CLAUDIA

“Clau-dah,” he murmurs in that impossibly deep voice, and he sounds so incredibly pleased to touch me that it sends shivers through my body. My nipples harden in response, and I can feel my pulse beat between my thighs. Who has ever said my name with that much sheer pleasure?

“Kael,” I begin, trying to get his attention, “I’m not sure—”

My words break off in a gasp when his gaze captures mine in the mirror. There’s a look of stark, sultry pleasure on his face. It’s the look of an extremely aroused male, covetous and sexual all at once. And he’s watching me in the mirror, like he’s noting my reactions to his touch. As I realize this, his big hand flexes on my stomach, and I suck in a breath when it slides up to cup one of my breasts. One thumb-claw grazes over my nipple in a gentle exploration.

And always, his gaze is locked on mine.

I can’t help the whimper that escapes my throat. It shouldn’t feel this good, should it?

He goes still against me. As I watch, his nostrils flare. “Clau-dah,” he growls, voice ragged. His other hand moves to cup my other breast, and as I watch in the mirror, he begins to play with both, stroking and teasing my nipples into hard points.

Of course I respond. The feel of the big, protective male pressing against my back and his hands caressing my breasts? The knowledge that this is wrong and slightly dirty because he’s the enemy and dangerous? It all makes me incredibly aroused. A little moan escapes my throat, and I close my eyes, leaning into his caress as he continues to tease my nipples ever so gently with those big, scary claws. I can feel myself growing slick between my thighs.

Kael inhales deeply again and then says my name once more. “Clau-dah.” He’s practically purring.

“Yeah, I know,” I murmur, both turned on and embarrassed at the fact that he’s smelling the wetness of my pussy on the air. It’s not like I can stop it, though. Not with how intensely he’s watching me in the mirror. Like my pleasure is the only thing that matters.

And that is an incredible turn-on.

Because I’m turned on, maybe my natural instincts to be wary around Kael are falling away. Because I want to touch him, too. I slide a hand backward, reaching for that thick, unusual mane of hair. He buries his face against my neck, inhales deeply, and his fingers drag over my nipples again. God, I am getting so wet from this.

“Clau-dah,” he murmurs again, and in the mirror I watch as his hand leaves my left breast and slips between my thighs. One big, thick finger parts my pussy lips and slides along my flesh, then dips into my core. I know I’m wet and ready—I can practically feel my juices sliding down my thighs. And I wonder what he’s going to think of that.

His eyes are black slits, but instead of being scary, it’s fiercely, incredibly sexy. The possessive look is stamped onto his face, and I watch as his big hand cups my pussy, and I can feel his claws playing against my folds. He’s incredibly careful, though, and when one thick fingertip presses against my core, I give my hips a little flex.

His snarl of pleasure makes me even hotter, and he presses his face against my hair. He purrs my name again and then pulls his hand away…and I could just cry at how empty I feel at the loss. But he only raises his hand in the air, turning it and admiring the glisten of my arousal on his skin.

Then he lifts his hand to his mouth and licks his claws, tasting me. I’m fascinated as his lip curls in a feral snarl. He pushes me forward against the sinks, his hips pressing against my own. One leg wedges between my own, and he pushes my thighs apart, his weight pinning me against the counter.

He’s going to take me, right here, right now.

Even though I’m turned on, I panic. “Wait! No!”

Kael stops, but he snarls again, looking furious. His fingers go to my pussy and he dips them in again, dragging them along my wetness as if to prove that I’m aroused. “Clau-dah. Kael.”

I moan at the touch, but I still find the strength to somehow shake my head. Very carefully, I push his hand away even as he tries to touch me. “You’re moving too fast. Slow down a second.”

He cocks his head, watching me, and the black swirls furiously in his eyes. Every muscle in his big body vibrates with barely restrained tension. I need to fix this, or he’s going to throw me down on the counter and fuck me whether I want it or not.

So it’s best if I really, really want it. And I do. God, I do. I just need a bit more preparation. I have to show him that. “Kael,” I murmur, my voice low and soothing. “I’m not rejecting you. I just need to show you how to make Claudia ready for you. Understand?”

But he doesn’t speak English, so of course he doesn’t understand.

I push his hand away and turn slowly. When he reaches for me again, I take his hand and place it on my cheek, leaning in against his palm. “Kael, I do want you. Claudia wants Kael. But let me show you what I like first, okay?”

Those not-quite-human eyes are mesmerized by my coaxing tone of voice, and I feel him shiver as I press a kiss to the palm of his hand.

Just like that, I’m in control of him again.

I lock my eyes to his and then hop backward onto the bathroom counter, evening out our heights just a bit. I pull Kael forward until he’s between my legs, and I put my hands on his chest, noting rock-hard muscles under that dappled amber skin. He’s strong and lethal, his power barely leashed. As I touch him, I can feel him jump with awareness, but he doesn’t move away.

All right, I’ll try kissing him, then. My hand goes behind his neck, and I pull him in, gently.

He stiffens, retreating. His eyes narrow. “Clau-dah,” he growls, grabbing at my hips and pulling me forward on the counter, his cock resting against my sex. He thrusts slightly, pressing the head of it against my pussy.

“I know,” I tell him, and drag my fingertips along the lines of his neck and collarbone as if he’s not trying to be all bossy. “That might be how dragons do things, but I’m a human, and we like to take a bit more time. So let me do things at my pace, hmm?” I brush my fingers over the seam of my mouth and then place them against his lips, indicating that I want to put mine there.

Kael’s eyes narrow, and he snaps his teeth at me.

I jerk back, startled. “No biting. I just want to kiss.” Though looking at his sharp teeth again, I’m starting to have my doubts. I purse my lips, thinking, and then take his big hand in mine. He lets me, his eyes going to gold with pleasure again. All right, progress. With my gaze locked to his, I take his thumb into my mouth and gently suck on it.

That gets his attention. He makes that low, sexy growl in his throat again, but he doesn’t pull away.

Now we’re getting somewhere. I gently lick at his thumb pad, stroking it over and over with my tongue, careful to avoid the claw tipping his finger. I lick and suck suggestively and then slowly drag his thumb back out of my mouth. Then I reach out and brush my thumb over his lips.

He parts them for me, taking my thumb into his mouth and caressing me the way I’d done to him. He makes that low, pleased growl in his throat again, too.

“That’s good,” I breathe, my arousal returning at the sheer look of intensity on his face. I pull away from his mouth and then gesture that I want to place my lips on his, and I try to pull him down toward me again. My body’s humming with want and excitement, and the thought of being able to kiss him is driving me wild.

This time, he lets me. His big body hunches over, and he braces his hands on the marble countertop of the sink, one on each side of me. His face is inches away from mine. All I need to do is close the gap.

I carefully place my hands on his cheeks, tilt my mouth, and move in against him.

Kael is stiff and unyielding as I put my mouth against his, so I focus on the seam of his mouth, brushing my tongue against it, determined to make him open up for me. After a moment’s hesitation, he parts his lips and I slide my tongue into the warmth of his mouth, trying not to think about those impossibly sharp teeth. He wouldn’t hurt me.

To my surprise, his tongue immediately tangles with my own and begins to rub in an erotic motion that makes my toes curl. I moan with pleasure, surprised at how good his mouth feels on mine. He seems to be enjoying the kiss as well, the low, purring growl returning to his throat. His hands grasp my hips and he pins me against him, his mouth plundering mine.

It’s clear that any initial reluctance Kael had is gone—he’s an enthusiastic kisser, and it’s clear that he’s going to dominate the play between our mouths. I’m left gasping for breath, startled at the intensity of the kiss.

He eventually pulls away from me just long enough for his lips to brush over mine in the gentlest of kisses. “Clau-dah,” he murmurs, and the syllables of my name shiver over my skin.

“Boy, you’re a fast learner,” I tell him, breathless. A moment later, he proves that even more by kissing my mouth again, and then beginning to kiss along my jaw and neck, nuzzling me with every motion. I eat it up, my hands moving over his warm, golden skin. He’s so big and strong. Big and strong everywhere, really, and my attention goes to the iron bar of his cock pressed against the vee of my legs once again.

“Clau-dah,” he murmurs, and his mouth moves lower, to the base of my throat.

“Mmm, keep going,” I tell him. I can’t get enough of his caresses. I’ll worry tomorrow about how wrong it is. For now, I’m just going to enjoy.

But then he drops to his knees in front of me, and to my shock, he buries his face between my thighs. He inhales sharply, and the low, pleased growl rumbles through his body. Big hands cup my hips, and he tilts me forward, then begins to tongue my pussy the way I’d kissed him.

Oh dear sweet Jesus.

I lose any semblance of sanity. Did I think I was ever in control? He’s always been the one in charge. I cry out when he drags that rough, cat-like tongue over my folds. Pleasure rockets through me, and I cling to his hair as he finds the button of my clit. He seems surprised by my fierce reaction to his exploratory flick of his tongue over it and grows more enthusiastic.

“Kael. Oh god. I…wait…that’s too much.” My senses explode with every drag of his tongue over my clit.

“Clau-dah,” he murmurs, and doesn’t let up in his licking, teasing and tormenting me with each flick of his tongue.

My hands fist in his thick waves, and my hips begin to jerk in response to each rough, hot tonguing he gives me. I can’t help it. He’s too damn good with his mouth, and I need this. So badly. Small whimpers escape my throat, and he redoubles his efforts, growing more enthusiastic with each movement of his tongue. It feels like my eyes are going to roll back in my head with the intensity of it all.

And I have no intention of stopping him whatsoever.