Dragon with Benefits (Forgotten Dragons Book 4) Read online

His mouth dropped open like he was shocked she would mention it. “I did,” he said finally, when he’d recovered.

  “So what was that about?”

  “I’m not sure,” he said, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms. He was wearing a soft-looking navy pullover plus black lounge pants. Between that and his gorgeous windswept hair and hard jaw shaded by stubble, he looked like he could be right out of the bedroom.

  The kind of man you woke up next to and wanted to take right back to bed.

  She gritted her teeth before she took another bite of lasagna. “So anyway, I just think you should make your intentions clear.”

  He frowned. “What about you? You accepted my invitation after I kissed you. But you say you don’t want a relationship. Am I to assume you just have some kind of lascivious plan to use me for my body?”

  Her eyes rose to his, and she was mortified that he could instantly read her through her embarrassment.

  “Wait, seriously?” The high apples of his cheeks began to turn scarlet. The deepest blush she’d ever seen on him.

  God, that was adorable.

  She tilted her head. “I mean, I wasn’t planning to use you, but I wasn’t against more kissing, even if I don’t want a relationship.”

  He took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly as he sat back, still trying to figure out what was going on. “You’re a very odd human, you know that?”

  “Human?” She giggled, sipping a little more wine as she felt it take effect. “That’s an odd thing to say.”

  “Well, you are one,” he said, looking even more nervous. He looked to the side and leaned on his hand, partially obscuring his face. “Among other things.”

  “Oh yeah?” She took another sip of wine just for courage. The entire amount he had poured would only get her mildly buzzed, never drunk. “What other things am I?”

  “Sexy. Infuriating. Pushy. Underhanded.” He met her gaze. “Irresistible.”

  Her heart thumped so hard it felt it might break her rib cage.

  She’d never flirted with such a dangerous man. Not just because he was hot, but because he constantly stood toe to toe with her.

  He was the kind of man someone could make a team with. Someone who wouldn’t run when the chips were down.

  Someone she couldn’t dare to let herself fall for.

  “Irresistible?” she couldn’t help saying.

  He nodded, and a lock of bronze hair fell across his forehead. “To me. Otherwise, I never would have put up with some nosy reporter.”

  She scowled. “When you say things like that, it makes me wonder why you’re doing it.”

  He laughed. “I like that you’re nosy. No one ever really pushes into my life, and it’s kind of refreshing.” He sobered slightly, taking another sip of his wine. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”

  “How would I get hurt?”

  He set down his knife and pushed back slightly from the table, slouching on his chair. He looked adorably ruffled. “I don’t know. I shouldn’t even be doing this. You don’t want commitment, and my life might not allow for it.”

  She ignored the slight sting of disappointment at his statement but appreciated his honesty. It helped keep everything fairer. “Why is that?”

  He slanted her a cryptic glance. “I can’t tell you. There are things about my life I may never be able to tell you. It’s why I don’t go out, don’t let anyone know who I am.”

  That made her slightly nervous but didn’t shake the overall good feeling she got about him.

  “So what are we doing here?” She glanced at her lasagna.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Hanging out?” He sighed. “All I know is I immensely enjoyed dinner and wanted to spend time with you. Perhaps I shouldn’t have kissed you. Perhaps we should only be friends.”

  She felt even more disappointed at that statement, because despite herself, she just wanted to get her hands on that body. But as friends, at least they could spend time together, which they both seemed to enjoy. “Friends is good.”

  It was his turn to look slightly disappointed, and he averted his gaze to drink his wine while she did the same.

  “Anyway, let’s leave the dishes,” Trevor said. “Want to watch something? We need time to make room for dessert.”

  Petra nodded, taking one more sip of her wine before she followed him out of the room.

  Which she regretted once they got to his TV room and she saw the single oversized couch.

  She flushed. “Um.”

  But Trevor, who seemed fairly unaffected by alcohol, walked straight in and sat on the couch, then grabbed her by the hand and pulled her down with him.

  She flopped onto the couch next to him, not touching, and he smiled as he turned on the TV.

  “Don’t be shy,” he said. “Friends watch movies together on the same couch.” He smirked. “I won’t bite.”

  “That’s a pity,” she said, then chided herself for having too much wine.

  He smiled, and despite his assertion that they would only be friends, she was glad that addictive chemistry around them was still hovering.

  The promise of something… tempting.

  He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV and unfortunately turned to a local news channel that was displaying the Sushi Douchebag video, this time with a catchy song playing along.

  Trevor sat up with a shocked gasp as his video played, edited so that his rant was a rap, the sushi getting kicked to the beat.

  “They autotuned me, the bastards.” Trevor sat back with a defeated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “This is a new low. Xander is never going to let me hear the end of it.”

  “Xander?”

  “A friend,” he said, looking uncomfortable. She wanted to get that teasing smile back on his face.

  “Hey, well, you’re on TV and he’s not, so that’s something, right?”

  He sent her a glare that said if it was something, it was not something good.

  “You’re right, you’re right. I’m sorry. It’ll blow over,” she said, trying to reassure him.

  “Hmph,” he retorted. “Then you’ll do your story.”

  She sighed. “I mean, yeah. That’s the idea. Though, now that we’re friends, I’m open to feedback.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I thought the whole reason you were my friend was to get the interview.”

  “Initially, yes,” she said, tucking her hands together and playing with them in her lap. “But it’s different now.”

  “How?”

  She felt herself flush. “Because you’re a good person. Because you’re that odd combo of hot and nice. Because you’re not just a news article to me anymore.” Her eyes fell, against her will, to his perfect mouth. “And because of that kiss.”

  She finally met his eyes and saw fire there. Plus something else. Something she hadn’t seen before. Something tender and possibly… vulnerable?

  He quickly looked away, breaking the rising current of heat traveling between them. It felt like their bodies were meant to be pulled together, like it was hard to stay on her side of the couch.

  When she just wanted to touch him so bad.

  His breathing quickened, and he pulled off his sweater to reveal a soft light-blue tee shirt underneath. It exposed smooth, strong arms and shoulders. Biceps that would flex at the slightest provocation.

  She really didn’t need to see more of him right now.

  “It’s hot in here, right?” Trevor said, grabbing the collar of his shirt and fanning himself slightly. He glanced over at her, and she could see the same war she was fighting for self-control going on in his eyes. “Is it just me, or is it hot in here?”

  Her eyes trailed up him hungrily. Possessively. Now that she’d given up on nice guys, given up on the sweet ones you married, she wondered what it would be like to be with a hot one. Just for sex. Just for once.

  “It’s hot in here.” She agreed, looking at him meaningfully.

  “We shouldn’t,” he said, getting
a little closer on the couch, reaching forward to stroke a stray curl behind her ear.

  She scooted toward him, putting a hand in his bronze hair just to feel it. She bit back a moan as her hands moved down, grazing the stubble on his perfect jaw. She pulled her hand back but stayed close to him. So close a stray wind could push them together.

  God, she wanted his lips on hers again.

  “We shouldn’t, right?” He repeated, putting a hand on the couch behind her so he was even closer now.

  “Why not?” Her words were almost a gasp. Her body was tight with anticipation. The wine was making everything slightly more intense. Her lust. Her nerves. Especially her lust.

  But it had been there from the moment he’d slammed the door on her to the moment he’d seen her buy dinner for that cute anniversary couple.

  She couldn’t deny it any longer and brought her lips across the last bit of distance, closing them over his.

  For a second, it was just silent, and then his hand came up to play in her hair and he somehow slipped the knot free and let it loose around her shoulders.

  She moaned as he deepened the kiss, twisting his hand in her hair to hold her as his lips parted hers and he plundered deep inside, stroking and awakening her.

  It was fun to think about what he would do but more fun to have him actually do it. She was instantly wet and aching, and it only went on and on as he kept contact with that incredible kiss. She buried her hands in his hair, pulling slightly as the sensation deepened.

  It made him let out a low growl and pull back.

  “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” she said, panting and embarrassed she’d maybe gone too far but completely unready to stop their kiss.

  He shook his head, and his golden irises were molten. “I’m the furthest thing from hurt right now.” He looked like a lion with that bronze hair and those blazing eyes. And right now, he looked hungry.

  She came forward to kiss him again, but he put a hand gently on her shoulder to push her back.

  “We should stop there if we aren’t going further,” he said gruffly. “I don’t want either of us to do something we didn’t want to do.”

  “Do you want this?” she asked him.

  “I do,” he said with a harsh nod. “But not if it hurts you. I told you I’m not a normal man, and—”

  “Right,” she said. “You told me that, and I told you I wasn’t looking for anything serious.” She drew a finger slowly down his neck to dip down and pull on the collar of his tee shirt, giving her a glimpse of his pecs. “I am looking for this, though.”

  His eyes rose to hers, and she saw the moment he agreed with her, as his mouth, which had been frowning, turned up at the corners and his eyes relaxed. “Then I’m good with it.”

  She laughed, pushing him back playfully. “Good with it? Like you have to bear it?”

  He leaned in to kiss her, and this time, he pushed her back against the couch voraciously, his tongue pressing in before she had time to react, his hands trapping her as he pushed her against her side of the couch. As he kissed her more fervently than ever, the heat in her rose until it was a fever pitch.

  “I’m not bearing with anything,” he said gruffly as he pulled away but left his lips practically against hers, teasing her.

  The next moment, she felt his hands sliding under her, and she let out a squeak of surprise when she was lifted in his arms. “Wait—”

  “I’ve never wanted a woman more in my life,” he said hoarsely as he walked out of the living room, keeping her easily in his arms.

  She felt so safe. So happy. So aroused.

  And this time, she was doing it right. She wouldn’t let feelings ruin everything.

  “If you want me to stop at any time, you have to tell me,” Trevor said as they reached the door to what must be his bedroom. “Promise?”

  “I do, but I won’t want to,” she said.

  Her body seemed to know on a primal level that she was about to have more pleasure than she’d ever imagined.

  There was no way she was changing her mind.

  Chapter 7

  Trevor kicked open the door to his bedroom, not caring that the aged wood groaned from the effort, before striding inside with Petra still clutched in his arms.

  Making the first move like that, the audacity of this woman.

  Yet that was something Trevor liked about her. She was honest, real. She wasn’t hiding her intentions like so many others who said one thing but wanted something else.

  “Wow, nice place you have here,” she said, looking up as they walked in. “So pretty.”

  “Not as pretty as you,” he retorted.

  “I’ll bet that’s what you tell all the women you bring up here.”

  “Actually, no,” he said matter-of-factly. Damn, he wanted to lick her everywhere.

  “Ha! Yeah right,” she said playfully, reaching up to stroke his hair back from his face.

  He felt his heart yearn as he looked down at her. “I don’t bring other women up here.”

  “Ever?” She seemed genuinely surprised by this, which Trevor supposed was better than other reactions.

  He kept walking toward the bed, the plush carpet nothing compared to the softness in his arms right now.

  “No, never.” There no was no point in lying. Not about this.

  Petra looked like she had no idea what to say about that, but she was distracted when Trevor reached the edge of the bed and gently tossed her onto it.

  He smiled at her mock offense as she tried to compose herself in his sea of covers.

  Petra opened her mouth to say something, but he was instantly on top of her on the bed, trapping her beneath him. Her oversized sweater hung off one shoulder, and Trevor wanted to leave a hickey there so dark she’d still be seeing it next year.

  “What I’m saying is you’re special, Petra,” Trevor said, inching toward her as he spoke. Petra’s eyes widened, flitting down to where his tee shirt hung off his chest, then back up to him. “No one makes me feel like this.”

  They were inches, then centimeters, apart, their breath mixing in hot puffs as she waited eagerly. Trevor’s muscles were tight, his entire body poised in only one direction.

  “So when I do this…” He leaned down and placed a fervent kiss on her neck, and Petra arched to give him better access as he licked her there slowly. “Or when you feel this…” He trailed his hand over her stomach, then down to her hip, and he could feel the arousal in her breath quicken with each touch. “Know it’s because I’m drawn to you, Petra. Because you alone make me feel this way. Because there’s something between us I can’t stop wanting, even if it’s just this.”

  Petra’s lips were parted, her eyes glazed, and by the time the last words left his mouth, Trevor closed the distance between them, thrusting his tongue in to entwine with hers. She moaned against him, the sound muffled, but he didn’t let up, kissing her senseless.

  In some ways, he hoped she’d forget all about what he’d just said anyway.

  He was already getting too involved.

  Petra wrapped a hand behind his head, pulling them even deeper into the kiss, and he flicked his tongue up against the roof of her mouth. The arousal, which had once been an inescapable thought only days ago, roared with pyre-like ferocity as their mouths melded together.

  When he finally pulled free, Petra was practically breathless.

  And he was voracious.

  He leaned to her exposed shoulder and sucked hard, dragging his teeth over her skin as he did, and Petra jolted from the stimulation. But he didn’t stop there, pulling aside the knit material so he could kiss along her collar, tugging the straps of her tank top so he didn’t miss any spots.

  “Thorough.” Petra’s voice was husky, almost like her own words were lost to her.

  “You have no idea,” Trevor exclaimed as he kissed along the edge of her exposed bra, their movement on the bed leaving her clothes sexily askew on her beautiful form.

  But he needed more. More, more, mor
e.

  He pulled the sweater and tank top over her head quickly, leaving her just in a black bra, and he reached beneath the cups with his hands, caressing her nipples with his thumbs. Petra writhed into the bed, panting from want, but that only made Trevor more insatiable as he undid the clasp with one hand, then pulled the bra free, leaving her completely topless.

  Her nipples were already peaked, and he took one firm tip into his mouth, pressing the base of his tongue roughly against it, then suckling.

  In the same moment, he brought a hand between them, feeling her sex over her skinny jeans. Jeans which had showed off sexy hips and a cute ass that had been teasing him all night.

  He undid the button and slid the zipper only half open before sliding his hand into her panties. Petra gasped, then moaned loudly as his finger slid between her lips and over her clit, the wetness of her own arousal making the contact only that much more erotic, that much more sensitive.

  Trevor felt like he was going to die and go to heaven. He’d never been this turned on, this crazy about someone before.

  At least judging by the way his cock felt like it was going to rip through his pants at any second.

  He wanted to be relentless. Wanted her to know nothing but him as he stroked his finger against her clit. Petra tried to look up at him, then shut her eyes as her hands clutched the sheets at her sides desperately. And as he continued to stroke over her, he leaned down to continue kissing her breasts, taking her soft skin in his mouth and making love to every inch of her even as his hand moved furiously against her.

  And the faster he went, the closer Petra came to the edge. Which was a good thing since Trevor didn’t know how he was supposed to slow himself when all he wanted to do was give her more pleasure than she knew what to do with.

  “I’m close,” she said breathlessly, unable to move away from him as he trapped her legs with his thighs, one hand focused wholly on the wet friction between her pussy and his fingers, while his mouth made love to every bit of skin he could reach.

  “So fucking hot,” Trevor couldn’t resist saying, leaning down to kiss the base of her neck while his middle finger made little circles around its new best friend.