Tonight, my heart hammered with anticipation, like I was standing on the edge of the cliff again. Expectant. Anxious. Waiting for something to happen.
When I heard the familiar thud of his weight landing on the balcony, my nerves floated away.
He'd come again.
I threw the sliding door open. Crimson didn't greet me. He rushed inside with a crazed look in his eyes and grabbed my shoulders.
"Taylor," he breathed.
"I know."
His pupils narrowed into slits, reminding me of his draconic nature. A thrill jolted through me.
"You do something to me," he muttered.
I smirked. "I know," I repeated. I hesitated for a moment, then said, "You do something to me, too."
Crimson licked his lips. His voice was thick and husky. "Like what?"
"Like…" I huffed, shaking my head. "Like making me want to quit this stupid game and leave this island."
In the next second, Crimson slammed me against the wall. His fingers dug into me like claws. His eyes were wide and burned like embers.
Before he could say anything, I chuckled.
"What?" he growled.
I sneaked my arms around his waist, pulling him closer. "You really fell for that?"
"Fell for what?"
"I was teasing you, lizard brain." I angled my face towards his. I practically felt the phantom sensation of my tiger whiskers brushing against his skin. "I wanted to see your reaction."
Crimson slowly blinked in understanding. Then he glared at me. "You aresomean."
"You're the one who just pinned me to the wall," I reminded him wryly.
"Because the thought of you leaving nearly made me shift and destroy this whole building," he muttered.
I smiled as my fingers slipped beneath his blazer, roaming the small of his back. "You have a bit of a temper, don't you?"
"It's a dragon thing. When our mates threaten to disappear, we get... fiery."
My heart stumbled over itself. "Your mate?"
Crimson's expression was dead serious. "Yes."
I forgot how to breathe for a second. I’d given him a blowjob, and sure, I caught feelings for him…
But Crimson just called me his mate. The connotations of that were much deeper. I'd given up the fantasy of ever being an alpha's mate. For my entire adult life, nobody wanted me.
Crimson must've seen the shadow of doubt flicker across my face. A feral growl rumbled in his throat. He pressed his chest against mine.
"Don't," he warned softly.
"What?" I shot back.
"I see you thinking too hard." He tilted his face. His lips were an inch from mine. "Don't think, Taylor. Just feel."
