, pulling him closer.

"Asher," she moaned, her voice trembling. "You're driving me crazy."

"Good," he growled against her skin, switching to the other breast. "You've been driving me crazy since the moment I saw you."

Her hands moved to his chest, pushing his black t-shirt up. He straightened, letting her pull it off, revealing his muscular torso. Her fingers traced the ridges of his abs, and he couldn't help but smirk at the way her eyes darkened with desire.

"You're so damn perfect," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

"Not as perfect as you," he countered, his hands moving to the button of her jeans. He made quick work of them, sliding them down her legs along with her panties until she was gloriously bare before him. She lay back on the table, her long brown hair fanned out like a halo, her body a work of art that put every piece of furniture he'd ever crafted to shame.

He stepped back just long enough to shed his jeans and boxers, his hard cock springing free. Her eyes locked on him, and he saw the hunger in her gaze, the way her body arched slightly, inviting him closer. He didn't need a second invitation.

Asher got on top of her on the table and positioned himself between her legs. Her hands found his shoulders as he entered her in one smooth thrust. She gasped, her body tightening around him, and he groaned at the sensation.

"You feel incredible," he murmured, his voice filled with need.

He took her hands, pinning them above her head as he started to thrust, his movements slow and deliberate. His lips found her neck, sucking and nipping at the sensitive skin, drawing out her pleasure with every movement.

"Faster," she begged, her voice breathless. "Please, Asher."

He obliged, his thrusts growing harder and deeper, his grip on her wrists firm but not painful. She moaned, her legs wrapping around him, pulling him even closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and he could feel her heart racing, matching the frantic pace of his own.

"You're mine," he growled, his voice low and possessive. "All mine."

"Yours," she agreed, her voice trembling with the intensity of her pleasure. "Always yours."

He released her hands, and she immediately grabbed his shoulders, pulling him closer, her body arching against his. Her moans grew louder, more desperate, and he knew she was close.He could feel it in the way her body tightened around him, and in the way her breath hitched with every thrust.

"Asher," she gasped. "I'm so close."

"Let go, Danica," he urged.

Her body convulsed, her back arching off the table as her orgasm ripped through her. He felt his own release building, the pressure coiling in his gut. He leaned down, his hand pressing against her heart, his palm glowing faintly with the power of his dragon magic.

"Danica," he said, his voice steady despite the intensity of the moment. "Will you accept my mate mark? Will you be mine forever?"

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes locked on his. "Yes, Asher. Always."

His palm burned against her skin as the Ectorius family emblem—a crimson dragon in flight—etched itself onto her chest, just above her heart. At the same time, his release tore through him, his seed spilling deep inside her, sealing their bond. He groaned, his body shuddering with the force of his orgasm, his forehead resting against hers.

When the world finally stopped spinning, he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. The mate mark glowed faintly before settling into her skin, a permanent reminder of their bond.

"You're mine now," he said, his voice filled with a mix of pride and possessiveness. "Forever."

"And you're mine," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "Forever."

He kissed her again, slow and deep, pouring all the emotions he couldn't put into words into the connection. This woman, this human, was finally officially his. Her body lay beneath him, her skin flushed and glistening with sweat, their bodies still intimately joined on his workshop table. The mate mark glowedfaintly above her heart, pulsing with ancient magic that bound them together for eternity.

His dragon preened with satisfaction. Mine. Finally mine.

---