Ruby Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 3) (6 page)

“I already said we could be more,” she muttered. “We practically already spend enough time together to be.”

He sent her a sidelong glance, and she caught a breath at his handsomeness. “When we make that next move, I want you to do it without any hesitation in your eyes. I can wait until you’re ready.”

She twisted her arms together in her lap, not sure what to do with the warmth growing inside her. She hadn’t been this happy since… well… since Braden. But she had to think this was a different kind of warmth. Because Red wasn’t pressuring her, jumping on her.

He was just sitting back and being attractive, waiting until she couldn’t resist anymore.

And judging from the pounding of her heartbeat, it was working.

“Should we watch some TV?” he asked, leaning back in the chair. “You can pick something, and I’ll order takeout. Oh, and tomorrow’s your day off, right? That means couch shopping.”

She sighed as she grabbed the remote. Once again, she could just imagine how good a life like this would be with him.

But maybe she was just idealizing things again.

* * *

D
ragon Journal Three
:

Resisting Faye last night was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Everything I want, right there, telling me it’s okay to go further, and I held myself back. It’s so unlike me to wait because I’m concerned with someone else.

Perhaps I really am becoming a different creature. But I like the new me.

We went couch shopping today. It was hard to pay attention to any of the couches because Faye looked so cute sitting on all of them. She was wearing a blue shirt today that brought out her blue eyes, and her curls would bounce as she tried different cushions.

All I figured out was every couch feels great when Faye is sitting next to me.

She asked me which one I could imagine in my home.

The truth is all I could imagine was a home with her.

I’m still very aware of the man who is stalking her. The one who was basically assaulting her toward the end of her relationship. The whole thing is entirely wrong to me. The whole point of sex is a woman’s pleasure. A woman’s happiness. To force her, to take rather than give, seems the antithesis of enjoyable. It is also rage-inducing to think of another man doing it.

If he comes by again, I’m not sure I’d be able to restrain myself from burning him to a crisp if I didn’t have my collar on.

Sometimes I’m glad I have it. Other times, I wish it was gone so I had access to all of my powers to fully protect Faye with everything I have.

I got a call from Sapphire the other night, telling me to be on the lookout, that supposedly there are rumors of wyverns being out and about—wyverns being small semi-dragons created from dragon blood and other blood being mixed.

Presumably, they are part of the effort to fight us.

All the more reason to get my powers back and be able to fight on the right side.

I do wonder, though, when I should bring all of this up with regards to Faye. She has finally expressed interest in taking things a little further. But mating is a whole different thing. And besides, she has no idea about the dragon side of me. Not sure how that is going to go over.

Oh well. This is the most worthwhile thing I have done in my life. And while I realize that indicates just how selfish and debauched I have been, all I can do is try to keep dedicating myself to something better.

Faye is something better. Faye is everything. To me.

Sincerely,

Redmond, the Ruby Dragon

A
fter couch shopping
, Faye didn’t feel she could wait any longer.

She’d been wanting him last night. Heck, after the kiss. And then watching him all day, spreading his luscious body all over different sofas, seeing the saleswoman go gaga over him, seeing him smile at Faye when he didn’t think she was watching.

Ugh, it was enough to drive a woman crazy.

Something was waking up inside her. Something she’d thought perhaps Braden had killed. And while she was glad it was apparently not dead, she was a little nervous thinking about what it all meant.

But she did know something had to give.

They’d had dinner, and Pumpkin was snoring on a cushion in the kitchen. Now Red seemed to think they could just sit next to each other and watch a movie like civil people.

The truth was the longer he’d put her off, the more she wanted him. And the more he didn’t make any moves on her or pressure her, the more she was free to feel the lust surge, making her want to take him.

It felt very primal, very strong. Probably far stronger than anything else she’d felt. Perhaps this was just how other women felt about him, but she doubted it. She hadn’t experienced anything like this until she’d gotten to know him, spent time with him. Seen the person beneath the good looks.

He was leaned back on the couch, one leg lifted so his ankle rested on his other knee. He was wearing gray slacks today with a blue polo, looking businesslike, despite her not knowing exactly what he did for work. He said he was currently taking a sabbatical and that was fine with her. She’d learned not to judge someone by their profession.

But she got the feeling he got himself ready to come over and see her. That he tried to present himself well. Though that was a little like trying to embellish on a perfect work of art.

Her heart was beating hard, her throat felt dry, but want was surging in her like a relentless ache. She scooted closer to him and rested a hand on his thigh. So warm. So hard. Steel covered in velvet.

He looked over at her, raising a dark eyebrow. “Faye?”

She swallowed. It was all or nothing. Now or never. “I want you,” she choked out.

He studied her. Once again, where other men would have jumped at the opportunity, he took his time, feeling it out. “Are you sure?”

She snorted. “Look, I appreciate you being thoughtful and patient. But at some point, this delaying is just not sexy.” She folded her arms. “So this is the last time I’m asking.” She could feel frustration welling in her at not getting what she wanted. She knew she was half insane for being like this, but he’d made her that way. All those nights together. All the nice things he did. All the trust.

“Okay, okay,” he said, grinning and flashing white teeth. His green eyes looked slightly predatory as he came closer on the couch, crowding her in. “What do you want?”

She sucked her bottom lip. She hadn’t gotten that far. “What do you mean?”

“There are a million things we could do together,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, lightly moving it down over her arm. His hand came up to tilt up her chin, and he gazed down at her lips. “Whatever you want.” He came down and took her mouth in a kiss, and warmth exploded through her as it had before, melting her down to her bones.

He held the kiss, working their lips together gently, caressing her lips with his tongue ever so slowly whenever they pulled apart. Grazing her tongue with his when they were together.

When they finally pulled back, panting, she couldn’t believe how wet she was. “Wow,” she said. “Red, you are something.”

He grinned. “To the bedroom?”

She looked that direction and nervousness flooded her. Even though she’d changed everything about the room since Braden had moved out, it still held haunted memories for her. Yet she wanted to reclaim it. She looked at Red with nervous eyes. “I want to be with you. Like that. I want to live again, in a sexual way. But I’m scared. I haven’t… since, you know.”

His eyes shuttered, a darker green, as he considered it. He was clearly pushing aside his anger so he could figure out what she needed, and she appreciated it. It was good to know he was angry for her, but that was for another time.

Right now, she just wanted to feel good with him.

His eyes lit up as his mouth curled in a smile. “I have an idea,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ll like it, though.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“Follow me.” He took her hand and walked with her down the hall. “Is this your room?” he asked, standing in front of a door.

She nodded. He opened the door, and her bedroom greeted them. She’d painted the walls a turquoise blue, her favorite color, and put little ocean paintings around. The curtains were white and striped with navy blue. It was supposed to be a fun, playful room. Her queen-size bed had matching covers. “Not the sexiest, is it?” she asked.

“Are you kidding?” he asked, folding his arms as he surveyed it. “It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Because you’re in it.”

She flushed, feeling herself go flame red to her roots. Was this really happening to her? Was it perhaps the universe’s way of making it up to her for all the losers she’d had?

And what was his idea for making her feel safer?

“Do you have any ribbons? Stockings maybe?” he asked, standing in front of the bed. He made her bed look so small in comparison.

She blinked up at him. “Socks?”

He gestured to his wrists. “Something to tie with.”

She went ashen. “Um, I’m not ready for that. I don’t think I—”

He looked confused for a moment, then laughed, shaking his head. “Not for you. For me. You can tie me up. That way you can do whatever you want to me, and I can’t do anything to you. That should feel safe, I think.”

She was touched, all the way down to her toes. “You’d do that for me?”

He nodded. “Promise to be gentle?” he teased.

She swallowed. “No.”

“Good,” he said, heat lighting his eyes.

“I think I have something that could work,” she said, opening her drawers and rummaging through them. She found some thick scarves she’d used as headbands to keep her curls back when her hair was a little shorter. “How are these?”

“Perfect,” he said. “Nice and soft.” He lay back on the bed and spread his hands and legs for easy tying.

A shiver of arousal went through her as she worked at tying him up. He had such nice wrists, such fine hands with perfect nails. Even his feet were beautiful, large and masculine and cared for. “You really are too beautiful.”

He frowned. “Like a woman?”

“Like art,” she said.

He seemed mollified by that, staying still and relaxed as he let her tie him. “Have you ever done this before?”

“No, have you?”

He shook his head. “I’ve been the one doing it,” he said with a grin, testing the bonds on his wrists and finding them to be tight. “Honestly, I usually prefer a more dominant position, where I can be the one pleasing. But for you, I can make an exception.” His eyes were wolfish, though, and she had a feeling as soon as she was comfortable enough, he’d be turning the tables on her.

A warm, excited feeling went through her.

She finished with his feet and stepped back, rubbing her hands. “So we good?”

He looked down, struggled slightly, and nodded. He seemed a little disgruntled. “It’s tight.”

She smiled, feeling powerful as she walked to the side of the bed and put a hand out to touch his hard abdomen. “Good. Then I can do what I want to you.”

He didn’t get a chance to answer before she moved her hand over one large, sculpted pec and then the other, loving the feel of him. So toned, so hard. So warm. Impossibly warm and inviting.

His green eyes followed her, watching every movement as his body reacted to her touch. She dragged her fingers down over his abs to where his belt was. Beneath his zipper, something large began to take shape.

Holy hell, this man was hot.

She played with his buckle, and he shifted slightly, clearly a bit uncomfortable. But when she looked into his eyes, all she saw was patience and a desire that was willing to wait.

She climbed onto the bed with him and straddled his waist. He tried to blow a stray lock of hair off his forehead, and she reached up and pushed it away for him. “When you met me, did you ever think we’d be here?”

He shook his head. “Not here, exactly.” He gave her a wolfish grin. “But I did sort of hope to get you in bed.”

“Even at the start?”

“Even at the start,” he said. “You were the only woman to call me on my bull crap, and I had to see more about that.”

She laughed, running her hands up his large arms, feeling every muscle. Bicep, tricep, shoulder. His body couldn’t have been more different than hers. All man. All hard strength. All at her command.

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It feels good,” she said, stroking over his arms to his hands, touching him as his fingers curled into fists. “I doubt any woman in the world wouldn’t want to be in my place.”

He grinned. “I don’t care what they think. Just what you think.”

“It’s crazy how fast this has gone,” she said.

“Not fast in my opinion.”

“Probably because you’re used to women just hopping into bed.”

“Pushing me into bed is more like it,” he said.

She tightened in jealously, her hand moving down to his zipper and the large bulge underneath. “Just me now.”

“Obviously,” he choked out, squirming slightly. He was so big that the tiniest movement from him made her nearly go flying, and she grabbed onto his shoulders to hold on.

She moved down to straddle his hips so she could get a better look at him. His handsome face was accentuated by shadows. His high cheekbones, exotic eyes, straight nose and jaw. Deep dimple in upper lip, utterly kissable.

Yet she had the impression of a caged tiger, all its strength held back from her. Powerful and beautiful and helpless.

And she sort of wanted to see that strength unleashed.

As hot as it was to see him like this, to know he trusted her, she was ready for him to take over. Ready to see what he could do in charge. Ready to take off his bonds.

She hesitated, unsure how to say it.

“You want me to take it from here, sweetheart?” He somehow managed to read what she was thinking, as usual.

She nodded. “I just. I don’t even know what to do.”

He grinned, sending an erotic shiver through her. “Let me go, and I’ll take care of everything.”

He’d take care of everything.

That was the hottest thought yet.