Chapter Forty-Two – The Dragon’s Favorite Strays
Chapter Forty-Two
DAKOTA
Sleeping with my daughter is out. Given that Murr is still on my heels, following me inside the building, I’m not about to go curl up with her…because what if he goes with me? I don’t think he would do anything to Rabbit, but I’m not about to put all of us into a weird situation.
So I grab the first blanket I see in Aggie and Dottie’s too-large pile of belongings and wrap it around myself, heading for the back of the store. It’s dark, so I move slowly, shuffling my feet and trying to recall where the piles of books are blocking the aisles. A cat meows nearby, answered by a soft rumble from Murr, and that tells me he’s yet following me.
No dragon form tonight, then? I wonder what’s changed…then I feel silly. Of course I know what’s changed. He nibbled on my hand and gave me hot eyes. That’s what’s changed. I can shut this down and send him away, let him know I’m not interested. But…I am interested.
I want to see where this goes, even if it’s a bad idea.
After I nearly trip over a folding metal chair, I realize where I am in the store. This is near the center desk, the large round station with the old broken computers on it. This is as good as any a spot to sleep tonight. I put my hand on the desk and follow it until I find the way inside, and push another stack of books out of the way. With that, I hunker down to the floor, settling in for the night. It’s not the most comfortable spot in the store, but if I kiss Murr, at least no one will see it.
Not that kisses are the expectation, of course.
It’s…just in case of kisses.
No sooner do I have the blanket wrapped around me then someone big and warm sits down next to me. He radiates heat, and even though I wasn’t cold a moment ago, I can’t help but gravitate towards that warmth. It’s just delicious.
“Dakotah,” he says, voice softer than I’ve ever heard it. “Sleep?”
“Soon.” I should go to sleep because dawn comes quickly, but with him right here next to me in his human form, my brain is anything but tired. “What was that we did? On the roof?”
There’s a long pause, and I feel silly. He’s not understanding what I’m asking.
Oh, fuck it. I’m tired of dancing around the situation. I turn towards him, leaning in. “Hey, Murr. Wanna kith?”
His answer is immediate. “Yes.”
With a nervous thrill, I lean in closer. I can feel him moving toward me. His nose brushes against my cheek, and a moment later, his lips press against my skin.
A cheek kiss.
Sweet, but not what I was asking for. Perhaps this is just him being mindful of boundaries. If I want more, I’m going to have to be specific. I reach out in the dark and find his face, touching his cheek. His hand covers mine, holding me to him. “Mouth kiss?”
The hungry sound he makes low in his throat sends a ripple of need right through me.
I turn slightly, my nose bumping against his, and this time I make sure our mouths line up. Our breaths mingle and we hover there for a moment, not quite touching. I know he’s waiting for me to go first. Even now, he’s being mindful and polite and I appreciate it so, so much. Maybe this is why I feel so safe with him – any time he could abuse his power, he chooses to hand it back to me instead.
So I kiss him.
I press my lips to his, feigning more confidence than I feel. It’s been almost a decade since I’ve kissed anyone, and I’ve never kissed a dragon man. He’s got sharp teeth that I’m very aware of, but the mouth on mine is soft and supple. He tastes like warmth with a hint of ash, a strange combination that works.
It reminds me that this is Murr. This is the incredibly fearsome dragon-man who lets kittens climb all over him and gives me cheek kisses because I’ve never indicated that I want more.
The kiss is slow and exploratory. At first it’s just lips, mine brushing over his in a greeting. Our mouths meet once, twice, a third time, and he makes another soft rumble in his throat. His hand goes to my shoulder, and then he pulls me ever so slightly closer. I slide my other hand to his neck, and as I do, I tilt my head to allow the kiss to go deeper. I part my lips more with every joining of our mouths, and when that no longer feels like enough, I brush my tongue against his.
He groans, so loud that I fear it’s going to wake everyone up.
I immediately jerk away, covering his mouth with my fingertips. “Murr, shh!” A wild giggle bubbles up inside me, and my lips feel tingly, like I’ve been kissing for hours. “Quiet.”
In response, he draws my fingertips to his lips and kisses them.
Oh, I am in such trouble.
