Surrendering to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 5)

“Good. Thirty minutes and no more. Keep that in mind because I’ll interrupt whatever you may be doing at the time.”

As much as Rafe wanted to pull Nikki’s naked human form against him and claim her, he wanted to hear her voice first.

Sid left and Nikki released him. Racing to her wing, he said, “I’ll have this off in a second. Then once you shift back, tell me what you want to do or need, and I will ensure it happens. Because I’m not done taking care of you until you’re cleared for duty.”

He undid the ties and fasteners holding the splint to Nikki’s wing bones. The second he undid everything that needed to be undone, he stepped back and watched. Glowing a faint purple, Nikki’s snout shrank to a nose while her limbs became arms and legs, and her tail and wings shrank into her back.

Within a few seconds, Nikki stood long and lean in her human form with her dark hair tumbling around her shoulders. She whispered, “Rafe,” and rushed into his arms.

Holding her close with one arm, he used his free hand to explore her shoulders, her back, her arse. “I love your dragon, but I’ve missed you.”

She snuggled into his shoulder. “I’ve missed you too. Not being able to talk to you was pure torture.” She pulled back. “And yet, you stayed. The whole time, you stayed with me and kept me up-to-date on everything happening with the trip to Ireland and the weapon you confiscated.” Tears filled her eyes. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Lightly caressing her cheek, he murmured, “I can think of a way for you to repay me. After all, you still owe me for Kai ruling in my favor a week and a half ago.”

Nikki frowned. “You’re going to call that in now?”

“Yes. Because I don’t want to hear any excuses about you brushing your teeth or needing a shower.” He squeezed her even tighter against his chest. “Kiss me, Nikki, and then I’m going to claim you. Because after the last week, I’m never letting you go.”

His dragonwoman’s face became unreadable and he wondered if he’d made a mistake. Had the last week done the opposite to her? Had it only highlighted the differences between them to the point she thought it could never work?

If she had, he would only have to work harder at convincing her that they belonged together. Because Rafe couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

Then the corner of Nikki’s mouth ticked up, and his heart started beating again. “Then you’d better hurry. Sid wasn’t joking about walking in exactly thirty minutes after she left. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not give her a free show. Especially since I’d have to chase her away from your naked body.”

Cupping her cheek, Rafe murmured, “So jealous and possessive. You act just like a dragon-shifter.”

“I am one,” she growled.

Grinning wide, Rafe leaned down and kissed her. The instant Nikki’s lips touched his, a sense of rightness settled over him. But it was quickly replaced by heat and the need to do much more than touch her lips.

Breaking the kiss, he scooped Nikki up in his arms and gently laid her down on the bedding on the floor. Despite the fact the clock was ticking, he leaned back and lightly traced Nikki’s collarbone, down between her breasts, her abdomen, and finally teased the slit between her legs. “For one so dismissive, you’re already fucking drenched for me.”

“Rafe, stop wasting time—”

Her words morphed into a moan as he plunged a finger inside her. As he continued moving in and out, he watched the flush spread across Nikki’s chest and her cheeks. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

Opening her dark brown eyes, Nikki met his gaze. “So are you.” She reached a hand to his arm and lightly scratched her nails against his skin. “Strip and show me.”

Rafe wasn’t a fool, so he removed his finger, tugged off his shirt and wiggled out of his trousers. Just as he was about to lean down and cover Nikki’s body, she placed a hand on his chest to stop him. He frowned at the action, but Nikki traced the defined muscles of his torso and her voice filled the tent. “If we have a boy, I hope he looks just like you, even if it means we have to chase away the unworthy females when he’s older.”

Rafe stopped breathing. “Nikki?”

She met his eyes with a smile. “I’ve had a lot of time to think over the last week. And with each passing day you spent at my side, caring for me and sharing the latest Protector-related news, it became harder and harder for me to justify my fears about raising a child. You’re dedicated, loyal, caring, and protective. Regardless of what the future brings, I understand now that you will never abandon our child willingly.”

Covering her body with his, he framed her face with his hands as he searched her eyes. “Are you sure about this? You’ve had a trying week, and I don’t want you to feel cornered into this decision.”

She rubbed her cheek against one of his hands. “I didn’t make the decision because I felt cornered. I made it because of you, Rafe Hartley. I want you to be a father to our child.”

Unable to resist any longer, he kissed Nikki and slid his tongue between her lips.

As he stroked and explored, he also gently held her jaw in the palm of his hand. There was nothing more he wanted than to have Nikki as his woman and raise a child with her.

Refusing to let doubt cloud his mind about the future of the DDA, Rafe focused on the positive. He was closer than ever to having the family he never knew he'd always wanted. And he’d fight to keep the gift Nikki had just granted him.

~~~

Once Nikki had made her decision about taking a leap of faith and keeping her child, it had been pure torture not being able to tell Rafe while in dragon form. Maybe she should’ve waited until later. But as she traced his hard, muscled body, the words had just slipped out.