Zed matches his much longer stride to mine. “I should have reached out once the restraining order expired, but I was trying to give you space. I literally destroyed your home. I can’t imagine what you must’ve thought of me after seeing me like that. So out of control.”
I remember exactly what I thought when he roared my name and rose up from the dust of the shattered sheetrock with flames licking around him, two huge wings sprouting from his shoulder blades and two huge erections straining between his legs.
I thought he looked powerful. Impossibly sexy. Like my own personal deity. But then I saw the blood.
“About that… Are you… Is it… okay?” I ask, unable to stop myself from glancing at his crotch.Oh my god, why am I like this?
Zed clocks the direction of my gaze and gives a rueful chuckle. “Yes. Full recovery, thanks for asking.”
“Great!” I exclaim. Then, realizing how it could be taken, I quickly add, “For you, I mean. So you can use both of them. If that’s a thing? Don’t answer that, I just don’t really know how itworks. None of the dragons I dated would show me their feral form, even when I begged.”
He swallows audibly. “You begged for their feral form?” he asks hoarsely.
“Not like that!” Except it was exactly like that, and my flaming-hot cheeks totally give me away.
The path in front of us splits, and Zed automatically takes the left branch, the one that leads to my house.
I jerk my head toward him, my embarrassment momentarily overshadowed by my curiosity. “How did you know the right way to go?”
He shrugs. “Radar was leaning left.”
My heart squeezes. “You two always did have a special connection.”
“We did.” He’s looking at me, though, not the dog who’s trotting happily between us. He pauses in front of the gate that leads to my little pink cottage with its yellow front door. Another coincidence, I’m sure. “Listen. There’s so much I want to catch up on. I can’t wait for Friday. Are you free tomorrow?”
I feel the same way. This feels so good, my lips and fingertips are tingling with dopamine. Not to mention other parts… I’m tempted to ask him to come inside right now. “What about your conference?”
“Fuck the conference.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow, but—”
“When do you get off? I don’t meanget off…ugh. You know what I mean.” He rubs his horn awkwardly. “When can I pick you up? I’ll take you and Radar to dinner.”
“Six. No, six fifteen,” I amend, giving myself a few extra minutes to change after work.
“Great. Great. I can’t wait.” He stares at me like he wants to say something else, but then he just shakes his head. “Six fifteen. I’ll be there.”
Impulsively, I hug him around the waist, squeezing and releasing too fast for him to return the embrace. “Sorry. Old habits.”
“Never be sorry for that,” he says solemnly. He adjusts himself in his pants where a sizable bulge has grown. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
“Never be sorry for that,” I return with the same solemnity. We share stupid, giddy grins. God, how will I make it until tomorrow evening? I’m going to go inside and use every dragon dildo in my drawer.
Chapter 7
Zed
“Good night, Cari.” It’s physically painful to leave her at her front gate. As much as I’d like to stay and watch her bedroom window until she shuts off the light like I used to an Apple Grove, I need to find a place to stay while I’min San Drogo. She mentioned a hotel that must be close by, so I’ll try there first.
Retrieving my backpack from the bush where I stashed it, I look it up on my phone. It’s just on the other side of the park, so I cut across the grass in the right direction.
Damn, Cari’s even more beautiful than I remembered. And her scent is like being punched in the face in a good way. She’s definitely my alokoi. Thank gods I made the trip and didn’t just mail the letter. I never would’ve known for sure.
“You were right,” I admit to my feral form.
Mate, he purrs, flexing. Testing my control to see if he can get away with shifting and flying back to her.
Honestly, I’m tempted. A big part of me wants to just sit on the roof of her house all night like a giant gargoyle, warning away anyone who might threaten her. She seemed a little skittish, though. Wouldn’t even look me in the eye half the time. I don’t want to freak her out right off the bat.
