Page 44 of His Fate

The love.

"Kai," I whisper. "Oh my god… Kai, sugar, I'm sorry."

He presses his nose to my stomach, nuzzling me.

"You're so pretty."

He snorts and the warmth from the smoke coupled with the way his snout presses into me causes me to giggle.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. You're so handsome. Is that better?" I smile as he nudges me. I continue running my hands over the hard yet remarkably smooth scales on his face and neck. "You really are beautiful, Kai."

A sound resembling a cat's purr starts to vibrate against my hand, the long thick neck rumbling in a way that is a strange combination of feline and reptilian. I love it.

Up close like this I can see touches of gold throughout his scales—some outlined, some flecked, all beautiful. It's surreal and crazy but it also feels so right to be standing here with this enormous beast that I thought only existed in fairy tales.

I start exploring his body, a machine of muscle and armor, hands sliding down his shoulders, under his wings, his flank, the spikes on his tail. His whole body is hot but those spikes are even hotter.

"I seriously have so many questions right now, so many questions but my first and probably most important is..." I wait until Kai turns his huge head to look at me. "Can I go for a ride?"

He snorts hard and I swear I can see him smile, then his foreleg reaches around to pull me back toward his face.

"Not now, huh? Got too many other things to discuss first? Maybe need a crash course in dragon riding safety?"

He gives me the faintest hint of a nod as he shakes his head then uses his nose to gently force me back a few steps. I frown because I am so not ready to stop looking at him like this but he snorts again then that forked tongue darts out and caresses my cheek before he takes several big steps back.

I giggle like crazy because that tickled too and then watch as the heat and fireworks start up again.

Within minutes that blinding light shines hot and bright then as I blink my vision clear, I just barely catch a glimpse of Kai's naked ass before he snatches his discarded jeans and yanks them up his tree trunk legs.

He turns, reaches for his shirt and my disappointment at the idea of him wearing clothes must be obvious because he smirks and shakes his head.

Butterflies.

Every fucking time he looks at me I get butterflies.

God, how I love him.

"So..." I stick my hands in the back pockets of my jeans and rock on the balls of my feet. "I'm an asshole."

Kai shakes his head.

"I am. I was so quick to discredit you, accuse you of being crazy. I mean, this is crazy but not like I originally thought. I just, I had no idea something like that, someone like you existed and… shit, I'm just really sorry, Kai."

"No need for apologies, beloved. You reacted relatively close to the way I expected."

I arch a brow. "I thought you were a serial killer that brought me to the woods to murder me."

He snorts. "I was not expecting that, this is true, nor did I expect you to show such bravery when faced with such unusual circumstances. And I did not think you would be so accepting."

"How can I not?" I shrug. "You showed me. It's not like I can argue that and just because you have a sweet alter ego, well, that doesn't change who you are."

Kai gives me a soft smile, picks up his socks and boots in one hand then holds out the other for me. "Let us go back inside. We can start on the many pounds of imported chocolate Andrej stocked the cupboards with and drink wine while you ask all of the questions I'm sure you have."

* * *

An hourlater we're sitting on the couch doing exactly that.

When we came inside, Kai took a quick shower while I changed into my pajamas and to my great dismay, he put on a shirt.

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