Chapter Seven
“This is amazing!” Gillian yelled. “Can we go faster?”
The corners of his fanged mouth curled into what passed for a grin in dragon form. Of course he could go faster, and he would. Fates, at this point, he’d be willing to do just about anything for the captivating witch who’d fearlessly jumped on his back for an evening ride over the desert. She hadn’t even flinched when he shifted in front of her. She’d simply stepped forward to run her fingers over his flexible scales, her touch gentle and firm by turns.
He hoped she’d someday do the same when he traded scales for human flesh.
The aerial view of southern New Mexico never failed to captivate him with its beauty, especially near Magic. From the stark rocky outcrops flanking Carlsbad Caverns to the red-rocked majesty of the Guadeloupe Mountains, flying over his adopted homeland had always brought him a measure of peace.
Viewed through Gillian’s enchanted lenses, a design modified from the prototype to fit his broad dragon skull, it took his breath away.
The town’s magical shield glowed like a brilliant glass dome. His heightened senses in dragon form coupled with the lenses gave him glimpses of the townsfolk in their glorious, natural forms—some for the first time. It also showed him the aura of magic in the surrounding area. It was incredible.
Almost as incredible as the woman who’d made it all possible. The amazing woman who was riding on his back now and having the time of her life if the “oohs” and “aahs” and shrieks of joy were any indication.
He’d only ever allowed Rocky to ride on his back in dragon form and rarely flew with any of the other winged shifters from Magic, though that would be changing thanks to the invitation they’d extended to him back at the bar. Hell, he’d never allowed the townsfolk to get a glimpse at his magical tracery before today. He could barely wrap his mind around all of the sudden changes. In less than twenty-four hours, Gillian Hohenwald had managed to turn his life completely upside down.
He’d never be able to thank her enough, but he would no doubt thoroughly enjoy trying.
She was an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Having transformed from lost and frightened woman to fearless explorer, she seemed determined to learn all she could about her newly discovered powers and the magical creatures who inhabited her world. She could do it, too. It had taken less than an hour for her to fabricate a set of enchanted lenses to fit his dragon face, and she’d busied herself with other experimental designs for much of the afternoon after encouraging him to spend some time in town socializing while she worked.
It had surprised and stung a bit when she’d shooed him out of his own workshop, but she’d rewarded him with a hot and heavy make-out session before sending him off with a promise of more to come.
Socializing proved awkward and more than a little difficult at first, but the townsfolk sensed his discomfort and allowed him to approach at his own pace and on his own terms. Naturally they were curious about him, but they didn’t pry. Most just seemed pleased to know more about him and reciprocated by sharing their unique abilities. He’d invited a few folks out to his studio to talk about custom furniture and carving orders, and he’d been invited to dinner with some of the other shifter families.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the sense of community he’d lost when he lost his childhood—until today.
And now here he was flying with the woman of his dreams. He’d gone from loner to friend and possibly more in the space of a day. Who’d have thought?
He dove down to give Gillian a peek at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns before taking her to a special scrap of land he’d discovered during his first explorations of Earth. It held its own distinct magic that probably stemmed from the aura surrounding the town but had remained hidden and secluded from ordinary humans and residents of Magic since his arrival. He’d always thought of it as his sanctuary, his place of peace, and he’d never taken another living soul to the spot, not even Rocky.
He hoped Gillian would like it.
He landed gently on a slope above his special place and allowed Gillian to slide off his back. She surprised him by throwing her arms around his long dragon neck and planting a soft kiss on his chest. He lowered his head and allowed her to remove the lenses, which she stowed away in her backpack. The she looked up at him, hands on hips and head cocked to the side as if waiting for him to do something.
“Well,” she said. “Are you going to let me see you shift back into a human?”
He should, but all of a sudden a strange shyness overcame him, which was ridiculous. He’d shifted into a dragon in her presence twice already, and she’d seen his tracery. Perhaps it was because he’d brought her to his refuge, the equivalent of exposing his soft underbelly. It left him ill at ease. Did she actually want him as a man, or was he simply another new creature to study?
She trusted you with her life. The least you could do is trust her with your true self.
He wanted to. Even though they had known one another for such a short time, he’d never experienced such a connection, a place where physical and emotional threads wove silken strands between souls. He sensed she felt it, too. So why was this so hard?
As if sensing his dilemma, she smiled and placed the backpack on the ground. With a deep breath and a deepening of the red in her rosy cheeks, she slowly lifted her shirt to reveal beautiful, tanned skin. Her full breasts remained covered by scraps of thin fabric, nipples straining against silk and lace as if begging for his touch. After kicking off her shoes, she unbuttoned and unzipped her cargo pants and slid them down mile-long legs. Oh, Fates, those curves, that skin, the sweet, secret place hidden by lovely silk panties—she was breathtaking.
She folded her clothes neatly, set them on top of her backpack, and stood to face him as she unleashed her dark locks from the ponytail, her hazel eyes as deep and mysterious as the desert surrounding them. He wanted more, wanted this woman to the marrow of his bones, but he didn’t want to rush even though she appeared to be making the first move. They barely knew one another, and he didn’t want her to get the idea that he was only after a quick tumble in the sand.
He wanted a quick tumble, and a slow one, and everything in between, but more than that, he wanted to see where the connection between them could lead.
He wanted a chance.
With a deep breath for courage, Aiden willed bone, muscle, and sinew to transform, trading scales for human flesh—bare human flesh. She’d done her best to level the playing field. It was the least he could do.
He hoped against hope that she’d like what she saw.
“Oh, my,” she whispered, taking him in from head to toe. Feeling a bit foolish and more than a little aroused, he lifted his arms and spun in a slow circle, allowing her to examine his body at her leisure. He couldn’t hide the tracery that marked him as “other” anymore than he could hide his obvious excitement, but fair was fair.
He turned back around to face her and followed her gaze to the evidence of his excitement. “I can’t exactly control that reaction when I’m near you, especially when you’re almost undressed,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “But I can control myself. There’s no pressure here. Whatever happens or doesn’t happen between us doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
She smiled and met his gaze through lowered lashes. “Oh? And how do you feel about me?”
“I like you. A lot. I don’t let too many people get close, Gillian, but I want to let you in. If you want me.” He whispered the last words, his heart in her hands.
Her smile widened, bathing him in a warm glow of acceptance and affection. “Of course I want you,” she said, her tone laced with exasperation and desire. “And I like you, too. A lot.”
She took a step closer and slid the straps of her bra off her shoulders before removing the garment. Rosy, delicate peaks rose from tanned breasts. She must sunbathe topless. His fingers itched to caress those beautiful breasts and his tongue ran over his lips in anticipation of tasting them.
She whispered softly as he struggled to focus on her voice instead of the delectable body she’d revealed. Taking another step closer, she said, “I’m not usually this forward. It’s the three date rule or more for me, but I’m thinking you might still respect me in the morning?”
“Come here,” he said, his voice rough with desire and emotion. She stepped into his embrace, skin to skin, his erection rubbing against her belly and making thought and speech more difficult. “Of course I’ll respect you in the morning, no matter how far we go—or don’t go—now.”
His body screamed otherwise, but he clamped down on his carnal desires. This was her choice. He’d happily spend the evening pleasuring her without asking for reciprocity. He’d love doing that.
“Well,” she said, running her hands over his chest and pausing to tease his masculine nipples. “If we count last night and this afternoon, this is technically our third date.”
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What came out was a shaky breath and something akin to a wheeze. “Last night? You put me in an electric cage last night.”
She lowered her clever hands to grasp his hard cock. “Consider it foreplay.”
He laughed. It was just what he needed to lighten the mood. The little minx would no doubt keep him on his toes, and he’d love every minute of it.
“Kinky,” he said. “I like it. Now kiss me.”