Page 56 of Mikhail
The brothers laughed, then paused when they heard their mates’ laughter coming from thekitchen.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Grigori asked. Mikhail nodded. For so long it had been just the three of them against the world. Now with mates and a drakeling on the way, the Barinovs would be a real family again. “All we need now is to find a nice dragoness for Rurik,” Grigorisaid.
“Find Rurik a mate? I doubt that will ever happen.” Mikhailsnorted.
Grigori grinned. “Never say never,brother.”
* * *
Piper saton the edge of Mikhail’s bed, watching him undress. It was close to midnight. They’d had a wonderful dinner with Grigori and Madelyn, who at this moment were settling in for the night in a bedroom down thehall.
“It’s time for our little talk.” Mikhail came over to stand in front of her, wearing only his jeans with the top button undone. He did that on purpose, she supposed. Something about him in just jeans made her a little crazy. She stared at his chest until he cupped her chin and tilted her head to look up athim.
“Hmmm?”
“We need to talk,” he repeated. His green eyes were warm. Piper couldn’t help but smile, even though there was a sudden flutter of nerves in her belly. She held her breath as she tried to staycalm.
“Is it a good talk or a badtalk?”
“A good talk…I hope.” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips and flashed her a smile. Then he knelt down in front of her and took her hands inhis.
“So much has happened this last week. I know you still need time to adjust to being one of…my kind.” His face turned ruddy, as though he wasembarrassed.
“A dragon,” she said with a giggle. “You can say it, you know. It’s not so scary anymore. I talked to Madelyn, and she faced the same thing, becoming something she didn’t know how to be. Knowing that I’m not alone—” She paused a moment. “That makes iteasier.”
Mikhail raised her hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “And you have me.” The kiss singed her skin deliciously. She wanted those lips all over the rest of herbody.
“I do,” she agreed, pulling them up so he towered over her. “Why don’t we talk later?” She trailed a finger down his chest toward hisjeans.
Mikhail’s eyes went from green to molten gold as he groaned. “If I have to tie you down to talk, little dove, Iwill.”
She held out her wrists. “Yes,please.”
“Fuck, you are driving me wild, love.” He captured her wrists and closed his eyes. “Just let me say what I need to say first. Then we can play.” He opened his eyes again. “I loveyou.”
Piper held her breath, her heart racing like it had the first time she’d leaped into the air as adragon.
His face turned red. “You must understand, for me to say this might seem rushed to you, but it is different with our kind. We know, deep down, about those we choose to love. There is no doubt, because the bond couldn’t happen withoutit.”
“I know,” Piper said, both confused and understanding. “I feel it too. I just…know. It’s not something I think I could have ever felt as a human. Like I can actually sense a piece of me that’s missing, and you fit it perfectly.” She said the words softly, a little afraid to admit something so intimate, so vulnerable. She’d never loved anyone before, not like this. It was terrifying, exciting, and overwhelming. But he felt the same way about her, and that made it so muchbetter.
“You feel the same?” Mikhail’s eyeswidened.
Her eyes stung with tears. “Of course I do.” She climbed onto her knees on the bed, putting their faces level. She curled her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his. “It’s insane to love someone so soon, I know, but I do. It’s like a part of me was missing all these years, and being with you… It’s that missing piece settling into place. I amwhole.” She feathered her lips over his, and their breathing matched the steady beating of theirhearts.
“Let’s go home. To Russia,” she said before kissing himagain.
“You want to?” heasked.
Piper nodded. “Once we get the treasure situation sorted out, I want you to take mehome.”
Mikhail smiled. “We’ll be the first dragon family to have our own private gemologist.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “The others will bejealous.”
Piper laughed. “Just promise me I get to look at the jewels from time to time.” She was teasing, but a mischievous glint filled Mikhail’seyes.
“Oh, little dove, I plan to strip you naked and cover you with pearls, drape you with diamonds, torture and tease you with topaz, entice you with emeralds, show my love with lapislazuli—”
This time she did giggle, unable to stop. “That sounds like a wonderfuldream.”
