Dragon Hunter by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 8

It was very unfortunate that the female chose that moment to take a sip of her coffee, which she sprayed everywhere, including on him.

“Oh shit! Sorry!” she yelled and proceeded to wipe his chest with her hand. Then she seemed to realize what she was doing. Her eyes widened and her pert mouth dropped open. “Um…sorry.” She snatched her hand back, taking a huge glug of her coffee. The sound of the liquid going down her throat reverberated around the room. “I think I might have misunderstood you. Did you say we would need to sleep together?”

“No, not at all.”

She sighed, looking relieved. Even put a hand to her chest.

“We wouldn’t have to sleep together. Although we may as well, since I only have one bed and we already did, and it’s not a big deal.” He shrugged. “What I said was that we would have to fuck each other and often.”

This time she choked on her coffee, her eyes growing wider in her head. Luckily, she didn’t spray the contents of her mouth out again. It took her half a minute to get her breath back after coughing into her hand. She put the mug down and flapped her hand, clearly trying to say something. Her choking, coughing, spluttering, hand-flapping gyrations spoke volumes, nonetheless. The human wasn’t too interested in having sex with him. She finally pulled in a deep breath, bending over her middle. “This is bad,” she squeaked. “We can’t!” she added. She finally stood to her full five-foot-nothing height. The top of her head came to his chest. She had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. “Is this your subtle way of turning me into a sex slave?” Her eyes blazed in anger. Human females were interesting, to say the least. Meet them in a club or a bar and offer to fuck their brains out, offer a once-only, no-holds-barred night of pure ecstasy, and they’re mostly game. But in any other setting, you get a slap in the face. It made no sense. None at all.

“Not to be nasty or anything, but I would be doing you a favor by having sex with you,” he deadpanned.

“Fucking me would be doing me a favor?” Her voice had an edge.

Perhaps he could have worded that better. “I wasn’t looking to meet or spend any kind of time with a female – dragon, human, or otherwise. I’m taking a break from all that.”

“Because you had your heart broken?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Exactly. I thought some introspection might be in order. I don’t particularly want to…” Shit! How did he word this? Riley was beautiful. Fucking her would be no hardship. But it…it wasn’t exactly what he wanted at this point in his life. It’s not like he had made a decision to be celibate or anything that formal; he had just planned on taking a break.

“You don’t want to have sex with me?” She looked hurt.

“That’s not it. I hadn’t planned on having sex with anyone. It’s not personal. Don’t take it as a slight against you. We might have to, though.”

“Okay, this is sounding better.” She perked up. “If we might have to, that means that we might not have to. How would they even know? Also, I’m not one for diving into bed with someone easily. I normally date a guy for months before… What?” She cocked her head and gave him a look. “Why are you smirking?”

“Firstly, we have superior senses, including smell. Everyone would know if we were fucking, just like everyone would know if we weren’t.”

“Back to the part about me not jumping into bed with someone without knowing them for…” She slowed down with each word, narrowing her eyes on him. “You’re giving me that look again. The smirky, cocky one.”

“I’m a dragon shifter. You wouldn’t last very long before giving in to me and letting me take you six ways until Sunday. My neighbors would definitely know if we were fucking. They’d hear your screams.”

“Of pain! Have you seen that thing?” She pointed at his dick.

He rolled his eyes. “Humans and shifters are compatible, I assure you. Your pussy would stretch to accommodate every inch of me. I would hit places you didn’t even know existed.”

He watched as her nostrils flared and her pupils dilated. Then he caught her scent. He had to bite back a grin; the human was aroused. He was sure her panties would be damp as fuck. His own balls tightened up a little. He was a male and even if sex wasn’t what he needed or wanted right now, he was still governed by his instincts.

“Arrogant much?” she finally choked out.

“It’s a fact.” He shrugged. “I am not afraid to admit my shortcomings. Fucking isn’t one of them.”

Her chest rose and fell in quick succession. Her eyes were locked on his, but she didn’t say anything. Maybe she was thinking things through. “There isn’t much choice, is there?” Her voice was small. Fog didn’t have to know Riley well to know that this was not like her at all.

He didn’t answer because he could see that she wasn’t actually asking him the question. He waited patiently.

“Maybe sex won’t be necessary,” she added. “I can’t leave Ash with those assholes. I have to stay and try. This isn’t fair to you.” Riley looked up at him.

“Look, I promised to help you, and I will. No biggie, as you humans like to say.” He smiled.

“I mean it, though. It’s not fair to you.” She shook her head. “This whole thing. I can’t think of any other option that doesn’t involve abandoning my very best friend. I can’t do that. If it means using you to help her, then I have to go down that road.”

“It isn’t really using if the other person knows about it. I wouldn’t worry about that. You don’t have to leave your friend. This is my decision. It’s fine. As you said, perhaps if we can’t get away with not having sex, we won’t have to outright fuck either. Not right away.”

“Is there another alternative to outright fucking?” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not into anal, if that’s what you mean.”

He squared her with a look. “You’ve obviously never tried it.”

Riley gasped. “This is an inappropriate conversation.”

Fog chuckled. “You’ve definitely never tried it. Don’t worry. I didn’t mean anal. I would rather not elaborate at this stage.” The human was clearly twitchy about sex. “It wouldn’t involve penetration.”

“Oral sex, then?” She didn’t look like she was game.

“There’s that.” He shrugged. “There are also other things.”

“What other things?” Her eyes narrowed in thought.

He laughed; maybe not so twitchy after all. This could get interesting if it came down to it.

“You’re talking about toys, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He sobered up. “No, I’m not talking about toys. Who needs toys when you have a cock like this?” He pointed at his junk.

She lowered her gaze, and her eyes widened. It was comical how shocked she looked each and every time she looked at his dick. Each. And. Every. Time. Her eyes flashed back to his, like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Your penis doesn’t vibrate.” She deadpanned.

He choked out a laugh. “Trust me, my cock has all the settings. Every last fucking one.”

He scented more arousal. It was good, like candied apples and cherries. Tart and sweet all rolled into one.

She cleared her throat. “I’d better go and shower. I might need to borrow something to wear.”

“Of course. Take whatever you need. We can get you some clothes once our compatibility testing has been approved. I’m seeing Storm shortly. I already asked for a meeting.”

“When?”

“Last night after you passed out.” He winced. “I assumed you would agree since you wanted to stay to get your friend back. I hope you don’t mind?”

“It’s fine.” She smiled. It was tentative. “I appreciate your help. Like I said before, I’ll do anything to get her back. If we end up having to sleep together, then…I guess that’s how it will have to be. You should know that…I um…I have rules surrounding sex.”

“Rules?”

“Yes. I live by numerous rules. Even my job as a flight attendant is governed by rules and regulations. I like it that way. It’s better if things are black and white. That way, there can be no surprises.”

“What kind of rules?” He looked perplexed.

She chewed on her plump lower lip. “I don’t think we need to get into it right now.”

Fog burned to know. “Rules like spanking? Do you like to be spanked during sex?”

She choked out a shocked-sounding laugh. “No, nothing like that.”

“Positions? Do you like to be fucked in certain—”

“If we end up having to go down that road, I’ll tell you what they are. How’s that?”

“Sure thing, anything you want.” He shrugged. “But you must know that I have rules too.”

“O-kay. Should I be worried?”

“Not at all. My most important rule is that a female always comes before me, and ideally three times during a session.”

“Three?” She held up three fingers. “You’re talking shit.” She shook her head, looking at him like he had lost it.

“We spoke about this earlier. I have my shortcomings, but fucking isn’t one of them. Also, dragons don’t lie. I don’t lie. So, lots of orgasms. And then my second rule is that I would have to go down on you almost as much as we fuck. I hope you’re okay with that?”

What female wouldn’t be?

Her eyes bugged out of her head for a few long seconds. “No,” she finally spluttered, shaking her head. “I’m not okay with that. That’s too close and personal for me. I don’t let men go down on me, which has suited every one of my exes just fine.”

“That’s because they were clearly all assholes. We’ll argue the point once we cross that line. It is a firm rule of mine, though. What do you say?”

“There will be no argument because I don’t like oral sex.”

Fog laughed. He laughed hard. Didn’t like oral sex? No such fucking thing.

“Stop!” she said. “That’s not funny. I’m being serious.”

“It just means that whoever went there before did a piss-poor job. I can promise that if I was between your legs… If I put this mouth on you, you’d love every fucking minute.”

“Are dragons always this crass?” Her chest was heaving.

“Yes.” No use beating around the bush.

“Well, stop! I agree, let’s argue about this if it comes to it.”

Arguing with Riley was beginning to sound like a whole lot of fun, despite the trying circumstances.

“I’m going to hit the shower.” She pointed behind her in the general vicinity of the bathroom.

The human looked glum at the prospect of them being together, even if it would be all for show. He probably shouldn’t have shot his mouth off like that. Then again, if everything worked according to plan, he’d rescue her friend – somehow – and that would be that. First, he had to convince Storm that after spending one night with the human that he had decided he wanted her to stay. That it had nothing to do with hatching a plan to save Ashlyn. That he really was attracted to the female, and she to him. His balls felt tight, and talking about licking her out didn’t exactly sound like a terrible idea. Perhaps he’d get it right. It was worth a try.