Chapter Ten
Three days after the wedding, Riimal slithered across the sand, returning to the stronghold and hissing with laughter the entire way home.
The wall sentries saw them coming, and the door opened for them. He ducked down and slithered inside and up toward the door to their quarters. She dismounted from his head and released the belt around his neck. She walked into their hall and past the astonished housekeeper. “I am taking a bath.”
“Princess, what is that?”
“Dragon drool.” She growled as she headed to her bathing room. “Sorry about the floor.”
“It’s okay. Where is the prince?”
“Changing back to human and walking naked through the stronghold, laughing his ass off.”
“Why?”
“He pushed me in.” She closed the door to their bedroom to the laughter that couldn’t be contained.
She ran the bath and showered at the same time. The sodden mess of her desert clothing was in a heap on the floor. Riimal came in and wrapped his arms around her, getting wet in the process. “I would say I was sorry, but I am not. In a few days, we will know if you are heading for a heat.”
“Uh-huh. You could have just told me.”
“He was happy and was firmly in control.”
“He giggled the whole way home.”
Silence.
“It was a two-hour trip!”
Riimal let out a strangled sound and said, “He is sorry if you are upset.”
“I am not upset. I am coated in a thick layer of saliva and have been for two hours. It’s slimy.”
Riimal helped wash her back and said, “It isn’t just saliva.”
Through gritted teeth, she said, “I know that. I recognized the scent.”
“Oh. Well, at least you smell like mine now.”
She laughed. “I smell like I belong to the sand dragon.”
She washed her hair a second time and got the last of the slick mess out. She turned to face him. “I am going for a soak after this, and you are welcome to join me, husband.”
He grinned. “I will see you scrubbed first, wife.”
He was true to his word. He made sure that she felt clean before he shut off the water and removed his clothing.
Ival sank into the tub and said, “Where did you get clothing?”
“The guard house. Clothing is always kept there for the shifters on staff.”
He shoved the sodden mess to the side with her clothing and joined her in the tub. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed his mark. “Did you have fun today?”
“The ruins were spectacular until he pushed me into the pool of drool and semen. You must have spent a lot of time out there.”
“It was my rest and relaxation place for seven years.”
She leaned against him. “Do you want to install a gaming terminal?”
He laughed. “No. You are now my rest and peace.”
“Aw. You are my protector and my lover. Maybe a friend, though the drool pool put a dent in that.”
He stroked his hands over her. “I will endeavour to reclaim lost territory, my sweet.”
“Yeah, so the dunking was designed to kickstart my biology?”
“Yes. To heal what had not yet been healed. Now, we wait to see if there are any results.”
“Have you been talking to Ylara again?”
“Yes. She said she sees Ramera taking care of our baby for a short while.”
“Did she say when?”
“Ylara’s baby is a toddler. That was the only hint.” He massaged her neck and shoulders.
“So, sometime in the next year or two.”
“Yes.”
“I will be in my late forties.”
“And I will be near sixty. Neither of us is suffering from the weight of time.” He kissed her neck.
“True.” She relaxed against him, and he wrapped his arms around her, continuing to kiss her neck. Heat was building inside her, but he didn’t need to know that. The sand dragon was too fucking smug as it was.
They remained in the tub for an hour while her thighs began to ease together again. His neck was very wide, and it was a long time to be holding on.
Late that night, she was draped over him. While dragon riding was awkward, husband riding was right up her alley.
The future would take care of itself.