Brad managed to get out, “My dragon’s coming out,” before his beast pushed to the front of his mind and put Brad behind a mental barrier. If he truly needed to break free, he could. But Brad knew his beast needed to claim Tasha as much as the human half did.
So his beast pulled out of Tasha, flipped her onto her stomach, and raised her hips into the air. The slightly deeper voice of his dragon said, “You’re mine. I’m going to claim you, over and over, until you know you’re mine.”
Tasha looked over her shoulder and merely smiled. “No arguments here.”
With a roar, his beast plunged into her pussy and thrust hard. No gentle touches or build up with his dragon. It was just raw desire, lust, and a driving need to fill her until she carried their child.
By the time his dragon came, making Tasha cry out with another orgasm, Brad found his opening and took charge again.
And so it went, day after day, with only minimal breaks, as both man and beast sated their most basic desire to truly claim their mate.
Chapter Twelve
In the weeks after Brad had told Tasha she was finally pregnant—something that was still sinking in—she did her best to learn as much as she could about dragon-shifters so she could fit in on StoneRiver.
Megan and one of the teachers she’d been working with—Brianna—were the people she was closest with on StoneRiver. Ashley came to visit when she could, and Tasha had even met the two non-ADDA-related humans from PineRock who were mated to dragon-shifters, Ryan and Tori.
All in all, she was adjusting. However, today was a special day, and she couldn’t help but pace the living room as she waited for Brad to come downstairs.
He finally descended dressed in a suit but no tie, and her mouth fell open.
Yes, he was delicious naked. But something about the fit of the dark suit made him even sexier, if that were possible.
He chuckled. “Don’t drool on yourself, love. We don’t have time for you to change if we’re to be on time for the groundbreaking ceremony.”
Right, the ceremony signaling a true beginning to her new life. Well, at least another one added to the dragon-shifter husband and a half-dragon baby on the way.
She closed her mouth and cleared her throat. “Would you rather I pretend I didn’t find you irresistible in that outfit?” She gave him one of her heated gazes. “Because it could be nice if you kept it on later and let me peel it away slowly.”
His eyes flashed rapidly, and the corner of her mouth ticked up. It was getting easier and easier to provoke his dragon, in a good way of course. Maybe some found the two personalities weird, but she liked how it kept her on her toes.
Tasha walked up to Brad, placed a hand on his chest, and whispered into his ear, “Do you need a moment to tame the beast before we go out?”
He sighed. “Stop calling my dick the beast.”
She laughed. “It’s too much fun.” Leaning back to meet his gaze, she noticed his lips twitching and added, “Besides, you like me teasing you. The quicker you embrace it and stop trying to deny it, the sooner you can up your game for comebacks.”
He smiled as he stroked her cheek. “I’m working on it.”
“My offer still stands—I can give you a few classes on the subject.”
“I’m merely biding my time, Tasha. So when I come out swinging, you’ll know.”
She grinned at the promise in his words. And as they stared at one another, joy, happiness, and something she’d been trying to hold back rushed through her body.
She’d realized a few days ago that she loved Brad, but she hadn’t said the words yet. Partly because she didn’t want to ruin the groundbreaking for her new business by having tension between them if he didn’t feel the same. But also because she knew he’d been hurt deeply before and she didn’t want to appear to rush him.
Brad was the first to move, placing his hand over her lower abdomen, a reminder that a part of him and a part of her was there, growing by the day. He murmured, “And remember, my top priority is protecting you and the baby. Witty remarks won’t scare off an enemy. Once things calm down, I can relax a little more.”
Tasha sobered a fraction, placing her hand over his and squeezing slightly in reassurance. “You can do both, Brad. Besides, the lawyers have backed off, and it appears the League has as well. I’m tainted goods now, after all. So they’ll leave us alone.”
She’d learned that once a human woman was pregnant with a dragon-shifter child, the League transferred their efforts to those humans who could still be “saved” and shown the light.
Which was fine with her.
Brad growled. “You’re not tainted. You’re fucking perfect.”
She smiled and placed her free hand on his cheek. “You’re so much sweeter than you let on most of the time.” He merely grunted, and she couldn’t help but give him a quick kiss. “It’s okay, you can be sweet with me. I won’t tell anyone about the yellow ruffled apron. You can be the big badass to the world.”
Brad pulled her against his body and cupped her cheek with one hand. “Your opinion matters the most. I never want to hide from you, Tasha Jenkins. I love you and will fight every day to show you how much I do.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Had he really just said that? “You love me?”
He held her even tighter against him. “Yes, I do. And if I need to prove it to you over and over again, until it’s undeniable, then I will. You’re my mate and my future, Tasha. I love you.”
Brad’s words were exactly what she needed to hear. “I love you, too, Brad. I know it’s been rushed, and even two months ago you barely said two words to me, but so much has changed. We balance each other, I think. And I have never trusted anyone as much as I trust you. The thought of being by your side, raising our child, and watching as we encourage human-dragon relations at our bar and restaurant is simply perfect. I love you.”
With a growl, he took her lips in a rough kiss, his tongue sliding between her lips and slowly devouring her mouth. Tasha held onto him tightly, doing her best to kiss him back, the pair of them fighting to show who loved the other more.
Which was perfect and just how their life would be. And Tasha wouldn’t have it any other way.
Epilogue
About One Year Later
Brad checked on his napping daughter against his shoulder and was amazed that she was still asleep despite the grand opening.
It was almost as if she knew how important today was for her mom and wasn’t going to ruin it.
His dragon snorted. She is barely three months old. I doubt she worries about more than eating, sleeping, and pooping at this point.
Just because she can’t talk doesn’t mean she can’t sense things. Any daughter of Tasha’s is going to be extraordinary.
He lightly brushed Mia’s cheek and smiled. At one point, he never thought he’d be a father, let alone have a mate. And now? He couldn’t imagine life without both his females.
And even though dragon-shifter populations skewed male, maybe he’d have another daughter soon, too. He and Tasha had talked about trying for another child once her bar and restaurant was up and running.