Aiding the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 7)

Her dragon hummed. And why is that?

She ignored her beast to rub her nipples against Aaron’s chest. The light dusting of chest hair rubbed against her own tender skin, and she increased the strokes of her tongue.

She had a feeling Aaron was the type of male to meet her head-on in bed.

Aaron moved a hand to cup one arse cheek and lightly squeezed. Each whisper of his fingers caused heat to flare and shoot straight between her thighs.

Her dragon growled. Yes, yes. Maybe he’ll take us right here. I like sex in the open.

As if reading her dragon’s mind, Aaron swung her around until her back pressed against a tree. She broke the kiss at the swift movement, but Aaron beat her to speaking first. His flashing eyes told her his dragon was close to

the surface. “Tell me what you want, Teagan,” he whispered. “I don’t want to disappoint Glenlough’s leader.”

At the mention of “leader,” it was as if ice doused her body.

Aaron was just like all the other males who’d pursued her since becoming clan leader and saw her role first and the individual second. She was just a notch to add to his belt. Once he returned home, he could brag about fucking her.

She pushed hard against his chest, and Aaron stepped back with a puzzled expression. “What?”

She shook her head. “This never should’ve happened.” Teagan took a deep breath and added, “Killian will be expecting you. And don’t forget, you’re cooking me dinner. Make sure you’re fully clothed when you show up, or I’ll have a special set of clothes waiting for you. Ones that will make you think twice about disobeying my orders.”

“Teagan—”

She ignored him and strode toward the edge of the trees. She needed to put distance between them.

Her beast growled. Why did you stop?

If you have to ask that question, then you don’t know me at all.

Her beast sighed. He doesn’t want us simply because we’re leader.

And you know this how?

I sense it.

Too bad. I allowed a hot body and my own desire to cloud my judgment before. Any male who kisses me and wants another one does so because he wants me for me. My position shouldn’t be the first factor.

But—

No. I’ve let you convince me with too many males in the past, and they all saw me as something to be conquered. And then I had to quell the questions about my judgment and ability to lead. Never again, especially when I have challenges coming from other clans. I can’t afford a challenge from within Glenlough itself.

Not wanting to argue with her dragon on the subject, Teagan tossed her beast into a mental prison.

Smoothing her hair, Teagan picked up her pace but kept to the trees. She had several secret clothing stashes around the national park. With humans often visiting, she wasn’t going to risk being stranded.

As the underbrush and lower branches tickled her skin, Teagan took a deep breath and clenched her fingers into fists at her sides. If she were male, things would be easier. She could sleep with whomever she wished, and the clan would joke about trying out the clan to find the right partner.

However, she was female. And despite Glenlough’s rare tradition of mostly female leaders, the old views on sex and mates still prevailed. She was expected to have one male and only one; sleeping around marked her as indecisive. Bloody hell, in her grandmother’s time, they often had expected the females to remain virgins until they mated, but not the males. And some of the elder clan members probably expected the same of Teagan.

During her first year as leader, she’d given those beliefs the finger and slept with whomever took her fancy. It hadn’t taken long for it to bite her in the arse. She’d come dangerously close to a leadership challenge because of rumors spread by a disgruntled former lover.

Well, fuck that. Raising her head high, reason returned to her brain. She’d just have to swear off all males until either she found a partner who’d help her challenge tradition or Teagan eventually gave up her role as leader to have a family.

Regardless, she wouldn’t be used as another male’s power play. And most certainly not by an English dragonman. She’d just have to show him his place and not waver from it.

Chapter Eight

As Aaron reached the cottage where he was staying on Glenlough, he slammed the door shut behind him and stomped up the stairs.