Chapter Ten
From her lips, straight down to her heated core, unexpected waves of desire swamped Lily. Holy shit. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Birk’s lips would be so soft, yet so strong. And she certainly didn’t expect her head to spin and her body to catch on fire—figuratively, not literally. When he let up on the pressure, she grabbed his head to keep him close. His eyes glowed teal, and she swore she caught flashes of ruby red out of the corner of her eyes.
It was only when he dragged a hand down her arm and brushed her breast that her instincts kicked in and made her stop.
“Okay, that was…nice,” Lily said, ashamed she couldn’t truly say that he’d melted her body down to her toes.
Birk’s breath came out fast, and when he licked his lips, he closed his eyes for a moment as if he wanted to savor the kiss a minute longer.
“I would have used the word amazing or incredible.” Birk flashed a smile, and then stood. “Lily, if I don’t stop right now, I’m not sure I can control myself.”
She didn’t believe that. Birk seemed to be the epitome of self-control, but she couldn’t call him a liar. “Goodnight then.”
“I need you to go to bed too.”
“Because you think someone will come in? I thought the purpose of having an eye scanner was to prevent anyone from entering.” He sucked in his bottom lip. Clearly her logic was sound, but he needed her to be tucked away, so she held up a hand and then stood. “You know what? You’re right. I am tired. I’ll take a shower and turn in.”
His jaw tightened, and then his eyes returned to the yummy brown color she liked. “Thank you.”
While she really didn’t understand his concern, he was doing her a favor by carefully watching over her, and she needed to show him that she appreciated all he was doing for her.
When she reached the bedroom door, which happened to be next to his, she faced him. “Thank you again for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Sleep well, Lily,” he said while not quite looking her in the eye.
Frustrated at his sudden change, and a little upset at herself for breaking off the kiss so fast, she closed her door, grabbed some stuff from her suitcase, and then headed into the bathroom to shower. The moment she flicked on the lights, she sucked in a breath. She certainly hadn’t expected the granite covered walls or the exquisite blown glass vessel sink. Never would she have guessed the place would have a massive shower with two showerheads either. Was this the master or were both bathrooms the same?
Like Birk, this condo was a contradiction. He exuded self-control and confidence, yet he was hesitant around her. From what Kyle had told her, Birk was amazing at his job, yet to her he appeared distracted all the time. She hoped it wasn’t because of her that his inner dragon was causing him to lose focus. Nessa had let it slip that she too had been out of sorts until Kyle and she had become intimate. At first, her emotional upheaval had been bad, but it slowly improved.
Clearly, Lily had an awful lot to learn about dragon shifters. Her ex-boyfriend’s behavior must have been atypical because while he claimed he liked her, he’d been lying.
The more she thought about mating with Birk—or at least seeing where the relationship would go—the more Lily liked the idea. The memory of the kiss filtered into her mind once more, causing a wave of lust to attack her. Damn, Birk. She wanted him but was afraid to take what he had to offer.
Shaking her head at her daydreaming, Lily undressed and stepped into the shower. After setting the temperature button to moderate heat, she swiped her hand over the sensor to indicate which jets she wanted. Only once before, had she seen anything this fancy, and that had been on a business trip when she stayed at an upscale hotel.
Stepping under the hot flow, she soaped up and imagined what it would be like to see Birk naked. Her body rejoiced at that thought, hardening her nipples and making her inner walls spasm. Jeez. Now wasn’t the time to think about falling for a man when her life was at stake. No, if nothing else, Lily Harper was an expert at pushing aside her emotions. Damn. It had been so pleasant to think how it could be with Birk.
She smiled at the memory of how desperate he seemed to be with her. That kiss! Oh, my. As clichéd as it sounded, her toes tingled—as did a few other body parts.
It had happened slowly, but Birk had won her over with his patience and kindness. And to think it hadn’t been long ago that she felt stifled by him. Now, she enjoyed his company, especially after he explained why he was so protective. His concern and warmth sure had melted her cautious heart.
What sounded like water turning off in the room next door reminded her she wasn’t alone in the condo. After she finished rinsing, Lily stepped out of the shower and enjoyed his fluffy towels. Birk would never cease to surprise her.
After changing into her comfy cotton pajamas, Lily crawled into bed. It might be late, but she wasn’t ready to sleep. Because reading would take her mind off her troubles, she turned on her phone and chose a book. It wasn’t long before the story totally swept her away into a fantasyland.
Lily had no idea how long she’d been reading, but a sound coming from the living room startled her, and every physical reaction claimed her—from the fast beating heart to the tightening of her chest, and then to the clamminess on her skin.
“Birk?” she called out. Her voice came out a croak.
When he didn’t answer, she went to investigate. He’d assured her no one could gain access to his condo. It was on the 7th floor and didn’t have a terrace, which meant no dragon could land and come in. As for the main door, no animal could penetrate it, and the eye scan prevented anyone from opening it.
She had to conclude Birk was the one in the living room rummaging around, and that her overactive imagination was going crazy. Knowing she wouldn’t sleep until she looked, Lily opened the door a crack but found only darkness.
Another creak sounded, erasing all of her assurances from a moment before.
“Lily, is that you?” Birk asked.
Relief washed through her. As soon as she stepped from her room, the kitchen light clicked on. “I thought I heard something,” she said.
“I’m sorry.” He rushed up to her. “I was getting a drink. Would you like some water?”
“Water would be fine.”
With his back turned to her, she couldn’t help but admire his cute butt that was outlined nicely in his thin pajama bottoms.
“You couldn’t sleep?” Tension laced his tone.
“I was reading.”
As soon as he turned around, Lily couldn’t take her eyes off his incredibly naked chest. When he’d shown her his scar before, she hadn’t been in the right frame of mind to notice how hot he was. Nelor was a large man, but Birk was packed with twice as many muscles and was several inches taller. When he lifted the glass to hand it to her, his pectorals flexed. Oh, my.
Birk smiled. “Maybe I should put on a shirt,” he said, but she could hear the pleasure in his tone.
“No need.” Lily finally looked up at him, and heat flushed her face. She quickly drank the water, needing the cool liquid to calm her.
“Okay then. I’m going to try to get some shuteye,” Birk said with a sudden playfulness in his tone.
She was tempted to ask him to stay a bit and talk to her, but she was a coward. “Goodnight.”
While she’d seen his eyes flash teal when he glanced at her fairly thin pajama top, he didn’t try to kiss her again. What was wrong with the man? She didn’t think she’d ever understand him. He told her he wanted her worse than anything, and yet when she was within reach, he did nothing.
Oh, yeah. She’d been the one to break off the kiss, mostly because her reaction to his kiss surprised her.
As Birk strutted toward his room, she admired his finer than fine ass. His back muscles rippled, but she couldn’t tell if it was due to tension or if he was flexing for her.
Should she go in after him? Or let him have his rest? If he wanted her so much, maybe he’d come into her room.
Aargh. Just as he was about to close his door, he twisted toward her. “I know you were checking out my ass.” He winked, and heat flushed her face once more.
As much as she wanted to throw back a denial, her lips wouldn’t move, though her jaw did drop a little.
Birk closed the door and then pushed it back open an inch. “The light switch is right here. Turn it off when you’re done.”
“Okay.”
“In case you get scared again, I’ll leave this open.”
Was that an invitation? His footsteps moved across the hardwood floors, and then the bed squeaked. Lily still hadn’t moved since her mind couldn’t stop racing. What did she want to do? Get lost in the comfort of his arms or not? She’d slept alone for years but found little pleasure in it.
While Birk had the opportunity to seduce her when he was her bodyguard, he’d never even hinted that he liked her, so maybe his flirty comment about her checking out his hot body was his way of showing he wanted her to make the next move.
Go in!
As if some spirit was sitting on her shoulder urging her to take the plunge, she walked toward his door. She flicked off the living room light and was instantly bathed in darkness. At least with his room being dark, he wouldn’t have to look at her back despite Birk claiming he didn’t care about her scars.
Aw, what the hell. If she changed her mind, she’d tell him she wasn’t ready and return to her room. Inhaling, she pushed open his door just far enough to slip in. Her breathing came out raspy in the silent night—or maybe it was her heart banging against her rib cage that caused the blood to pound in her ears.
“I won’t bite,” Birk said with humor in his tone.
Shit. She thought she could sneak in. How had she forgotten he was a dragon shifter with exceptional eyesight and hearing? “I know.”
Birk changed positions and then turned on the nightstand light. “I don’t want you to bang your toe or shin.”
Her eyes must have widened. “Thank you.” Okay, this was awkward. “I’m usually not this forward,” she said, though Lily wasn’t sure she really needed to explain.
“You’re not being forward, at least not to me. We belong together, so it’s natural that we enjoy each other.”
His being nice helped calm her nerves. His teal eyes flashed and glowed, and his ruby colored scales pulsed under his skin. “Does it hurt?” she asked.
“Does what hurt?”
“When your scales glow like that?” Nessa had told her it happened when she was either angry or sexually excited, but she never commented on whether it was painful.
“No. Would you like to feel them? I need to warn you though that they emit a lot of heat.”
Her blood pressure dropped at his casual tone. “Okay.”
Birk scooted over to make room, and she crawled onto the bed. His small smile boosted her confidence.
She touched his abs where the color was coming from. His body was hot, and her body instantly turned into an inferno. “You are most definitely a dragon.”
He chuckled. “I hope so. Come here, sugar.” He gathered her into his arms and stretched out onto his back.
She had no choice but to place her head on his shoulder. When she inhaled his scent, which seemed to be a combination of pine and lemon, something stirred deep inside her. His inner dragon scales flashed again, and she automatically touched them. “They really are warm.”
“The longer you are by my side, the hotter I become.”
His flattery was so refreshing. Since Birk didn’t seem to be in any hurry to make out, she decided to enjoy him. When she stroked the fine hairs on his chest, she couldn’t help but moan.
As if he too was enjoying the prelude, Birk reached up and ran a hand down her hip, and his gentle touch set off something inside her that shut down all her inhibitions.
“I want you, Lily.” As much as she had the urge to say she wanted him too, that final step was hard. Birk tilted her face toward his. “Kiss me.”
She melted at his gentle command. Her mouth opened, and Birk leaned forward and cupped her face. When their lips touched, she could no longer hold back. For the first time in her life, it didn’t seem to matter that he was a dragon shifter or that her back was burned. This was Birk—the man Fate had decided would be with her for the rest of her life, and that notion infused her with joy.
Wanting to show him how much she wanted to make love with him, Lily joined her tongue with his and leaned into his body more fully. His huge hard cock shouldn’t have caught her off guard, but it did. Without thinking, she reached between them and pressed her hand against his shaft.
He grunted. “Lily, you’re killing me. I want to go slowly, but my dragon is clawing my insides to take you.”
“Then listen to your dragon.”
Oh, my God, I didn’t just say that!
He swung her onto her back and crawled on top, resting his powerful body on his elbows. Birk closed his eyes and inhaled. “I want to take my time, I really do, but damn, I am working so hard to control myself right now.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond, so she reached up, tugged on his head, and kissed him once more. This time, it was Birk who slipped his tongue into her mouth, and the foray was sensual, pleasurable, and oh so exciting. Every tongue twist sent heat straight between her legs. Lily couldn’t believe how Birk’s touch ignited her so.
Before she was ready to stop, Birk broke the kiss and slipped downward.
“I have to taste you,” he said as he undid the buttons on her pajama top and then lay open the fabric. “My dragon is clawing to break free.”
She grabbed his arms. “I hope that’s a figure of speech.”
He smiled. “I hope so too, but he’s on the same page as my human side. We have wanted you for so long that I don’t trust him to stay put. I am working really hard to keep him pushed back and let me have the lead here.”
Birk leaned over, and when he licked her nipple, she thought she’d be the one who might explode. Even through her pajama bottoms, her scent perfumed the air. Lily had never experienced such overwhelming need before. It was as if some white lighter had invaded her body and made her connect with him.
Massaging her other breast while he made love to her nipple with his mouth, Lily floated, thrilling to the joy coursing through her. She reached down and threaded her fingers through his short hair, and then pressed her palm against his scalp. The added pressure made Birk flick his tongue faster and faster. He reached between her legs and pressed his palm against her pussy.
Just as she was about to come, Birk released his hold on her and dropped between her legs. Lily damned him and cheered him at the same time. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the onslaught of glorious bliss.
“These have to go.” When he tugged on her bottoms, she lifted up, and they became history.
“Much better,” she said.
He licked her once and then sucked in an audible breath. “Mmm. You even taste as sweet as sugar.”
Every preconceived notion about men and how unfeeling and uncaring they were, flew out the window. She wiggled her butt against the cool sheets and clamped her hands on his shoulders, willing him to continue to feast on her. “Go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth.”
He chuckled, but she’d been deadly serious. To her delight, he did continue. In fact, each lick and suck pushed her closer to the brink of that climax. When he sucked on her clit however, she could no longer stop her orgasm from claiming her.
Lily sucked in a breath and dug her nails into his skin. “Yes!” she shouted.
Birk pressed his cheek against her pussy and sighed. “I think bringing you pleasure is my new favorite pastime.”
He held her tight, probably waiting for her breathing to slow down before continuing. Her fingers finally uncurled, and her body slowly relaxed into the bed. Only then was she able to speak. “I’d like to do the same for you.”
Birk lifted his head and then shook it. “I don’t think so, sugar. I’m hanging on by a very thin thread and don’t have that much control right now. Trust me—I look forward to you returning the favor next time.”
She grunted her disapproval. “Can I at least help release that dragon in your pants?”
Birk cracked up and then rolled onto his back. “Sure. I’ll never turn down an offer from you, especially when you want to light my fire, my beautiful woman.”
Lily had no idea where this witty, funny guy had been all these past weeks, but she was enjoying the repartee now. Birk slipped his pants off partway. “You said I could do that.” She tried to sound disgruntled.
He lifted his hands. “Fine, but you need to be quick.”
Something overtook her mind, because as soon as she dragged his pajama bottoms down, she leaned over and swiped her tongue along his length.
“Oh, no you don’t,” he said.
A second later she was flat on her back with Birk hovering over her.