She eyed his pants. “You next.”

  He got off of her and stood next to the bed, shedding his pants easily and grabbing a condom from a pocket.

  He moved to the end of the bed and grabbed the bottom of her jeans as she unbuttoned them, jerking them off of her in one smooth motion.

  He was so much stronger than she’d ever imagined.

  She was only in her panties, and he was in his boxer briefs, showing off powerful thighs and well-shaped calves.

  Was every single part of him perfect?

  As he came over her, holding her, she decided he was, because all signs pointed to the fact that she was in love with him.

  She kept the thought deep in her heart because she wasn’t ready to reach down and touch it.

  He hooked a hand in her panties and pulled them gently off her, slowing things slightly between them. She pulled hungrily at his boxer briefs, and he pulled them down and kicked out of them.

  Then he was magnificently naked before her, kneeling as if ready to service her but with that dominant gleam in his eyes that told her it was about to be a hell of a night.

  “Citrine,” she murmured, reaching her hands out to him.

  But before she could grab him, he sat back, hooked his arms under her legs, and tossed them over his muscular shoulders so his mouth was situated wickedly over her core.

  He licked her right down her center, and she shuddered.

  “Wait. You said you’d give me what I wanted.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t what you wanted?” His tongue played again, and she got achingly wet almost instantly at the soft but rough touch. “Mmm,” he said. “Tasty.”

  “Stop,” she said, covering her face and blushing furiously. “You can’t be—”

  “Oh, but I am,” he said, giving her a long lick again. This time his tongue lingered and traced a slow circle around her before dipping slightly in.

  She shuddered and gasped, jerking but unable to move much with her legs lifted over him.

  Why did he have to be so tall?

  He grinned. “That’s right,” he said, closing a hand over each of her knees, holding them down on his shoulders. “You’re not getting away. Not until I’ve tasted every bit of you.”

  She felt her eyes roll back in her head as his tongue dipped in again, sliding against her and diving deeper before coming up to swirl at her nub.

  “Citrine, oh my hell—you freaking—”

  “Heaven, you mean?” he asked, giving her a wicked grin as he paused the action for a moment. He kept eye contact with her as he slowly flicked his tongue out again. The sight of it was hot, but the feel of it was fire, and she felt the tension kick over in her as she went over the edge, unable to fall because he was holding her, unable to run because she was caught in his arms.

  Her pleasure caught up with her love, making a painful, potent mixture, so she focused on her arousal, the sheer chemistry between them, and the heat in his eyes as he began to lick her again.

  He was relentless, forcing her to come again and again as she cried out, twisting her hands in the sheets as she flailed on the bed against a pleasure that was almost too hard to control.

  “Citrine, I can’t—”

  “You can,” he said hoarsely, licking once more, glaring with those hot ember eyes as his tongue pushed her off another ledge, free-falling into indescribable pleasure.

  When she was limp with need, achy from orgasm, he slowly released her legs and lowered her to the bed in front of him, letting her catch her breath.

  She didn’t know how anyone was supposed to breathe with this man around.

  “Holy crap, that was… that was—”

  He kissed her on the lips, silencing further words, and she smiled before opening her mouth, inviting him in deeper. She would never be tired of his kiss.

  “Amazing,” he said, pulling back breathlessly, looking down at her.

  She’d tasted him, tasted her own essence on him, yet somehow it was the hottest thing in the world. It made the wolf in her howl, and she knew it was going to be so hard not to want him to claim her tonight.

  “Citrine,” she said, arching back on the bed in invitation, letting him look over her breasts, her belly, her hips, her face, and then his eyes darted to the place they would come together. The place he’d just licked every part of. And it felt as though the room lit on fire.

  He grabbed for the condom, clumsily unwrapped it, and then held it between his lips as he reached for her legs. He put a hand on each knee and spread her, and she felt herself grow even wetter at the dominant movement.

  No matter what happened tomorrow, she felt deep inside that she was his woman and he was her man. For now, she would just revel in it.

  He knelt between her legs abruptly and, with a deep breath, lifted her hips with his thighs and pushed into her. The movement brought him close to her, and she looked into his eyes as he slid into her tight sheath, bringing them fully together.

  The feeling was indescribable. She’d been so hot, relaxed and ready, yet she was still so tight around him, not a single space left. She felt she was already bursting with pleasure, like she couldn’t have a happier moment in this world.

  And then, just as she thought she’d calmed herself and got her feelings under control, he began to move.

  Holy shit, how did he do that? How did he make it feel as if the whole earth was shaking just with a move of his hips? As he slid slowly out, she bit her lip, waiting in frustration for him to come back in, for them to be one. As he slammed forward into her, feeling even deeper, she moaned.

  It felt so good, and though each movement was exquisite, as he continued to move, the sensation that was slowly growing stronger and stronger took even more of her focus.

  Pressure. Pleasure. Love. Fear of tomorrow. It all tangled together as they pumped together toward a mutual conclusion. When she went, she wanted him to go with her, and so she locked her legs around him and ground her hips into his, pushing them as close together as possible, enjoying that tight, hard seal and the feeling that she didn’t know where either of them ended.

  The feeling of being one but with something huge building around them.

  It was so close to heaven she knew only one thing could be closer, and they couldn’t have it for now.

  But as she flung herself up, gripping her arms around his neck, continuing to thrust against him, taking him in over and over, hearing his breaths increase in desperation, she knew this was enough.

  He would always be enough. She could never stand to lose him.

  “Citrine,” she said. And she wanted to tell him she loved him. But as she felt the coil go tight inside her and all her muscles locked up and then exploded, she forgot all conscious thought and just went crazy in his arms.

  Waves of sensation washed through her, searing her with relief and pleasure as she felt him jerk, saying her name tenderly against her ear as he joined her in heaven, rocking his body against her in the throes of release.

  She managed to focus on him long enough to see his huge body tightening, the overwhelmed expression on his face as he lost himself inside her. As her sex clenched around him.

  She couldn’t think of anything more perfect than this moment in his arms.

  Slowly, slowly, her heart stopped pounding, and she relaxed against the mattress, her hands still loosely wrapping his shoulders.

  His face was glowing with sweat and exertion, and there was a calm tenderness in his expression now that he’d had his release. Watching him go had been something beautiful. Had made her even more sure of her feelings than ever before.

  He rolled off of her and went into the bathroom, and she heard water running as he cleaned off. When he came out, he was wiping his face and had a clean towel wrapped around his waist.

  “I can’t believe we just did that with me still sweaty from fighting,” he said, walking over to the bed casually.

  She sat up, reaching for him to come into her arms. “I like a male who can work up a good sweat.”

  He got on the bed and curled around her, spooning her from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around her with a growl.

  “You make me feel safe,” she said with a sigh. “I like it.”

  He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, and she shivered as a still-lit nerve twitched. “I like that you like it.” He propped himself up on an elbow to look down at her. “You’ll always be safe with me.”

  She rolled onto her back to look up at him. She reached for a sheet, and he helped pull it over her, despite looking slightly disappointed that he could no longer see her breasts.

  But for what she wanted to talk about, she didn’t really want to be totally naked.

  “Citrine,” she said. “I…”

  He smiled at her lazily, dark hair mussed, lips slightly swollen from kisses, body still glowing from sex. “I like it when you say my name.”

  “Citrine, we have to talk about tomorrow.”

  He frowned, let out a huff, and rolled onto his back, pulling the sheet over himself as well. “What is there to talk about? After what we just did, you should be all relaxed and ready for bed, not worried about tomorrow.”

  “I know,” she said. “But I just…” Sex with him had only made her more aware of the feelings she’d had while watching him fight.

  She couldn’t stand if something happened to him. Especially if it was her fault, because he was doing all of this for her. Because he wouldn’t be here facing Bryson if it weren’t for her.

  He was everything to her right now, and that was why she had to do something to help him. To make sure he wasn’t hurt.

  “Citrine, there’s something you should know about Bryson…”

  He sat up abruptly, pulling the sheets up around his waist as if he felt suddenly vulnerable. “No,” he said. “I don’t need any unfair advantage against him. You should have more faith in me than that.”

  “No, I mean, I know you’re strong, Citrine, but you don’t understand.”

  His mouth flattened into a hard line. “So even after this week, even after what we just did together, you still don’t trust me to protect you?”

  No, she just wanted to protect him.

  “I have kept my powers secret, and Bryson is allowed to keep his. I don’t need an unfair advantage to beat him. My mate should be the first person to believe that.”

  “Why are you so stubborn?” she asked. “How are you so sure that you can beat him? You don’t know anything about him.” She shook her head. “I can’t stand for you to get hurt.”

  He stood, getting out of the bed and grabbing for his clothes, putting them on hastily. “I can’t stand for you to be thinking I’ll get hurt,” he said, and she could tell she had genuinely bothered him.

  But how was she supposed to just sit by when she could give him a better chance at winning?

  She supposed she’d always known this was how he’d react to her information, and that was why she hadn’t brought it up before.

  But she’d rather hurt his pride by helping him than let something happen to the man she loved.

  Chapter 14

  Citrine stared at the woman he’d just spent the best moments of his life with, forcing himself not to read her mind while dealing with the fact that she somehow truly didn’t trust him.

  She’d let him inside her, let him please her, yet she thought so little of him?

  She was his mate. She was his everything. He didn’t need any help to protect her. He would prove that with everything he had. He was a dragon. A strong one. And even collared, he could take on a wolf.

  He supposed he just felt extra vulnerable because they’d just made love, because he had felt finally as if she’d fully accepted him, and he’d finally felt fully understood.

  But despite his display before, despite showing her his strength, she still thought he would get his ass handed to him. Even though Citrine had been underestimated a million times before, this time it stung like no other.

  He sat on the corner of the bed, pulling his pants on. As he was pulling his shirt over his head, he heard her clear her throat. He finished pulling his shirt down and looked over at her.

  “I’m sorry, Citrine. I wasn’t trying to hurt your feelings.”

  Oh hell, it was only getting worse. Now she was pitying him. A minute ago, he’d felt powerful, like a trusted protector. Now he felt useless in her eyes.

  He’d spent all his time here trying to prove himself to her, but if he hadn’t by now, he didn’t suppose he was going to.

  It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want knowledge about Bryson. It was that it hurt his pride as a man that she thought he needed it.

  “Citrine, if I think you’re in trouble tomorrow, I’m going to help you,” she said. “I wanted to tell you in advance so you’re not surprised if it happens.”

  His jaw dropped as he looked back at her. Had she seriously just said she would get in the middle of his fight?

  “Listen,” he said sharply, hearing an unfamiliar rasp in his voice as he stomped to her side of the bed and pointed a finger at her. “Don’t you dare interfere in my battle. If you were hurt…” He turned away, wanting to hide any emotion.

  What had he done to make her think he was so helpless? He couldn’t think of anything that would make it seem he would need a third party, especially the mate he was in love with, to interfere in his fight.

  Not that he didn’t want her as a partner. He was sure she was strong. He admired and respected that about her. But this was his battle. His chance to show her who he was. He’d thought she would at least have some hope of him winning.

  “What are you thinking?” Robbie asked nervously, and he hated this was bothering her. “You’re taking this all wrong.”

  “How am I supposed to take it?” he asked, whirling around on her, shoving a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. “The woman I’m fighting for doesn’t believe in me.”

  “It’s not that I don’t believe in you, as I said,” she said fiercely, unwilling to let the topic go. “It’s that Bryson—”

  “I don’t want to hear it,” he snapped tersely. “Bryson this. Bryson that. Bryson is so strong. Bryson is destiny.” His lips turned up in a cruel grimace. “Why isn’t Bryson the one in your bed, then?”

  Her brows lowered angrily. “That’s a low blow.”

  He knew it was, but he was a little bit tired of being perfect, polite Citrine. All that led to was his mate thinking he was weak and needed to be protected even in a very important battle.

  “I don’t get why you’re taking this so personally,” she said softly. “I’m just worried that—”

  “I get it,” he said, putting up a hand and taking a deep breath. The dragon was roaring inside him, and he slowly forced it to quiet as he pushed all his feelings aside.

  He couldn’t do this right now. Couldn’t get worked up about her lack of belief in him, because he needed to rest and stay focused for the fight of his life.

  Up until now, he honestly hadn’t worried about the fight tomorrow, knowing fate would find a way. He was a dragon after all, the top of the food chain, along with maybe lions, and he didn’t think any wolf could ever win.

  But now, with her sitting there staring at him, worrying her lip with her teeth, not backing down from her stance even when she saw it infuriated him, he felt apprehensive for the first time.

  How could he believe in himself when she didn’t?

  Well, from his parents to the oracle to many others, Citrine had often been misunderstood. There was power inside him, and he wasn’t allowed to show it, and he always had to stay in control. Someday, he felt it would all burst out of him, no matter how hard he tried.

  Moments like this made him feel like it anyway.

  “Would you have felt better if I were a jerk like Bryson?” he asked. “Willing to rampage and always take what I want?” He could even think of other dragons like that, and he’d never wanted to be one of them. He’d always seen himself above petty displays of uncontrolled emotion.

  Now look where that got him.

  “No,” she said, shaking her head and getting out of bed to go to him. “You’re perfect as you are. And as I saw earlier, you’re a great fighter. Look, I don’t know why you’re taking this so badly, but I’m just trying to help—”

  He backed away from her, keeping one hand up as a shield. His other hand ran through his hair roughly, making his scalp sore. “It’s been a stressful week,” he said softly, letting the tension drain out of his shoulders. “And I have a big event tomorrow, for which I need to be ready.” He heard the formal note in his voice and hated the distance there, but right now he needed it.

  Her expression fell. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  He knew she was trying to be helpful, but each word just felt like another blow to him. “Good night, Robbie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  And hopefully prove to her once and for all that he wasn’t as weak as she obviously thought he was.

  Robbie woke up the day of the fight feeling terrible about the way she’d made Citrine feel.

  Why couldn’t he understand that just as he wanted her to be safe, she wanted him to be safe, too? He meant everything to her, and she’d just meant to try and help, but somehow she’d screwed everything up so they couldn’t even spend the night before the fight holding each other.

  She didn’t blame him. She supposed it did seem like a lack of faith in him, but truthfully, she knew things about wolf culture that he didn’t.

  Did he even realize just how incredible certain alpha powers could be? There was a huge difference between normal wolf shifters and the rulers of their packs. Depending on the bloodline, the powers could be truly incredible, and if Citrine was caught off guard…

  She wrapped her arms around herself and tried not to shiver at the thought of any harm coming to him.

  After she’d started to love him, after she’d spent so much time in his arms, allowed herself to build hopes and dreams with him, it would absolutely kill her if he got hurt.

  She got dressed slowly, body aching from a stressful night of tossing and turning, and looked in her mirror.