The Dragon’s Chance by Jessie Donovan

Chapter Twenty-Two

Later that evening, after Lila had left and been escorted to the airport—she'd go home, pack, and be ready to leave for a vacation with her children—Jake was in bed with Sylvia half laying on his chest, stroking her bare back in slow circles.

Since Jamie, Ashley, and Wes had all volunteered to watch Sophie for a night to give Jake and Sylvia a chance to be alone, they hadn't wasted time tearing each other's clothes off and showing how much they'd missed each other.

But as much as Jake loved sex with Sylvia, he felt more content merely holding her, knowing she was his and would be forever.

Well, as soon as they could schedule a mating ceremony, that was.

Hugging her closer to his side, he reveled in his dragon lady nuzzling his chest. She was the first to speak. "There's one thing I haven't told you yet, about what Finn and the others found out during their investigation into Arlo."

Jake never stilled his hands. "Tell me, love."

She propped her chin on his chest and looked up, meeting his gaze. "Arlo set up Arthur's friend's death, laying a trap in exchange for money."

He searched her gaze. "Was Arthur the original target?"

"No one knows. But the spot Arthur mentioned searching, the one he said was somewhere he'd met his friends as a child and teen, was one all of the MacAllister siblings seemed to know about—Seamus told me that. So it's likely that once the opportunity finally arose to get rid of Arthur, Arlo would've taken it."

He brushed hair off Sylvia's cheek, wishing he could banish the sadness in her eyes. "I'm not sure anything I say can help you. But at least Arlo won't ever endanger someone you love again."

She ran a hand through his chest hair, and Jake did his best to ignore the sizzle of heat that shot to his groin. Sylvia answered, "No, he won't." She paused, bit her lip, and then finally added, "As nice as everyone is here, I hope we can return to Lochguard soon."

He hugged her closer to his body. "You miss your children."

"Aye, I can't help it. I know they're grown, but, well, they've been my only family for so long that it's difficult to sever ties completely. I can't imagine what it's going to be like for you, if we can ever live on Lochguard, and you have to do the same with everyone here in the States."

He rolled until he lay on his side, facing Sylvia, meeting her eye to eye. He hated how she still doubted him. But given her past with her mother, he knew it would take some reassurance for a while to make sure she truly understood his decision.

Taking one of her hands, he threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed. "I love my sisters and their families, but they're each their own little unit, banding together and understanding one another far better than I ever could. It's not the same at all compared to you being away from your kids." He traced her cheek with his free hand, loving how she turned into his touch. "Besides, Lochguard is Sophie's home. She deserves to know her siblings, even if they'll end up being more like aunts and uncles to her because of the age difference."

Sylvia smiled. "I suspect my granddaughter—Sophie's niece—will feel more like a cousin or a sibling, probably more so than Sophie's own older siblings."

He chuckled. "Your family tree will never be boring, that's for sure."

She cupped his cheek with her hand, and he turned to kiss her palm before she said, "Well, since there will soon be an American human branch, aye, it's going to be a wee bit more interesting than most. But I wouldn't have it any other way." She lifted her head to kiss him gently and murmur, "You've brought me a second chance at life, at love, and motherhood. I can't wait to see what other sorts of surprises show up along the way."

He gently took her other hand, rolled Sylvia to her back, and pinned both of her arms above her head. "As for surprises, I'm still working on the cheesiest pick-up line ever." He nipped her jaw before adding, "Let's see…are you Australian? Because you meet all of my koala-fications."

She snorted, and he took her lips in a rough kiss, loving how Sylvia instantly opened her mouth and stroked her tongue against his.

He maneuvered so he held both of her hands with one of his own. Using his free hand, he ran it down her neck, her chest, and finally he circled her already hard nipple, loving how Sylvia arched against him as he slowly stroked, taking his time with his dragon lady, letting her know that he wasn't going anywhere and had all the time in the world to treasure her as she deserved.

Leaning down, he licked her tight bud and watched as her pupils flashed for the first time since arriving on PineRock. With a chuckle, he moved his face back to hers and asked, "What did your dragon say?"

A mischievous gleam filled Sylvia's eyes. "That she wants the chance to say hello properly."

Sliding his hand down between her thighs, he lightly ran a finger through her slit until he reached her hard little clit and pressed down. Sylvia's pupils changed to slits for a beat longer this time before becoming round again. "And now?"

"I think showing you would be more fun."

And before he could ask anything else, Sylvia flipped them until he was on his back and she straddled his hips. With her wet, hot heat against his skin, his cock turned to stone. When she wiggled her hips, he groaned. "Are you going to keep me pinned and torture me until I beg?"

Leaning down, she nipped his bottom lip before saying, "I'm tempted, but my dragon is impatient. Now, stay here and don't move."

She rolled over, took a condom package from the nightstand, opened it, and rolled it down his cock slowly, to the point he was afraid he'd spill like a horny teenager with his first time.

She stroked his upper thighs, up his stomach, and stopped to lightly run her nails over his nipples and back again. He reached for her, but her eyes flashed and she took his hands and pinned them to the side.

As Sylvia half leaned over him, her lovely breasts swaying in front of him, he tried to lean up to kiss one. But she angled back with a smile. "Later. My beast and I don't want slow and torturous." Releasing his hands, she raised herself over his cock and slid down. He moaned at how wet and hot she was, and he arched his hips, desperately wanting her to move.

Sylvia placed her hands on his chest and rocked her hips. With his hands free, Jake caressed her hips, her sides, and then cupped her breasts. She arched into his touch and increased her motions, making Jake bite his cheek to keep from coming right away.

He wondered if he'd always be like this with his dragon lady, and he had a feeling he could be sixty and she could make him come so very easily. Her spell over him was unlike that of any other woman he'd ever met.

Sylvia whispered, "I love you," before her pupils turned to slits and stayed that way. Her voice was a tad deeper, meaning her dragon was in charge, as she added, "And now you're mine."

She lightly dug her nails into his chest, the pleasure-pain making him call out her name. Then her dragon moved faster and faster, to the point Jake had to hold her hips to ground him.

Since he loved all of Sylvia, he'd missed her beast. And even though she currently drove him mad with her hip swirls and faster thrusts, he somehow managed to move a hand to her clit and stroke. Within seconds, he felt her pussy clench and release him, and Jake finally let go, calling her name as her dragon-half dug her nails harder into his chest.

When she finally collapsed on top of him, he instinctively knew the human half was back with him. Hugging Sylvia tighter against his body, he said, "I'm glad she's back. I love all of you, and it was rather lonely without your dragon around."

Sylvia turned her head and smiled at him. "You just miss her quick and rough bedplay."

He rubbed circles on her ass cheek before squeezing possessively. "Oh, I won't deny I love that. But even now, with your human half front and center, I can tell you're more content, and not just from your orgasm. You need her present in order to be the woman I first met back in Glasgow."

She brushed some hair off his forehead. "You understand dragon-shifters so well."

He lightly smacked her butt. "Well, I did fall in love with one. I hope I know something, or life would be full of a hell of a lot of surprises."

"Oh, I'm sure there are plenty of surprises ahead." For a beat, sadness flashed in her eyes—no doubt Sylvia wondering if she'd have to make a new life in America—but it vanished and was replaced by love. "But as long as you're there with me, I can face any sort of surprise that comes our way. You give me strength I thought I'd lost, or always thought I never had."

He squeezed her tighter against him. "I have a feeling it was always there, but sometimes we need something or someone to help nurture it out." He kissed her gently. "When we get back to Lochguard, I'm sure Meg or Archie will think twice before trying to bully or guilt-trip you into agreeing to what they want."

A mischievous glint appeared in Sylvia's eyes. "I may need a wee bit more tutelage in American cockiness."

He nipped her jaw. "You mean confidence."

Her smile was so bright, his heart skipped a beat. "No, definitely cockiness."

He growled, "I think I need to use something other than words to try and change your mind. And I'm confident enough I can do it."

He flipped her over to her back, tickled her until she couldn't stop giggling, and she finally conceded it was confidence. And then, unable to resist Sylvia's flushed cheeks and happy smiles, Jake made love to her again slowly, until she begged for him to make her come.

He'd been more than happy to make that happen. Jake would do anything for Sylvia—he already thought of her as his wife and mate, even if they'd agreed to wait to officially mate until they had word from Finn and Lochguard.

But just to make sure she understood his claim on her, he made her scream his name two more times before drifting off to sleep with his dragon lady cradled in his arms.