Lily glanced up as the door to the clubhouse opened the next morning and Blake and Luke walked in. They were rumpled and looked like they hadn’t gotten much sleep, and her eyebrows twitched with concern as she looked at them.

The dragon case was wearing on each of the Enforcers, in different ways. Damara was undercover, in the hands of the enemy. According to Liam, Dmitri was about to lose his mind with his sister in danger, and Noah said Liam didn’t sound all that stable at the moment, either.

Noah was stuck at the clubhouse doing pretty much nothing except making sure Lily had what she needed, because he wouldn’t leave her alone, and she wouldn’t be any help anywhere else, anyway. The most she could do to help was work on getting into the files on the stolen laptop. And she could see how much it bothered him to not be actively participating, but nothing she said would make him leave.

He said what she was doing was dangerous, and he wasn’t leaving her alone because Fernandez could find out and come for her. She assured him the stolen laptop couldn’t be traced, but he wasn’t willing to take the risk.

She understood, though. She wouldn’t be able to, either, if it was the other way around.

Tarun was the only one not actively involved, but the longer she was away from her husband, the more anxious she became. And now Blake and Luke were walking in, looking like they hadn’t slept, their faces lined with worry.

Lily needed to work faster. She wasn’t sure what secrets the laptop held, but if she could just get into the files, they might be able to end this that much sooner.

Tarun ran into the room from the hallway in the back, jumping into Luke’s arms. He closed them around her, holding her tightly, and Lily felt her eyes mist with tears. They’d been separated for less than a day, but they were holding onto each other like it’d been a year.

She’d had a version of that with Brandon and then thought she’d never experience it again. And now there she was, with Noah, and she got to feel all those things again.

It wasn’t the same as it used to be, but that was okay. It wasn’t better, it wasn’t worse—it was just different, and that was okay, too. Because Brandon and Noah were completely different men. It made sense that nothing felt the same, and she was glad it didn’t.

She could be blissfully happy with Noah, and she thought they were on track for that. But, as much as she was ready to move on and was ready for Noah, as much as she wanted to remember Brandon with fondness—she didn’t want every aspect of her relationship with Noah to remind her of her life with Brandon.

That didn’t mean she wanted to forget Brandon altogether, of course. She never wanted that.

But she wanted to enjoy her time with Noah—not be reminded of her late husband every moment of the day.

And it was fitting, she thought. She was beginning a brand-new life, and she loved that everything felt new, too. New experiences with the Enforcers, new location, new love.

She slanted a look at Noah as he nodded to Blake. As long as he wanted her around, that was. They hadn’t discussed the future much yet, but she wasn’t worried, and she didn’t feel an urgency to get everything settled. She was fairly sure he felt the same way she did, and she was enjoying the ride for the time being.

Blake sat at the table with them, rubbing his hands over his face tiredly. Lily studied him, feeling concern well up inside her. She could see how much pressure and worry he felt when she looked into his dark blue eyes. Being the leader of the Enforcers must be a heavy weight to carry at the best of times, and it was far from the best in that moment.

Noah explained the dragon’s history to her that morning over breakfast. She’d been puzzling over the prices the four women had gone for, and he explained about their past, along with how rare and valued female dragons were. As well as how ruthless and entitled the men were.

It made finding those seven women—and getting Damara home—all the more imperative. And other than the info Damara was able to give them, and what Lily had been able to find so far, they were mostly doing it blind.

“So what did you find out from the human?” Noah asked. “You were pretty vague about it on the phone.”

Blake exhaled heavily. “Nothing of any use.”

Noah scowled. “How is that even possible?”

Blake caught her puzzled look. “My gift makes it virtually impossible to not tell me what I want to know.”

“And your gift is what?”

“Causing pain with a look.”

“Shit hurts too,” Noah muttered. “I was curious and asked him to use it on me. He said it was on a low setting, but I don’t think I believe him.”

Blake smiled crookedly for a moment. “It was. I used a higher setting on him, but he swore he didn’t know anything. He’s a computer tech like Lily, and he was hired by Fernandez, but he worked mostly under Don—the panther. When he found the breach, he went to Don, and, wanting to be the one who found you two, Don immediately set out after you. Don wanted to go back to Fernandez and tell him he’d solved the problem. Try to score some brownie points.

“Vance—the human—didn’t even know shifters existed until Don turned into a panther. I think it was partly your hit, Noah, and partly the stress and shock of the moment that put him under for so long. He knew he was working for bad people, but he thought they were humans. He had no idea they were shifters or that the women were dragons.”

“You believe what he told you?” she asked, her frown still in place.

Noah tapped his temple. “We can hear lies, remember? Blake would have heard it if he lied.”

“What will happen to him?”

Blake shrugged. “That’s up to a human court. I know someone in the system and they created a pretty big list of crimes for him and locked him up.”

“You don’t think he’ll tell people the truth of what you are?”

“I told him I’d find out and come back for him,” Blake replied with a shrug. “Trust me, after feeling my gift like he did, he won’t risk that. And he’s been pinned with some pretty bad, questionable shit. No one would believe him, and he’d get locked up in a mental ward. He’s also under a no contact order—so he won’t be able to let anyone in Fernandez’s camp know. Even if he did, he doesn’t know our names or where we are. We’re covered.”

“It must be his laptop we have, if he was a tech. I’ve unlocked a lot of the files, but what I’ve found doesn’t make much sense. It’s mostly combinations of numbers, dates, and weird names. But I’m determined to figure it out.”

“Anything you find has the potential to help. It might help us paint a bigger picture, if nothing else. I don’t know if I’ve thanked you yet, and if not, I need to. We wouldn’t know much at all if it weren’t for you.”

Shaking her head, she waved his words away. “No thanks needed at all. I’m more than happy to help. I want to stop him as much as you guys do. Speaking of, I sent you an email not long before you got here. I tracked down addresses and phone numbers for the four buyers and emailed them to you. If nothing else, hopefully it’ll help in finding the four women who were auctioned off.”

He nodded as he stood. “I’ll go check it all out now. Keep me updated, but don’t work yourself to death. Take some breaks, get some rest. I doubt anything on that laptop will help us in finding the women, because surely they wouldn’t leave information like that in an uninitiated human tech’s hands.”

Pursing her lips, she watched him walk off. She wasn’t so sure. Maybe there were addresses on there somewhere or something. There had to be something with other locations Fernandez used. The mansion in Idaho couldn’t be his only home. Not when he invited the public to a dragon festival and buyers to an auction.

And she was determined to find what they needed to help the women.

Noah crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Lily. It was three in the afternoon and she’d been working nonstop since she woke up, barely eating and only stopping to use the bathroom. He watched as her brow twitched, her fingers coming up to rub her forehead.

She’d been doing that more and more often as the day went on, and he was pretty sure she was getting headaches. His lion paced inside him, and that time, he knew it was because of worry for her and not agitation over his missing piece.

Enough was enough.

“All right, Lil. Time to shut the laptop and put it away. You’re coming with me.”

Her fingers paused on the keyboard as she looked up at him, already shaking her head. “I can’t. I have work to do.”

“You’re getting a headache because you haven’t taken a break at all. And remember what Blake said. Take a break and rest. You’re not doing either.”

She bit her lip, hesitating. “This is important, though.”

“So is your health. Stop and take a break.” He waited for a moment, but when she didn’t move, he reached into his pocket and held up a key. “Will this persuade you?”

“What’s that?”

“The key to my motorcycle. You said you wanted to take a ride when we were back here.”

Her eyes lit up as she smiled. “Really?” Pausing as her eyes fell on her laptop, she stared at it for a moment, brow furrowed, before she sighed and closed the lid. “Okay. I probably do need a break. My eyes are crossing from staring at the screen so much. But not for too long.”

Grinning, he nodded. “Absolutely. Go change into some sturdier shoes and meet me out back.”

He watched as she walked to the back hallway, both laptops tucked under her arm, as relief washed over him. He’d been worried she would argue more, but it hadn’t been bad. She must be feeling the headache more than he thought she was.

Glancing around, he wondered if he could find some Tylenol anywhere, but he doubted it. No humans lived there, and though they had human waitresses, none of them left belongings behind.

He walked to the back, grabbing his leather jacket, along with one of Damara’s for Lily, and a helmet for her, as well. Making his way outside, he started mentally compiling a list of all the things he’d need to keep on hand for Lily that shifters didn’t need.

If she stayed, that was. He still hadn’t gotten up the nerve to tell her about mates yet, let alone ask her to stay. He didn’t know why he was hesitating. On some level, he knew she wouldn’t freak out. She remained steady as a rock throughout everything she’d already learned, and he didn’t see that calm disappearing because he asked her to stay.

Especially if he let her know that while being mates was forever and permanent for him, it wasn’t the same for her. It didn’t mean he had to be it for her for life, like she was for him—though he prayed she felt the same as he did. It would gut him to let her go.

The door opened behind him and he glanced back, smiling as she made her way over to him. She’d put on a pair of boots and braided her long blonde hair. Something he should have mentioned, but he hadn’t thought of it. He was glad she had.

When she reached him, he leaned down and gave her a kiss, keeping it quick and smiling when she groaned with disappointment as he pulled back. Setting her helmet on the seat, he helped her into the jacket and then picked it back up, handing it to her before getting his own.

“Wait until I’m on and have the bike settled, then hop on behind me. Hold tight when we start going. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

She nodded as she fastened her strap and he quickly pulled his helmet on, straddling the bike. The engine started with a loud growl and once he was ready, he gave her a nod. He held it steady as she climbed on and immediately wrapped her arms snugly around his waist.

Before long, the were on the seldom used two lane highway, and he knew exactly where he was taking her. It was an overlook he and Luke both used whenever they wanted to be alone. That was exactly what he wanted, because he knew just how to distract her and make her forget about going back so quickly.

He accelerated, torn between wanting to get Lily to himself and wanting to enjoy the moment. He loved being out on the open road with a powerful bike underneath him and the wind blowing past him. It was one of his favorite things to do, and having her with him, her legs pressed to his, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, amplified the feeling coursing through him.

One day, if she enjoyed riding, he wanted to take her on a cross country trip, doing nothing but riding the motorcycle all day and making love all night. That was ultimate fantasy material right there.

Switching gears, he slowed down as he approached the turn for the little road he and Luke had carved out in all their years of going there. He turned and made his way to the end, putting down the kickstand and shutting the engine off. Holding it steady until Lily was clear, he stood and took his helmet off, setting it on the seat.

The moment she had hers off, he yanked her to him and covered her mouth with his. She gasped, and he heard the helmet fall to the ground as she went up on tiptoe, winding her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

His blood instantly felt like it was boiling as he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. She opened and he swept inside, their tongues tangling and dueling with each other. Pulling back, he nipped her bottom lip and then angled his head the other way, inching one hand between them to tug at the zipper of her jacket.

Once he had it open, he eased his hand under her shirt and cupped her breast, groaning as her hips arched into his. His body had begun responding to her the moment he kissed her, but his erection was already almost painfully hard as she ground her lower body against his.

He broke the kiss, sliding his lips across her cheek to her ear, nipping it and smiling when she shuddered against him. Lowering his hand, he popped the button of her jeans open and pushed his hand inside, groaning again when he found her already wet. He fucking loved that he could make her wet with a kiss.

Licking and nipping his way down her neck, he slid his fingers inside her folds, instantly finding her swollen clit. Her hips jerked against his hand as he circled her slowly, then picked up speed before switching directions and slowing down again.

“Noah, you’re killing me,” she breathed, her head falling back to give his mouth better access to her neck.

He didn’t change his pattern, though. He wanted to drive her crazy, and it looked like he was on the right track. It went on like that for long moments, and then he felt her try to move her hand between them, like she was about to return the favor for him.

But he couldn’t let that happen. If she touched him, he’d go off like a rocket on the Fourth of July, and this wasn’t about him. It was all about her, her pleasure, and getting her mind off her work for as long as he could.

He begun making faster, tighter circles, smiling against her neck as her hands faltered, and then he pressed down directly on her clit, rubbing firmly, at the same time he bit her neck gently, tugging at the tendon.

Moaning, she jerked against him, and as she got louder, he covered her mouth with his again, swallowing the sound. He was pretty sure no one was around for miles to hear, but there was no need to take any chances. He never let his fingers ease up, following her through her orgasm, drawing it out as she shuddered against him.

When she jerked at his next pass, he finally stopped, knowing she was too sensitive. She buried her face against his chest as she panted, and satisfaction filled him. Even if her break hadn’t lasted as long as he wanted, he knew he’d at least alleviated the tension she had built up.

She finally eased back, her hands going to the button of his jeans again, and he grabbed her hands as he shook his head. Her eyes shot to his and he arched his eyebrow.

“Look around,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire. “There’s no where to even sit besides that rock, and that won’t work. Besides, there’s no need. This was just for you.”

“There’s no just me, Noah. If I get off, you get off, too. Besides, I need to feel you inside me. So, if you really want it to be all about me, you’ll help me figure out a way.” Her eyes narrowed as she glanced around them, and then a speculative gleam appeared in the blue depths as her gaze fell on his bike.

He immediately shook his head. “Nope. The only way I can see that working is if you straddle me. And that’s something I’ve never done. I don’t want to lose balance and see you crash to the ground.”

Backing away, she shook her head at him as she toed her boots off. “Come on, Noah. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

He swallowed hard, not able to find his voice as she kicked her jeans off. The sight of her standing next to his bike, naked from the waist down, wearing a Blood and Bone Enforcers MC jacket, simultaneously made his heart swell and his dick jerk, and he reached down to adjust it, hissing out a breath. Her hair was still in her braid, but tendrils had fallen out around her face, and she was biting her lower lip, watching him from underneath her long eyelashes.

Debating, he glanced from her to his bike, and then finally bent to unlace his boots. Lily made a noise of triumph and he couldn’t hold back his smile. Hell, having sex with her on his bike had been a top fantasy since he saw her standing next to it the day they left for Idaho. And who was he to deny her something she wanted?

He’d keep that damn motorcycle steady if it was the last thing he did.

It helped that they’d slept together a couple times already. It would never get old, he didn’t think—it would always have the power to steal his breath. But if they’d tried this the first time, it would have been a disaster. It had been longer than he cared to admit since he had sex, and making love to Lily was on a whole other level. It was bone meltingly amazing, and if this happened the first time, he wouldn’t have managed to keep the bike steady, because the feel of her hot walls sucking him in—

Fuck. He had to stop thinking about it or he was going to come before he could even get his pants off.

He eased the zipper past his painfully erect cock and then quickly pushed his jeans and boxers off. Walking over, he wrapped her braid around his wrist and tugged her head back gently as he leaned in to kiss her.

When he pulled back, her blue eyes were dazed as she swallowed hard. “That was so fucking hot.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “The kiss?”

Reaching up, she touched her fingers to the hand he still had on her braid. “That. You know, I never knew I liked it rough, but that just made me think maybe I would.”

He choked on air, sputtering and coughing as his dick jerked. Fuck, that image was hot as hell, and one day, maybe he’d see if he could get a little rough—but for now, he was sticking to tugging on her braid.

Kissing her again, he nipped her lower lip, a little harder than he usually did, smirking inside when she moaned. Turning, he sat on the far edge of his seat and planted his bare feet on the warm rocks under his feet. They were going to get torn up, but it would be so fucking worth it, he already knew.

Besides, leaving his shoes and pants on meant his zipper could scrape her, since he couldn’t tug the jeans down very far, and he’d much rather it be him who got scraped up.

Lily made a sexy noise in the back of her throat and he cocked an eyebrow at her. She shrugged, her eyes roaming over his body, lingering on his dick. “You look seriously hot like that.”

Smiling, knowing he’d think the same of her, he braced his legs on the ground and held out his hand. She took it and he held her steady as she swung a leg over, straddling him. Sucking in a breath as her hot core touched his hard cock, he put an arm around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Moving his hand to her ass, he lifted, sucking a breath in as his dick brushed through her folds. Positioning himself at her entrance, he held still while she eased down, taking him inside her. She gasped and he gritted his teeth at the feel of her, hot, wet, and tight around him, holding his breath until he was buried balls deep inside her.

Neither of them moved for a long moment, savoring the feel of each other. Then she tightened her legs and ground against him. He swore he saw stars as she rippled around him, and he looked at her with surprise.

“Are you that close already?”

She smiled, her eyes still closed as she swiveled her hips. “Hell yes, I am. This is hot.”

He agreed, but before he could tell her so, she lifted up slightly and then came down again, starting to ride him. They were limited on how much they could do, but he knew with enough practice—and there would definitely be more practice—they’d become better at it and be able to move more.

But just this—the small movements as she rode him, the way she ground against him every time he was buried inside her—was more than enough for him. His balls were already tightening, a tingle beginning at the base of his spine, and he was glad she was so close already, because he was, too.

Her movements sped up and he kept his hand on her ass, giving her more support and leverage as she moved. They were both breathing heavily, and Lily was moaning every time she circled her hips around. He knew her clit was rubbing against his pubic bone and he was grateful, because he didn’t have a hand to spare to help her out there.

She gasped, saying his name loudly, and then she began coming. His vision blackened around the edges as she contracted around him, squeezing him tightly.

Claim her, his lion said, urging him on.

Not. Yet, he thought back, gritting his teeth against the almost overwhelming urge.

Good thing she had a leather jacket on or he might not have been able to resist, and fuck if he could just sink his teeth into her shoulder without even letting her know what it meant or why he was doing it.

Lily ground down harder on him, her orgasm peaking again, and that was it. He couldn’t hold back anymore. It felt like everything inside him exploded, like he exploded, and he gasped, pulsing inside her as she continued to contract around him.

“Lily. Fuck,” he bit out, his voice sounding like broken shards of glass grinding together.

She rode him slowly, milking both of their orgasms, and when she finally stilled against him, their chests were heaving from the force of their breaths. Sweat was rolling down his back underneath the leather jacket, and he bet it was the same for her, too. As gorgeous as she’d looked, standing next to his bike half naked while wearing it, he wished they’d thought to ditch them.

Eventually, they both calmed, and he helped her off the bike. She was moving a little unsteadily, and his lips quirked while he watched her, although he was sure he’d be in the same condition. Pulling his bandana out of a jacket pocket, he stopped her before she put on her jeans and handed it to her.

“Here. Use this to clean up first.”

“Thanks,” she replied, flashing him a grateful smile as she used it.

He took it back from her, winking at her as he stood and got off the bike. He’d been right—his legs were trembling like a newborn calf’s, and his feet were a little sore. But it’d all been more than worth it.

They definitely needed to practice again—and soon—so they could get more used to it.

He smiled as he quickly pulled his jacket off. As he used the bandana to clean himself off, Lily removed her jacket, too. When they had their pants and shoes back on, he took her hand and led her to the flat rock overlooking the view.

They sat down and Lily huffed a laugh, waving at the canyon. “And to think, this is why I thought you brought me here.”

Chuckling, he picked up her hand and laced their fingers together. “It was part of it. But, I admit, I did have giving you pleasure as my main objective.”

“Wasn’t it so much better with both of us finding pleasure? I bet you’re glad you took a chance on an adventure now.”

“It was amazing,” he replied, laying back on the rock and tugging her down to lay with her head on his chest as he chuckled. “Maybe a little too amazing. That might have been the quickest quickie in history.”

She giggled as she kissed his pec. “It was damned hot, is what it was. No way could anyone last longer than we did. It was too mind blowing for that.”

He nodded in agreement, his body sated and his heart full. And in that moment, he resolved to lay it all on the line that night. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—put it off any longer.

He just prayed she could accept it as easily as she had everything else.