Page 34 of Drawn By Dragonblood
Yessss.
Take.
Keep.
My throat tightened as my stomach twisted. Why did they need to return to New York now? According to what they’d said, another week of vacation lay before them, and Jon was unemployed.
“My job,” I said, my voice higher than usual as an idea shot through my brain. “I have to go out of town earlier than expected. It’s the government contract I spoke of.” Mind scrambling, I blurted the first thing that came to mind. “I’m unprepared for a last minute absence and can’t leave things left undone here at home. Solar batteries and the like.”
Neither moved.
“I don’t suppose I could talk you into housesitting for a few days while I’m gone?” I focused on Jon. “I could show you what needs to be done while I’m away.”
He still didn’t speak, but I could see the desire to stay—and the hesitation over accepting.
“I’ll pay you,” I tossed out when Jon glanced at his wife, beyond desperate for him to agree to remain where my essence would hopefully entice them to linger even after I returned.
“What do you think, Dakota?” he asked, his voice low and full of caution as I’d expected.
“Your call,” she whispered, glancing over at me, “but I don’t have to hand in the photos I took for North Woods Living for a couple more weeks.”
Jon returned his focus my way. “When would you get back?”
“Friday.” If it earned me the time required for my mates to realize they ought to stay indefinitely, the lies would be invaluable.
The blue eyes I’d once thought innocent stared into mine as though reading into every word. A smile hinted at Jon’s lips when I’d thought he would sneer. “Any chance we could hang a little longer and you could use your chopper to fly us back to our car so we don’t have to waste time walking out of these mountains?”
A rush of breath I hadn’t realized I’d held expelled through my parted lips. “I’ll do whatever it takes for you to agree to stay,” I stated honest words for the first time since they’d descended with intent to leave.
Please, my human mind called out to Jon through the energy already seeming to connect us even if dragonblood would never visibly make itself known. Submit to my request.
“You got yourself a deal, friend.” Jon stuck out his hand, and I clasped it in mine, the hint of ancient blood in his veins sending a charge up through my arm and straight to my groin.
Mate.
Mine.
“I need to pack,” I said, forcing myself to pull from the hair-raising desire between us. “I—I’ll find you before I leave.”
Jon dipped his head, his gaze unwavering from my eyes until I turned my back on them both and hastened up the stairs, the coffee I’d desired left forgotten on the counter.
I threw a bag together, only half paying attention to what went in it. My meeting in New York wasn’t scheduled until Thursday, but I could always get some other work done to pass the time.
And watch from afar.
While my guests breakfasted, I made my way to the lowest level where my tech room sat. Countless screens showed images from the various cameras I’d installed throughout the cavern the year before even though no one—dragonblood or otherwise—could enter my home without being invited past the ward etched in granite over each entryway.
Jon and Dakota still sat at the table, both of their gazes flitting toward the stairwell leading to the lower levels where I lingered.
My chest ached with desperation to be near them, but enjoying the sight of them on-screen would have to suffice.
Double-checking the live feed could be accessed by an app on my cell, I exited and locked the room behind me. The door directly across from me drew my gaze, and I paused. I hadn’t entered the room for years.
Would the scent of my ex-lover still linger? Would the toys I’d used to bring us both pleasure be dust-covered? Unusable? Would the wall my dragon had melted with fire in our overwhelming grief over his leaving fully resurface the heartache I’d felt a decade ago?
I had imagined Jon cuffed and bared for me in my dungeon, his wife tied down and unable to escape the vibrator I had strapped to her clit, but the memory of every device, each carefully crafted crop and whip, brought fresh ideas to my darker side.
Cock swelling, I punched in the key code to gain entrance when I hadn’t considered doing so in over a decade.
