Page 20 of Guarded By a Monster

“What?”

Her cheeks were bright red and I ached to touch them and see if they were as warm as they looked.

“That’s the rest of the saying. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.”

“I never knew that.”

I grinned at her.

She tilted her head, her brows slashing down. “Are you… are you smiling?”

My hands came up to cover my muzzle. “Yes.”

She smiled. “It’s cute.” She dropped her head. “Fuck. No adult likes to be called cute.” She looked back up. “Can we maybe start over? Without all of my embarrassing mishaps?”

“I enjoyed your embarrassing mishaps. Too much, maybe. I almost had an even more embarrassing mishap.” I smiled as she laughed.

“Right. Okay, well, I wouldn’t blame you if you want to leave and never come back.”

My entire body lurched toward her. My growl filled the room as I shook my head. “No. I will stay as long as you allow me. Please. Allow me to stay.”

She grinned, her chest rising in a deep inhale. “Yes. I’d like that.”

thirteen

I wanted to meltinto the floor. I was mortified. I had touched his penis! Without permission! I don’t know what came over me.

That’s a lie.

Desire. Desire came over me. His skin was warm beneath my hand, the fur on his chest short and silky, the fur on his sides, upper arms and forearms long enough for me to spear with my fingers. I was so wet by the time I realized he was hiding something with his hand, my brain never registered where his hand was. I’m not sure even if I had clocked that it was covering his crotch I would have stopped.

I wanted to see what he was packing. And whoo boy.

He was packing a huge dick with semi-rigid spikes spiraling down the length. His entire dick was a cock ring. Not one of those you get from a twenty-five-cent vending machine in a truck stop bathroom, but a fancy one you have to order online or get in a store if you’re brave enough.

For the record, I’ve never been brave enough. My vibrator is the plain kind. No bells and whistles because I was too embarrassed to order anything more exciting.

And now all the excitement I could ever want was sitting in front of me, looking for all the world like he’d offer himself up as a sacrifice if I said the word. Why was it so tempting to tell him to ravish me? Why was I feeling this way?

I must have said the second part out loud. Either that or he could read my mind.

“I think it has to do with you being my mate.”

“Your what now?” My entire body swayed toward him and I pressed my back against the wall.

He was trying to make himself small again. I didn’t want him to.

“Don’t hide from me. When you shrink away like that it makes me think you’re scared of me.” He opened his mouth but I stopped him with a palm. “I know it’s because you don’t want me to be afraid of you, but I’m not. So stop trying to make yourself small.”

It took him a minute to close his mouth. I tended to have that effect on people. His ears flapped back and forth when he shook his head like he was throwing off water.

“My mate. Both dragons and werewolves have fated mates. The one person they’re meant to be with. My brother thinks you might be mine.”

“Why does he think that?”

“Because of the way I describe how I feel about you.”

“How would he know what it feels like?”

---