“We are one and the same.” Her dragon pulled their wrists, but Rafe’s grip held firm.
“Nikki. Now. Otherwise, this is going to be a long night of me tying you up and watching you like a hawk.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me, dragon.”
Nikki spoke to her beast. If you want to claim him sooner, then do as he says. You’ve seen how stubborn he can be. I wouldn’t doubt him being able to keep us tied up for days if he wanted to. Even if you shifted into a dragon, he’d still find a way to keep you in line.
No. I should be the one to claim him. He’s our mate, and you’ll just let him go.
I promise I won’t, and I don’t make promises lightly.
Her dragon paused a second. She was more than aware of that fact. You get one chance. That’s it. After that, I will outsmart the human and ride him hard.
Her beast slowly lowered the prison Nikki currently resided inside. The instant the walls were down, Nikki raced to take control. Her dragon settled at the back to watch, and Nikki murmured, “I always knew you were kinky and wanted to tie females up.”
“Nikki?”
Turning her head, she met his eye. “The one and only. Now, how about letting me go?”
“How do I know your dragon isn’t playing a trick?”
“Because she would only want to fuck you and I’m about five seconds away from kicking you in the dick.”
Rafe snorted. “That would sort of defeat the purpose of me being here. And not a very nice way to thank me for agreeing to this in the first place.”
While her dragon flicked her tail in impatience, Nikki ignored her beast and asked, “Why did you?”
Rafe’s grip relaxed a fraction as he whispered, “Because I didn’t like seeing you in pain.” She drew in a breath, but before she could reply, he quickly added, “And I need you if we’re ever to complete our mission.”
Any tender feelings at his first statement melted with the latter. “Of course, the mission.”
Releasing her wrists, Rafe stepped away and took his lovely heat with him. “Tell me what you want me to do, Nikki.”
Turning, she placed a hand on her hip. It took everything she had to not react to Rafe’s perusal of her naked body. “For starters, you can bring back the real Rafe. This uncertain, nice guy is creeping me out.”
Narrowing his eyes, Rafe took a step toward her. “Excuse me for thinking about how difficult this is for you. If you want me to insult you, then by all means, I can do that.”
She poked his chest. “Don’t be an arsehole. Just be yourself.”
Rafe reached out and pulled her flush against him. Despite her best efforts, she cried out at the heat of his skin next to hers.
Her dragon hummed. Yes. This is more like it. We just need to rip off his jeans.
Male satisfaction flared in his eyes as he murmured, “If I’m going to be myself, then I’m going to do this.”
Lowering his head, he kissed her.
Chapter Three
As Rafe’s lips touched Nikki’s, he moved a hand down to her toned, bared arse. Squeezing her firm cheek, Nikki cried out in surprise, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth.
Seeing her naked with fire in her eyes had made him hard already. Yet as he stroked his tongue against Nikki’s and she dug her nails into his back, his dick turned to granite.
Alternating between nipping her bottom lip and caressing the inside of her mouth, he backed her against a wall. Breaking the kiss, he leaned even more against Nikki’s small frame; at least small for a dragon-shifter, thanks to her human mother being of some Asian descent.
Her pupils flashed between round ones and slits. “Why did you stop?”