Page 15 of Protector Dragon's Shattered Mate

“In the lake? Yes.”

His jaw was so strong and masculine, and yet his lips looked soft. She lifted her hand and ran her finger over his full bottom lip. She heard a sharp intake of breath.

She moved her hand away and pressed her lips against his, but almost immediately pulled back, stunned at how bold she’d been.

She was a virgin. And more than that, she’d never kissed a male in her entire life. He was the first. So often her mother had grumbled about the fertility of shifters and warned her about getting tied down with cubs. She’d taken that grumbling to heart. And knowing she would never want her own family to help her raise a child, she avoided all contact with the opposite sex.

She moved closer to him, and when something brushed her hip, she realized that he was aroused. She’d never been this close to a male’s anatomy before, but she liked the idea of it.

She didn’t move away.

She should not have done that. It was a huge mistake. She didn’t even know if she wanted to be human again. It was nice to know that she could shift, but that was all. She also did not want to lead him on. She knew that she was naive.

She trusted people far too easily, and it always seemed to get her into trouble. The most recent example was in Siberia, and she had to keep that in mind. She would not allow herself to be swept up in feelings again.

She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself away. She swam slowly through the lake water back to the shore. When she was close enough to touch the bottom, she sat down in the water, letting it cover her up to her chest.

Levi wasn’t far behind her. “I’ll run inside and get you some clothes, okay?”

“Thank you.”

“Assuming you want to stay in your human form?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m going to stay human for now.” She needed to speak to him.

He waded out of the water, gloriously naked, and took his time putting his clothes on as she watched every second. Now that she’d kissed him and had her lips on his, even watching him get dressed felt different. Her core ached with arousal; she wanted him to touch her there. What would it be like to have Levi put his hand between her legs?

But it wasn’t a good idea.

He came back soon with a beach towel and some clothing. He held a towel in front of her and she stood up and he wrapped it around her body. He was always such a gentleman. What kind of clan had he grown up in? It must have been one that ingrained manners. No one in her clan had ever been the least bit thoughtful or considerate.

She ducked into the woods, dried off, and pulled on the clothing. He had brought everything she needed: panties and a bra, a long t-shirt, and some leggings. A pair of socks with stripes, and even a pair of boots. She and Kellan’s wife must have been about the same size.

He turned his back away and did not watch her get dressed. She was a little disappointed about that.

12

Levi

Levi was still reeling from the kiss. He was certain that she was his mate, but obviously he couldn’t tell her that. He knew that she had watched him as he walked from the water, and a few times before that he could feel her eyes on him. He liked the attention, but it gave him an uncomfortable erection.

But when she was getting dressed, he did turn away. He had to. Now that he actually had her in his arms, it was even harder to control himself.

She looked really cute in Clara’s clothing. He spread the blanket out on the ground. “How are you feeling now?” He knew he was hovering, but his dragon would settle for nothing less.

“I am a bit disoriented. Sometimes it’s hard to find words. But it’s getting better.”

“How long were you in your bear form?”

“I’ve lost track of the time. Weeks at least. Is it still February?”

“Yes.”

“I left San Francisco in January.”

“Are you from California?” That surprised him. She had an accent. It sounded Eastern European.

“No. I am from Romania, sort of, as well as Poland, and I spent years in South Dakota. I’m not sure that I’m really from anywhere. My clan was always on the move.”

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