Page 30 of Dragon Rivals of New York

“You got me an entire wardrobe to make sure I reach your standards. Because my clothes aren’t good enough. Are you going to pick out what I wear every day too?” Manny used to put out outfits for me when we had date nights. He always picked my least favorite things.

“Oh, Ara’ha, no. That’s not what this is at all.” He leads me back into the closet by the shoulders and gets me to sit on a plush ottoman covered in velvet. “Whenever I felt sad about you rejecting me, I bought something for you.” He kneels in front of me.

“I didn’t reject you. I just didn’t want to get married the day after we slept together or jump into a relationship.”

He cracks a thin smile. “I know. But it felt like rejection to my dragon nature.”

“Wait, this closet is full of clothes. There are hundreds of outfits in here.” Not to mention the rack of shoes lining the floor and the case of jewelry in the back. He must have bought at least one thing a day for the past year, maybe more than one a day.

He drops his forehead to my knees and blows out a breath.

We’re silent for a beat, and then he lifts his head, smiling. “If you say no to becoming a dragon, I’ll probably have to buy an entire department store and send you something every day for the rest of your life.”

I can’t help laughing at his ridiculousness.

“Or I’ll just get you to fall in love with me again and again every day like that movie… what was it? 50 First Dates.”

“I thought it was against dragon law to contact a mate who’d rejected the pools.”

He shrugs. “Should we find something you like to wear to dinner? Your choice.” He holds his hands up, palms first. “I won’t make any suggestions or comments other than to say how beautiful you look, because it’s the truth. You look beautiful in anything and everything and nothing at all.” He wiggles those expressive eyebrows, but then turns serious. “I would never try to control what you wear or anything else, and I’d never feel embarrassed by you, no matter what you wear.”

“So I could really just wear one of your shirts out and about New York and you wouldn’t mind?” I try to call his bluff.

“I adore the idea of you walking around in my clothes so the entire world can see you’re mine.”

I guess he’s the one callingmy bluff.

“Alright, where are we going? How should I dress?”

“However you like.” He tugs at the tie on my robe. “I have two places in mind. One is very ritzy and would allow me to spoil you. The other would shock Kyro, and I’d very much like to see the look on his face it earns.”

“The second,” I say immediately.

Jethro smiles. “It’s going to push your boundaries a bit. Definitely a new experience for you.”

“All the more reason.” I smirk and drop my robe. “Now, what do I wear?”

“I thought you wanted to pick it out yourself.”

“I do, but I also want your help.” I kiss his cheek before turning to look at the rows and rows of clothes.

“In that case…” Jethro walks to a dresser at the back of the room. He slides open a drawer and starts gathering up a collection of items. I can’t tell much about them from here, apart from the fact that the fabrics are all silks and leathers and lace. Sexy fabrics.

Then he pulls a few hangers, each with a short skirt hanging from them. Some in leather, some jean, one velvet. Next, he grabs three black dresses.

Arms loaded with clothes, he comes back to the ottoman andspreads out ten different outfits. None of it’s overly fancy, but it’s all more risque than I usually wear. A lot more risque. And I kind of like that.

He cracks open a bottle of champagne as I give him a little fashion show in the closet. Trying on clothes devolves into rough sex against the mirror, and soon it’s well past nine o’clock.

“Perfect,” Jethro says. “This isn’t the kind of place you go to early in the evening.”

I’m curious, but I kind of like it being a surprise, so I don’t ask. In the end, I settle on a strapless black dress that’s longer and looser than the other things he pulled out for me, but the plunging neckline still makes it the sexiest thing I’ve ever worn. I’ve always had breasts other girls envied and men desired, and this dress really shows them off.

Jethro looks me over appreciatively. “We better go before I throw you against the mirror again.”

“You still need to get dressed.”

He’s been naked since last night. Not even wearing boxers when he cooked breakfast. I’m almost getting used to it, but not quite.

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