Chapter 5
Zaden
I slid my hands into her hair and tilted her head back. She stared up at me, daring me to do it. So I did. I kissed her, hard, claiming her mouth. She made a noise in her throat, somewhere between a moan and a growl, and pressed herself against me. She tasted so sweet.
I lost track of time, lost track of the world. There was only her, her mouth, her hands on my back, the thrum of blood in my ears.
She kissed me back with a hunger that caught me off guard. Her hands found the hem of my shirt and slipped underneath, nails scraping my skin. I wanted her. Fuck, I needed her.
She broke the kiss, breathing hard, and whispered, "Is this what you do? Bring women up here and seduce them with nature and motorcycles?"
I put my forehead against hers and smiled. "Only the ones who can handle it."
She laughed, low and throaty, and shoved me backwards onto the seat of the bike. "Prove it," she said.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her onto my lap. She straddled me, hands braced on my shoulders, grinding down enough to drive me insane.
We kissed until I couldn’t breathe. Her hands moved everywhere, my hair, my neck, my chest. She was bold, unafraid, and it made me want her more.
I cupped her ass and rocked her against the bulge in my jeans. She gasped, biting my bottom lip, and I almost lost it right there.
The dragon inside me roared. It wanted to tear the clothes off her, wanted to taste her skin, wanted to burn the memory of this night into her body.
I fumbled with the button of her jeans, but she beat me to it, shoving my hands away and doing it herself. She wriggled out of them, tossed them onto the ground, and smirked at me.
I reached for her, but she stopped me. "Wait," she said. "Take your shirt off."
I obliged, yanking it over my head. Her eyes raked over me, hungry, and she touched my chest like she was mapping new territory. Then she leaned in and kissed my throat, my collarbone, my shoulder. Each touch left a trail of fire in its wake.
I tugged at her panties, but she laughed and slid them off herself. She was naked from the waist down, perched on my lap, and I was about to lose my mind.
She unzipped my jeans and freed my cock. I hissed at the cold air, at the feel of her hand on me. She stroked me, slow and deliberate, never breaking eye contact.
"You’re killing me," I said, and she grinned.
"That’s the idea."
She angled herself over me, but I held her up by her thighs. "I know neither of us can catch normal human STDs, but what about a condom for pregnancy?" I wanted her to have all of my babies, but maybe not yet.
"I'm on birth control," she said with a moan. "Let me go."
Fuck me, she was amazing. I let go and she sank down, inch by inch, until I was buried in her heat. We both groaned at the same time, the sound echoing in the quiet night.
We fucked on the motorcycle, awkward and desperate. The seat was too narrow, the handlebars in the way, but none of it mattered. I held her hips and thrust up into her, hard and fast, and she clawed at my shoulders like she wanted to leave marks.
She moved above me, riding me. Her hair fell around her face in a wild curtain, her eyes glazed with need. I slid my hand between us and rubbed her clit. She gasped, grinding harder, and tightened around me.
"Come for me," I said, and she did, shuddering and cursing, hands fisted in my hair.
I followed, the release so intense it left me dizzy. I held her tightly, breathing her in, my entire body shaking with it.
We sat there, tangled together, sweat cooling in the night air. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I stroked her back, not ready to let go.
We could’ve gone back to the bar. Or her place. Or hell, even a hotel. But I didn’t want to be anywhere but here, alone in the dark, with her taste still on my tongue and the night all ours.
I grabbed the blanket from my saddlebag and shook it out, laying it down over the grass. She watched, biting her lip, like she couldn’t decide if she should laugh or kiss me again.
"Better than a hotel," I said, smoothing the blanket. "Stars, fresh air, no nosy neighbors." This was clan land, and one of my favorite places to come. Nobody else ever came here, not even any of my brothers.
She laughed, dropping down onto the blanket and stretching her arms over her head. "You’re such a cliché."
I knelt beside her, propped up on one arm, looking down at her. "You think so?"
She shrugged but had heat in her eyes. "You’re the one with the blanket."
I leaned in and kissed her again, slow and deep. She melted under me, her hands sliding under my shirt, nails raking my back.
We took our time this round. The first time had been urgent, but now it was different, hotter, but somehow sweeter.
Piece by piece, we finished undressing each other, tossing clothes into the dark. Her skin was soft and cool, scattered with freckles that I traced with my tongue. She laughed when I found the ticklish spot under her ribs, then shivered when I kissed the hollow of her hip.
She pushed me onto my back and straddled me, hair hanging down between us. She took control, grinding down against my cock, rubbing herself on me until she was slick and gasping.
I let her set the pace, let her take what she wanted. It was a power trip, and I loved it. She could have it all if she wanted it. Everything I had.
To a point. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I rolled her under me. She wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me in tight.
I slid inside her, watching her face as I filled her. She was so fucking beautiful, eyes closed, lips parted, hair spread out on the blanket.
We moved together, bodies in sync. I kissed her neck, her collarbone, her breasts, every inch of her I could reach. She held me close, digging her fingers into my back, her breath coming in hot little gasps.
The dragon in me wanted to bite, to claim, to mark her as mine. I held back, but barely. Instead, I kissed her jaw, her cheek, her temple. I wanted her to know she was safe, wanted, more than just a fuck in the woods.
She came hard, shaking and cursing, nails leaving angry red trails on my shoulders. I followed, the orgasm so intense it felt like I was burning alive. No small feat for a dragon.
We collapsed together, tangled and sweaty, the night air cooling our skin.
She laughed. "You were right. Better than a hotel."
I propped myself up on one elbow and looked down at her. "You’re incredible."
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "You don’t have to say that."
"I mean it," I said, and brushed her hair back from her face. "I’ve been alive a long time, Krystal. But you…"
I stopped myself, afraid to sound like a lunatic.
She looked at me, serious for a second. "But me what?"
I hesitated. "You make it feel new again. Like everything is possible."
She snorted, but a blush creeped up her cheeks. "You’re such a sap."
I laughed. "Don’t tell anyone."
She stretched, catlike, and pressed her body against mine. We lay there in silence, the only sound our breathing and the distant chirp of crickets.
I couldn't stop moving my hands over her body as she tucked her head under my chin.
I’d had lovers before, plenty of them. But none of them made me feel like this. Soft, stupid, hungry for more. Because no one compared a fated mate.
We drifted off, half-asleep under the stars. Eventually, she sat up, shivering. "I should get home."
I nodded, even though I hated the thought of letting her go. We dressed in silence, stealing glances at each other, grinning like idiots. Before we left, I pulled her in for one last kiss, slow and gentle.
She sighed against my mouth. "You’re addictive."
I smiled. "So are you."
The ride back to Stock Creek was quiet, but not in a bad way.
She clung to me, cheek pressed between my shoulder blades, arms locked around my ribs.
The wind roared and the engine revved, but the bond between us hummed louder.
If I could’ve driven straight through the night with her holding me like that, I would’ve.
When we reached the bar parking lot, I killed the engine and sat, not wanting the moment to break. She hesitated, then slid off the seat, wobbling a little on her feet. I steadied her, hands on her waist.
She looked up, cheeks still flushed from the ride, or maybe from what we’d done in the woods. For a second, I thought she was going to say something, but she exhaled slowly.
I didn’t want to let go. Instead, I pulled her closer, holding her against me. "Hey, you okay?"
She nodded, but her eyes darted away, and I felt her start to slip behind her old shields.
"Listen," I said. "I’d like to see you again. Soon."
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "You’ll see me at work, Zaden. I’m not going anywhere."
That stung, more than I’d admit. I wasn’t sure if she was teasing or if she really meant it, keeping it casual.
I tried again. "Doesn’t have to be a date. You could just come over and hang out."
She shrugged. "Maybe." Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed me, soft, closed-lipped, no heat in it at all. "Good night, Zaden."