Page 105 of The Dragon's Mate

She stepped closer and he inhaled deeply asshe went to work on his tie. She always smelled like - he smiled a little -vanilla and smoke, and he found it weirdly hot.

When she was finished with his tie, he tookher hand before she could step away. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Are you?”

He held tight when she tried to tug herhand free. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She sighed and stared at their feet. “Why wouldyou be glad to see me? My family tried to burn you alive. I know why you’reavoiding me, I do, and I promise I’ll leave you alone. But I wanted to say howsorry I am for -”

She made a low sound of surprise when Brenput his arm around her waist and tugged her up against his body. He pressed a chastekiss against her mouth. “I’m not avoiding you.”

“You haven’t texted or -”

“I know and I’m sorry. I should havetexted you, but I had a case dropped in my lap on Thursday and I’ve beenworking crazy hours since then. I’m running late because I was working thismorning.”

“You don’t have to use work as an excuse,”she said. “I get it, okay?”

“It’s not an excuse.” He pressed his foreheadagainst hers. “Yeah, it’s been mostly work, but I thought maybe I should give youa bit of space as well. There are a lot of changes happening in your world andI assumed you wanted to be with your clan. I didn’t want to intrude.”

“You should hate me,” she said in a lowvoice.

“Youdidn’t want to burn me alive,”he said. “In fact, I seem to remember you challenging the biggest, scariest lookingdude in the room just to keep me safe. Thank you for that, by the way.”

“You’re not angry with me?” she said.

He shook his head. “Nope. Not even alittle.”

She cupped his face and the fierce look inher eyes made his dick stir in his pants. “I would never let my clan or any otherhurt you.”

Jesus, did it make him weird to find hersexy as hell when she acted like he was hers to protect?

“I know,” he said. “And for the record – I’vegot your back as well.”

A smile crossed her face and he grinned at her.“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a weak-ass human pretending a dragoness could need protectionfrom him. I get how stupid I sound.”

The smile dropped from her face and shegave him another one of those fierce looks. “You are not stupid. You’re one ofthe bravest humans I’ve ever met, Bren. It would be an honour to have you fightby my side.”

When he kissed her, she parted her lipsimmediately. He tasted the sweetness of her mouth, one hand sliding down tosqueeze her ass. She pressed herself against him, the kiss turning hungrier…needier.

With a low groan, he broke the kiss. Kaida’seyes were glowing and he could see the tips of her fangs between her partedlips. When she tried to kiss him again, he rasped, “Wait.”

Her nostrils flaring, she took a deepbreath. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. But we’re supposed to beattending our friends’ wedding that starts in,” he glanced at his watch, “sixminutes and I’m going to need at least two minutes before we go into the church.”

She stepped away, tugging at her dress ashe took a quick look around and then readjusted his aching dick. His erectionwas obvious against his suit pants and when Kaida stared hungrily at hiscrotch, he made a low groan. “You keep staring at my dick like that and it’snever gonna go down.”

Her smile was both wicked and wanton. Withanother groan, he looked away and thought about the least sexy things he couldimagine – changing his furnace filter, working on his taxes, catching up on thenever-ending paperwork for his job.

After a couple of minutes, he turned backto her and held out his arm.

Kaida grinned. “Houston, we no longer havea problem?”

He laughed. “The mission is a go. Wouldyou like to sit with me for the ceremony?”

Kaida slid her hand around his arm. “I’dlove to.”

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