Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
It’s an addicting feeling.
So instead of pushing him away, I sigh and tilt my neck so he can have free access to it. It doesn’t matter to me that he has fangs and razor-sharp claws. I know he’s not going to hurt me. He could have torn me to shreds at any time last night, but I woke up safe and secure, and the moment I freaked out, he comforted me. Of course he did. He thinks I’m his mate.
Now, he’s treating me like a mate. He soothed away my fears and now he’s showing affection.
If this is what it means to be bonded with a dragon, maybe it’s not so awful. I think about waking up every morning for the rest of my life, cuddled in strong arms and protected.
The hunger for that is near-overwhelming.
Isn’t that what I’m trying to get from the program? Freedom? Safety? Knowledge that I’ll have a place and a meal and won’t be attacked? With a dragon, it’s a different kind of safety, but he can provide it just the same.
His fingertips glide down my sleeve, a gentle caress, and his thumb strokes against my bare skin just below the elbow. There’s scars there, too—I have lots and lots of scars—but he doesn’t seem to notice them. Jurik’s never paid the slightest bit of attention to them, whereas people in Fort Dallas can’t seem to stop staring.
That’s awful nice, too.
“Ruh-chul,” he murmurs, and there’s a light scrape of fang against my skin.
My neck flares with sensation. I gasp, my nipples pricking in response.
He rumbles low in his chest, his hand stroking over my shirt, and he pushes at the uniform sleeve, as if wanting to touch more of me. HIs fingers skim under the fabric, caressing my upper arm before sliding all the way down to my wrist, stroking me over and over again, like a cat that needs to be petted.
I’m a little ashamed of the gaspy moan that escapes me, because oh, I like being petted. I like it far too much.
Jurik’s tongue flicks against my neck, and then he moves back to my ear, taking my lobe into his mouth and sucking on it. Oh god, that feels sinful. I moan his name, and he continues to stroke my arm as he nibbles on my ear, teasing me. His hand slides up and down my arm once more, then he slides it to my belly and waits there.
I moan again, not entirely sure if I want him to go up to my breasts or down to my panties. I shouldn’t want this nearly as much as I do, but I can’t seem to help myself.
To my surprise, he finds the button-down opening that goes all the way down the front of the shirt, and tears it open. I inwardly cringe, but the damage is done.
Plus, I find that kinda hot, I have to admit.
Buttons ping away as he pulls the shirt open, exposing my belly and breasts. He rumbles with pleasure again, nipping at my ear as his hand glides the fabric of the shirt down my shoulder. He’s stripping me naked. I should stop him, I tell myself, but then his teeth do that wonderful scrape over the shell of my ear, sending shivers through my body, and the last thing I want to do is stop him. I want him to keep touching me like this forever.
His mouth finally lifts from my ear, and I’m left feeling drugged with arousal. He flicks his tongue down my neck, sending shivers through my body, and then begins to do the same to my exposed shoulder. My skin prickles with awareness, and even as I tell myself that I should stop him, I roll onto my back so he can touch me more. Jurik’s eyes are such a vivid gold that they take my breath away, and the look on his face is one I’ve never seen aimed at me before. It’s tenderness and need both, hunger and pride and a mixture of emotions that make his gaze a heady cocktail.
God, I love this. I have a feeling I’m going to regret this tomorrow, but that’s for tomorrow to worry about.
He gazes down at me, running the backs of his knuckles up and down my arm before crossing over my collarbones and then moving between my breasts. He pauses there, watching me.
“Ruh-chul,” he murmurs, gazing down at me as I pant and try not to squirm. I feel exposed and excited both, and when he lowers his hand to graze his knuckles over the tip of one breast, I’ve never felt anything better. That light touch seems to tear me apart, leaving me open and hungry and aching for so much more than just a caress.
Then, Jurik makes a hungry sound in his throat and lowers his head to my neck again. This time, he’s on top of me, his big body so impossible-to-ignore naked and achingly hot. His skin brushes against my tight nipples, sending new ripples through my body, and I reach up to touch the thick tangle of his hair as it falls over the two of us.