TJ’s eyes widen and a tear slips down from his eye.

“I hoped you did, but I feared I’d never hear you say it,” TJ confesses in a low voice. “I love you so much, Taylor.”

He pulls me into his arms and just holds me.

Feeling him around me, I feel almost complete. I want nothing more than to see what this mating is all about.

I break free from his embrace and place my lips on his own, claiming them as mine.

The kiss ignites love deep within my belly.

We slowly undress one another while trying our best to stay connected at the mouth. We are full of giggles and kisses as we take off our clothing.

“You are beautiful,” TJ whispers into my lips as he cups the back of my head and pulls me even closer.

Our cores grind together until TJ slips inside of me.

I move on top of him slowly as I get used to his girth. As we had sex earlier, I am still ready for him.

“Repeat after me,” TJ says, and I nod, barely paying attention. “Look at me.”

I follow his command and our eyes meet. I see his eyes are now red-brown, and I swear I can see his dragon trying to break free.

“My mate, my love, my other half. Now and forever.”

Something overcomes me and I respond, “My mate, my love, my other half. Now and forever.”

As the last words leave my mouth, his body starts to glow the same warm red-brown color. The light takes over both of our bodies, and I feel it rushing through me. It makes me feel alive yet safe. Free, yet secure, and so full of love and compassion. The light bursts, and a pulsing sphere floats between our bodies before breaking into two halves. One part floats into TJ’s chest where his heart is, and the other floats toward me. As it hits my chest, my entire body vibrates, and I orgasm at the same time as TJ.

It feels like a million orgasms are going through my body at once. Pleasure fills every pore, and then the pleasure morphs into pure true love as the glowing half fully goes inside my heart, encasing me with TJ’s love.

I collapse onto TJ’s chest.

“I’ve got you,” he says as he holds me.

We are both panting as we come down from the highest of highs.

“Now that, I’m assuming, was mating,” I pant into TJ’s ear.

“It sure was, my love.”

TJ holds me tight and doesn’t let go for a long time.

We stay that way, connected at our cores as we soak up our true love.

Exhaustion overcomes me and my sight fades into darkness. I sleep peacefully knowing TJ is with me.

***

I wake up before TJ the next morning, but I remain by his side. I remember him saying it hurt when he woke up and I was gone.

Lying beside him, I take in his blonde bedhead. His hair isn’t the longest, but his bangs are everywhere. He is a cute sleeper, and I move closer. He wraps his arms around me as he awakens.

“Hey,” he says with a yawn before leaning down and kissing my forehead.

I feel completely whole being in his arms, and as I look up at him, I know that I truly am his mate. Everything he told me yesterday scared me but also made sense.

TJ is a dragon shifter, and he will always be here to protect me.