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She full on grinned. “I’d like to see you try. Bram’s quite dominant, you know.”
He cupped her cheek and strummed his warm, rough finger against her skin. “For you, my little human, I’d chance it.”
Tears prickled her eyes. Melanie had always been the champion of others. From the kids picked on at school, to her brother, to even Caitriona Belmont here on Stonefire’s lands. Yet she’d never really had anyone want to champion and stand by her. The fact that her broody, alpha dragonman was willing to risk his clan leader’s ire meant the world to her. For the first time in her life, she was beginning to think she might have someone to stand at her side and help her fight her battles. Someone to both encourage her and give her the truth when she needed to hear it. Someone to laugh or cry with when it came to her failures or successes.
And that person was the stubborn dragon-shifter lying next to her.
He had mentioned wanting to “keep” her, but in reality, she wanted to keep him.
Without thinking, she blurted out, “I love you, Tristan MacLeod.”
His finger stilled on his cheek and she wondered if she had made a mistake. But Tristan rose up to kiss her and say, “Good. Then you’re staying.”
It wasn’t exactly the romantic words you’d find in a movie, but considering her dragon-shifter, she didn’t really expect it. However, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit to feeling a little vulnerable and exposed by her admission and his lack of response.
But she had faith that maybe one day he’d come to love her too.
For now, she at least knew she would be able to stay with him and get to experience this nicer, teasing version of Tristan. Considering the uncertainty of her future, she would relish whatever she could take from life. She would make the next seven or eight months count.
Rather than think of dying, she just wanted to lie in the warmth and safety of her dragonman’s arms.
Mel lay down, careful not to touch the opposite shoulder with his injury, and nuzzled into his chest. “Yes, I’m staying and we can talk about that more later. Right now, I’m exhausted and would love nothing more than for you to hold me close and sleep with me.”
His voice rumbled under her ear. “That I can do.”
He wrapped his arms around her and Mel let out a sigh. This was where she belonged, with Tristan MacLeod and his clan. She looked forward to him being hale and hearty so that he could give her some great “let’s celebrate life” sex.
But as she breathed in the spicy male scent that was Tristan, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. There was a hell of a lot to think about and plan for, but without realizing it, she fell into a deep sleep next to the man she loved.
Chapter Six
Melanie tried to sit down on the couch in the living room, but after about thirty seconds, she stood up and started pacing again. Tristan should be home from the hospital any time now, and she was a little nervous.
She wasn’t worried about him acting differently now that he was healthy. Nor was she concerned about them trying to feel each other out as they tried to establish a daily, somewhat normal life. She’d spent most of the last week and a half in his company, and she was more in love with him than ever. Sure, he could still be alpha and broody, and he never gave up an argument without a fight, but that was just part of who he was. Besides, life would be pretty boring if he suddenly started “yes, dear”-ing everything she suggested.
But in between her visits to T
ristan, Samira, Cait and even Arabella, she’d been working on a surprise for her dragonman. Bram had even helped her without hesitation to gather what she needed to pull it off.
Now all she had to do was wait for Tristan to get his ass home.
Her stomach flipped and she took a second to breathe in and out. She was not going to get sick. Not right now, not today. Behave, dragon baby. Daddy’s coming home. Let’s make it a sick-free day. Yes?
She didn’t expect the tiny bean inside her uterus to listen to her, but it made her feel better all the same.
A few crackers and some water later, and she went back to pacing.
When the front door finally opened, she moved to stand a few feet from it. Tristan’s tall, dark-haired self appeared in the doorway and she smiled up at him. “Hi.”
Without a word, he moved inside the cottage, shut the door, and pulled her up against him. “As much as I love hearing your strange American-slash-slightly-British accent, I want more than that as a greeting.”
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What in the world could you possibly want?”
He growled. “This.”
And he kissed her.
She opened and welcomed his tongue into her mouth. As she twirled and stroked against his hot, warm tongue, she leaned even more against him. But when his hands snaked under her silky tank top and stroked her skin, she pulled away.
