Alaric sighed heavily, scowling. “Still refusing to believe dragons exist? Lanokota is our goddess. She exists, or do you doubt her, too?”
“Oh, shit.” I lay back on the bed. “I really am in trouble.”
“You sure are. People who mix in with dragons usually don’t survive.”
I gaped. “Usually?”
“Okay, they don’t. In truth, they cease to exist. Ashes float on the wind, you know. The tech to reform a body from ash hasn’t been created yet.” Alaric smirked again. “If it ever will.”
I covered my face with my hands. “You’re scaring me.”
“No, I’m not. You’re done being frightened of your own shadow, Hayley. You’re better than that. You’retougherthan that. Lanokota approves of you. In all our history, she’s approved of exactly zero humans to walk among us much less wed one of us. Aren’t you pleased about that?”
“Yeah, right,” I replied, my voice muffled. “Pleased that I’m married to a dragon and his goddess likes me. I’m sooo flattered.”
“Knock it off,” Alaric snapped. “Get dressed. I brought you fresh clothes. Come on, up you go.”
Still finding it difficult to believe that I lay at death’s door a mere three days ago, and now walked, talked, and moved as though nothing at all happened, I slid out of the bed. Alaric untied the johnny’s strings and dropped it at my feet. With a flick of his fingers, he tossed my hair over my shoulder and kissed the back of my neck.
A delicious shiver caressed my flesh as his lips traveled downward over my shoulder blade. “Alaric –”
“I know, I know,” he murmured, his strong hands gliding erotically over my naked hips. “Anyone can walk in right now. I just can’t get enough of you.”
Though I didn’t need the assistance, he helped me dress in a simple t-shirt and jeans, then knelt at my feet to tie my sneakers for me. I flushed, my face heating, as I stared down at his head. Tentative, I reached out and ran my fingers lightly through his hair.
Alaric glanced up with a mischievous grin. “Are you taking a liking to me, wife?”
“Not at all, husband. You need a haircut.”
Straightening, Alaric stood me on my feet, then bent to kiss me. “You like me,” he whispered.
“No –”
I got that much out before his tongue slipped into my mouth and his fingers crept into my hair, tangling into their lengths, holding my head at the precise angle –
Heat spread through my loins, my body responding to his touch, his masculine scent, his magnetic presence. Pressing my hips against his, craving him, needing him to bend me over the bed and take me then and there, I kissed him with a fervent desire. I slid my hands up his broad back, scratching lightly with my nails, feeling his muscles tighten under my palms.
“Oh, crap. So sorry.”
Alaric ceased our kiss, but didn’t release me as he glanced over his shoulder. I looked past him, stifling a giggle as the nurse with the clipboard stood in the doorway. She paced further in, eyeing us with good humor.
“Your discharge papers,” she said, holding a pen out to me. “Just sign here, please.”
Forced to release me, Alaric chuckled, stepping aside to allow me to scribble my name where the nurse indicated.
“You’re free to go.”
“Thank you.”
Alaric took my hand while we followed her from the room. Until that moment, I didn’t realize how late the hour was, and the hospital at its slowest pace. Without speaking, we strode down the nearly empty corridor to the elevators.
Hunger grumbled in my stomach loud enough for Alaric to quirk his brow at me. “You haven’t eaten for a while. And you’re too thin.”
“Do you mind if we stop someplace? I have an intense craving for a big, juicy burger.”
“One juicy burger coming up.”
He drove us to an all night diner with few cars in the parking lot and fewer diners inside. We sat down at a table near the front windows and watched the sluggish traffic through it. While we waited for our waitress, I pondered the ways of asking the question most on my mind.
