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“Enough that I'd rather not do it standing naked in the woods.”

That earned me the faintest twitch of his mouth. “Coward.”

“Possibly.”

His expression softened. “You're going to tell me?”

“I promised you everything.”

He held my gaze for another moment before nodding, and the trust contained in that simple acceptance landed harder than it should have.

“Okay.”

I knew I hadn't lied to him, and I grabbed my clothes and tugged them on. I also knew I hadn't answered his question.

Before I could decide whether that distinction should make me feel any better, Ash rose onto his toes and kissed me.

Surprise held me still for perhaps half a second before my hand found his waist. I was careful of his ribs even as he moved closer, but Ash apparently had no interest in caution beyond what his injuries required. His free hand slid into my hair and tightened, keeping my mouth against his while the kiss deepened.

I'd expected fear, questions, and perhaps anger that I'd kept something this enormous from him, but I hadn't expected Ash to respond by kissing me as though seeing the most impossible part of me had only made him want to get closer.

When he finally broke the kiss, neither of us moved far. His forehead rested against mine while his breathing came faster, and I could feel the beat of his heart beneath the palm I'd spread carefully against his side.

“You're a fucking dragon.”

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped me. “We've established this.”

“A huge fucking dragon.”

“Yes.”

“With wings.”

“Most dragons have those.”

“And you breathe fire?”

“Yes.”

“And apparently you can talk inside my head.”

I grimaced. “Apparently.”

Ash drew back just enough to look at me, and the wonder in his expression slowly transformed into something that made every thought in my head considerably less coherent.

“That is so fucking hot.”

For perhaps the first time in my life, I had absolutely no response.

Ash's smile became wicked.

I should've remembered what came next. There was still more to tell him, and the part I hadn't revealed was far more frightening than anything he'd just seen. I needed to explain what lifebound meant, what I believed had happened to my mother, and why I'd spent years making sure nobody got close enough to matter.

Now there was something else to explain as well.

Ash had touched my dragon and heard me.

I knew what that meant, even if he didn't.