Breath (Scales 'n' Spells 2)

“Yes, yes, yes,” Tori chanted, the hand against the car clenched into a fist, his free hand holding the back of Baldewin’s head. “Harder. God, Baldewin, harder. I’m—I’m so close—”

“I know,” Baldewin panted, slamming into him now, almost ramming him into the hood of the SUV. Only Baldewin’s grip on his torso kept Tori from doing that. He tilted Tori a little, changing the angle forward. His next thrust hit Tori’s prostate square on, and Tori let out a strangled scream as he came hard all over the grill of the car. One, two, three thrusts, and Baldewin came just as hard inside of him, groaning into the back of Tori’s neck as he did.

They both panted for a few moments, catching their breath. Tori’s legs didn’t seem quite capable of holding him up, as he leaned heavily against Baldewin and the car. Baldewin wasn’t much better. They silently and unanimously decided to clean up a little, tucking themselves back in and righting their clothes, before Baldewin slid into the passenger seat, settling Tori into his lap so they could cuddle and get their wind back.

Tori sank into him with a happy sigh. “So, engagement sex is amazing. Makes me wonder about married sex.”

“Even better,” Baldewin promised him. “Because we’ll have all the time in the world to learn everything we like and practice it. Over and over.”

“Sounds like heaven to me.” Tori lifted up to kiss Baldewin, lips lingering. He was a bit shy as he whispered, “Thank you. For not giving up on me in Helsinki. For being so patient and sweet to me. I didn’t know what I was missing. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have fought you so hard.”

“You’re worth it.” Baldewin looked at this man who meant the world to him. He’d do anything for him, and yet those very words seemed inadequate. “You’re worth every bit of effort, my heart.”

“I can’t promise you the same patience—you’re the patient one in this relationship—but I’ll try to be just as good to you.”

“And if I tell you that you already are?”

“I can do better than this,” Tori protested. “I’m brand new to relationships. I’m still figuring crap out. I can do better than this once I’ve figured out what you need from me.”

Baldewin personally had no complaints, but if that’s what he really thought, then… “I look forward to it.”

Baldewin strolled down the hotel hall alone, heading straight to the rooms that had been given to Alric. He’d hated slipping out of bed when Tori had been curled around him so tightly, but he needed to check in with his king and find out what their next step was going to be. His preference was to keep holding his sweet mate, listening to his breathing and feeling the steady rhythm of his heart as it beat against his chest.

But he had a duty to his king and his clan.

Sliding out of bed, he’d silently pulled on his clothes and scratched out a quick note to Tori explaining where he’d gone, should Tori wake. With any luck, he’d be back before his mate realized he’d ever slipped away.

His mate.

Tori was his mate.

He’d agreed to be mated to Baldewin. He’d known it for a while now, but to hear Tori actually say the words, to know he wanted Baldewin above all others, put a smile on his lips when he should have been sad and frustrated after dealing with the hatred from Tori’s former clan. And he was. But maybe not as much as he should have been.

It was hard, though. He had a mate. The one thing all dragons fought, lived, and died for. He’d found the other half of his soul, the person who would always understand him and love him. The person who would make these next centuries a heaven on Earth.

From this day forward, his own power would be woven into every one of Tori’s spells. And when they were ready, Tori’s DNA and the new spells from the Valerii would allow them to have their own baby dragon one day. Or a mage. There was a slim chance their child would be born a mage rather than a dragon, but Baldewin didn’t care. They’d have a family. He’d build a family with the man who was his entire world now.

“Good grief,” Ravi muttered as Baldewin drew closer to Alric’s room, but there was a hint of a smile playing on his lips. The dragon was standing guard outside the king’s room, along with one of Rodrigo’s bodyguards. The ice dragon was smiling broadly at him, while Ravi teasingly rolled his eyes. “You might want to tone it down a little bit before you go in there.”

Baldewin’s face wrinkled as his expression drew closed, and his steps slowed. “What do you mean?”

“Oh my god! You’re smiling so big right now it’s like you’re glowing with happiness. A freaking star crashed to earth. You’re—” Ravi stopped midsentence, his mouth falling open and his eyes growing so wide they could have fallen from his head. “Hot damn! Tori agreed to be your mate. Like, officially mated!”