You’re pushy.
It’s because you’re being an idiot.
Rather than answer his dragon, Fraser said to Holly, “I want you, Holly. Every second of every day whilst we’ve been apart, I’ve wanted you with every fiber of my being. But you said you wanted to get to know me better and I’m trying to give you the chance, honey.”
Holly tightened her grip on his neck. “I was a fool. I’ve been targeted twice now by a group of rogue dragon-shifters, Fraser. And in each instance, you did all that you could to help me. And even when you weren’t by my side, I wished you were.” She leaned back her head and Fraser glanced down for a second. “I want you now, dragonman. If we wait much longer, someone could attack again and I may never have the chance to explore your naked body.”
He tightened his grip. “No one is taking you from here. If they try, they’ll have to deal with me.”
“That’s a nice sentiment, but aren’t you forgetting about the DDA?”
Fraser reached their cottage and gently set Holly on her feet. He quickly opened the door, rushed them inside, and shut it.
He decided to just tell Holly the truth. After everything that had happened with Fergus, Fraser was done keeping secrets. “I have a way you can stay, Holly. I was going to wait to tell you, but I never want to keep secrets from you. Well, at least the big ones. I plan to have many surprises to give you over the years.”
She tilted her head. “Before you start planning our future, how about you tell me how I can stay?”
He traced her brow. “If we perform the mating ceremony within the next seventy-one hours and fifty minutes, you and your father can stay on Lochguard forever.” He cupped her cheek. “But you have three days to think about it, Holly. It’s a big decision and I’ll be blunt—living with us won’t be easy. Between the rogue dragon traitors, the dragon hunters, the dragon knights, and the general dislike from the vast majority of the human population, your life will become bloody difficult.”
Holly placed a hand on his chest and Fraser’s heart skipped a beat. He’d missed the soft touch of her fingers.
His female whispered, “I can face anything as long as you’re by my side, Fraser MacKenzie. I’ve been carrying my burdens by myself for three decades. And then your charming self came along and all I can think about is sharing everything—past, present, and future—with you.” She paused and then leaned her weight against him. “Not only that, just imagining your arms around me whilst I was in the hospital gave me the strength to be a better person and face the threat.” Holly moved her free hand to his cheek and he nuzzled her palm. “I think I love you, Fraser MacKenzie. And I’m not going to ever let you go, so you’d better get used to me being around.”
Fraser stopped breathing. Holly’s words sent a possessive rush of tenderness and desire through his body.
Despite his failure to protect her, Holly wanted him.
Both man and beast roared in happiness.
His dragon chimed in. Stop fighting it and just tell her the truth. She’ll want to mate us then.
Fraser had put off thinking about love because he’d been unsure if Holly felt the same way. He wasn’t a dragonman who used the term lightly. Hell, a year ago, just thinking about being in love had given him hives.
Yet as he searched Holly’s honey-colored eyes, there was no other female he wanted more. He would give his life to protect her.
He pulled her closer and leaned down until her lips were less than an inch from his. “You think you love me? I’m not sure I like that answer.”
“Fraser—”
“I love you with my entire being, Holly Anderson. And I think it’s about time to show you. Then maybe you’ll go from ‘think’ to ‘head-over-heels’ in love with me.”
Before his female could say anything, Fraser kissed her.
Chapter Nineteen
The instant Fraser’s lips touched hers, Holly moaned and accepted his tongue.
Fraser loved her. She could hardly believe it.
She clutched his shoulders but despite Fraser’s taste in her mouth and her nails in his skin, it wasn’t nearly enough. She needed to feel Fraser’s hot skin against hers. She wanted to be claimed properly.
Breaking the kiss, Holly murmured, “Take off your clothes.”
Fraser’s pupils flashed to slits and back. “I like a lass who knows what she wants.”
“Then hurry up because I want you naked and inside me within the next sixty seconds.”
With a growl, Fraser stepped back and tore off his shirt. Holly’s eyes fell