Page 95 of Never Feed a Dragon

Randa’s chin tilted as her mate said something to her silently, and she nodded.

“Alright, we’re going to head back to our place to get some work done,” Jasper said smoothly. “Enjoy the new house.”

We all knew the living spaces in Mate Mountain weren’t really houses, but they were big enough that it seemed silly to call them apartments. And living space sounded kind of cold.

So, house it was.

They left, and then it was just me, Eli, and an absolutely stunning view that I could see from every window.

My gaze moved over the mountains.

My shoulders were more relaxed than they’d been in years, if ever.

I was leaning up against Eli’s side, and I hadn’t even noticed. The contact just felt right.

Everything did when I was with Eli.

He’d become my best friend—but he was more than that.

He was my mate.

And suddenly, I was tired of trying to convince myself that he wasn’t.

It went against all of my instincts to embrace commitment, but it was what I wanted. What I’d always wanted. I’d been so desperate to get married when I was younger that I convinced an absolute asshole to propose to me. I’d talked myself into believing that all the red flags in our relationship didn’t matter.

But that was nothing like what I had with Eli.

Eli and I were real.

He loved me, regardless of how I felt or what I did.

And… well, I loved him too.

I was done pretending I didn’t.

His hand brushed over my thigh lightly, and I looked at him.

He was already looking at me.

“I’m done with the test run. Do you want to get married?” I asked him, out of the blue.

He didn’t blink.

Or hesitate.

Or even consider it.

“Yes. Want to fly to Vegas right now?”

My face warmed. “I do, but I think I want the big party, too. And a ring. And a fancy dress.”

“Next week.” He winked at me.

Then kissed me.

“I can’t plan a wedding in a week, E,” I protested, pulling away.

“Ask your mom to do it. She’ll freak out at first, but I bet she’ll be thrilled afterward. She can pretend the last-minute thing is because it’s exclusive or something.”

---