Page 26 of Dragon Exposed

I smiled as she selected one, looking them over like they were each unique, and the decision of which one to take upstairs was as complicated as choosing the perfect mate.

I couldn’t help but wonder if she looked at me that intently when I wasn’t looking. Or if this new fear she had of me, of my dragon, would ruin any chance we had to be truly happy.

Once Izobelle had her muffin in hand, she picked up her full mug and started for the stairs before she froze suddenly.

“What? What is it?” I could just make out the sounds of the vampire in the cellar, so I knew he hadn’t gotten out, but if something else was affecting her, or if her headache had returned in full force, I would do whatever it took to make it better.

“I just…” She turned and looked at me, chewing on her lower lip. “What if I get crumbs in your bed?”

“Then we’ll change the sheets.” I shrugged, not really worried about it. It wasn’t like she planned on just mashing up the pastry and sprinkling the remnants all over everything in my room. And even if she did, it wasn’t like muffin crumbs would ruin the cabin, maybe attract ants, but they could be dealt with. I doubted there was anything she could do that would permanently ruin my home, short of setting it on fire.

Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head at me. “You’re not going to fight me on this? I could make a mess.” She gestured around vaguely with the hand holding her coffee mug. “You’re clearly a fan of neat and organized. I’m…not.”

Again, I shrugged. “It’s really not a big deal. But if it’d make you feel better, I can get you a plate or a napkin.” More than anything, I just wanted to get her back up to my bed, and maybe convince her to strip out of that sweatshirt she was wearing. It hid entirely too much of her body.

Izobelle stared at me like I’d just grown a second head, and then she sighed. “I really don’t know what to make of you, Levi Wystan. You’re too calm about everything.”

“Not everything.” I smirked. “You have no idea what I was tempted to do when I found out you wanted to run back into Epsilon that first night we met. Or what I would’ve done if the vampire who thralled you had done something worse.” I stepped closer, tentatively wrapping my arm around her waist as I spun her back toward the stairs. “Crumbs, I can handle. Someone thinking they can spill your blood is entirely a different matter.”

She looked over at me again, that puzzled look on her face again. “Yeah, about that. Did I imagine it, or did you really say that I was your mate?”

Shit, she’d caught that. I needed to get my shit under control.

Not that I was ashamed to have such a curvy, sexy, smart, capable woman to call mine. But nothing about this week had gone the way I wanted, and I still wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t going to run off the first chance she got.

“It’s not a certainty, nothing that I can prove, but my…” I sighed, wanting to say dragon, but not wanting her to tense up again. “My gut says you’re it for me.” I gently prod her up the stairs. “I know that’s not the human way, though. Like I said, I’m not going to force anything on you.”

She kept moving, slowly, like she was thinking more than walking, and it took all my restraint to not scoop her up and carry her up to my bed. Even if I spilled coffee all down the hallway, it’d be worth it to see her tucked into my sheets, her hair spread out on my pillow, covering the whole room with her scent.

I really needed to stop this line of thought, or I wouldn’t be able to hold her close until I took an ice bath.

Even that probably wouldn’t ease the blood flowing straight to my cock.

When she finally made it to my room and went to sit on the mussed side of the bed, I started to regret my choice.

Maybe all my choices.

I didn’t want to rush her, didn’t want to scare her off, but every second of being this close to her and not claiming her was going to push every bit of self-control I had.

“Levi?” She looked up at me, the wrapper of her muffin hanging loose on one edge. “Are you going to join me?”

I nodded and sank down on the bench at the foot of the bed, taking time to remove my boots. “I don’t want to make this more awkward than it needs to be, so I’m going to let you dictate how much or how little I wear in bed.” I was sure I had some pajama pants around here somewhere. Probably.

That sounded like something Krystana would’ve insisted we all owned, anyway.

“Oh. Um…” She looked me over, that warm pink flush tinting her cheeks as she lingered a little on my chest, my thighs. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, I guess.”

I doubted she meant naked, even though that would’ve been my preference. Or, more accurately, naked with her wrapped tightly around my cock.

When I didn’t move, her blush grew even redder, and she bit her lip. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

I licked my lips, unable to stop myself, as I stood and reached out to take her coffee and her muffin from her hands. Once they were securely on the nightstand, my hands came down on either side of her hips and my knee pressed between hers, nudging her legs open wider. “I really want to kiss you, Izobelle. I’m trying to take things slow, trying not to scare you off, but it’s been too long since I’ve tasted your lips, and knowing you’re right here, in my arms, in my bed, it’s almost too much.”

She pressed her lips together tightly and shook her head.

Fucking hells.

When I started to pull away, though, her hand gripped the front of my t-shirt and held me in place. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just…I probably have terrible coffee breath. I haven’t brushed my teeth since yesterday morning. If we’re going to make out like we did before we got on the carriage, I don’t want to have bad breath.”

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