STORY EXCERPT

At first, Morgan didn’t think he would want another mate. Even if taking one would mean his connection to Ian, an abusive dragon who liked to lord over his harem of humans would be broken.

At first, he thought that.

Then he met Conrad, and something stirred alive inside him he didn’t know existed.

Maybe that part of him fell asleep, hibernating as a means of keeping safe from his own mate.

Watching Conrad work up a sweat, even though there was actual snow outside, made Morgan’s heart flutter.

He was pretty sure he’d been washing this same spot on this same window for the past ten minutes now, staring out into the field of white as Conrad held his own against Alex, the clan leader, and Peter.

Conrad swiftly ducked out of the way of an oncoming punch, red wings suddenly sprouting from his back as he used them to push Peter back.

Inwardly, Morgan gave off a little cheer, watching him, rooting for him to win.

Peter landed on his ass, though he laughed as he sprung back up as swift and gracefully as though nothing happened at all.

Dragons could be so rough with each other. A punch from Peter could probably put a hole in a stone wall, could really break a few human bones.

Even kill a human.

Not for them. Dragons were always taller, stronger, more powerful.

It was just the way of things. Conrad was shorter than the other dragons around him at only six feet and eight inches, but he towered over Morgan when the guy slouched.

Dragons were always so much taller than humans. Morgan had heard of humans who could get that tall and even once met a guy who was six feet, two inches, but never anyone taller than that.

He. Couldn’t. Stop. Staring.

Conrad put his wings away, the red bat-like shapes melting into his back as he clapped hands with Peter.

James and Adrian were out there going at it. Adrian was still learning how to take hits without affecting his mate, which was noble of him.

Tom and Benny suddenly appeared, bundled up in their thick, warm winter coats while their dragon mates were still practically naked.

Stupid dragons and being all cold-blooded. They were so cool.

So free.

Neither Benny nor Tom had any food trays with them. They worked the kitchens in this massive house, so they were clearly calling the four males inside for food.

Humans typically ate three times a day.

If they were lucky.

Dragons needed more than that.

Bigger meals. More portions. More everything.

All those calories they burned from flying and fighting and just existing.

And Conrad grinned so brightly when Benny walked right up to him, hugging him first, before turning to his mate and kissing Peter on the mouth.

Benny’s baby bump was getting bigger, noticeable from here, and Conrad was going to make an excellent uncle to the young one when it came.

He looked at his brother with pride.

And his brother-in-law with tolerance.

Then Conrad was looking toward Morgan’s window.

Morgan immediately turned away.

Did Conrad see him? Not likely. There was enough distance that making out any details through glass would be difficult.

At least, he assumed so.

The absolutely last thing in the world Morgan wanted was to be caught staring like that.

It was…gross. He was gross.

Older and used up. Why the hell any decent dragon would want him, he had no idea.

ADULT EXCERPT

"Are you fucking kidding me?”

At least, that’s what it sounded like he said. It was difficult for Conrad to know for sure when Morgan had his face pressed into the bed like that.

“Not joking. No coming and no touching yourself.”

He took a risk, hardening his voice just a touch, reminding himself that Morgan wanted this a little rougher.

“I mean it.”

Morgan shivered, and he nodded. “O-okay.”

“Good.” Conrad stoked his hands over Morgan’s waist and lower back. “Yell out for me to stop if it gets to be too much.”

It seemed important that he get that part in. He didn’t want Morgan thinking that stopping wasn’t going to happen if he asked for it.

“Morgan? Did you hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” Conrad tightened his fingers over the man’s hips. “Then say it. Now.”

“I…” Morgan swallowed, trembling. “I’ll tell you to stop if it’s too much, but I really don’t think it’s going to be too much.”

That wasn’t exactly what Conrad meant, but so long as Morgan understood there was an off button to this, then he would be all right.

So he went back to work.

And what a lovely job it was when his mate moaned and shivered so sweetly for him.

“Don’t you dare come,” Conrad commanded, seeing the lust blowing up in Morgan’s eyes. “Not until I say you can.”

“Oh God.”

Conrad paid close attention to what he did. He was aware that Morgan’s cock was rock hard, dripping with pre-cum, Conrad could smell it, but Morgan, to his credit, did his absolute best not to touch himself.

Though his hand clenched and unclenched again and again with the desire to.

Conrad was tempted to curl his fist around his own dick and just start stroking while he licked and kissed around Morgan’s rim, but that wouldn’t be fair.

If Morgan couldn’t touch himself, then Conrad wouldn’t either.

Not yet.

He hardened his tongue and pushed it inside.

Morgan arched his back, moaning, and knowing what was about to happen, Conrad reached up, gently taking Morgan’s dick in hand, clenching with just enough pressure to stop him from reaching that climax.

“Oh fuck, oh God, I need…I need…”

Morgan tried to remove Conrad’s hand, but Conrad refused to be budged, and there really wasn’t much Morgan could do about it.

Not without being too rough, and no one wanted to be rough with their own dick.

Conrad pulled back, pressing soft kisses to the inside of Morgan’s thighs, licking him, tasting his skin and sweat as he panted for breath and tried fucking into Conrad’s hand.

Christ, was he ever sensitive.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Conrad moaned, kissing the head of Morgan’s cock, then the side of it, just because he could, knowing it was driving Morgan crazy to not be able to do anything about it. “You’re so fucking gorgeous like this.”

“Oh fuck, please.” Morgan shot his hands into his dark hair, fisting it tightly. “Please.”

Conrad would prefer to draw this out a little while longer, but his cock and balls were starting to hurt.

Morgan moaned and begged so sweetly for him that for all Conrad’s desire to assert his control, he could not.

Not when Morgan stared at him with those lust-blown eyes, half lidded, pink lips slightly parted as he panted for breath.

Conrad leaned in, still holding on to Morgan’s cock as he kissed Morgan’s pink nipples.

Humans were always so warm.

Conrad wanted to wrap himself around Morgan and start purring like a cat napping before an open fireplace.

He was about to get something much better.

He hadn’t come here empty-handed, after all, and the bottle of lube he’d brought for just this occasion was close by.

“Whatever you need, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you.”

“Good care?”

The way Morgan asked, how his voice wobbled, and not just from the lust he felt…

No, there was something so utterly vulnerable in the way he sounded that it was enough to give Conrad pause.

He nodded. “Yes, honey. Very good care.”

Morgan swallowed hard. Something was going on with him. Conrad thought for sure he would want to put a stop to this, that he was having second thoughts, but instead, he said, “I like when you call me that.”

“Honey?” Conrad felt himself blushing a little.

Dragons weren’t supposed to get this heated up. Morgan just seemed to do it to him, and Conrad wasn’t so sure if he liked it.

But then Morgan smiled at him, and he forgot all about his need to be proud.

“Yeah, that, and everything else you’ve been calling me.”

In that moment, both of them naked, dicks standing up and screaming for attention, it was difficult to make a tally of everything he’d been calling Morgan, but Conrad got the basic idea.

And that warmth inside him didn’t simmer down in the slightest. It got worse.

A good kind of worse.

“Okay, honey. Get on your hands and knees for me then. I’m about to make you feel real good.”