Water Dragon (The Bride Hunt Book 2) Read online

  “Okay.” He must have sensed her reluctance. “Start with something simple. Tell me something about yourself.”

  She took a sip of the water and put the glass back down. “Well, you already know my favorite foods.” She smiled widely. “I try and eat healthy though. I exercise every day. I love being outdoors…”

  His whole demeanor stiffened. “I’m sorry you’re stuck in here.” He smiled. “Maybe I can take you out tomorrow. We would need to sneak out though, I don’t want anyone following us, or accidentally catching your scent.”

  Out! No way! “That would be amazing. I would love to go to the beach.” She had a thought. “Could you add a bathing suit to the list of items. I would love to go swimming.”

  Torrent’s eyes darkened. “I could do that.” He cleared his throat. “No problem.” It didn’t help, his voice came out sounding just as rough. “I would love to take you swimming. I might just be willing to kill to see you in a bathing suit.” He said the last more to himself than to her. “What else?” His eyes snapped back to hers.

  “My favorite color is”—she lifted her eyes in thought— “green. I’m a nature and an animal lover,” she added. Most people liked blue or red. People hardly ever love green.

  “Of course it is.” He smirked and gave his chest a rub, smoothing his fingers over his golden tattoo. It had beautiful green swirls within the golden depths. It was truly beautiful. “I like that green is your favorite.”

  “A complete coincidence.”

  “Is it?” His gaze was intense and disarming. She could drown in those eyes of his.

  “I didn’t know they could make tattoos that color. It’s really amazing.” The need to touch, rose up in her but she suppressed it.

  Torrent smiled. “They don’t. We’re born with our markings. Royal dragons are born with gold. I’m a water dragon, that is why I have green markings within the gold.”

  “That’s interesting. We’ve been told very little about your species. How long do you guys live?”

  He smiled. “I think my answer would scare you.” He took a bite of his burger.

  “Why? Are you an old man beneath all of that muscled exterior?”

  Torrent swallowed. “By human standards, I’d already be dead… a couple of times over.”

  She had to laugh even though she felt a little breathless at his statement. “I’m only twenty-four.”

  He shrugged. “Age is of no importance. You are mature.” He wiped his hands on the napkin. “You will age much slower once we are properly mated. Your senses will improve and you will become stronger as well.”

  She nodded. What did she say to that? Yay! It was a serious bonus. “Are you trying to convince me?”

  “I didn’t think that such superficial things would be of importance to a female like you.”

  “They’re not.” Part of her felt like a fraud. Her boobs were fake. It wasn’t important though. It didn’t mean that she was hung up on superficial things. If they ended up in a real relationship, she would tell him. She’d only had one boyfriend and that was still when she was in high school. There had been no one since…

  “Why do you look so deep in thought?”

  “No reason.” None she wanted to discuss.

  He paused and for a moment it looked like he was going to argue, but then, thankfully, he nodded.

  They finished eating and he helped her clean up. She washed, he dried and put the dishes away. It was weird to see such a strong guy—leader of his kind—happily drying dishes.

  They talked about various things. She felt comfortable in his company. Torrent made her laugh, it made her realize how much she had been missing in her life. This all felt so crazy and yet, it also felt normal. It was nice.

  Candy felt guilty when he threw a blanket onto the couch. The thing was far too small for his huge frame.

  There was no way she was sleeping in the same bed with him though. No way. They took turns using the bathroom. She went first.

  Candy removed her sweats once she was safely under the covers. She folded them and placed them in a neat pile right next to the bed. Easy to reach in the morning. She wore an extra large shirt.

  Torrent made himself comfortable on the couch. His legs hung over the edge. Not looking! He had to lie on his side to fit on the narrow base. Not Looking! This was his choice, not hers.

  “Would you mind if I removed my pants? I’m used to sleeping naked.” His deep voice seemed to fill the large space.

  Really!

  Yes, I mind. She didn’t like the thought of him naked under that blanket. What if it fell off in the night? She felt like groaning out loud. “I… um… guess that’s fine.” She was already making him suffer, she couldn’t force him to wear clothes to bed as well.

  “Thank you. I don’t think I could sleep otherwise.” She heard a rustling noise as he removed the garment.

  It was about ten minutes later when he spoke again. “Are you still awake?” His voice was low.

  “I am now.”

  He chuckled softly, the sound moving right through her. “You weren’t asleep.”

  “How do you know?” She could hear the smile in her own voice.

  “I have superhuman hearing.”

  “Oh yeah.” Still smiling. “Why did you ask me then?”

  “I’m not sure. I need to say something but I didn’t want to bother you.” More serious.

  “You’re not bothering me.”

  “I took the lube off of the list.”

  Oh god! Despite the dark, she covered her face with her hands.

  Torrent breathed out. “You don’t need it, not with me.”

  Oh shit!

  She rolled over and squeezed her thighs together. “If you say so.” She managed to somehow squeak out.

  “I do, Candy.” So deep and without a trace of humor. “I most definitely do.”

  She believed every word.

  Chapter 10

  The next day…

  Torrent was on the floor. The blanket covered him from about mid calf to mid chest. He was sleeping soundly even though the floor in question was hard and cold.

  His bed was soft and comfortable. Candy felt another momentary spark of guilt. She pushed it down. It was his own damned fault. She carefully dressed, sure to keep the covers over her. She worked not to make any noise.

  Just as in her previous room, this one had a coffee maker, she’d spotted it the evening before. She tiptoed to the kitchenette and after opening and closing a few cupboards, she found the ground coffee.

  Candy got to work making the brew and finding cups and the rest of the things she needed. She glanced at Torrent and sucked in a breath. He was back on the couch, on his back. One of his hands rested on the floor to keep himself from falling off the large three seater. It looked like a tiny love seat with him on it. His other hand was folded behind his head like a make-shift pillow.

  The blanket was scrunched in a heap over his lap but his legs and chest were bare. His hair was mussed, his eyes had that clouded barely awake look and his lids hung at half mast. Her heart rate picked up and her breathing did the same. It was like all of the oxygen had fled the room. Like she needed to breathe more deeply to get in the same amount of air.

  “Good morning.” He gave her a smile. It was beautiful, disarming. If he crooked a finger right now, she might just go. “Did you sleep well?” His voice had that deep, raspy, just-woken-up sound.

  “Um…” She licked her lips. The smell of freshly brewed coffee permeated across the room. “I slept really well.” She pulled a pained face. “You?” She whispered the word, feeling the guilt return with a vengeance.

  Torrent’s smile grew. “I slept like a baby. I woke up often and longed for a breast to suckle on.” He choked out a laugh.

  A laugh forced it’s way out of her throat as well. She couldn’t help it. “You’re too much, you know that? A baby huh?”

  Torrent nodded. He bobbed his eyebrows.

  Candy laughed some more. “Next,
you’ll be telling me that you are wearing a diaper under there and that you wet your bed.”

  “No diaper but there is a wet spot”—he narrowed his eyes at her— “it’s not pee though.” He winked at her.

  Heat suffused her cheeks and she looked back down at what she was doing.

  “I’m only joking,” he said. Candy could hear him move and when she glanced up, he was in a sitting position.

  “Would you like some coffee?”

  Torrent nodded. “That would be nice. Two sugars, no milk.”

  Candy nodded. This was so damned weird. Her hands shook a little and she spilled the milk trying to open it. “Shit!” She set the carton down and went to grab a cloth.

  “Are you nervous, Candy?”

  She cleaned up the mess and, after taking a deep breath, poured some milk into her cup and then into his. “Shit!” She growled as she poured the milk from his cup down the drain and rinsed the mug. Candy put her hands on her hips. “I guess I am.”

  “Why?” he leaned against the back of the couch and folded both hands behind his head. His chest was a thing of utter beauty. Sculpted. Wide shoulders, pecs made for biting and abs of the likes she’d never seen before. The blanket was still bunched over his lap. Thank god!

  “Um…” she realized she was staring and got to work finishing making their coffee. “I’ve never spent the night with a guy before, that’s all.”

  He sat forward and folded his arms across his legs, clasping his hands somewhere in the middle. “You mean you’ve never spent the night with a male you haven’t had sex with before?”

  “No.” She picked up his mug, and walked over and handed it to Torrent. “I’ve never spent the night with a guy before… ever.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Never?”

  She nodded. “I’ve had sex with quite a few guys so I’m not a virgin or anything… far from it,” she added. “But I’ve only ever had one boyfriend. I was still in school so sleepovers would’ve been frowned upon. We broke up when Evan went to college. He received a scholarship out of state. Long distance relationships don’t work and we were really young.” She paused. “It didn’t suit my lifestyle to have a boyfriend after that.” No sleep-overs were a part of her rules so she’d never stayed over with any of them either.

  “Why not? You are a highly desirable female.”

  “It’s a long story,” she mumbled.

  “We have time. I need to meet with my pinnacle warriors but not until later this morning.”

  She took a sip of her coffee. “So you have time for breakfast? I saw some eggs in the fridge.”

  “Breakfast would be great. I will put on some pants and come and help you.” He looked up at her since she was standing and he was still sitting, looking even better up close.

  She nodded and was just about to turn when he grabbed her hand. His was big, warm and lightly calloused. A real man’s hands. His gaze was soft and compelling. “I don’t have any experience with relationships.”

  She nodded.

  Using his thumb, he stroked the outside of her hand. “I mean it. I’ve had plenty of sex with many different females over the years.”

  Too much info. She didn’t want to hear about his sex life just as she didn’t exactly want to tell him about hers. It was important though if they were going to be together and if they were going to make a go of it. She’d give it a few days and if she still wanted to stay, she’d tell him everything. “Okay.” She didn’t know what else to say.

  “They were only ever one night stands. It was purely sex. All of it.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. “I can hear how your heart rate has increased and not in a good way.” He looked back up at her. “I’m messing this up. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t have much experience in the relationship department.” He seemed to struggle with finding the right words. “We need to talk and to be honest with one another if we are going to make this work. I’ll try hard not to mess it up but I might be a bit clueless, so bear with me...”

  She had to smile at him. “You may have stumbled here or there in the beginning but you’re doing a great job now. I guess I don’t have much experience either.”

  He smiled and released her hand. “I’m glad I’m doing a better job and, Candy...”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re also doing a great job. I’m glad we spent the night together. That I was your first in that regard. I look forward to spending the night with you in our bed.”

  Our bed. Crap! Breathe, Candy.

  “Thanks... um… I wanted to talk to you abo…” There was one thing that had been sitting in the back of her mind. A nagging.

  He nodded for her to speak but she chickened out. “It’s not important.” She tried to walk away but he took back her hand.

  “It must be since it is on your mind.”

  She nodded.

  “Sit.”

  She took a seat next to him. “If we’re going to give this a try… us a try.”

  His eyes blazed. “We are.”

  “If that’s the case then you need to be faithful to me,” she blurted. “We need to be faithful to each other. It is important to me,” she added.

  Torrent frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  Candy licked her lips. “Sky mentioned that you are within your rights as king to…” She paused. “To have sex with another woman if I am unable to… help you out.” She felt anger rise in her but tried to get a handle on it. “I know that we are different culturally but you need to know that I wouldn’t be able to be with you if you…”

  Torrent pulled her into his lap and she yelped as her thighs connected with his. He smiled at her. No, he was grinning. He was enjoying this. “You think this is funny?” She asked, as the anger bubbled up.

  “You’re jealous.”

  “It’s not a matter of being jealous.” Hell yeah! So what if she was? She wasn’t admitting it to him though, he was only just getting over his arrogance. “In my culture, if two people decide that they are going to be together, especially if marriage is on the table.” She shivered and Torrent banded his arms a little tighter around her. He was so warm and he smelled so good. “If two people are together, they don’t have sex with other people. It’s considered cheating and I can’t have you cheat on me. Not ever. After my dad and—”

  “I think it is wonderful that you’re jealous.”

  She felt like kicking him in the shin or slapping that cocky, far too good looking, smile off of his face. “You do, do you? How would you like it if I went out and had sex with the first shifter I came across?”

  His whole body tensed. Muscles popped out on either side of his neck. He growled, flashing teeth that looked sharp. “I will kill any male that touches you.”

  “Now look who’s jealous.” She squeezed his bicep. It didn’t give, not even a millimeter.

  The rest of the tension drained from him and he nodded. “Point taken. I don’t plan on taking any of the others to my bed. There is only one female for me, Candy. Only one.”

  She gave a nervous giggle. “Oh, who might the lucky lady be?” She teased trying to break some of the tension that crackled between them. It was nuts how quickly it had morphed into sexual energy.

  Instead of answering, Torrent wrapped a hand around her neck and kissed her. He kissed her until her toes curled. Until she pressed herself up against him. He kissed her until she moaned into his mouth. All too soon though, he broke the kiss. Her only conciliation was that he seemed just as affected as her. His eyes were glazed over, his breathing ragged. Then he growled and set her back on her feet. She felt a bit wobbly.

  Get it together.

  Torrent gave her a panty wetting smile. “Whenever you’re ready, sweetheart.” He gave a loud sigh. “I need to take a long shower now. There might be a loud roar towards the end. Ignore it. Know that I will be thinking of you.” He chuckled as he rose to his feet.

  Candy swallowed hard. After that statement and the kiss, she needed a shower too
… desperately. Only hers would be cold.

  Chapter 11

  The next day…

  Her gaze was fixed firmly on his cock. Her tongue slid over her lips and her throat worked. He stretched up and flexed his muscles. His dick twitched and her breathing hitched.

  “It’s all yours, Candy, all you have to do is say the word.” He couldn’t help but goad her. It was so easy to do. He loved watching her cheeks become red.

  Another hitch, sharper this time. She quickly averted her stare. Torrent suppressed a smile since he knew it would piss her off. He didn’t want her pissed, he wanted her happy. He just wanted her, full fucking stop.

  Candy quickly recovered her composure. It was one of the things he liked about her. She wasn’t always readable and she liked to be in control. He couldn’t wait to see her unravel and let loose. Shit! He was getting hard just thinking about it.

  Candy spread out her towel on the white sand. “It’s so beautiful out here.”

  “Yeah it is.” His gaze was on her. How the wind caught her hair. How the summer dress clung to her curves. She was tiny but her legs seemed to go on for miles below the mid-thigh hem.

  “Thank you for bringing me here, it’s so good to be out.”

  Torrent stepped into the pants Candy had handed to him a minute ago. It was stupid. She’d already seen him naked, since he had to shift to get them here, but hey, he knew it would make her feel more comfortable, so he put them on. “I’ll try and sneak you out as often as I can. My brother helped me divert attention.”

  “Lake?”

  Torrent shook his head. “No, Tide.”

  “Oh.” She raised her brows. “You have more than one brother?”

  “I have three. What about you?”

  “I’m an only child.” She shook her head. Candy reached down and pulled her dress over her head.

  By all that was clawed and scaly. His dick sprang to life and with a vengeance. There was nothing he could do to stop it. No amount of thinking about other things, about mundane things, about stupid things. Nothing would make this thing go down. He may or may not have cursed out loud.