STORY EXCERPT

When Addison Black asked Ash if he wouldn’t mind spending time with him, Ash, a human with nothing going for him, used up already by other dragons, and knowing no one else was ever likely to have him, quickly said yes. He would like to spend time with the dragon.

Addison seemed to always be in a good mood. He never yelled at any of the other humans, never hit them, because Ash would have found out about that, and was always complimenting his and Tom’s cooking, so he had those things going for him.

He was good-looking enough, Ash supposed, not exactly his type, but humans weren’t allowed to have types.

Dragons chose them. Clothed them, fed them, and fucked them, and that was about it.

The only hope for any human to have was to not get mated off to someone who was a cruel prick.

Someone like Ian.

Ash’s former…well, current mate. The guy was still alive, and his bite was on Ash’s throat.

But Addison didn’t seem to mind that. He never brought it up on their walks together. He asked Ash what his favorite things were, and when Ash didn’t have an answer, he defaulted to anything Addison had claimed to like in the past.

Addison wasn’t rich, but he was a dragon. A dragon who owned his own garage and had a few employees, and from the sounds of things, food would never be an issue to anyone lucky enough to be mated to him.

He’d even said, out loud a few times, that he would never starve anyone who took him for a mate.

No, he wouldn’t be Ash’s choice. Ash didn’t want to choose anyone, but he didn’t want to be connected to Ian anymore either, and it was better to have a dragon who would be kind to him, who would tolerate his presence, than stay connected to a cruel master who beat him every time the mood struck him.

So he smiled at Addison’s stories. Shyly held his hand a time or two, marveling at how pleased Addison had seemed every time they had touched, and one night, when Addison touched his cheek and leaned in to kiss him, hesitating at the last moment, as though waiting for Ash to close the gap…

It did something to him.

Ash closed the gap. He’d kissed the man slowly and found that it wasn’t that bad. Addison…was a nice kisser, and Ash was sure from that moment on that he would be a kind master.

Which was how he found himself joining hands with a very pleased-looking Addison as they listened to the prayer that would mark them as mates.

“Addison, do you swear to take this human under your wing, to guide him in life and flight, to correct his missteps with grace and integrity?”

Alexander, the dragon reading from the book, looked apologetic as he read out the line.

Ash didn’t mind. He smiled softly at the guy, grateful he would even feel sad about that sort of phrasing at all, even though Ash himself didn’t see anything wrong with it.

“I do,” Addison said, beaming, holding Ash’s hands tightly.

Ash couldn’t help but feel a thrill of adrenaline and excitement.

Addison wanted to do this. Addison wanted to take him as his mate. To protect him and care for him.

Even if the guy didn’t love him and likely never would, he was so much more than Ash could have ever hoped for.

He was lucky to be here, and he wasn’t about to screw this up.

Alexander cleared his throat. Off to the side, Tom and Bax also grinned at him. Tom sent him a quick thumbs up.

Another human formerly mated to that prick Ian. Someone who had fallen in love with a good dragon. He and Baxter were only in this room to act as witnesses, but they seemed pleased.

They were also stupidly in love. It was enough to make Ash gag sometimes.

He glanced up into Addison’s adoring hazel eyes.

They really were pretty.

Maybe…with time…

No, he couldn’t let himself hope for that. Best to just get through the day.

ADULT EXCERPT

Addison inhaled a deep breath when Ash’s fingers grazed over his nipples, and he shivered and groaned.

Something came alive and roared inside him. Ash was the one who made Addison make that sound. Ash was the one giving his dragon this pleasure.

And Addison’s kisses and touches were still so nice. They were firm without being frightening.

Taking without taking.

He wasn’t making sense, even to himself, but Ash was suddenly struck with the desperate need to fall to his knees and have Addison’s cock in his mouth.

Addison was so kind to him. He was such a kind dragon, and he’d chosen Ash, and Ash wanted to make him feel good.

So, he got to his knees, unbuckling Addison’s belt and helping the man with the button and fly of his jeans.

“Wish…Wish I’d worn something better for you.”

Ash glanced up at him, not understanding.

Addison smiled and shrugged. “Feel like this could’ve been better for you.”

“Better?”

“Like I didn’t put in enough effort.”

What the fuck was he talking about?

Ash glanced around him, at the tiny single-room cabin they were in, the pretty lights, the soft bed, his belly still uncomfortably full from all the food Addison had been feeding him.

And a surge of warmth filled him for this man.

Maybe he really could let himself trust him. Let himself adore the man.

Not love him. That was something he didn’t think he could ever do, but if Addison kept talking like this, Ash might not have a choice.

“You’ve done so much.” He pulled down Addison’s pants and boxers, the male’s hard cock springing forward and up.

Healthy and thick, and for the first time in a long time, Ash was looking forward to taking someone into his mouth.

“You’re doing amazing so far.”

Addison’s hazel eyes softened. “Yeah?”

Ash kissed the male’s thighs, taking his dick in hand and giving it a gentle stroke. “Yeah.”

He’d never had to comfort a dragon before, but he supposed there was a first time for everything, and he didn’t mind this. Not for Addison.

He kissed the head of Addison’s dick, loving the way the male sighed, his cock jumping in Ash’s hand.

Nothing scary about this. He didn’t get all red in the eyes and start grabbing at Ash.

He looked like he was waiting for Ash to take control.

So he did it again, another kiss, another lick to the crown before Ash wet his lips and let them slide down and around the head of his cock.

Addison moaned low in his throat, his big hands resting in Ash’s short hair.

But he wasn’t holding Ash in place or yanking his mouth down hard.

There was no way Ash would be able to deep throat him. Addison was definitely too big for that, so Ash was stupidly glad the other man was allowing him to breathe the way he wanted.

To move at his own pace.

“Please,” Addison begged. “Oh, honey, please.”

No one had ever called him honey before. It was too soft a pet name.

Ash liked it.

He hallowed his cheeks and tightened his lips, but Ash was still forced to use his hands on the base of Addison’s thick cock, stroking where he couldn’t reach.

Ash pulled back, licking his palm to give just the right amount of wetness, and went back to lovingly sucking on the head of Addison’s dick.