That seemed to mollify Rian a bit.
Then I went on, “What I care about is your past. Especially if it affects us. Now, will you tell me his damn name already?”
“His name was Geris, all right?” Rian snarled.
“All right,” I snarled back.
Rian sighed and put his arm around me. “Are we going to fight over our past lovers?”
“No,” I said. “We're going to fight over your so-called certainty of our mating.”
“My jewel—”
“Stop it, Rian,” I snapped. “How dare you give me that kind of hope when you've felt like this before?”
“My jewel, you're making my head spin. First, you say you don't want to live in fear, that you choose joy, hope, and anticipation. Then you say you don't want to hope. Now, you're saying I've given you hope again. Which is it?”
“It's both.” I tossed up my hands. “I'm a man. A normal man whose emotions change with every day, sometimes every hour. I go from wanting to choose hope to being afraid of it. You should understand that.”
Rian chuckled. “Yes, I suppose I should. And you're right. It's perfectly normal to waver between fear and hope. I just wish we could have more hopeful moments.”
“I as well.”
“Galin, I haven't felt like this before. Notexactlylike this.”
“No, you were in love with Geris.” I blinked. “Another G name. How odd. And both have five letters.”
“Yes, and my name begins with R, just like your Rontor's.” He rolled his eyes. “Have you gotten superstitious on me?”
“No, I just notice things like that. And it is odd that your name also begins with R.”
“Oh, for fuck's sake,” Rian muttered. “This is the most ridiculous conversation we've had.”
“Yes, I suppose so,” I murmured.
He put his arm around me again. “I'm sorry if I've given you hope you're not ready for or set your emotions to swinging back and forth. But I'm glad that even your fear hasn't sent you running from me.”
“Why would I run away from you?”
“Mating a Dragon, especially a king, is a lot to take on. You'll hold a piece of me inside you. There will be no parting after that. Forever for a Dragon and his mate is literal.”
Shivers ran through me. I felt as if I knew Rian. Deeply. And I liked what I knew. But did I really know him? Three dates, that's all. I was falling in love, maybe I was already there, but forever? That's a really long commitment. And love can be a fickle master.
Rian's voice went low. Dangerous. “Are you thinking about running now?”
“No,” I whispered.
“Good. I don't advise it, my jewel.”
The shivers became a sliver of fear. My speech from earlier returned to haunt me. I still believed he would never hurt me, but chain me? Possibly to his bed? He'd already vowed to do that. And suddenly, what had felt like a sexual game became real.
Rian leaned in and folded himself around me, setting his palm on the seat beside my hip. He brought his face to mine, just an inch away, and whispered, “You are mine, remember? Mate or not, you belong to me. Run, and I will fucking hunt you down, Galin. I know your scent now. There's nowhere far enough to keep you from me.”
My breath stuttered in my throat and my eyes watered.
Rian blinked.
He jerked back.
