Loved by a Dragon (Mate Me Book 1)

7

A hookup? How could she be so stupid? Someone as hot as Xander couldn't possibly be interested in her for anything more. He only pulled the mate card to have sex with her. Thank goodness for his brother Rhett, or she might have had sex with him.

"What happened?" Evelyn asked once they were back home. She had changed out of her dress into a pair of soft shorts and a tank top. When Roxie begged to leave she had gone without asking questions, now she wanted an answer.

"You know that guy Xander Austin?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He told me we were mates just to get me to have sex with him in the manager's office." Roxie stripped off her dress, tossing it into a heap on the floor. She slipped into a pair of black leggings and an extra-large t-shirt.

"How do you know?" Evelyn asked.

"His brother interrupted, he wanted Xander to come back and mingle with other people. His brother said, see you and your hookup soon." Roxie stormed into the kitchen and pulled out a pint of ice cream, mint chocolate chip, her favorite, and dropped onto the couch.

"Maybe his brother was wrong? Maybe you are mates. Is there something about him you feel?" Evelyn took a spoon to her own pint of ice cream.

"There was this pull when we made eye contact, I felt at peace. As if he was the one I was meant to be with. When he touched me, my body tingled and the kiss we shared. Best. Kiss. Ever!" Roxie gushed. She thought back to the twenty minutes she'd spent in the office with Xander. Never, when she was with Mitchell did she feel the same desire rage through her body like when she'd been with Xander. Xander made her heart race, her body heat with lust, she wanted to let him make love to her.

"Sounds like there might be something between you two? Why not find out? It could be the start of something amazing." Evelyn pointed out, licking her spoon.

"No, I told you, I don't want another husband who will pass me up when he tires of me." Roxie shook her head and stood up.

"I'm going to paint and sleep all day tomorrow."

"Paint well, see you around dinnertime. Put your phone on silent so no one can disturb you." Evelyn gave her a comforting hug.

"Night Evvy." Roxie disappeared into her room, put her phone on silent, and took out her paints. Once set up, she put her headphones on and connected to her music player through Bluetooth. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let her imagination take her away. Tonight, she was starting a fresh piece of the Grand Canyon on a cloudy day. She felt gloomy after a disappointing night and threw herself into her work painting well into the morning.

By the time she was done, her clock read nine am. She'd worked ten hours straight. Setting her brushes aside, she inspected her work. The sky was a dark stormy, grayish purple, casting down onto the burnt orange rocks. She'd added several burros with packs attached descending into the canyon, their riders unseen. She would add more details once her base had dried completely. Looking down at her hands, they were covered in paint, along with her tank top. She tried to wear an apron, but found it got in her way more than helped protect her clothing. She had a specific set of tops and bottoms in which to paint.

"Roxie, I don't want to disturb you, but you have a visitor," Evelyn's voice carried through the door. She never bothered her unless it was important, so she stretched and padded out of her room. She knew she must look a mess with paint everywhere and her hair piled on top of her head. Stopping short, she caught sight of Xander holding two coffee cups and a pastry bag.

"No." Roxie turned to go back to her room. She did not want to see him, to feel things for him, to cave if he asked her out.

"Please, just give me a chance to explain." Xander chased her down the hall, his footsteps heavy.

"How did you find me? What is there to explain? You are a hot model, while I'm a fat cow. We both know I would have just been another notch on your belt. There is no future here with me and you." She marched into her room gathering brushes to clean.

"You are not a FAT COW! You are an amazing, sexy woman with a body that drives me insane. I couldn't sleep after the way we left things last night. I found you because Josie believes in mates. Please let me take you on a true date, one where we can get to know each other?" Holding dirty brushes she walked around her easel, using it as a barrier.

"How do I know this isn't just to make me think you aren't an ass?" She planted a hand on her hip and huffed. He looked so good in another tight-fitting shirt, this time with a superhero on the front. He wore a pair of faded jeans torn at one knee and his hair had been left disheveled as if he had been running his hands through it.

"That is part of it, but you are my mate and I want you." Xander set the cups and bag down on her dresser and strode across the room. She stared at him, her body warming with desire. He was almost half a foot taller than her, which made her feel short, not something she'd experienced often.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. He plucked the brushed from her hands.

"Proving what a desirable woman, you are." He pulled her flush against him and kissed her. He didn't wait for permission but pushed his tongue into her mouth. She clung to his chest, bunching his shirt in her fists. He was overwhelming her senses; she could only hold on and enjoy the sensations coursing through her. Her arms moved up to wrap around his neck, her fingers slipping into the hair at the nape of his neck. She dueled tongues with him, heating up the kiss, his scent filled her nostrils making her panties wet. He pulled back and pressed her against the wall, his chest flush against hers.

"Can you feel what you do to me?" She felt the pounding of his heart and the long bar of his erection against her belly.

"I did that?"

...

How could she not know what she did to him? All he wanted to do was to push her onto the bed and make love to her.

"Yes, I want to strip you down, put my face between your legs, and taste you. I want to hear you scream out my name when you orgasm, your juices on my tongue." He kissed her once more pushing himself against her again. He hooked his hands under her thighs and lifted her effortlessly. She wrapped her legs around his waist, his erection pushing at her entrance. He kissed down to the sensitive spot on her collarbone, drawing out a deep moan from her plump lips.

"You feel amazing Roxie." His dragon pushed for him to mate her before she got away again.

"Roxie?" Evelyn called, throwing a mental bucket of ice water on their make-out session. He groaned at the interruption, placing his forehead against hers, his breathing uneven.

"Your parents are here!" Evelyn hissed through the door and Roxie froze in his arms. He lowered her to the floor and she asked,

"Stay here, please! My parents are very conservative and will balk at me if they see you." She threw on a robe hiding her tattoos, something in her panicked voice had him nodding his agreement. She rushed past Evelyn out to the living room.

"Just a warning, her ex-husband did a number on her. She is going to take some time being convinced she is good enough." Evelyn walked away, leaving him to listen to Roxie talk to her parents and mull over the fact she had an ex-husband.

Don't forget to vote and leave your comments!