Part 3 (1/2)
Much like he'd done four years ago.
Remembering the incident, Nikki started to doubt her decision. Bearing Rafe's child would only make her life more complicated, especially if she had to work with him after the frenzy.
Her dragon was about to retort when a door opened downstairs and clicked shut. Her beast snarled. If it's not him, I will s.h.i.+ft, pick them up in our talons, fly up, and drop them into the nearby lake.
Don't even dare try. Bram would kill us.
Her dragon huffed. I'm not worried about Bram. Given the chance, I could take him, too.
The frenzy and desire to mate must be doing more than making her dragon cranky.
One thud and then another in a steady rhythm signaled someone was ascending the stairs.
Would it be Rafe?
Not that she should get her hopes up. Rafe might have wanted to kiss her, but that didn't mean he wanted to s.h.a.g and impregnate her. That was a pretty tall order for any male, especially for a human. Rafe could end up in jail if he weren't careful.
The footsteps paused right outside the door. Her dragon sat them up and turned to face it. I smell him.
Could it be true? Had Rafe come?
Something light dropped to the floor on the other side of the door. As the doork.n.o.b turned, Nikki's heart pounded.
Rafe Hartley stood in the doorway wearing a pair of low-slung jeans and nothing else. Both woman and dragon drank in the sight of his chiseled abs and defined muscles. Two dog tags also hung from chains around his neck.
They both wanted to reach out and run their hands through the light patch of dark hair on his chest.
Her beast stood them up. I'm going to claim him.
Her dragon-possessed human form rushed Rafe, but the second before they could make contact and tumble him to the ground, Rafe moved to the side. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled their back against his front and his heat seeped into their skin.
A voice tinged with her beast and not quite her own hissed, ”You're mine. Let me go and let me claim you.”
Rafe's breath was hot against their cheek. ”I will, but not without Nikki. Bring her back.”
”We are one and the same.” Her dragon pulled their wrists, but Rafe's grip held firm.
”Nikki. Now. Otherwise, this is going to be a long night of me tying you up and watching you like a hawk.”
”You wouldn't dare.”
”Try me, dragon.”
Nikki spoke to her beast. If you want to claim him sooner, then do as he says. You've seen how stubborn he can be. I wouldn't doubt him being able to keep us tied up for days if he wanted to. Even if you s.h.i.+fted into a dragon, he'd still find a way to keep you in line.
No. I should be the one to claim him. He's our mate, and you'll just let him go.
I promise I won't, and I don't make promises lightly.
Her dragon paused a second. She was more than aware of that fact. You get one chance. That's it. After that, I will outsmart the human and ride him hard.
Her beast slowly lowered the prison Nikki currently resided inside. The instant the walls were down, Nikki raced to take control. Her dragon settled at the back to watch, and Nikki murmured, ”I always knew you were kinky and wanted to tie females up.”
”Nikki?”
Turning her head, she met his eye. ”The one and only. Now, how about letting me go?”
”How do I know your dragon isn't playing a trick?”
”Because she would only want to f.u.c.k you and I'm about five seconds away from kicking you in the d.i.c.k.”
Rafe snorted. ”That would sort of defeat the purpose of me being here. And not a very nice way to thank me for agreeing to this in the first place.”
While her dragon flicked her tail in impatience, Nikki ignored her beast and asked, ”Why did you?”
Rafe's grip relaxed a fraction as he whispered, ”Because I didn't like seeing you in pain.” She drew in a breath, but before she could reply, he quickly added, ”And I need you if we're ever to complete our mission.”
Any tender feelings at his first statement melted with the latter. ”Of course, the mission.”
Releasing her wrists, Rafe stepped away and took his lovely heat with him. ”Tell me what you want me to do, Nikki.”
Turning, she placed a hand on her hip. It took everything she had to not react to Rafe's perusal of her naked body. ”For starters, you can bring back the real Rafe. This uncertain, nice guy is creeping me out.”
Narrowing his eyes, Rafe took a step toward her. ”Excuse me for thinking about how difficult this is for you. If you want me to insult you, then by all means, I can do that.”
She poked his chest. ”Don't be an a.r.s.ehole. Just be yourself.”
Rafe reached out and pulled her flush against him. Despite her best efforts, she cried out at the heat of his skin next to hers.
Her dragon hummed. Yes. This is more like it. We just need to rip off his jeans.
Male satisfaction flared in his eyes as he murmured, ”If I'm going to be myself, then I'm going to do this.”
Lowering his head, he kissed her.
Chapter Three.
As Rafe's lips touched Nikki's, he moved a hand down to her toned, bared a.r.s.e. Squeezing her firm cheek, Nikki cried out in surprise, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth.
Seeing her naked with fire in her eyes had made him hard already. Yet as he stroked his tongue against Nikki's and she dug her nails into his back, his d.i.c.k turned to granite.
Alternating between nipping her bottom lip and caressing the inside of her mouth, he backed her against a wall. Breaking the kiss, he leaned even more against Nikki's small frame; at least small for a dragon-s.h.i.+fter, thanks to her human mother being of some Asian descent.
Her pupils flashed between round ones and slits. ”Why did you stop?”
Moving a hand between them, he cupped her small breast. Her hard little nipple was pointy against his palm. ”Because all I can think about is tossing you onto the bed and f.u.c.king you. I need to make sure you're certain of this.”