Resa hammered away at the keyboard, ignoring the growling in her stomach. She just had one more chapter to go, and then she could be done for the day. Maybe. There were too many things in her head that were begging to get out, and she didn’t want to make them wait any longer than they already had.

In the back of her mind, she knew she would have to get around to calling Mr. Stephenson back. Even though she no longer worked for The City Chronicle as a full-time reporter, he had continued to commission her for certain articles, convinced that she was finally on her way to becoming a big name in the writing world. She obliged when she had the time, but it wasn’t nearly as intriguing as writing her novels.

A plate appeared next to her on the desk, startling her out of her writing reverie. “I could hear your stomach from the other side of the house,” Ethan said from behind her. “I’m starting to think your fingers are permanently attached to that computer.”

“It’s not my fault your company makes such a great device,” she said with a smile, turning around and wrapping her arms around his hips. “My compliments to whoever designed this keyboard.”

His grin widened. “Thank you very much.”

She slapped him playfully, picked up the plate, and brought it to the couch. “I guess you’re pretty good at designing sandwiches, as well. This looks like a masterpiece.” There were several layers of meat and cheese, plus numerous vegetables. He’d even laid a pickle on the side of the plate.

“I was going to see if you wanted to go out for dinner, but you were so busy, I didn’t want to bother you.”

Resa touched her hair, which she had twisted into a loose bun secured with a stray pencil. In her tee shirt and yoga pants, she wasn’t anywhere close to looking good enough to go out. It was the perfect attire, though, for cranking out stories. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he assured her. “I’m glad to see you look so happy. But I thought you already had the story finished and your editor was looking over it.”

The idea still sent a thrill through her stomach, one that couldn’t be quelled by the delicious sandwich. “It is. In fact, she said she wants it out on the shelves by the beginning of the year. But that one was about our little adventures with the hunters. This is a completely different story, about the dragon I met in the woods that day. It’s not based on real life as much as the first one; it’s more like what I would have liked to have happened.” She took another bite of the sandwich, trying to remember just how long it had been since she’d eaten last. “What are you doing home, anyway? I thought you were going to The Club after work.”

“That was the plan,” he admitted, sitting on the leather couch and leaning his head back. “But it was because I felt like I had to. Mr. Cross found some useful information on that USB drive you stole, and I think he might be interested in actually doing something about the hunters.” He paused and looked out the window. Resa could see the war he was having within himself. He had wanted to track down the hunters, but he had become far less interested in it over the last few months. “I used to go there to get away from the world, but not so long ago, I was thinking about leaving the Darkblood Society completely. I didn’t think I had a use for them. After they helped me save you, I realized that I really can’t be who I am without them. I need the other shifters just as much as I need you.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Resa’s heart warmed, but not because of the compliment to her. Ethan had told her all about the Society and The Club, and she understood that he would feel a need to be with his own kind.

“Tell me,” Ethan said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, “are there ever any romantic scenes in your stories? You wouldn’t let me read the first one.”

“That’s because it’s not ready for the public to read yet,” she explained, flushing. “And I don’t know if I’ll ever let you read it.”

“Why not? I think you know by now that I appreciate dragon-based literature.”

Resa studied his eyes. It was hard to reconcile the pale blue orbs and the way they tipped down slightly at the corners with the reptilian creature she had come to know so well. But she knew they were one and the same. Ethan in dragon form was something that made all of her senses come alive, that made her believe that anything was possible. When he was in human form, he made her body awaken in a completely different way. She set down her plate and climbed on his lap, straddling his hips and pressing her body into his. “Because,” she said softly as she kissed his neck, “I’m afraid you might recognize yourself in the love scenes.”

He brought her mouth to his and kissed her deeply, his tongue invading her as his package hardened. “Then I’d better get the very first copy,” he rumbled. Ethan lifted her shirt over her head and whisked away her bra, kissing her bare breasts and suckling her nipples. “It’s not fair that I’m in the city all day at my office, knowing you’re here without me.”

“Then you should work from home.” Resa tipped her head back, basking in the attention. The days went by quickly when she was working, but she had missed him.

“No,” he muttered as he clawed at her back. “I’d never get anything done.”

“I’m so selfish, I didn’t even ask you how your day was.” Pushing herself off his lap, Resa kneeled before the couch and opened Ethan’s zipper. His member was ready for her, and she eagerly took him into her mouth.

Ethan closed his eyes. “I’m sure it was a good enough day, but I’m forgetting it already.” He sucked in his breath and dug his fingers into her shoulders. “I can tell you it’s ending nicely, though. Very, very nicely.”

“Do you want to go up to the bedroom?” She had stopped what she was doing only long enough to ask the question. She enjoyed knowing that she could turn him on, and the way he could barely hold himself back while she was giving him head just made her want to do it more.

“I don’t think I can wait that long,” he gasped. “In fact, you’d better get up here or you’re not going to get a chance at me.”

Sitting on his lap once again, Resa pierced herself on him. He felt so good and so thick, and she hadn’t been kidding when she said the romantic scenes in her book were based on him. The two of them had made love every night since they had come back from defeating the hunters, sometimes several times. Ethan was passionate and generous, and he never took anything from her without giving it back with interest. His hands were deft with computers, wires, circuitry and software, but they knew how to spark her flesh to life just as well.

Ethan traced his hands down the soft curves of her stomach, one thumb drifting down to touch her center of pleasure. His other hand moved across her hip and back to cup her buttock. With his mouth on her breasts once again, Resa surrendered herself to euphoria. She grew almost dizzy with contentment as she took her satisfaction and brought on his, her body shuddering uncontrollably.

“I don’t know how I ever came home to this house without you in it,” Ethan murmured, kissing her mouth, her cheeks, her forehead. “I love you, Resa.”

“I love you, too.” As she lay in his arms, her mind turned back to her story for a moment. But it could wait. She had finally found the dragon she had been looking for.