Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I usually end up going for “ignore” and then mentally berate myself afterward. Truth is, I’m not good at sexy. I have zero knowledge on flirting. We haven’t even kissed and…I think I would really like to. I feel like we’re going about our weird-ass relationship all wrong. I flung myself atop him, had really quick sex to get the job done, and then we’ve been slowly working our way backward from that. Heck, at some point we’ll get to the point where we can have a nice kissing session and not have it lead anywhere.
Maybe.
Why is it that I can be decisive about everything else in my life, but the moment he gives me a heavy-lidded look, I get all giggly and nervous and run away?
He must be pretty disappointed with a mate like me.
I turn the fish on the spit and then glance over at him to see if he’s paying attention and picking up my thoughts, but he continues to stretch and scratch at his shoulder, his claws dancing ever closer to the tight stitches. Good, he’s not aware of my thoughts.
Truth is, I’m a little troubled. I’m attracted to him, but I’m worried about his dragon side. I’m also worried I’m not good at being girly anymore. I’m more combat boots than heels now, thanks to necessity. Even if the world changed back tomorrow, I don’t know that I could. I’ll probably always be that girl with a bit of dirt under her nails, who baits her own hooks, skins her dinner before she eats it, and prefers an empty room to one full of people.
And now…I have a companion. From the sounds of things, Zohr thinks this thing between us is permanent. I didn’t think beyond rescuing him, and now I’m stuck trying to figure out how to navigate our strange relationship. He was all over me when he was sick and burning with fever, but now that he’s “better,” he’s ignored me. It’s confusing.
Zohr jerks to his feet, startling me. For a moment, I think he’s going to come over and tell me he’s heard my thoughts, but he moves past me and my small grill to lean out the window, sniffing the air.
“What is it?” I ask, worried.
I hear something. He lifts his head, smelling the air again. But I am not sure what—
I grab my water and pour it over the coals of my small fire, sending smoke pouring into the air. I cover it with a blanket to quickly muffle the smoke and smother anything that remains. Dinner is destroyed, but if someone’s coming, the last thing we need is to be discovered. I grab my knife and move to his side at the window. “What do you hear?”
He frowns, then shakes his head.
I hear it a moment later, though. A low purr in the distance. It’s the sound of a muffler.
Motorcycles. I can guess who they belong to. I shut the window quickly, glance around our little hidey-hole to make sure nothing is lit up or can be seen from outside. We’re good. I hunch down next to the window. Zohr hunches down next to me, one big clawed hand moving possessively onto my shoulder.
We stay down, he tells me. They come closer.
I nod. He doesn’t need to tell me twice, because I can hear the leisurely purr of the motorcycles growing louder and louder. I grip my knife, tense. I’m waiting to hear the motorcycles get even closer and then stop. I’m waiting to hear the slap of boots against pavement, so I can determine how best to fight them.
You will not fight them. I am here. Zohr’s thoughts are fierce.
You are not transforming, I tell him. Absolutely not.
He growls low in his throat, and I automatically put my hand over his mouth, silencing him.
He goes still. His thoughts fluctuate, change. They turn…aroused.
It…it’s strange. I feel a weird flutter in my belly, and I keep telling myself I should pull my hand away. That he’s an adult and he doesn’t need me covering his mouth like a child. But his skin is so very warm under mine, and I’m fascinated at how he feels. His gaze meets mine and I can see his eyes are completely and utterly golden, shining brightly.
My pulse flutters again and I feel that weird sensation of pleasure deep between my thighs, at a spot that’s only started to hollowly ache since I had sex and now I know what I’m missing. I let my fingers slide down his mouth, noticing for the first time that it’s surprisingly full and firm. I’ve always just pictured him as golden skin and fangs, but he’s got a mouth that’s so perfect he’d put all human men to shame. And that jaw…sigh. He glances down at my fingers and I notice for the first time just how long and thick his golden lashes are.