Sever held Lori tightly as her lips dug into his, soft and lightly wet. Her curves pressed into his lap, more arousing than he could have possibly anticipated, and he fought off the urge to take her right there, right then, no hesitation.

He certainly knew her body wanted him, wanted everything. But Sever also knew Lori was juggling a complex emotional situation here, in a place far from her own home, with responsibilities that only the bravest of people would dare try to face.

His hand found the back of her neck, entwining with her soft, curly hair as he opened her mouth and swiped inside with his tongue. Lori gave out an eager moan in response, and he did it again, taking his time as he explored. Their tongues entwined for a moment, and as they did, his other hand found her side, squeezing her soft curves.

One thing was for sure. Lori was all woman in all the right ways. And Sever knew he was never going to be able to let her go after this.

He left her mouth, kissing her cheek and then moving lower to her neck, her wayward strands of hair tickling his skin as she shuddered in arousal at his touch. But it wasn’t enough. With each touch, each breath, he felt more attached to her, attracted, bound to her in an unbreakable way, as if even the very laws of nature would have to give in to the force of his desire for her.

Damn, it was going to be hard to keep his dragon at bay, even for just a night.

To Sever’s surprise, Lori repositioned herself in his lap, straddling him with both legs. It gave him a magnificent view of her full breasts and wide hips, and Sever was all too aware of how painfully close they were.

But he didn’t stop, now holding her at her sides while he kissed more fervently wherever her skin was left bare by the tee and light jacket she wore to ward off the cool evening breeze.

Outside and all around them, darkness permeated beyond the reach of the dim house lights, casting everything into soft shadows. Beyond the fence, Sever could hear night wildlife begin their routine, with crickets and cicadas calling out, making the air buzz in the back of his ears.

But no matter what was out there, Sever was here to protect Lori.

Feeling a rush of adrenaline come over him at the thought, Sever stood, carrying Lori effortlessly and turning them around, setting her on the swinging chair as he kneeled on the patio before her.

“Whoa,” she squeaked out in surprise as the old wood of the chair complained at the sudden motion.

Even kneeling, Sever was at a good level with Lori as he covered her with his kisses and encompassed her with his body.

Though he knew nothing was out there, that nobody was watching, he couldn’t help feeling the sting of possessiveness at wanting her all for himself. Wanting no one else to see her.

Lori didn’t have any complaints either, instead relaxing against the swing as his hands cupped her full breasts and his mouth covered hers once more. He squeezed as their lips pressed together, and this time she moaned, a soft sound that would have been indiscernible in the quiet din of the breeze and crickets, but was like a clear bell ringing right next to Sever’s ear.

“You’re so beautiful, Lori,” Sever couldn’t resist saying, his heart practically bursting at the signal of her pleasure and even more eager to bring her so very much more tonight.

“I… Thank you,” she replied, distracted as he nibbled at her earlobe, playing with it between his lips and tongue. “You’re really something yourself.”

Normally, he would have said something back, but he was more interested in other things as he bit down ever so lightly on her ear, and she gasped a little more loudly than before, punctuating the night air.

Sever heard wood creak from inside the house and pricked his ear to hear more. But nothing else happened, and the sound of a light snore from the second story reassured him Taylor was well asleep still.

“We should probably take this somewhere more private,” Sever exclaimed, looking into Lori’s hazel eyes that shone in the rising moonlight.

“I guess,” she replied, sounding extremely hesitant, fearful perhaps that if they relocated, the magic of the moment would somehow be lost.

As if.

“Wouldn’t want to wake up Taylor and have to explain,” she added.

“True.”

Quickly, Sever thought of a place they could relocate to. Inside the house would be risky, since all their rooms were on the top floor, their doors each only a few paces away from each other. And they couldn’t simply pick a random spot out in nature, as there was nothing but dry grass and scraggly brush surrounding them.

Suddenly, an errant moonbeam caught the corner of his vision, and Sever glanced behind him at the dusty white truck parked a fair distance from the house in the front drive, intentionally there so others would know he was around.

The salesperson had told him it had a “deluxe extended cab.” Surely, it would be enough for two people.

Even if one of those two people was a dragon.

Before Lori could lose another second of pleasure, Sever stood and whisked her into his arms, stepping down the porch and heading toward the vehicle.

“Where are we goi—oh,” Lori said as she turned to look in the direction they were walking. “Are you serious?”

“Very much so,” he replied, undeterred. He reached the truck and opened the door, laying her down on the flat row of seats in the back, then stepping inside himself and closing the door behind, making sure to lock it for good measure. “Nothing is going to stand in my way when it comes to protecting you or pleasuring you.”

* * *

Lori had to suppress a giggle at how Sever practically filled the entire cab of the truck by himself as he took up an awkward semi-crouched, semi-kneeling hunched position just so he could be over her.

But there was nothing funny about the way his dark, platinum-colored eyes watched her, catching the beams of moonlight as they poured through the windows and made flecks of steel shine in his gaze.

And there was something about the claustrophobic closeness that made her temperature rise several degrees, being in such close proximity to so much man. More than she’d ever experienced or would likely ever see again in this life.

And even if this was all temporary. Even if it was just a temporary fix to a long-term problem, Lori would never be able to express in words the gratitude she felt toward this man who’d come from nowhere into her and Taylor’s lives.

It didn’t hurt that he had the body of a wrestler and the face of an angelic warrior not from this world.

“Now where were we?” Sever said, his voice teasing her as he came closer, thick muscle and heat everywhere she looked. And in response to his own statement, his hands found her hips as he leaned down to kiss her again, sending fire through her veins and bringing her right back to what they were doing in an instant.

Every part of her begged for his touch. Begged for his kisses. It was a feeling she could only barely control when she was around him and was dialed up to eleven now that they were here.

His hands played beneath her shirt, tantalizing her, and not wanting to wait a second longer, she pulled her shirt up and undid the back of her bra, loosening it around her, but not taking it off entirely.

In an instant, Sever was there, his mouth closed over one breast, the sensation like a bolt of lightning but all pleasure coursing through her, charging something deep within that built faster each passing second. And as he did that, his hands squeezed lightly, pressing into her flesh, intensifying the feel of his wet tongue over her nipple.

He was ravenous. Unstoppable as he went back and forth, suckling then laving one nipple then the other with his tongue, then working down to her belly button as his huge hands ran down her sides, setting off little sparks of light in her.

He stopped, and she heard a thud as his shoulder hit the back of one of the front seats. He mumbled something in frustration about human vehicles not being made for something, but she didn’t catch the last word. Then as he tried to move a little, his head hit the roof of the truck, making it rock back and forth from the impact that she was surprised didn’t leave a dent.

Lori giggled lightly as she reached around and clicked a button, sending the seat into a down position and giving Sever some much-needed shoulder room. He grinned down at her and smiled, then came back down to where he had been a second ago, kissing a long line down the side of her hips and beneath the hem of her jeans, making Lori’s breath catch in sheer anticipation.

Then he undid the button of her jeans and lowered the zipper, grazing his finger over her, and she almost came right there.

There was just something about a such a huge, protective man being centered solely on her pleasure that was more than Lori could contain.

Thankfully, her body held back, excited for more from this mysterious man as he pulled her jeans down slightly, even the hot air around her arousing her.

And then his finger slid upward over her center, and she really did lose it.

Instantly, her hands gripped whatever they could find, which happened to be a seat cushion and a random handle above her as incredible light seized her entire body all at once, shoving out all thought and feeling as it inundated her with wild passion that defied description.

Even breathing was a chore as the orgasm ripped through her, and once it was done, she still had to work just to maintain something so simple as that.

But through the whole thing, Sever had just watched her, metallic eyes intense and satisfied.

Behind him, she noticed the windows of the truck were now heavily fogged, the microscopic beads of condensation casting the once-stark rays of moonlight coming through the glass into a soft glow that surrounded them on every side now, surreal and unearthly.

Interrupting her racing, post-orgasm thoughts, Lori felt Sever’s finger caress her clit, firm and intentional, making her arch back against the seats beneath her as if trying to mitigate the intensity of the sensation.

But it was no use. Every tiny flick, every minuscule motion of his hand or fingers over her set her entire body alight with internal movement, her muscles and nerves going haywire with arousal. And everything she tried to do to hold back only seemed to make her body go faster, like a train racing toward the end of the tracks.

Then Sever stopped, and she felt herself lifted slightly, propped against the back of the door as Sever lowered his head between her legs, making the truck rock back and forth once again as he tried to reposition and bumping into corners and seats as he did.

A thrill of excitement raced through Lori a second before a blinding flash of light did as she felt a warm, soft tongue cover her.

It was even stronger than the first, amplified by the sensitivity of her body and the intensity of Sever’s lovemaking. This time when she reached to grab something, she found Sever, everywhere around her, holding him like a life raft in the midst of a raging sea of pleasure until it finally passed into pleasant wonder.

And then a minute later, he made her come again with his tongue, pulling every ounce of energy and distilling it into pure sexual pleasure that was sweeter than anything she’d ever tasted in her entire life.

But even with the incredible releases he gave, Lori could still feel an emptiness deep inside her. A want to be one with him. To have Sever inside her, joining with her as they rode the sea he’d cast her into.

“I… wow,” was all she could muster, even basic words failing her she was so overcome.

“An understatement, I’m sure,” Sever said, seemingly pleased. He let out a deep breath. “I suppose we should get you back inside so you can rest.”

“Wait,” she said nervously, pushing herself up on one hand. “What about—”

He shook his head. “I don’t think the back of a truck will be sufficient,” he said, his smile rueful. “Tonight was… amazing. More than I ever imagined.”

“But you didn’t—”

He put a finger up to her lips, then gently caressed them. “I got everything I could have wanted. I got to make you happy.”

Happy. For so long, she’d only wondered about doing the right thing. About helping others be happy through life’s trials.

And in spite of it all, in spite of her wariness, she could tell in her heart that Sever really meant what he said.

And he was right. The truck was too small, and this was all moving fast…

And they had more days ahead of them.

“Well, thank you,” she said awkwardly.

He nodded, smiling. With his help, she got her clothes back on, and he carried her inside, tiptoeing so quietly through the house even a cat would be envious.