Lerin's Bride (Crystal Glass Dragons 3)

“I’m not a liar, I have proof of who I am.” I kept my voice level enough for her to hear me through the door, without waking up the whole street.

She came into view, tugging on an apron. “I don’t care about that,” she said, tying it tightly around her waist. Something about that apron made my cock a little hard. I wanted to push it up with her dress, reveal those soft thighs, and—wait, did she say she didn’t care about the kingdom?

“Why were you running, then?” I asked.

It didn’t make any sense.

She walked close to the door and looked pissed.

“I know you don’t owe me anything, but you told me all of that, made it seem like you were interested in me, and then vanished for three days.” Close up, I could see her eyes were puffy, and I realized there were more ways to hurt my mate than just by stealing her away.

My jaw was slack for a moment as I looked for words to say that could fix this. I needed her to understand I wasn’t avoiding her. I wanted her to move past this so I could kiss her and hold her once more.

At the same time, I didn’t want to manipulate her into coming with me.

It wouldn’t be as sexy as her wanting me wholeheartedly.

“I’m sorry,” I nodded. “I wanted you to believe me, so I flew back home to find a way to prove it. They needed me there for meetings after that, so I stayed.”

It was the truth.

She bit her lower lip, kneading it between her teeth in thought and frustration. I wanted to kiss that lip, soothe the bites she was inflicting on it.

“What proof did you bring?”

“There’s a car coming for us in a couple of hours, let me show you my home,” I offered. The color faded from her cheeks, and I wished that I could burst through the door and hold her.

I needed to keep my patience, though.

She shook her head. “I have to work until ten.”

“Well, make some food for the road and come with me after,” I said, conceding. I really didn’t want to lose a second with her.

She sighed, but I thought I glimpsed a slight upturn in her frown. Then, she nodded. “Okay.”

Hope ignited once more inside me, and I become more acutely aware of the glass barrier separating us.

“Let me in.” I made my voice a little deeper since she seemed to respond well to that. Her face flushed with delicious pink hues, and she shook her head.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back if I do.”

My cock twitched at those words, and I was dying to know what she meant. I knew better than to break through that glass, but all the same it was the most frustrating goddamned window I’d ever seen.

She was mine, and I’d have her the second I could.