Page 14 of Ash
ChapterTwelve
Ash
The bitter freezing wind did nothing to cool the burning desire that was raging inside of me. Lainey wanted me. There was no denying that. I had seen it in her eyes. She had wanted me to stay and help her strip from her damp clothes. Even when she knew that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from touching her.
But why did she want me to touch her? Because she wanted me as much as I wanted her or because I was here and she was feeling lost and needy. I understood fear. I knew it made people do things that they later regretted. I wanted to believe she wanted me because I was made for her but I couldn't be sure.
And I desperately wanted to be sure.
Standing out in the snowstorm, I sucked in lungfuls of icy breaths and tried to control my rapidly beating heart. I needed to get myself together. If I didn't then I would never get through the night.
A night I was about to spend alone with my mate.
It was both my wildest dream and worst nightmare all in one go.
If only Laineey knew the truth about me. If she knew what I really was then I could maybe let myself relax. We could talk and discuss what it meant to be my mate. But she didn't know. Her only experience with the preternatural community was with the dire wolves, The monsters of a bygone era who had kidnapped her and hurt her. I could tell her over and over again that I wasn't the same as them but would she believe me?
I couldn't risk her rejecting me.
“Ash?” Her voice was small, barely a whisper but it felt like she had whispered in my ear. I shivered and it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with her effect on me.
Turning on my heel I ducked my head back into the tent. My eyes found her straight away. She was back in the sleeping bag, which had been zipped up to her chin. Her wet clothes were in a pile by her side. I stared at the panties on top of the pile for a second and bit back a fresh groan. They were purple and lacy and I could clearly imagine how they would cup her round ass.
I shifted my weight and positioned my trousers so she couldn't see the hardening of my dick against my zipper.
“Warmer?” Reluctantly I tore my eyes away from those damn panties and settled them on her face. Any lust I had felt evaporated. There were tears on her cheeks. Drying and soon-to-be little icicles.
Falling to my knees I brushed them away. “You hurt yourself. You should have called me and I would have…..”
“You would have what?” She cut me off.
I shrugged. “Helped you. I don't like seeing you in pain, Lainey. It brings out my protective instincts.” I chuckled trying to lighten the mood. “Do you need more pain relief?” My eyes skirted away. Lainey was too close and we were so alone and never before had I seen lips as kissable and inviting as hers was.
There had been women in my life before. but none that had ever affected me like she did. Maybe it was because she was my mate but I knew I would want her even if she wasn't. Her curves, her smile, her bravery and her no-nonsense attitude. They all called to me. They made my dick hard and my dragon moan with longing.
“No, I'm just cold.” Lainey's bottom lip disappeared between her teeth.
“Lay down, I'll find something to go over the top of you. We will have you warm and….”
“Will you stay with me?”
Her words took me by surprise. “Of course, I'm not going anywhere. I’ll watch from the door or outside and you can sleep knowing that no one and nothing will disturb you.”
“No.” Her good hand reached for me. “Will you stay with me… in here. Will you hold me?” A blush crept up her cheeks in the darkness. “I heard that sharing body heat is good and….”
Swallowing hard, I studied her. Did she know what she was asking? “It is, skin to skin.”
“Then … I mean if you aren't comfortable.”
She was adorable in her uncertainty. I was certain that I wanted to slide my naked body into that sleeping bag with her. But I wasn't certain I could hide my arousal if I did. “It would mean me being naked in the same sleeping bag Lainey…both of us…” I didn't finish. Lainey didn't say a word to stop me. I just couldn't finish.
She wanted this. And It Made sense. We would share our body heat. As a dragon, I ran naturally hotter and she would need my heat.
“Turn your back, Lainey.” My hands reached for my fly.
For a second she stared up at me. A quizzical look drawing her eyebrows together. “Why?”
“So I can take my clothes off.” If we were going to do this, I wanted it to be in the least sexual way possible and having her eyes on me as I took my clothes off was going to make me instantly hard.
