"Hey, to be fair, it was a good idea."
"I still think it's cute you think I would've been able to live with you and not try to kiss you."
"Only kiss me, huh?"
He growled. "Don't tempt me, lass. Because when I claim you the first time, I want not only my dragon around, but us somewhere private, where no one else can see your naked body."
She reached up and stroked his jaw. Each whisper of her fingers against his skin made his dick throb in anticipation. She murmured, "I hope that's soon."
"Aye, it should be. I'm going to talk with Layla first thing in the morning, about hurrying my dragon's return."
Her brows furrowed as she searched his eyes. "Are you sure you should do that? I don't want you to hurt him by forcing it."
The fact she so easily cared about his inner beast only reinforced how perfect she was for him. "I wouldn't do anything to harm him, don't worry. He can be bloody annoying, but he's my annoying dragon half and no one else's." She bit her bottom lip, and he stroked her lower back before murmuring, "Ask me anything, Kiyana. Don't ever hold back with me."
"Well, it's just I want to know what it's like to hear an inner dragon. Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest some crazy medical experiment or anything. But maybe, er, when yours returns, you can let me know more of what he talks about? How he acts?"
"I can do better than that, lass. If I let him take control, you can ask him yourself."
Her eyes widened. "I thought that only happened during sex? And then a dragon isn't exactly the most cooperative."
That statement piqued his interest. "And how do you know that? I thought you didn't peek into windows."
She shook her head. "I never have. But, well, I did sleep with a dragon-shifter before."
Alistair swore he felt some sort of stirring in his mind, almost as if his dragon was trying to communicate. No doubt his beast didn't like the idea of their true mate being with someone else.
He didn't care for it, either, but he didn't expect his true mate to be a virgin. It was the twenty-first century, after all.
His dragon, on the other hand, wouldn't worry about centuries or changing societal norms. All that mattered to him was how Kiyana was their true mate to have, hold, and protect.
Alistair needed to warn Kiyana about his beast, to maybe help prevent some sort of issue later on. "I don't care if you've been with anyone else. Okay, maybe a wee bit. However, my dragon won't like it at all. So maybe it's best not to bring it up again."
"Just the dragon-shifter, or all of the other men from my past?"
He wanted to know how many others. However, Alistair didn't ask. It wasn't as if he wanted Kiyana to know his past sexual history, either. "All. The frenzy will be intense enough. But once it's over, and even if you're pregnant, just mentioning that might set him off again."
"Set him off how?"
Damn, he was on a topic that could scare her. Alistair just had to trust his female would listen to the facts and not let fear take over. "Dragons can go rogue. Sometimes for a wee while, and sometimes for good. While I hope my beast is mature and strong enough to avoid it, merely mentioning other males trying to claim his true mate is a risk, one that could turn him rogue."
"So if I slip up and mention something from my past, it could make your dragon rogue?"
"Maybe. Although a small sentence should be fine. Just don't go on about impressive cock sizes and the like."
A small smile appeared on her face, and he wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe that meant she was secretly pissed off, but he didn't think so. "I'm sure you'll be fine in that department. After all, dragon-shifters are supposed to be…adequate in that part of their anatomy."
He growled. "Adequate?"
She laughed. "So even you need a little ego stroking, then?"
Growling louder, he took her lips in a rough kiss. Only once he needed to pull back to breathe, did he stop. "Since I can smell your arousal, my ego is doing fine."
She narrowed her eyes. "I thought you weren't supposed to mention things like that? Dragon etiquette, and all that?"
"Maybe with strangers. But if things go the way I hope, you'll be the farthest thing from a stranger." He kissed her again before adding, "I can answer more questions later. Right now, we need to hurry, or the light will fade and I can't show you my surprise before dusk."
It took every iota of strength he possessed to release her body and merely take her hand. However, he wanted to create a few memories befo