Fleur heard the water in the tub turn off and the splash of what must be Steele getting into her bath.

She let the breath she’d been holding go.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to hold out against his lascivious pursuit. Not because he would over power her, but because she wanted him something fierce.

The instant attraction she’d felt hours ago had only grown. The pure panic that had swamped her when she’d thought he’d died was only part as strong as the overwhelming need she had to strip him naked and ride him like a happy cowgirl now that he was alive.

She didn’t want to want him.

He was messing up her plans. Her destiny.

Aphrodite herself must have taught the man to kiss. Just imagine what that mouth could do between her legs. No mortal would be able to resist. She patted herself on the back for not begging him to take her on the kitchen floor the second everyone else had left.

The creeping ivy plant in her room was the only thing that had saved her from making a dragon-sized mistake. She’d focused all that sexual tension and frustration at the poor little plant and grown it into the cage of vines that were not only keeping Steele from getting to her, but her from jumping his sexy ass bones.

Now he was naked on the other side of the door and she was ready to melt into a puddle of take-me-now right here on the carpet.

“Your bath is nice and hot, little flower. Why don’t you join me and let me wash your hair?”

He didn’t say the hair on her head. Whimper.

Be strong, Fleur. Don’t let your dirty mind get the best of you.

“Ha. Good try. Don’t leave a ring of scales on the tub,” she called.

Silence. Was he finally giving up? She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Both.

Another sound came from the bathroom. Holy hollyhock. He was moaning, and it was not in pain.

He was masturbating.

In her bathtub.

Without her.

Dammit.

And where was her god-damned vibrator? In the drawer under the sink in the bathroom. No use to her there.

If she got out of this alive, and by alive she meant with her sanity intact, she was buying a vibrator for every room in the apartment.

Fleur paced back and forth in front of the door, stopping to listen every few seconds. Was he groaning her name?

That hit her low in the belly and a wondrous tingle zipped between her legs.

Oh, Artimis help her.

She backed away from the door, and even though it was the middle of summer pulled out her long-sleeved flannel pajamas from the bottom drawer of her dresser. The green and white striped ones with teapots shaped like old English cottages all over them. She’d gotten them at a white elephant Christmas party. They were the unsexiest thing she owned.

She put them on, covering her nakedness and already feeling better. Yeah. Nobody would want to touch her in these ugly things. Not even herself.

She crawled into bed and pulled the covers all the way up to her chin. Stiff as a bored, she laid there, straining to hear, and then chastising herself for trying to listen to see if Steele was still getting it on in the bathtub.

She just needed to close her eyes and go to sleep. The evening had her completely exhausted, and morning wasn’t even that far off.

The scenting ceremony was tomorrow and she didn’t want bags under her eyes and the yawns when her wolf mate-to-be came sniffing around.

The prospect wasn’t half as exciting now, as it had been a few hours ago. Must be because she was so tired.

She tossed and turned, pressing her legs together to stave off the need that continued to grow.

Eventually she drifted off and began to dream.

Fleur was running through the forest, practically flying over the ground. An excitement she’d never felt before spurred her on and a giggle spilled out of her.

Sexual energy zinged through the air, playing with her senses. The forest had a musky erotic smell, and even the wind tasted sweet, like whisky or wine. She must be at the scenting ceremony.

Yes, glowing eyes were chasing her. Her wolf’s eyes.

“Catch me if you can, mate.” This must be the wolf-link Jordan and her other friends had told her about. Except didn’t they use it when they were in wolf form. She wasn’t a wolf.

“Oh, I’ll do more than catch you, little flower.”

She wanted him to catch her, but not too easily. That was half the fun.

He was behind her, and closing in. She put on a burst of speed, but he didn’t follow. Wait. Where did he go?

Fleur slowed and circled back. No way her wolf would lose her scent.

In an instant, he popped up in front of her. Sneaky bastard. His green eyes burned into her soul. She gasped and turned to run away.

Something big and strong, but soft and gentle, encircled her.

“Now you are mine,” the wolf said.

She was. And he was hers.

But, there was something wrong. Something that didn’t quite feel right.

She turned back to her wolf and stared at him. His muzzle and furry ears were...ugly. This couldn’t be her mate. The face she was looking at, the scent of him, even the feel of his body against hers were all wrong.

She didn’t feel even the slightest bit of attraction to the wolf. Except there was a familiarity in his eyes. They were the only thing that felt true.

It was as if her mate was hiding behind a mask.

“Why are you hiding from me?”

The wolf growled, and it resonated deep in his chest, the sound vibrating so deep. “I’m right here, flower. But, you don’t want to see me.”

She examined his face, trying to see through his façade. “I do. I’ve been waiting my whole life to see you, to know you, to be with you. But, you’re not you.”

“You’re only seeing what you think you’re supposed to. Look closer, not just at me, but at yourself.”

She frowned and glanced down at her chest and arms. Except her skin wasn’t its usual tanned bronze and it wasn’t her skin. She was white and was covered in scales.

Plus, her arms weren’t even arms. Well, they were, but different, she had claws, or talons like a bird of prey, where her fingers should be.

Behind her, not only had her butt expanded, she had a fucking tail. And wings. She had giant white wings.

Her jaw dropped so far open, not only were the flies going to get in, so were the hummingbirds, Andean condors, pterodactyls, and jet airplanes.

Jesus, Mary, Zeus, and Hera. She was a dragon.

She glanced up, and a familiar green dragon, whose eyes matched his face now, stood before her, wrapping her in his wings.

He nuzzled her chin with his own, pushing her jaw back up and closed.

Suddenly, she was ultra-aware of everywhere his body touched hers. From his jaw, to his wings keeping her warm and safe, to the gentle, but exciting caress of his tail along hers.

“But, I’m not a dragon. Am I?”

“I think this is just part of the dream. A vision from the White Witch.”

As soon as he said that, a shimmer rippled across her skin and the scales faded into her own darker skin. Her hands and arms reappeared and so did her legs and butt.

What didn’t reappear were her ugly pajamas.

She was still wrapped in Steele’s dark wings, but now she was human and a stark naked one at that.

Steele’s dragon tongue licked along his teeth like he was going to eat her up.

“What are you going to do to me?” She had a mouth again and the words hung between them in the air.

The same shimmer rippled across Steele’s scales and he shifted back into his human form. But his scales gathered and formed the tattoo on his shoulder and arm.

“I’m going to love you.”

Just like that, her heart melted and the reticence she had for being with Steele burned away in the heat of his words.

She didn’t know yet if she loved him, but she wanted to.

He laid her down onto a soft pile of leaves and grass, kissing and licking at her throat. “This is where I will mark you so the world can see you are mine.”

She wanted him to bite her now, but somehow knew it wouldn’t be the same here as it would in the real world.

He kissed his way down her body. “I doubt this will be the only time I’ll dream about how magnificent your tits are.”

His tongue circled one nipple, and his fingers played pinch-and-tease with the other. Each lick and nibble sent little bits of ecstasy coursing through her and pooling between her legs.

His mouth stayed glued to her chest, but his hand wandered down, making lazy circles over her stomach, tickling across her belly button and then skating between her legs.

When his fingers met the wetness there, his head popped up and he grinned at her.

“You’ve been wet for me all night, haven’t you?”

Not the whole night. There was the hour before he arrived at the party, and the three minutes he’d been dead.

She shook her head.

“No use denying it, I can scent your arousal. Your need is hot and delicious, but earthy and natural, like a fresh picked Black Hungarian pepper.”

She propped herself up on her elbows. “If you tell me you want to put me on a taco next, I’m out of here.”

“I don’t want to put you on a taco, but I do want to eat you.”

Okay, she’d walked right into that one, and it was exactly where she wanted to be.

Steele skipped the kissing and licking his way to her pussy, and went straight down.

Oh, man. Her thighs were a jiggly mess and while he might say he liked her big ole butt, there was a whole lot there he hadn’t seen yet.

“Your pussy is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on. So ripe and pink, and wet, and all mine.”

Phew, he’d been distracted from her not so pretty bits by the magic of the vagina.

He wrapped one arm around her thigh, lifting her leg into the air. He licked from behind her knee, which who knew that felt so good, all the way to the widest part of her leg. “God, I love these thighs.”

He nipped at the inside of one and then turned his head to the other. “I want them wrapped around my waist at least a dozen times a day.”

The tiniest smile broke across her lips. So, maybe her thighs weren’t so bad.

“Put your hands in my hair, babe, show me what you like.” He lowered his lips to her clit and kissed it. Then didn’t move.

He was waiting for her. She threaded her fingers into his hair and he lowered his head, licking up one side, and down the other.

“Oh, yes.” Her fingers instinctually gripped tighter.

Steele’s tongue flicked across her clit once, twice, a third time, and then stopped.

“Don’t stop.” She pressed his head down, reaching her hips up to meet his mouth.

He hummed his approval and licked at her clit again. Over and over he lashed at her with his tongue, pushing her higher, her pussy throbbed and pulsed, needing his next taste.

She swiveled her hips, and his tongue swirled around, sending new waves of pleasure pulsing through her. Her other hand pushed into his hair, pulling it tight between her fingers.

“Steele, god, yes. Do that again. Please.”

His hands bit into her thighs as he wrapped his arms around them. “Ride my face, baby, come in my mouth.” He ground his mouth against her. His tongue was fucking magical.

She rocked her hips against his lips, her pulse beat out of control and her breaths were tiny gasps. “Yes, Steele, yes. Fuck, yes.”

Her nipples beaded into hard nubs and her orgasm crashed over her. Her body jerked and spasmed, Steele pummeled her clit over and over with her tongue, drawing her orgasm out, until she could hardly breath.

Her hands fell out of his hair, limply to her sides. He gave her one last long lick, sending another spasm through her core, and then crawled up her body.

“You are fucking sexy as hell, my little flower.”

In her mind, she said “You’re pretty damn sexy yourself.” But what came out was “frnph frr nrr.”

He chuckled and gave her a long kiss. She tasted herself on his lips, and that drove her to wanting to taste him.

Yeah, she wanted him badly. “It’s your turn next. I swear. Just give me a minute to put my brain back in my head.”

“Next time, love. If you’re mouth goes anywhere near my cock right now, I won’t last a second, and what I want more than that is to be so deep inside you that you forget any other man, or wolf, ever existed.”

He settled himself between her thighs. She could feel the length of his cock, hard against her skin. He was so big, and she couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her.

“Yes. Fuc—”

Tinga-ling-a-ling-ling. Tinga-ling-a-ling-ling.

Fleur rolled over and groaned into her pillow. Her alarm dinged at her and if she had the four katrillion dollars it cost to replace her smartphone, she’d throw it against the wall hoping it smashed into teeny-tiny pieces.

She opened her eyes, blinking at the sun blaring into her room and found little daisies had sprouted up all over her bed.

Oh geez. How embarrassing. She quickly picked the flowers and put them into a leftover glass of water she had on her nightstand.

The smell of coffee, bacon, and some kind of carby deliciousness tickled her nose into wanting to go into the kitchen. But, if she did that, she’d have to face Steele. Not the dream one. That was going to be real.

Real awkward.