Page 51 of Dragon Heir

“That’s dozens of people,” I fret.

“The palace guards are all in place.”

“What about that dragon in Ricoterra?” I ask. “I fought him. Sinetar joined, but he’s too crafty and smart to kill one of the Sun King’s kin. I don’t trust him.”

“We can trust everyone here to do what’s in their best interest,” he says. “If anyone alerted him, the Sun King will come to kill her before she can take the throne. But he’d also see all the dragons in Wysongue dead except him and his lineage if he gets his way. Only the ladies in waiting would survive, and they’d be nothing more than breeding mares for the Sun King’s army.” True glares into the sitting room, watching the firelight flicker.

I shudder. “I’m going to check on her.”

“Paxton…” True says, and I’m sure he’s going to stop me. But then he gives a curt nod. “Don’t do anything stupid. She needs you here, and you can’t protect her if you’re put to death for treason. And touching the princess is treason.”

As soon as I step inside the room, Vynessa opens her eyes and turns her face towards me, a sleepy smile on her face. That’s all it takes, one look at her state of bedtime disarray, one whiff of her vanilla and cinnamon sweetness, and there’s a stirring and tingling up my shaft.

“Come here,” she says, patting the edge of the bed.

“I shouldn’t.”

“That’s probably true,” she says, her voice blurred with sleep. “But will you?”

I glance at the door, knowing True is just on the other side. Knowing I’ll be in deep dragon-shit if he finds out.

“Please?” she asks with a pretty pout.

Without waiting for reason to take over, I dive for the bed, tackling Vynessa and rolling her over. She gives a little shriek, and I clamp a hand over her mouth. “Shhh,” I say, chuckling. “True’s right outside the door.”

Her eyes widen and she nods.

I remove my hand and smile down at her, rocking my hips gently against hers.

“As soon as you look at me, I’m hard for you.”

She slides her hands behind my neck. “I feel kind of self-conscious about what happened earlier in the washroom.”

“Why?” I ask, drawing back. “I’ve never been so turned on in my life. Just wish it had been me.”

“Me too,” she whispers. “Kiss me.”

Damn it, this is what I want too. I’ve been denying it too long, nearly my whole life. I’ve been resisting her, telling myself I’m just horny, other women are just as good. But I always knew I was meant for her, even as I know that I’m not meant for her. Only she thinks I am.

I can’t resist, though. Not when she’s squirming under me, her heat pulsing against my groin. She lifts her chin and closes her eyes in anticipation, a warm murmur of pleasure in her throat.

I let my lips meet hers.

A warm rush goes through me, straight to my groin. After all these years of being denied, I need more. I need to kiss her, to touch her, to claim her to her depths. My dragon is spitting fire inside me, spluttering and choking on the water I’m using to drown the word he’s trying to utter—Mine.

I press my hips more firmly to hers, and she parts her thighs, letting my body settle between them. Her heat burns along my body, inviting me in. I want to give her everything, but I know it’s not my place. For a second, I think of True out there. He might deny it, but I know he wants her as much as I do. He’d never let himself go this far though. He’s all self-control and stoic duty.

Vynessa follows the line of my gaze to the door. She bites her lip and looks up at me. “Do you think he’ll hear us?”

“No. Do you want him to?” I tease with a grin. “You didn’t seem to mind us watching you with Sinetar.”

My mirth leaves me in a rush when I realize that Vynessa might actually want True here now too. My chest aches at the thought. I know she cares about me, but I care for only her. I don’t know if she’s loved me as long as I’ve loved her, since we were children. Her feelings might be much more simple and recent, the same as she feels for True or Sinetar, both of whom she only met this year. It could be nothing more than her mating cycle hormones, her body’s biological call to be bred.

I can’t blame her. All the years we’ve known each other, I took refuge in other women’s beds, even while reserving my heart for her. It wasn’t fair to her or the other women, but at least they knew the truth. She never did.

She smacks my chest. “Stop teasing me.”

“Never.”