Page 36 of Destined By Dragonblood
“Two hot chocolates and…” He glanced down at me, waiting for me to complete our order.
“Boston cream donut,” I whispered, my insides no longer completely at rest.
His golden gaze twinkled down at me, his grin causing my belly to flip upside down.
“Two Boston cream donuts,” he told the woman behind the counter while pulling a wad of cash from his pocket.
His profile etched into my memory as he paid and dropped the change in a tip jar.
Our gazes clashed, and I lost my breath over the vulnerability he showed rather than arrogance I expected from a man with his beauty.
He grasped my coat-covered elbow, but I wished for skin contact to experience that electrical connection again.
“Who are you?” I whispered as we stepped to the side to wait for our drinks.
Still holding my arm, he turned and faced me fully, moving into my personal space so I had to tip my head back to hold his gaze. “My name is Dolyn Kemmerly.”
“You’ve been following me.” I didn’t ask a question, but he nodded without hesitation. I appreciated his truthfulness. “Why?”
A slow exhale from his parted lips tickled sweetness over my tongue, and he opened his mouth further to reply.
“Your drinks, sir.”
I glared at the cashier who’d dared to interrupt us but swallowed my annoyance rather than sounding like a deranged animal by hissing like a cat.
Dolyn released his hold on my arm and accepted the two cups, a bag already tucked between two of his fingers.
I hadn’t even seen the exchange of donuts at the counter.
Dolyn’s arresting eyes searched my face, inducing a deep ache in my core that my instinct suggested only he could ease. “Would you sit with me?”
I nodded, earning another slow smile. I bit my tongue to stop myself from begging Dolyn to flood me with so much of his cum that my DNA was forever changed because of it being inside my body. A shudder ripped through me, mostly pleasant, but traumatic memories attempted to leak through the consuming, unexpected want, demanding I remain on alert.
Dolyn led the way toward a table tucked in the corner, far from any other patrons, and I followed on his heels as though his nearness could protect me, that he could assist me in what I attempted to heal from.
He set our drinks and the bag down before pulling out one of the corner table’s two chairs for me. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I slipped out of my coat before sitting, laying it across my lap.
Dolyn settled on the other side, gently pushing one of the hot chocolates toward me, the scratch of the cardboard cup over the laminate surface loud between us.
His soft smile and unguarded gaze suggested he meant no harm.
Trust.
Why did instinct demand such a thing when I ought to be wary considering my past experience? Suspicion weaseled its way through the comfort Dolyn’s presence attempted to offer. The sure sense of good eyes following my every move lately couldn’t stop hesitancy from invading my thoughts.
Dolyn’s smile faded. “I won’t ever hurt you,” he murmured as though reading my mind.
“I’ve heard that one before,” I said, my voice only slightly shaky from the adrenaline’s slow decrease through my blood.
His full lips pressed into a thin line, another flash of that fire flaring to life in his eyes before blinking out. “Who was it, Ashley?”
He knew my name without my having to speak it, proof he’d been the one stalking me. Why didn’t that truth make me skittish and send me rushing out the door?
My butt remained planted in place as that awakened instinct and my usual better sense warred inside me. This intense energy, the potent desire between Dolyn and I wasn’t…normal. Something pinged in my brain as though off, but I couldn’t make sense of what it was I felt.
“My past is none of your business,” I answered, deciding to stay put for now. Curiosity demanded it alongside desire to learn more about this man who befuddled my senses. Walking away without answers was not an option.
Dolyn nodded and turned his attention to the bag, taking care to remove both donuts, place them onto napkins, and slid one my way. A slow exhale loosened the tension from his shoulders. “I am sorry for causing you discomfort,” he murmured, his tone soothing as honey.
