He kissed her cheek. “A man could get accustomed to coming home to a beautiful woman in his bed.”
She smiled at him. The moonlight filtered through the bedroom window, emphasizing the golden tint in his skin. He wouldn’t accept how sexy he was, but she had an eternity to convince him. “A man or a dragon?”
He pulled her against his body. “Both.”
She never considered pulling away. To break the spell of the golden dragon that held her heart. Her soul.
He wouldn’t allow her retreat. His hands massaged her breasts until she was moaning into his mouth. His hand slipped down her hips, so he could slip them under the thin material of her nightie.
She sucked in a breath when his finger slipped between the slick lips of her pussy, circling her clit lazily. As if he had an eternity to explore every curve of her body. His fingers were magic. They pushed her to the brink of orgasm and held her there as she panted, begging for release. She moaned when she came, grasping his shoulders to keep herself from flying apart in his arms.
He entered her slowly, stretching the slick walls of her feminine channel, before setting a brutal rhythm, going deeper and deeper into her body. Her soul. She would never get him out, and she didn’t want to. Mara cried out when she came again, taking him with her. Her eyes struggled to open when he spoke.
“Tell me you will bond with me. Be my mate for all time.”
Mara closed her eyes, holding the precious moment to her heart. “Yes.”
“You have no idea what this means to me. You are the single light in an eternity of darkness. My dragon and I will strive to bring joy and laughter to your life.”
Mara nibbled her lip. “Adara told me some things about my power and about my painting.”
Legion frowned. “You will have a gallery in every city if you wish it. They will display your paintings for all to see.”
Mara ran a hand over his chest. His warmth infused her even now. “That’s the thing. I want to paint. Hell, I need to paint, but my art will be for us. For the dragons and druids yet to emerge.”
“Are you sure?”
She sighed. “I will paint pictures that the human world is not ready to see. At least, not yet anyway.”
“What about the shop?” Legion asked.
She propped herself up on one elbow. “I want it back. I didn’t realize how much it meant to me until I watched it burn. Natalie loves the store. I know you want me to live with you and I will, but she needs the shop, especially now.”
Legion kissed her forehead. “We will get the store rebuilt as soon as possible.”
“Thank you. Even if I’m not at the store every day, I need to know it’s there for those people who don’t think they belong.”
Legion’s eyes narrowed. “It’s more than just a business.”
Mara nodded. “It’s a library, a coffee shop, and a safe place to go when you don’t feel you fit in. I never understood it’s power until it was gone.”
Legion ran a finger over her cheek. “Construction will start within the week. We will have Natalie back in the store within a couple months. She will have extra assistants and a much larger loft.”
Mara laughed. “I don’t know how you are going to manage that. The loft is the same square footage as the store.”
Legion winked at her. “I bought the building beside it. Your store and the loft above are going to expand.”
Mara sucked in a breath. “You did that?”
His eyes flickered with liquid flame. “There is nothing I won’t do to make you happy.”
A tear slid down Mara’s cheek. “You are the sweetest and sexiest man I have ever met.”
Legion grinned. “I would like to discuss the sexy part in more detail.”
Mara laughed. “I’m, sure you would. Do you mind if we check on Natalie first? Alana said she would stay with her, but I want to double check she is okay.”
Legion got out of bed and extended his hand. “Of course.”
Mara approached Tempest. The solemn girl sat at the end of the bed, running a hand over Daisy’s fur. “You okay?” Mara asked.
Tempest nodded, but her serpent like eyes held only pain. “Yes. Natalie has offered to let me work at the shop. I always wanted a job, but Devlin didn’t think I needed to work.”
Mara sat on the lone chair in the spare bedroom. “I thought you would like to live with Legion and me.”
Tempest swallowed. “I appreciate the offer, and everything you and the others have done for me, but I need to be self-reliant. I made the mistake of trusting my surroundings and you know how that ended. I am blind. That does not mean I am blind to my reality. I will never let that happen again.”
Mara sighed. “I understand. You understand that we will have one man at the shop at all times. It isn’t just you. I won’t leave Natalie unguarded.”
Tempest pursed her lips. “Natalie explained Conner works at the shop, but at night, would it be okay if Thorn stayed with us? I know it’s a lot to ask and I have no right to.”
Mara leaned over and put her hand on Tempest’s arm. “You can ask me anything.”
Tempest pulled her hand away as if it had burned her. “I’m sorry. I am jumpy, I guess.”
Mara sat back, frowning. “I can ask Legion. You’re sure that’s what you want. Thorn is...”
Tempest’s shoulders straightened. “I adore him and so does Daisy. He won’t let anything happen to us. I ... feel his dedication.”
Mara connected with Legion. As usual, her mind filled with warmth. Love. Tempest wants Thorn to stay with her at the loft when she moves in. She’s comfortable with Conner in the store during the day.
She doesn’t trust men after Devlin’s betrayal. It is understandable.
What should we do?
We gain her trust. Though Devlin was dark, he
