About a Dragon (Dragon Kin #2)(48)

“So you do like it?”

“Yes. I love it.” She stepped away from him, pulling off her wet cape, and glanced into the different alcoves.

Briec cleared his throat. “If there’s something you don’t like, we can change it. Get you something nicer.”

“Nicer than what?” Everything before her was of the finest quality. Briec was definitely a dragon who liked his comforts expensive. “All of it is beautiful, Briec. Truly.”

She stopped at one of the alcoves only to find the largest bed she’d ever seen.

And, for some unknown reason, she felt bitter jealousy at the sight of it.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

She felt heat at her back and knew he’d shifted. So when his big arms wrapped around her shoulders, his hard body pushed up against her back, she wasn’t surprised. Although the extremely affectionate gesture confused her to no end.

“You don’t sound like it’s nothing.”

“You can’t expect me to sleep there.”

His head leaned over her shoulder, staring at the bed. “Why not? I know you wouldn’t prefer the floor.”

“I simply don’t want to.”

“I need something better than that, Talaith. What is it?”

She sighed. Might as well be honest. Couldn’t hurt. “I won’t stay in the same bed with you…”

“Why the hell not?” he demanded, suddenly angry, but unaware she wasn’t done.

“…that you’ve stayed in with other females.”

Talaith felt Briec’s body relax behind her as his anger receded quickly at her words.

Nuzzling his head against hers, he said, “You have nothing to fear, Talaith. I’ve never even used that bed. My brothers insisted I had to have one. Plus, I’ve never brought another female here.”

She snorted in disbelief. “You’re trying to tell me that you’ve never had another female here—ever?”

“Aye.”

His tongue traced the line of her ear. She worked hard to ignore it, unwilling to let him distract her. “How old are you?”

“Two hundred and sixty two winters last moon.”

“And in all that time you’ve never brought a woman back to your home?”

One of his hands slid across her collarbone, across her chest, settling comfortably on her breast. “Not this home. I won’t promise my parents’ den faired as well. I didn’t want any female here, thinking they could take over…move in. So I met them in their own lairs.”

Yet he was willing to let her make changes if she found anything displeasing. No, no. She wouldn’t think too much on what that could possibly mean and instead she focused on trying to control her breathing. Not easy when he squeezed her breast while his fingers tweaked her nipple through the material of her gown. “Well…I…I guess that’s all right then.”

His tongue dipped into her ear and her entire body trembled. “Are you sure, little witch? I want to make sure you’re comfortable. That you’ll be happy here.”

“I am.” She gripped the arm still wrapped around her shoulder, holding her close, unwilling to let her go.

“We can wait to get a new bed here. It will take some time. I’ll have to raid another village to get it. After the storms, of course.” His teeth tugged her earlobe and she marveled at how easily this dragon played her body. Like he’d been handling it all her adult life as opposed to just a few days.

“I don’t want to wait for a new bed.”

“Really? You’re sure?”

She wanted to cry in frustration as every tug of her earlobe leapt right to her sex and stayed there. Talaith didn’t even know when she’d begun squirming, desperate to feel the arrogant dragon inside her again.

“Yes. I’m sure.”

“You don’t sound like you’re truly convinced.”

“You are such a bastard, Briec,” she panted.

He chuckled in her ear. “I know. So you do like it?”

She bent her head to the side, hoping he’d kiss her neck. He did. “I thought we already had this conversation. I love it.”

“More than Gwenvael’s?”

“Well…”

He released her and spun her around to face him. “I expected an immediate yes.”

She shrugged. Playing with fire, she knew. But she couldn’t help it. “But he has the hot springs.”

“Is that it?”

“That’s very important.”

He grabbed her hand. “Come.”

“That’s what I was hoping for, but you stopped.”

He pulled her, leading through the cave. Down into an alcove with a path leading below.

“Where are we going?” She heard noise, but from where she now stood, she couldn’t quite make it out.

“You really need to learn to trust me. You act like I’m dragging you off to your execution.”

The deeper they want, the darker it became and the louder the sound grew. Finally Briec stopped. “What about this, Lady Demanding?” He said a word and flame lit torches.

Talaith sat down hard right where she stood. “Briec…” she breathed out, unable to find words to describe what she saw.