Page 45 of Charming the Dragon
“Yes. But first, we need to discuss this morning.”
His gaze shuttered, and Hayley itched to close the space between them and trace his jaw again.
But every time she touched Nathan, her brain turned to mush, and all she wanted was to snuggle against him, kiss him, and explore every inch of his body. And she needed her wits right now.
So she kept her distance and said, “I’m sorry for running away like I did. It’s only later I realized it might remind you of your ex. But it wasn’t out of fear, Nathan, I promise. I just needed some time to think since I never thought I’d be a dragon’s mate, let alone their true mate. And after being on my own for so long, it was a shock to learn I might not have to be any longer.”
He frowned. “What does that mean, exactly?”
She took a step toward him. “If you want a definitive answer, I don’t have it. However, I want to get to know you better, spend time with you, and see what happens.”
His pupils flashed to slits and back. “I vow to you I’ll never kiss you on the mouth without your permission. That’s what triggers a mate-claim frenzy.”
“Strange that it’s so specific.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t make the rules. Maybe it’s the intimacy of it all that flips the inner dragon’s instinct.”
His eyes flashed again, and she blurted, “What did he say?”
“Only that it’s the combination of taste and touch and scent. All together, it triggers a dragon’s instinct. Strange that kissing elsewhere doesn’t do it. Not even…”
“Not even what?”
He cleared his throat. “Never mind.”
She walked a few steps closer. “No, tell me. If there’s to be any chance of this working, we need to be honest with each other.”
She swore Nathan’s cheeks flushed ever so slightly. “Well, er, not even kissing between your legs will trigger it.”
The image of Nathan licking and lapping and kissing her pussy sent a rush of heat through her body. It took everything she had not to stare at his crotch and see if he was as affected as her. “Hmm, that is interesting.”
“Hayley.”
Her name jolted her from her sex daydream. “Hmm?”
He moved in front of her but didn’t touch her. “What were you thinking to make your face so flushed?”
“Um.”
He smiled and traced her cheek. She sighed at the light touch and barely heard him say, “Honesty, remember? And whatever you tell me will stay between you, me, and my dragon.”
“Right, honesty.” She reached out a hand, laid it on his chest, and trained her gaze there. The soft thud of his heart erased most of her embarrassment and she added, “I can’t stop thinking about you kissing me everywhere but my mouth.”
“Me, either.”
Her gaze shot up to meet his. At the heat and desire swirling there, her knees weakened. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it’d be like to have that intense gaze on her naked body.
Nathan brushed the hair from her face and ran a finger down her neck. Inch by inch, his touch burning in a good way. When he reached her shoulder, he traced back up to her chin,her mouth, and took his time brushing his thumb against her bottom lip, the top one, and back again. Each stroke made her heart rate kick up and wetness rush between her thighs.
Without thinking, she asked, “Do dragon-shifters have some sort of aphrodisiac-like pheromone?”
He chuckled. “No, love. And no, it’s not because of being true mates, either. Yes, I’d be attracted to mine, but I’ve never been so drawn to a female before in my life.”
Not even with his ex, the one he’d loved.
Maybe it was petty, but Hayley took that fact to heart. “Do we still have to go exploring?”
He stopped tracing her lips and moved his hand to her lower back. “That is entirely up to you. I don’t want you to stay underground longer than you have to, Hayley. Just thinking of how you must be suffering tears me apart inside.”
