Finally, the countdown began…One hour until Bex arrived. Thane had rushed through the day anticipating what would happen tonight. He’d spent the morning in the air, providing two hang gliding tours which lasted longer than expected, but it was a good distraction. Then he’d taken Stone’s advice and cleaned house. He wanted everything to be perfect for his mate, and even went as far as to make sure fresh flowers were set throughout the house.

Now, showered and dressed in a white button down shirt and jeans, Thane was in the kitchen chopping and marinating the vegetables and meat while listening to The Rolling Stones. Nothing made him happier than to cook for his mate. Every piece of food he’d picked was tailored to Bex. He’d called Dorothea while at the grocery store, rapid firing questions about what she-dragons needed to eat to prepare for pregnancy and what foods to stay away from. Of course, she laughed him off and told him to slow down. He couldn’t go wrong with meat and potatoes. So, he’d selected filet mignon with lobster, potatoes, salad, and something special for dessert.

Damn if dragon pride wasn’t a bitch.

Five days wasn’t long enough, but he’d court her like a queen and make her want to stay. He understood her independence and wanting to finish her research, but unfortunately, once mated, everything else would take a backseat. Dragon law and mating rituals were considered serious. He’d known a few dragons where their mates had rejected them. It was a painful process to witness. Knowing how driven Bex was, he had to court her properly and not scare her away.

She was as fragile as fresh snow. One wrong move and he sensed she’d send him packing which was the total opposite of what her body was signaling. Last night he’d felt the desire purring from her dragon, needing his touch. He knew she felt it, too, but it wasn’t a done deal. The continued resistance felt odd to him. Surely she knew what was expected of her. Shouldn’t she want to be mated?

Thane shook free from his thoughts and focused on tonight. He’d turn on the Don Juan, and she’d never want to leave his bed. Fuck yeah. He grabbed the platter with two steaks on it and walked out back on his deck where the grill was fired up. The whole back of his house overlooked the mountains. It was peaceful, not a neighbor in sight. When he designed the house, he planned it so the morning sunshine lit up the back of his house, giving him a sunroom for the cold winters. He could just picture Bex relaxing on the couch, rubbing her pregnant belly, and reading a book on baby names. Yeah, this whole mating thing had him thinking like a chick. What next, knitting baby booties?

Fuck. He slapped the steaks on the grill and watched the flames flicker with fury. He had it bad, but what the fuck did he care? He wanted Bex in his life and he wanted kids to pass down his legacy to. Bex was smart, beautiful, and he knew she’d be a good mom…and holy hell, she looked stunning in that little black dress and strappy heels. He watched Bex through the wall of glass windows as she waved at him from inside the house.

She opened the door to the deck and stepped out. “Hey, the front door was open so I came in.”

He took in every inch of her, starting at the short sleeve, black lace top of her dress. The low-cut neckline hugged her tits perfectly. Shit. He balled his hands resisting the urge to touch her as his attention was drawn to a sexy, flare hem that stopped mid-thigh.

“Thane?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. You took my breath away. You look beautiful.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear and averted her gaze. “Thank you.”

“Turn around. I want to see more.”

She did, and his cock jerked as he trailed his gaze down her exposed back all the way to her fleshy, toned calves. He stifled a growl as his dragon let it be known he approved.

“Well, I’m glad you approve.” She smiled, further fraying the thread he loosely held onto.

“Good God, you have no clue how beautiful you are.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.” Thane tore himself away from her before his steaks went up in flames.

“You know, flattery will get you far,” she teased.

“I’ll make note of that.” Thane plated the steaks. “Would you like some wine?”

“I’d love a glass.”

Thane opened the door for her and watched her walk into the house. As she passed by him, her sweet jasmine scent hit him square in the chest. How was he going to keep his shit together, or better yet, keep his dragon under control? Oh, the bastard was making it perfectly clear that he wanted to come out and play.

Thane set the plate down on the counter and picked up two bottles of wine. “Red or white?”

“Red.” Bex walked up to breakfast bar where Thane was pouring the wine. “Your house is gorgeous.”

“I’ll take you on a tour after we eat.” He handed her the red, then started to arrange the food on the plates.

“Can I help you with something?”

You can, but then our food would get cold. “No, you’re my guest. Make yourself at home.”

“Okay.” He watched her walk into the living room, admiring the décor.

“You see that wall of stone over there?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s actually part of the mountain.”

“Seriously?” She looked at him, surprised, as she walked toward the wall. She rubbed her hand across the stone.

“Yep, I loved this mountain so much I had part of the house carved out of the it.”

“Wow, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“It’s serpentine. Some people get it confused with jade.” He walked up behind her and stuffed his hands in his jean pockets to avoid touching her.

“And the fireplace is a nice touch.”

“It comes in handy,” he observed.

He caught her off guard as she turned around, bumping into him. Red wine splashed onto his white shirt. “I’m so sorry.” Horrified, she ran to the kitchen and returned with a handful of paper towels. She dabbed his shirt. “I’m such a klutz.”

“It’s just a shirt.” He looked down at her blotting his shirt and smelled her hair.

“You should take it off and get it in the wash so it doesn’t stain it permanently.” She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip.

He tilted her chin up. Softly, he brushed his lips against hers and was enraptured when she opened for him, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer. His body boiled when she snaked her arms around his neck. The urge to take her now, to claim her, was getting harder and harder to ignore. But timing was everything. He broke the kiss. “I wanted to do that as soon as you walked through my door.”

Bex stepped back, rubbing the back of her neck. “You should take care of your shirt.”

Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt, untucking it from his jeans. “I’ll be right back.”

Thane threw his shirt in the washer and braced his hands on the edge. He gripped the metal until it creaked, warning him he was about to break the washer. He wasn’t going to last long. Whether she knew it or not, her dragon was calling out, and his dragon relentlessly begged to answer. Her arousal and heated skin lit up all his dragon sensors. His plan was to take it slow. He didn’t want to send out the wrong impression by inviting her over to dinner and expecting something in return. But damn, she was irresistible.

Fuck. He grabbed a clean t-shirt folded on top of the dryer and tugged it on. He ran his fingers through his hair, doing a quick freshening up before he returned to Bex.

To his surprise, Bex had set the table.

“It was the least I could do. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” He pulled her chair out and she sat down, tucking her dress under her.

He sat across from her. “I hope you like steak and lobster.”

“Love a good steak. You did good. I’m very impressed.”

Thane couldn’t help the silly grin spreading across his face. He’d pleased his mate.

He watched her cut into the meat and bring a forkful to her mouth. He waited patiently for her response.

“Wow.” She chewed it delicately, then took a sip of wine, “This is the best steak I’ve ever had.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Thane picked up his fork and dug in.

“So, tell me why you chose this mountain?” Bex asked.

Thane took a sip of wine. “Besides the view, I wanted the perfect place to start a family. You can’t get much better than Ember Brooke.”

“It’s a beautiful place.”

“Yes, it was worth the virgin I had to sacrifice.”

Bex choked. “What?”

Thane laughed. “I’m joking. This mountain has been in my family for generations. If fact, after the great Drakon war, my father fled from Scotland and settled here in Ember Brooke.”

“You have some real history here, huh?”

“Sure do. My father was the notorious James the Black Douglas. A mighty Scottish warrior who fought for Dragonkine freedom.”

“That’s fascinating.”

“What about your family?” He noticed Bex shifting in her chair, apparently uncomfortable with the question.

“My parents are good people. My father is a lawyer and my mother is an elementary school teacher.”

“So, no wild teenage years, huh?”

Bex giggled. “I was a good kid.”

Thane smiled. “I can see that.”

The conversation flowed effortlessly through the rest of dinner. He’d talked about himself nonchalantly, how he’d made a hefty profit mining and selling a portion of serpentine from the mountain. He noticed how she crossed and uncrossed her legs a few times as she explained in more detail about her research. It amazed him how smart she was.

Thane had hoped talking about family would bring up the whole mating conversation. But the she-dragon stayed far away form that topic.

Something felt off. He couldn’t put his claw on it. Yes, he’d never been mated before and didn’t know what to expect, but he couldn’t shake that something wasn’t right. An unsure feeling lingering inside, worrying him that she didn’t realize him as her mate? Even though all the signs were there, the flirting, her scent, the sexual desire they danced around. He should just man up, clear the air, and be done with it. Hit her with the truth; Hey, you’re mated to me for the rest of our lives. Can you pass the salt?

Perhaps all the sexual tension between them was the reason his boxer briefs were in a wad. Whatever it was, he only had four days left to convince her to stay.

“Thane, everything tasted amazing.” She dabbed the corners of her mouth on her napkin. “If you keep feeding me like this, I’ll be bringing back a few extra vacation pounds as souvenirs.”

“I know a way we can burn off those extra pounds.” He winked.

Bex playfully rolled her eyes. “How about I help you clean up?”

“Aww, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Bex sauntered over to him and seductively picked up his plate. “Baked on grease…scrubbing pads…load the dishwasher.” She smiled down at him.

He stood up, knocking his chair to the ground. Bex giggled and took off toward the kitchen. He didn’t allow her to get far as he caught her around the waist and pulled her against him. He nuzzled her neck, breathing her in. God, the things he wanted to do to her.

After the dishes were washed, Thane poured Bex another glass of wine and told her he’d clean up the rest. She didn’t argue and made her way into the living room.

“You have an amazing view.” She stood in front of the glass wall overlooking the mountains. “There’s not a neighbor in sight.”

“The view is what drew me to this mountain. Before I built the house, I would fly up here often to watch the sunset.”

“It’s truly breathtaking.”

And yes, she was. Thane watched her from the kitchen as she admired his mountain. Again, pride filled his heart knowing she approved of their lair.

“Can I ask you a question about your dragon?” she asked.

“Sure.”

From her profile, Thane saw a sadness shadow her face as she continued to look out the window.

“Do you fully trust him?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like when you shift. Do you feel like you have control of him?”

“Sweetheart, your dragon is you. When you shift, you don’t lose who you are. Yes, your senses are heightened, but you learn to control them.” He walked up behind her. “Do you trust yours?”

“It’s complicated.” She leaned into his body. Her ass brushed against his cock, causing a feral growl to escape.

Staring at the base of her neck, he tenderly ran his finger down her spine. Christ, her skin was soft. “Either you do or you don’t, it’s that simple.”

“Not everything is black and white, Thane. I have a lot of gray areas.”

“Sounds to me you should trust her more often,” he said as he kissed his way down the back of her neck. Gooseflesh covered her skin, and knowing he did this to her, drove him wild. “What does she say about me?” He continued trailing kisses down her spine as he bent down and ran his hands gently down her legs to the straps of her shoes. He thought about removing them, but quickly changed his mind when he imagined her naked, wearing only a pair of fuck-me heels. Hot as hell.

“Thane, I…”

He began to trail back north, touching her shins and the front of her thighs, stopping before he reached the state line. “She wants me, Bex. I can feel it.” He felt her body tense as he rubbed his thumb over her pussy, through her panties. She moaned, and it fueled the wildfire burning out of control inside him. “Let me take care of her.” He hooked his thumbs on the side of her panties and began to pull them off when her hands covered his to stop him. Shit, he’d gone too far.

To his surprise, she pushed his hands down, encouraging him to continue. He slid the thin material down her legs and all the way off. Black lace, his favorite.

Unable to keep his hands off her, he followed the same trail back up under her dress. He gripped her hips, pushing his rock-hard cock against her ass while he kissed her neck. She looked over her shoulder at him and gabbed his hands, guiding them up her ribs to her breasts. “Touch me.”

He growled against her neck, fulfilling her request as he cupped her tits. “Fucking perfect,” he whispered in her ear.

He needed to feel her on his skin, to feel her heat, to see her naked. He took a step back and pulled his t-shirt off, then unhooked the top of Bex’s dress. Slowly, he slid the lacey top from her arms and watched it fall to her waist. He hugged her against his chest as he reached around and took her breasts in his hands, squeezing and teasing her nipples. The instant his body coiled with hers, he knew he’d never be the same again…and he wasn’t even inside her yet. And that wasn’t going to happen, not tonight.

Needing to taste her, he grabbed her chin bringing their mouths closer. He claimed her lips. He thought he was going to lose his shit when she shoved her hands through his hair encouraging him to deepen the kiss. She teased him, grazing his bottom lip with her teeth, kissing him slowly. She had no clue how much she turned him on, but by the scent of her arousal, he knew he had all the right moves to keep her engine purring.

He moved his hands down her stomach and across her hips, sliding his fingers through her dark curls. He stayed there for a moment, teasing her until she spread her legs and leaned back against him, encouraging him to touch her deeper.

The urge to claim was pumping through his veins like flame seeking gasoline. Even though mating signals were firing off, he had to be careful and stay in control. He wasn’t a dick. He’d satisfy her but leave the night as a to be continued.

He stepped forward, pressing her against the glass wall. Taking her wrists in his hand he placed them over her head. He laced his fingers with hers as he reached down and ran his finger between the folds of her pussy. Fuck, she was hot, wet, and driving him over the edge. He rubbed over her pearl. She sighed a beautiful moan, striking him straight to his cock. Fuck yeah, that was her spot.

“Mmm, right there. Don’t stop,” Bex pleaded.

She had nothing to worry about because he wasn’t stopping until she shattered in his hands. He pressed her ass against his cock as he teased her, rubbing her swollen clit up and down, and bringing her closer to orgasm. The way she moved with his hand…the way she moaned…the way her body responded to his touch…he’d never seen or felt anything as beautiful.

When her breathing quickened, he knew she was close and slowly inserted his finger deeper inside her. She let out a hiss. “God, Thane, you feel so good.”

“Baby, you have no idea how much you turn me on.” He nibbled and kissed her shoulder as he pumped his finger faster. The innocent way she bit her bottom lip as he pleasured her drove his dragon berserk. And the urge to rip her dress all the way off and thrust inside her was getting harder and harder to contain. The beast wanted to claim her.

She squeezed his hand and he felt her walls tense, then her body shudder, “Oh…”

“That’s it, baby.” Thane kept up the rhythm as he watched her come undone.

Dragon pride crept in as the afterglow of ecstasy took them over. Knowing he made her come, hard, gave him such a high. Almost better than sex. He nuzzled her neck and she rested her head against the window. He could see her breath against the cold glass. “I think she likes me.”

Bex giggled, “I think so, too.”

He reached down and pulled her top up, fastening the back. She turned and faced him. Her hazel eyes swirled delicately, delicate enough that only a dragon could notice. He cupped her face and kissed her.

“That was amazing,” she whispered against his lips.

“Mmm, I aim to please.” Wanting more, he kissed her again.

“I should probably go.”

He pulled her close when she tried to step out from his embrace. “Stay the night. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Bex rubbed her hands down his chest. “I can’t.” She grinned up at him. “That’s a temptation I’m too weak to fight.”

“Fair enough. Until next time.” It took all his will to let her go. After showing her how much her dragon needed him, she wasn’t supposed to leave. He needed to up the game.

He watched her bend down and pick up her purse from the coffee table. She stood and straightened her dress before he walked her to the door. “Thank you for an amazing night, Thane Monroe.” Standing on her toes, she kissed him. “Good night.”

Before he had a chance to kiss her breathless and make her stay, she walked out the door.

“Drive carefully, Bex St. James,” he called out. “And sweet dreams.”

She looked back at him and smiled as she opened her car door and slipped inside.

Thane leaned against the doorframe, watching his mate back out of the driveway. Tomorrow would be the true test. She wasn’t getting away that easy.