Page 25 of Testing The Waters

I frown but don’t demand to know what it is and I sit up, throwing my legs over the edge before rising. Kylie’s eyes immediately slide down my hips, landing on my morning wood and I flood with arousal.

Soon she’ll get that hungry look in her eyes that she always gets, spread her legs for me and request I give her a bath. My mouth waters, muscles clenching and a soft growl rumbles in my chest.

“Anything you need from me?” I rasp, cupping myself but she shakes her head to my surprise and I feel a flash of disappointment. She always needs attention this early in the morning, her body usually aroused after resting all night and mine is the same only worse. Maybe, she doesn’t want to mate right now but I do and I take a step closer to her.

Kylie recoils, flaring her eyes at me and I stop in my tracks. Clenching my fists, I wonder what this is about. I figure that maybe she really isn’t in the mood right now and I’ll back off. It’s frustrating but she has been keeping up with me during these days and exceeded my expectations.

I don’t want to burn her out.

Not when she is so much more fragile than me.

I pull on a pair of pants then push the curtains aside and light flickers. The rays fall on Kylie’s head, causing her red hair to turn a dark orange shade. Longing flares in me for my woman and I swallow.

Rubbing my nape, I stretch my neck side to side. “I could use a strong black. Will you be joining me?”

She shakes her head. “You go, I’ll stay here for a little while.” Her grip around the blankets tightens and the expression in her eyes turns distant. When she notices I’m not leaving, she curls up in the chair as if wanting to be left alone.

This isn’t making any sense and a muscle ticks in my jaw. Have I done something? I don’t think so. Yesterday, I told her I love her and her whole face lit up, her eyes sparkled and she had a smile on her lips. She was exhausted but she wanted us to mate one more time before going to sleep, and spent the majority of the act with my shaft in her mouth.

I shove my hands into my pockets, tilting my head to the side and watch her closely. A flare of jealousy pangs in my chest when I realize how lovingly she’s holding on to those blankets. I’m tempted to rip them out of her grip but force myself to cool down.

“Kylie, what do you have there?” I say in a more demanding tone. “Show me.”

Her eyes flash to mine, something fierce flickering in them. “It’s mine.” A sudden growl sounds from her throat, and she swiftly kicks me in the chest.

The punch is powerful enough, to make my breathing come to a stope for a moment but I’m more shocked than anything. Mostly by how fast and strong she was.

Is this the same weak, little Valkyrie who thinks she can’t defend herself?

Kylie is just as shocked over what she just did, her hand clamped over her mouth in disbelief.

“Mate,” I say in a calming tone. “I understand that it’s yours, I just need to know what it is.”

Biting her lip, she replies. “It’s a pretty crystal, I picked up from the lake.”

Impossible. I would’ve felt it if she had left the manor but then I get suspicious.

“What lake?”

Her eyes dart and she softly murmurs, “The silvery one. The one in my d...dream.”

I sway, my heart crashing in my chest and I go down on my haunches before her. She cowers, screwing her face up in protest but I show her my palms to let her know I mean no harm.

“May I see it? I won’t take it from you.”

“Promise?” she pants and there’s a hint of panic in her voice but I nod reassuringly. She hesitates for a moment but unwraps the bundle, showing it to me. “See? I found it between my legs when I woke up.”

Going lightheaded, I meet her eyes then grumble, “That’s not a crystal, precious. That’s a dragon egg.”

And it’s a big one with Draugar written all over it.

Surprise colors Kylie’s face and she hugs the egg to her chest. “It’s mine,” she insists but I cup her knee and shake my head.

“It’s ours.”

Her jaw slacks and she lets out a gasp. “You mean...?”

“That’s our baby,” I clarify, my heart booming in my chest from euphoria. All that frantic mating worked and it worked a heck of a lot faster than I thought.