Your great-grandmother was a water serpent. Like me, she was the last of her kind but she came from a pure and uninterrupted bloodline.”
He let loose an annoyed grunt. “So what?”
Gathering her courage, she said, “It means that our baby would have a high chance of inheriting my Naga gifts.”
Taken aback, Griffin stared at her. “Are you
Irritated, she snapped back at him. “No, I haven’t forgotten. If you’re not going to help me, you may as well go ahead and finish me off right here. Satisfy your family’s honor, Griffin. Who knows? Maybe the Knights will send you a thank-you card and a nice flower arrangement for tying up a loose end.”
He growled angrily and shot to his feet. “Comparing me to a Knight isn’t a very persuasive tactic, Avani.”
She rubbed her face and sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m on edge and I’m desperate.”
“Why are you in such a rush to have children? You’re only, what, thirty? You haven’t even hit your first centenary!”
“When you’re the last member of a nearly extinct race of dragon, you can stand there and lecture me on biological clocks!”
He studied her intently. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking? I’ve gone nearly one thousand years without taking a mate or fathering a child. There’s a reason for that. My work is very dangerous. My loyalty to the Brotherhood comes first.”
She understood his hesitancy and embraced it. She’d been relieved when she’d researched him and realized how unlikely he was to want a role as an active parent. “I’m not looking for a husband or even a partner in parenting. Don’t worry. I don’t want your money either. My jewelry business is quite successful. I can handle motherhood on my own.”
“Is that so?” An expression she couldn’t place filtered across his face. “It seems as if you have this all planned out. I suppose all you want from me is a sperm donation.”
She winced at how cold it sounded. “It wouldn’t be like that. You’re in heat. I’m in heat. I’m sure our time together will be pleasurable.”
“And when the phase ends?”
“You leave. I’ll contact you if we’re successful.”
“And that’s that?” He didn’t sound happy.
“Well, I mean, what more do you want?”
He made a disgusted noise. “What the hell kind of man do you think I am? You think I would make a child with a stranger and then walk away from him or her?”
His fury stunned her. Stammering, she said, “I…I thought—”
“No,” he interjected roughly. “You didn’t think. You assumed you could waltz in here smelling like heaven, ensnare me, and convince me to do whatever you wanted. Well I’ve got news for you, Avani. I’m not the kind of man who can be led around by his dick.”
His crass remark made her flinch. “You’re wrong, Griffin. I didn’t come here hoping to ensnare you with my mating scent.” Embarrassment burned her neck and cheeks. “Do you think it was easy for me to come in here and beg a stranger to sleep with me? And not just any stranger, Griffin! You’re my enemy.”
“I am not your enemy.” He spoke the words with such passion it set her back on her feet. “What happened centuries ago is of little consequence to me. No dragon is my enemy.” Looking pained, he rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re asking me to do the impossible.”
“No,” she replied insistently. “I’m asking you to uphold the oath you took when you joined the Brotherhood. I’m asking you to save my family line. I need you, Griffin. You’re the only one who can help me.”
His intense stare unnerved her. Her breath hitched in her throat when he took a step toward her. Instinct took hold. For every one of his steps forward, she scurried back two. Her back hit the door and stalled her flight.
He planted both hands against the door, pinning her smaller body between his and the wooden plank at her back. Her shuddery breaths buffeted his naked chest. His tanned skin tempted her like no other. She fisted her hands at her sides and closed her eyes. When his face lowered, she turned her head.
“Don’t,” he warned gently. Nuzzling her cheek with his nose, he coaxed her to face him. Their breaths mingled as he gazed into her eyes. His mouth brushed hers with such softness. The spark of contact arced between them, setting her skin alight.
With a low groan, Griffin finally captured her lips. He was easy at first, his lips pliable and soft against hers. Taking control, he deepened the kiss. His tongue swiped hers. She whimpered as he plundered her mouth. Her hands flew to his chest. The searing heat of his skin set her afire.
Whether it was the mating scent or their natural chemistry, Avani couldn’t say. In that moment, she didn’t really care. She’d never felt anything like this. Her whole body pulsed and ached. She didn’t fight him when he grasped the backs of her thighs and lifted her off the floor. The fabric of her skirt bunched and pulled taut when she wrapped her legs around his waist. She gasped at the sensation of his rock-hard cock pressing against her. Only a few pieces of thin cloth separated their overheated bodies.
A guttural sound emanated from his throat. He tore his mouth away from hers. Forehead to forehead, they panted and shuddered. Finally, Griffin spoke. “We do this my way.”
She licked her lips and stared into the eyes of the man who had awoken such need within her. “What way is that?”
“I’ll help you save your line but I will not bond with you. I don’t want or need a mate.”
His words shouldn’t have hurt her. She hadn’t come here looking for a mate, after all. Still, they struck a raw nerve. She’d always been the unwanted one. It wouldn’t be any different now.
“I won’t bite you,” she promised. At the confused look on his face, she explained, “Among the Naga, a bite and exchange of venom is required to seal a true mate bond.”
“You have fangs?” He tilted his head for a better look at her mouth. “I didn’t feel them.”
She shook her head. “I only have them in my serpent form.”
“I see.” His fingertip trailed her jaw. “As to the other thing you proposed, the answer is absolutely no. I will not play the role of absentee father.”
His assertion troubled her. She hadn’t been kidding earlier. She didn’t want the interference of another parent in her life. Single motherhood appealed to her for a few very personal reasons. “But I don’t want—”
He silenced her with a kiss. Leaving her breathless, he said, “This isn’t up for debate, Avani. These are my terms. Take them or leave them. Now…do we have a deal?”
Overwhelmed by his commanding heat and strength, Avani was powerless to say no. She found unexpected reassurance in his penetrating, unwavering gaze. His offer wasn’t the most palatable but there was plenty of time to convince him to give her exactly what she wanted. “All right. We have a deal.”
But as Griffin carefully lowered her to the ground, Avani couldn’t shake the feeling her well-laid plans were about to be shot to hell by this ridiculously sexy beast of a man.
About the Author
While browsing bookstore shelves as a teenager, Lolita Lopez discovered the erotic writings of Anais Nin and A. N. Roquelaure. Certain her mother would not approve, Lo smuggled the books home and squirreled them away in the most likely of places: under her bed. Late at night, she delved into the sensual worlds both writers created.
As a coed studying biochemistry and genetics at Texas A&M University, Lo dabbled in creating naughty tales to entertain her friends. Study for a midterm or pen a deliciously dirty story to delight her small band of fans? Not surprisingly, Lo is now on an extended sabbatical from college.
Luckily, Lo stumbled into the world of erotic romance publishers. She realized there were other readers and
