Braxton’s pupils dilated, his nostrils flaring just slightly as he scented my arousal. His hands started trailing over me, lingering on my mark again. He couldn’t seem to help himself, touching it over and over.
“Every dragon shifter is different. Sometimes it’s an event, or for others it was simply time. Shift enough and eventually the bond is formed. I expect it will be quick for you. I’ve never seen a new dragon shifter have such control over their animal.”
I definitely had control over her, she was like a big puppy dragon. Most of the time. I was about to let loose with more questions, but suddenly those trailing fingers were right in the sweetest of spots. I threaded my hands behind his head and pretty much climbed his body, giving him better access, but I also now had a direct path to his luscious lips. And I was not wasting one second of this shower.
An hour later we were forced to emerge or we were going to expire from drowning or lack of food. Braxton left me in the room to dress. I wiggled into jeans and pulled on a simple black tank. I found a pair of black Converses in the cupboard. Even though I’d never seen them before they fit perfectly. They were either Mischa’s, or a shoe pixie lived in the cupboard. Yep, they were real demi-fey and they loved shoes. Generally, though, they were stealing them, not bringing new ones.
As I stood in front of the mirror to brush out my hair, my eyes were drawn to the shower stall. My thoughts flashed back to the last hour, and I couldn’t help the grin which spread across my face. My reflection, I’ll admit, looked quite flush and satisfied.
Why the hell had I waited so long to do this with Braxton? I had been so worried that taking this step would destroy the bonds of our friendship, but instead it felt as if we had never been closer. I could feel him in my chest, as if my heart were now twice the size it used to be, more emotions than I’d ever experienced.
No wonder mates got all blissed out and forgot the world for a few years. All I could think about and feel was Braxton, and I seriously hated that we were leaving the bedroom.
Braxton and I were mates … well, sort of.
Why the frig couldn’t anything be simple in my life?
My brush stilled halfway along a stroke. I wondered how Jacob, Tyson, and Maximus would take this. The last thing I wanted was any sort of rift between all of us. I was amazed that things with Maximus and his new mate had been calm so far, but maybe I’d been counting my blessings too soon.
No doubt I’d find out shortly. The Compasses would make their opinions abundantly clear.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Braxton’s voice did the usual and shot heat right through my body.
“Just wondering how your brothers will take this revelation,” I said, before the next random thought burst from my mouth. “Do you want to keep things casual until we figure out what’s going on with this mate bond?”
His hooded eyes trailed over me. “No, Jess, there is no casual when it comes to us.” He leaned in the doorway, his relaxed pose all sexy. “I have two thoughts about what we do until this mate bond is sorted. The first centers on exclusivity. I want it. I demand it. I will kill any males, besides my brothers, who touch you inappropriately. If your second mates comes along … well, we will deal with it.”
There was the dominant dragon shifter that had been missing in the last few hours of gentle play. I had forgotten for a short period that Braxton was a badass – okay, I hadn’t forgotten, he wore badassery like a second skin, but he had been tempering it slightly. No more apparently.
“And the second?” There was a hitch in my voice, anticipating what he might say.
He straightened, his presence filling the small bathroom.
“Nothing that happens here will ever change the fact that I love you. I have always loved you. Since we passed puberty, well, it has been as … more than friends. You’re my choice, Jessa.” There, he’d said it again. Stronger this time with no hesitation. He owned his emotions without missing a beat. Damn, he was perfection.
My heart did something weird, like it stopped beating for about thirty seconds. I was trying to draw in air, but there seemed to be a shortage in this room or something. I shook my head a few times, before stumbling two steps and throwing myself at him. He anticipated the movement and caught me with two hands wrapped around my thighs. Our mouths met in the hardest of kisses.
I wasn’t sure when I fell in love with Braxton. Probably it had always been there for me too. I had been particularly harsh and dissatisfied with ninety percent of my past lovers. For a reason I’d never really stopped to identify. But I was well known for never committing; I ran when things were getting serious. The longest relationship I’d ever had was with my Compasses, and that is why I held so strongly to the “friendship only” thing we were rocking.
I had been so afraid that if I started anything with any of them, my commitment-phobia would kick in and ruin everything. Guess I couldn’t hold out any longer with Braxton. You could only fight fate for so long, especially with true mates. I was never acknowledging a second mate – seriously, that notion could just eff the hell off.
Our kisses tapered off. I squirmed as the need to be naked with him again overwhelmed me. But for now, the growling of my stomach was slightly stronger. I was lowered back to my feet, my Converses sinking into the soft carpet. Wait, how did we get out of the bathroom? This male had my senses all over the place.
We didn’t touch again as Braxton led the way from the room, but all this did was increase the tension radiating between us. It was as if we’d broken the seal on the attraction and now there was no tempering it anymore.