Page 151 of Smoke and Lure

When she turned, knowing only the enormous beast could cause such disturbance, she was shocked to see the dragon had rolled to its side.Not all the way, but just enough that she could find footholds in its rough, blue scales.

Grateful, she moved closer and wished she had worn boots instead of slip-on shoes with her slacks and blouse.At least the shoes were rubber-soled, giving her some grip.

Taking a breath, she set her mind to it before she stepped forward, placing her hands against two coarse scales where she wedged her fingers to get a good grasp on them.Locating a lower nodule, she placed her foot there and pushed herself up with a grunt.Hand, foot, hand, foot...she continued to force herself up the tough skin of the beast's shoulder.

She was never good at climbing.How could she be when having to hoist her curvaceous backend placed her at a disadvantage?

By the time she reached one of the horns at the neck, her fingers were raw, her arms and legs felt like jelly, her lungs burned from the exertion, and sweat rolled down her back.Her body was at an odd angle, and gravity was trying to pull her down since her lower half was heavier than her upper.Because of that, it would be too easy for her to slip.

As she grabbed hold of the horn, the dragon aided her in righting herself when it swayed its oversized body to an upright position.

Avalore had to stand on her trembling legs and step through the two horns behind the dragon's broad head.But when she started to slide down and settle between the rough, sharp protrusions, she quickly became aware of how difficult it would be.

Just as Liekki had said, her ass was thick, almost too plump to get down and make a secure seat for herself.Currently, she was only halfway to the base, and if she stayed this high when the beast flew, it would only take a strong gust to unseat her.

The beast began to rise, a rocking motion, its hind legs first, then the front, its tail swishing back and barely missing the trees on either side.

Why did I think this was a good idea?I should have kept my mouth shut and let Liekki’s dragon carry me.

Angry at herself, she wiggled and pressed down, gritting her teeth until she was grunting and pleading with her body until she finally felt the scales against her behind.

She sighed and practically wept.

The dragon must have felt her settled against it because it stood tall and proud, stretching wings wide.Its wings started to flap.However, instead of taking off at a sharp angle as the orange dragon did, Liekki’s beast used the power of its wings to keep itself level until its beating brought them up, up, up high above the treetops before it tilted subtly enough to bank right and head toward the center of Drahk territory.

Toward mating night with Liekki.

She pressed her chest to the horn and wrapped her arms around it, holding it tight as she squeezed her thighs to grip the hard scales as best she could.

After tonight, she’d commit herself to the dragon-shifter and never be the same if she made it in one piece.

She wanted it.She wanted Liekki.

She wanted to be his for life.

“Oh, Great Spirit, do not allow my boldness to be the thing to cause me to fall to my death.”

---