Heart of a Fighter (Rocky River Fighters 1)

The word sounded absurd when he said it in his mind, but it also felt right. Everything in him was screaming it was the truth. His tiny Cammie was a dragon. No wonder she was so fierce, despite her delicate size.

In a daze, he got up and walked out of the house, heading toward the woods. He took the long way around, avoiding the barn where he was sure Cammie had taken off to. He didn’t want to face her, or the others for that matter, until he had control of his thoughts and his facial expressions. He knew his shock was plain on his face, and he wanted to keep this knowledge to himself. He had no good way of explaining how he came to the conclusions he had, and the last thing he wanted was for them to think he was there to do whatever it was Cammie was scared of someone doing. He was sure his explanation of mysteriously vivid, waking dreams wouldn’t go over well with any of them.

He jerked to a halt as the implications of what she was, of what she was running from, hit him for the first time. He’d felt ineffectual when he first wanted to protect her from what was hunting her, knowing he probably couldn’t fight a shifter and hope to win. Hopelessness crashed over him as he realized it was even worse than that. He definitely couldn’t fight a dragon and win. It would be like a kitten fighting a lion.

But maybe she could turn him into a dragon. Or if she couldn’t, one of the others could turn him into their animal. Being any kind of shifter was better than being a human, and he’d have at least a shot at protecting her. Groaning as he realized the direction his thoughts were heading, he leaned his arms against a tree and slowly dropped his head onto the bark. He was seriously considering turning into a shifter, and he didn’t even know the extent of the problems Cammie faced. He couldn’t know, of course, but jumping into something without the proper facts and research didn’t feel like something he would do. The exact opposite, really.

But t

hen, he’d already known there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to protect Cammie. Whether it meant turning into a shifter, or laying down his life for her… he knew he’d do it. Feeling like this for her so quickly felt a little insane, but he didn’t bother trying to fool himself into thinking he didn’t.

Chapter Seven

Cammie cleaned up after dinner, chatting with Shelby who was helping her, but her mind wasn’t on their conversation. She did a lot of thinking today, her mind bouncing from topic to topic, and she still only came to one conclusion. She needed to apologize to Alex. She wasn’t sure how yet, without getting into topics better left alone, but he deserved to hear an apology for her reaction earlier.

When the kitchen was clean, Shelby headed upstairs to get ready for bed, and Cammie blew out a breath as she searched Alex out. She finally found him on the deserted porch, his arms locked on the railing as he stared at the darkening sky.

“Alex? Can we talk?” she said softly.

Turning, he smiled at her, like he didn’t have a care in the world, but she could see the worry in his eyes he was trying to hide. “Of course.”

Inhaling deeply, she moved closer to him. “I owe you an apology. I flipped out on you, and you didn’t deserve—”

He put a finger gently on her lips, halting the speech she’d so carefully prepared. “Don’t apologize. I know you’re hiding from something, Cammie. You have secrets, and you thought I was here because of whatever those secrets are. Never apologize for trying to keep yourself safe. That’s what I want you to do.”

Her breathing stuttered, not only because of his touch, but because of the sincerity in his eyes and the truth in his voice. He wasn’t upset, or offended at her reaction to his use of her real name. She melted inside as her dragon gave a hum of approval in her chest.

Kissing the tip of his finger, she reached a hand up and gently tugged his down, keeping it in hers. “Thank you for that. I’m not sure I deserve it, but thank you. Just try not to use my real name, okay? No one knows what it is except Ian. And now you.”

Turning his hand over in hers, he intertwined their fingers. “I promise. I will never do or say anything that could put you in danger. You have my word on that.”

They locked gazes for a long moment, and she could feel the heat from his eyes searing her to her soul. Her resolve, already weak, unraveled further. And she wasn’t sure she could fight it any longer. Maybe she didn’t have to. Maybe it was time to live life on the other side of the what if coin. She was strong, and Alex was smart. Together, they made a great team, and it was possible they could outwit the dragons. Being with him didn’t have to mean doom, for either one of them. And she was tired of fighting what she was certain was a losing battle.

Her fingers tightened around his just before she surged upward, glimpsing surprise in his eyes as she kissed him. It didn’t take long for him to catch up, and soon, they were going at each other like they were starving. No hesitancy, no softness or gentleness in this kiss. Just warring mouths, dueling tongues, moans and groans filling the air around them as they licked and nipped.

Twining her arms around his neck, she leaned her body into his as he filled his palms with her butt, bringing her closer still. Fervor was racing through her body, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more. More of him around her, next to her—in her. Needed it more than she needed her next breath.

She pulled back, panting as she searched his eyes. Satisfied he felt the same as she did, she said, “We’re too out in the open here for what I want to do with you, Alex. Will you come inside with me?”

His eyes widened, and she held her breath, nervous for a moment he would refuse, but a slow grin curved the corners of his mouth. Leaning in, he placed a quick kiss behind her ear, making her shiver as he replied, “There’s nothing I want more.”

Smiling, she took his hand in hers again and led him into the house and up the stairs to her room. Luckily, they didn’t run into any of the guys. She wasn’t embarrassed or trying to hide what she and Alex were doing, but running into anyone else would only delay this, and she already felt like she’d been waiting for years for this moment.

Reaching her room, she opened the door and pulled him inside before shutting it, not bothering to turn on the light. The moonlight shining through the window was enough. They stared at each other for a moment, neither making a move, only basking in the anticipation. Then Alex reached down, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and pulled it over his head.

It was like the act of taking his shirt off was the starting flag for a race. They lunged for each other, and she squeaked when he grabbed her under her ass, lifting her up so she had to wrap her legs around him. He was already hard in his jeans, and she ground against him as he crushed his mouth to hers.

He walked them to her bed in three strides of his long legs, and let her slide down his body. Searching her eyes, he hesitated for a moment, as if asking if she really wanted this. With a smile, she pulled her shirt off, letting that be her answer. His breath left his body in an audible whoosh as he drank her in.

“You’re so damn gorgeous, Cammie,” he breathed before yanking her back into his arms.

She moaned at the feel of finally being skin to skin with him, and little currents of electricity were dancing over her as he leaned down and kissed his way down her neck. Stopping where her neck met her shoulder, he suckled softly as he reached behind her and popped her bra open. He pulled back and placed his fingers on the straps, slowly sliding them down her arms, his fingers leaving trails of fire in their wake. He gave a strangled groan when her bra slipped from her body and he saw her for the first time, and she flushed from the heat and the way his eyes glazed over as he looked at her.

Reaching out, she placed her fingers on his washboard abs, slowly sliding them up his pecs before reversing her course, her fingers drifting to the V on his hips she’d wanted to touch from the first time she saw it. Glancing up, she met his eyes as she undid the snap of his jeans, smiling as he sucked in a hissing breath.

Without warning, he grabbed her hands and pulled them away. She jerked her gaze to his face, finding him grinning wryly at her, strain evident around his eyes. “If you get any closer to the part of my body that’s yearning for you right now, this will be over before it begins. You first, darlin’.”

She gasped as he pushed her down on the bed, unable to help the breathless laugh that escaped her. She scooted up the bed, and he followed her, only pausing for a moment to slip her shoes off her feet. Crawling over her, he leaned down and kissed her passionately before sliding his lips down her throat. She felt one of his hands on the soft skin of her hip, and she arched her back as he slid it up her ribs.