Chapter 7 Found Him
Found Him
Ernest
“So you’re saying I’m stuck with you for the rest of my life,” Lawrie said, looking at the pile of scrambled eggs I’d just served him. “Good thing you can make a decent breakfast, then.”
He was simply brilliant. I have a mate! A lively, funny, dangerously clever, and beautiful little mate. The initial shock was wearing off, and thankfully, he accepted my careful touches now. The dragon needed Lawrie happy, and it was restless, making me hover.
Poor Lawrie. He would shake it off soon, but oh my stars, I’d been so obtuse. If not immediately, I should have realized when I got my mouth on his ass. The first taste of him almost made me blow.
I’d been looking for my destined mate since the eager age of twenty-one, and after thirty, I’d almost given up. All my brothers and cousins were already mated, with a whole preschool of kids among them. Today, after fifteen years of anticipation and futile searching, my Lawrie was finally here.
I barely ate. My fork halfway to my mouth, I kept gazing at him like the lovesick fool I was swiftly becoming. He was mesmerizing.
His brown hair stuck out in all directions, a cute mess of unruly curls; his eyelids were a little swollen, and his lips reddened.
He shoveled the eggs and buttered toast with admirable speed.
Every once in a while, he rubbed at his chest. The rapid changes in his body made me giddy, which in turn made me feel guilty.
Lawrie had been completely unprepared for what was happening.
He needed me to slow down when I wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and drag him back to bed.
I’d lick him head to toe and suck on his swollen nipples before sinking my dick into his body for the rest of the day.
He wiped the plate with a piece of toast, popped it into his mouth, and washed it down with the last gulp of orange juice.
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Oh, sure.” I moved to stand, but he was faster.
“No. Finish your breakfast.” He pointed at my coffee maker. “This thing is similar to what we have in the executive lounge. I can manage.”
The machine grumbled to life.
“Mugs are in the cupboard above.”
“Thanks.”
He made himself a double with milk. “And you?”
“Same as you’re having.” I swallowed the last mouthful and took the plate to the dishwasher.
Lawrie leaned on the counter, one cup in hand, another ready next to his hip.
“Thank you.”
He looked at his feet while he sipped the coffee, apparently lost in thought.
“Are you feeling better?”
He frowned. “I have no idea. I still expect to wake up at the office on the conference room table or something, hungover.”
“Bad dream?” I asked. I meant it as a joke, but my chest squeezed with worry. Patience.
“I don’t know.”
His warm brown eyes met mine, anxious, and I couldn’t resist the pull.
It was imperative I soothe him. I hugged his shoulders and kissed his forehead, inhaling his intoxicating scent, which was getting better by the hour.
Mercifully, instead of pushing me away, he leaned into the embrace and sighed.
“This is insane, Ernest,” he said quietly, his exhale warming my chest.
“You have time. Tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you. Ask questions, yell at me, whatever. There’s no rush.”
“You said my heat would come early.” His voice was muffled against my chest, and his cheek rubbed my naked pec. Was he aware of how much he was drawn to me?
“Not for another three to five months, depending on where you are in your cycle.”
“And this…need. Staying together all the time because when I leave the apartment, I can’t breathe and break down in tears. How long will that last?”
“A week maybe? We’ll still need each other after that, but it won’t be as intense.”
“I need to call in sick to work. I’ve never done that before.”
“I’ll figure something out so you won’t get trouble from Sullivan.
” He could quit immediately if he wanted to.
With my connections, I could help him find another job tomorrow.
Or he’d never have to work another day in his life.
He could do whatever he wanted, but I wasn’t broaching that subject yet. He was overwhelmed as it was.
Mug of coffee in one hand, he ran his palm over his chest again.
“You’re uncomfortable.”
“A little. It’s not unpleasant, just really strange.”
The solution was obvious, and saliva pooled in my mouth when I thought of it. Not yet.
He pulled away from me, and I bit back a groan. I craved to cling to him like a limpet. Walking toward the sofa group in the living room, Lawrie looked around my apartment. I followed him as if he had me on a string.
“So what do you do when you’re not flying around in the dark?”
I smirked. “Industrial design and aerial engineering.”
He swiveled to face me, mouth open. “You.” He gestured with his mug. “You make planes.”
“I have a great interest in aviation, yes. Aerodynamics is my jam, and I’m involved in several prototypes aimed at minimizing the carbon footprint.”
“According to what you told me, you don’t need a plane. Unless you eat baby pandas, your footprint is decent.” He grimaced. “You don’t eat baby pandas, do you?”
“No. But I crave carbs after flying. A bowl of spaghetti usually does the trick.”
He barked out a broken laugh. “Spaghetti? Of course. Completely understandable.”
“And I do need planes, for transatlantic travel at the very least.”
“You can’t fly long enough to get over the ocean? I’m disappointed. Judging by the size of those wings, I would have thought we’d be eating dinner in Paris tonight. Can I exchange you for a long-distance flying dragon?”
Oh, I was going to love this boy so much.
“You wouldn’t enjoy a flight across the ocean. Time zones, avoiding actual planes, defense systems, and surveillance, plus the weather is nasty. You’d be hanging off my claws for four days, covered in icicles.” Lawrie squinted at me. “When I take you to Paris, we’ll fly first class.”
“I’ll take you up on that.” The ever-present hint of sarcasm in his voice was entertaining as hell. It seemed humor was one of Lawrie’s coping mechanisms. The discovery made me giddy.
“It’s a deal,” I said.
“And how many of you are there?”
“I don’t know. Forty or fifty thousand maybe.”
“What?” He made a cute little squeak.
I shrugged. “We’re spread out all over the world, quite a few of us in remote areas with low population density. And most of us rarely shift. You could have met several of my kind without ever knowing.”
I wasn’t telling Lawrie about Davidson Sullivan. I wouldn’t upset him even further by revealing that his boss was another dragon.
“And all of you…mate like this?” He gestured to himself, grimacing.
“The pull is instant and for life, yes. The alphas mate with humans, often omegas, sometimes with human alphas. Our omegas can create a bond with other dragon omegas or with people. Only dragon alphas and human omegas have dragon children, though.”
He raised his eyebrows. “So if you and I actually do have a kid, he’ll be like you?”
I nodded.
Lawrie sank into the sofa, holding the coffee mug with both hands. “Any famous people who are actually dragons?”
I sat down next to him, keeping a small distance. “Yes.”
“Who, for example?”
“The governor.”
He turned his head to me, eyes wide. “You’re kidding!”
“No.”
“Wow. I voted for him.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“How long do you live? You’re not, like, immortal, are you?”
“No. Hundred twenty years, give or take a decade.” I paused, letting him take it in. “You’ll live longer too.”
“How’s that possible?”
“We don’t know the exact reasons, but it’s assumed that the bond improves the health of both partners. Dragon mates live significantly longer than other humans.”
He mulled that over, drinking his coffee in silence.
“Any dark secrets?” he asked after a while. “Kidnapping of virgins, hoarding gold, sucking unicorn blood… Stuff like that?”
I bit back a chuckle. “No. We prefer staying inconspicuous. I’ve heard of a dragon who does jail time for tax evasion. Does that count?”
Lawrie narrowed his eyes. “Maybe.”
“Unicorns don’t exist, by the way.”
He tilted his head to the side and pinned me with his arch gaze. “Really? And how would you know? I didn’t think dragons existed before you turned into one in front of my eyes and claimed I must marry you. Maybe unicorns do exist, and you have no idea.”
“I haven’t asked you to marry me.”
He glowered at me. “So I can marry someone else?”
Heat climbed up my chest and spilled into my face. “Over my dead body.”
Lawrie smirked. “Good to know.”
Sheepish, I brushed his upper arm with my fingers. “I’ll marry you tomorrow if you want.”
He ignored the last sentence. “How come they haven’t dug up any dragon remains? Or are you actually a type of dinosaur?”
Now I laughed openly. My Lawrie was hilarious even when he was upset. “I’m not, I promise. We die in human form. On those rare occasions a dragon is killed, he shifts upon death.”
“How can a dragon be killed?”
“It hasn’t happened since the World Wars, but just like any creature. With weapons.”
“Huh.” He took a gulp of his coffee.
“What, are you disappointed I’m not invincible?”
“Nah. That would complicate things even more.”
He was quiet for a moment, and I took in his profile, memorizing his features from this angle.
He had a couple of small birthmarks on his left cheek; one high up, just under his eye, and the other closer to his nose.
They looked cute as hell, and I barely resisted the urge to poke them with a fingertip.
After fucking my way through all those timid, frail blonds, my dragon bonded with a mouthy, quirky brunet.
The turn of events made me positively exhilarated, and the more I thought about it, the more right it felt.
I was going to worship the ground Lawrie walked on.
He flashed me a sour look. “Stop staring. You’re acting creepy again.”
“I’m a black monster. Creepy is a part of the deal, sorry.”
A corner of his mouth lifted briefly, and my stomach flip-flopped at the sight.
“I need to…” He drank more coffee. “I need to be alone for a moment, but I can’t, can I? I need to process this. I mean, there’s no chance I’ll be ever able to process all of this, but…”
I had to be patient. “I get it. I have some work things that need my attention, and I should probably reschedule everything I had planned for next week. What if I go to my study and leave you alone for as long as you want?”
Flashing me a look, Lawrie bit his lower lip. “Will I freak out if I’m in another room?”
“We’ll keep the door open so you can see me if you turn around.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I stood but hovered. It was difficult as hell to tear myself away from him. I wanted to hold him so badly it hurt. “Do you want another coffee?”
“No. I’m good.”
“Okay.”
Reluctantly, I backed into my study.
What now?
I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket. It needed charging, but I wrote a message to my dad first.
Me: Found him. His name is Lawrence, but he begrudgingly accepts me calling him Lawrie. He’s twenty-two, has a razor-sharp mind, and a great sense of humor. He’s wonderful, Dad. You’ll love him. Staying at my apartment downtown for the bonding.
Dad: Ernest Bracknell, call me immediately! I want to see him!
Me: I can’t. He’s shaken. He didn’t find out in the best possible way. Give him a few days to adjust, okay?
Dad: What did you do?
I could hear the suspicious tone in my dad’s message.
Me: I met him at Sullivan’s party and didn’t realize at first. I invited him to my place, and one thing led to another. When we woke up in the morning, the bonding had already started. He was so terrified and mad he tried to leave.
Dad: You’re a scoundrel, Ernest. That poor boy!
Me: He’s feeling better now. Asked me to give him space, so I’m pacing here, trying not to freak him out even more.
Dad: Serves you right. I hope he’ll keep you on your toes. It was about time.
Smiling, I connected the phone to a charger on my desk and typed.
Me: I wholeheartedly agree. Wish me luck.
Dad: Good luck and treat him right. When he needs someone to talk to, I’m here.
My omega dad had experienced his own eventful first meeting with my alpha father some forty years ago. Once Lawrie got over the initial shock, my dad would truly be a great person to ask questions.
I wrote a quick note to my alpha father as well, knowing my omega dad would share the news even faster.
Me: I finally found him. He’s lovable all around. I’ll bring him to visit after the bonding.
Pa: I’ve just heard! Congratulations, Son.
Me: Thank you. I’ll be in touch.
Pa: We can’t wait to meet Lawrence.
With a sigh, I opened my laptop. I had a heap of work waiting for me.
I was supposed to be on a plane to San Diego on Monday morning.
Needless to say, the conference on alternative fuels wasn’t happening for me.
I could send one of my postdocs—surely, someone would be excited about a last-minute trip to San Diego.
I’d have them take pics and videos from the exhibition, and I’d do all the planned meetings online instead.
At least Davidson would be glad to have me start on the drone a few days earlier. I would email him and inform him I’d be working from home this week, going through the blueprints, and meeting the team the Monday after that.
I could begin setting up the simulations already with the 3D model I’d received.
Grateful to have a solid distraction, I powered up my desktop computer where I had the various airflow simulation software installed.
I scrolled through emails on my laptop while it booted and anxiously listened to Lawrie’s footsteps in the living room.
Then the bathroom door clicked shut, and I took a deep breath. Work now, everything else later.