Tristan said, “Good. Wake me up if I’m asleep.” She opened her mouth to protest but he shook his head. “No, Melanie. There are things we need to talk about and they can’t wait.”
She sighed. “Great. Now I’m sure that I’ll sleep just fine with that sentence hanging over my head.”
He snorted. “I’m not going to toss you aside or push you away again, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He moved his hand to her thigh and squeezed. “Get some sleep. Then we’ll talk about our baby and the future.”
She moved her hand over his and squeezed. “Okay, okay. If sleeping will ensure that you’ll talk openly later, then I can live with that deal.” She leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips. She stayed a hairbreadth away and said, “Until later, dragonman.”
The look in his eyes turned tender and sent a rush straight to her heart. She could still barely believe Tristan was finally hers.
She reluctantly moved from the bed and went out the door to allow Arabella to say goodbye to her brother. As she made her way to the exit of the building used as Stonefire’s hospital, Melanie couldn’t help but smile. Her dragon-shifter was awake, alive, and wanted to talk to her about their future.
Maybe her stubbornness and ability to see the good in people were about to finally pay off. She hoped so because Melanie couldn’t imagine living on Stonefire’s lands to raise her baby without Tristan by her side.
Chapter Five
Tristan had tried sleeping once the doctor had left, but his dragon-half wasn’t having it.
Our female is alone. No male to protect her. She doesn’t know she’s ours. Find her.
I’ve said it a million times. Soon. She’s sleeping and we are still recovering, he said to his inner beast. The dragon huffed and went back to pacing inside his head. No doubt so that Tristan would try to relax enough to fall asleep, only for his inner dragon to start demanding action all over again.
There were few times in his life he truly wished to silence his dragon, but this was one of them.
Did his dragon not realize how hard it was for Tristan to lie here, alone, without Melanie’s scent or heat next to him? He wasn’t well enough to fuck anything, but he wanted to hold his human close, and not just because he owed her his life. No, he missed her.
There was a gentle knock on the door before it eased open. Melanie peeked her head inside, but once she saw he was awake, she came in and closed the door behind her. She frowned and said, “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?”
While he was happy to see his human’s face again, he decided not to hide his grumpiness. “I tried to sleep, but my bloody dragon is all but roaring inside my head for me to find you.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, ‘oh’. Come here, Melanie, and lie next to me.”
She took a few steps closer, but remained out of the range of his hands and arms. “Not until you tell me what happened the day of Miles’ rescue.”
Right. The rescue. “That could take some time, love, and you look about ready to fall over.”
She started to move toward him but caught herself. “How do I know this isn’t a trick to get me into your bed and then you avoid answering any of my questions?”
This woman had risked her life to save his. Tristan was done with being anything less than honest with her. “My male ego may not like what happened, but you’ve earned an explanation. If not for you, Melanie Hall, I would not be alive. I will answer your questions. I swear it on our baby’s life.”
Melanie blinked, but then smiled. “I’m still trying to get used to this nicer version of you. It’s a bit of a shock, really.”
He growled. “I’m sure some of it will wear off when I’m not recovering from a near life-ending injury. Now, get into my bloody bed or I’ll find a way to cart you over here myself.”
She laughed. “I’d like to see that.”
He tossed back his blanket and moved to sit up. Melanie put up her hands. “Okay, okay. I’ll come over. Just don’t try to get up or you might rip open your cut again.”
She moved to his bed, sat down, and swung up her legs. The instant her head touched the pillow he threw his arm over her and squeeze
d. He whispered, “I’ve missed your soft body next to mine.”
Her tone held warning. “Tristan, you’re not well enough for sex. You know that.”
He moved his head to lay it on her shoulder. He kissed her exposed skin over her collarbone. “Believe me, if I were, you’d already be naked and under me by now.”
Her breath hitched and his inner beast hummed. Yes, their female liked that. Later, they would show her. Many times. She would never wander from them. She would stay forever.