Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Dragon’s Pretend Marriage Chapter 10

Brandi

Giving myself up to Milton-really giving myself over to him-came so much easier than the first time we'd hooked up. It was hard to imagine my life without his touch. His voice alone prompted a response from my body, an uncontrollable urge to listen to him, no matter what he was saying. The guy could rouse me from a deep sleep with the slightest whisper.

Moonbeam.

One word got me to my knees. To say it was a charming spell was an understatement. No man had ever had such a hold on me in the past. Why was Milton any different? It wasn't like he was special.

But he is exceptional, I argued while settling into the limo next to him. There's something about him that makes him unique. It's not the dragon powers. It's something else.

My brain chugged along as the limo weaved through traffic. We were just participating in our daily routine, the same one we'd maintained for over a month. Wake up, eat breakfast on the terrace, go over the day's itinerary, and then hit the town.

We did everything from shopping to attending the local theater. People recognized us wherever we went. Even now as our limo drifted past shops, people waved. Magicians released magical greetings that only we could see. The fae bowed reverently. The humans jumped excitedly. It was all so overwhelming.

A month ago, nobody could have convinced me that this would be my life. While Milton laced his fingers with mine, all I could think about was how it felt to have him nestle between my thighs. It was barely 10:00 AM and my body yearned to have him all over again. Just like last night. And the night before that.

And the afternoon before that.

We had pretty much marked the entire penthouse suite. The bedroom, the closet, the balcony in the library-those were just a few places we had ravaged each other. No ladder was safe. No nook was untouched. It didn't matter if servants were nearby. Every passing second without his hands on my hips was a total waste.

And I couldn't stop the desire either. I couldn't make it go away.

Part of me didn't want to make it go away. When was the last time I'd had such an intense physical connection with a man? In college? Only the gods were aware of how long ago that had been.

My failed attempt at becoming a sociologist had been partially because of a man. A human, more specifically, the kind of guy that any college girl would go totally nuts over. It wasn't super irresponsible.

It was just kind of reckless as all hell.

Paranoia crept into my awareness. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. My shoulders stiffened as my spine became a rod. I perched at the window, watching the sidewalk intently for those familiar figures who I knew were following me. The man with the dreads. The three wolves that flanked him.

It was frightening to see them standing on the street corner with their noses stuffed into a newspaper or a magazine. But they were there. Plain as day. They were waiting for me to end up alone. As they had been for weeks.

Blake's efforts hadn't gone unnoticed. Most enemy sightings happened in the city instead of near the colony. Even Jermaine was impressed with how much distance they'd given the pack.

But that was because of me. Because I had drawn them away.

And brought them directly to Milton's door.

Granted, the Kane EnTech building was a fortress. Nobody could get in or out without a dozen or more cameras capturing their image. On top of that, multiple spells guarded every entrance and exit, including the vents. To penetrate such an immaculate structure would take a cosmic intervention-one not afforded to most supernatural creatures.

And so, I was afforded all the protection the silly little universe could offer. I had Milton holding my hand. I had his bulletproof glass guarding my body. I had his limo protecting my very spirit.

So, with all that surrounding me, why the hell did I feel like an exposed nerve?

"Moonbeam?"

My head swiveled. I gaped at Milton for a few empty seconds, shaking the expression loose when I realized how tight his features were drawn.

I smiled gently. "Tired."

His lopsided smirk made me flatline. "Late night, huh?"

"Can't imagine why. I don't remember much of it."

"Don't be coy."

I nipped my lower lip and glanced away. "Why? Because I'll get in trouble?" I chuckled lightly. "It's not like you have much trouble with that." "Do you hate it?"

I frowned, concern riddling my chest with a frigid winter I hadn't expected to feel so abruptly. "What? No! Absolutely not. I'm not saying that at all."

"You look so..." His eyes narrowed, expanded, and then narrowed again. Pensive energy hung between us. He peered at my hand, running his thumb along the ridges of my knuckles. "I suppose you looked a little worried. That's all." "It's nothing."

How many gods were frowning at the lie I'd just spewed? Probably a hundred. Maybe more than that.

"Moonbeam, it's alright," Milton assured me with a muted grin. "You can tell me if anything happened."

"If anything had happened, you wouldn't have missed it, Milton."

Crimson splashed his cheeks and forehead. "I guess I have been keeping you pretty close."

"Closer than close."

"Is that a complaint?"

His hand wove around my waist, cradling the small of my back just how I liked it. Nothing could come between us when Milton held me this way. It was an affectionate embrace that conveyed deep-held affection. It was reserved typically for the semipublic, for spaces where people usually thought they were alone but weren't.

But right now? It just seemed natural.

His lips drifted over my cheek. "Is it, dear moonbeam?"

My heart fluttered. "No, it's not a complaint." I gulped when his lips met my main artery. "I promise..."

"Beaufort Creek's Beauty has so many complaints." He was just teasing me, of course.

But that teasing tone stung me right to my core. Flesh tickled wherever his hands had visited-which was pretty much everywhere at this point.

I whimpered when something sharp tickled my throat.

His canines had dropped. Was he ready to mark me?

I frowned. Only real mates do that. I'm not a real mate. He's not a real mate. What is he doing? Is he trying to seal our fate?

"Milton..."

A low growl flowered in his chest. The vibration alone made my nipples harden and my slit twitch. My eyes were rolling back. My body was succumbing to him.

He nipped my flesh. "The tabloids love a steamy scene, don't they?"

Flashes of light penetrated the tinted window. I sat upright, heart beating rapidly as I fixed my maxi dress and fluffed my hair. One of my sunflowers fell out. I bent to retrieve it while Milton did the same, our foreheads knocking together hard enough to rattle my bones.

I groaned while holding my head. "Milly, really?"

"Please, anything but that nickname, Brandi." He grunted while touching the red spot on his forehead. "Sweet gods, please, tell me that isn't bruising."

"I think it's bruising."

He accentuated a pout. "You're so mean to me." A smirk cut through his dramatic expression, the dashing smile sucking me in. As always. "Two can play that game."

"Don't be mean."

But he was already on top of me, digging his fingers into my sides and making laughter explode from my gut. His devious teasing had me crying my mascara off in a matter of seconds.

Once I had successfully shoved him off me, I got a good look at the sidewalk. Photographers-call me shocked. "Don't they ever go on vacation?"

"Retirement is their vacation, dear moonbeam."

"I'm just tired of it sometimes. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Magnificently tired." He scooted toward me and pulled me onto his lap. I straddled him, allowing my dress to hide his thighs. "But you get used to it. You put on a face. You get out there. You perform." "It's so much."

He shrugged. "It's my life."

"Did you ever live without the public poking their noses into your life?"

"I suppose when I was a baby."

I frowned. "Milton, that's no way to live."

"It's my life and I can't complain." His hands roamed over my bottom. "Especially when I have Beaufort Creek's Beauty right at my side."

Heaven forbid such an intoxicating kiss as his.

The way he crashed into me alerted my system to his care. The way he held me provided a blanket under which I could hide from all the things that frightened me. Expansive photo lenses that appeared more like monstrous eyes were one-and those Gilbert wolves were another.

Milton gave me shelter from such invasive things. Even my brain refused to acknowledge their existence while he kissed me. Soft lips rivaled the scales of his dragon form and compassionate eyes contrasted the fierce glow of his energy. Each surface brought with it a moan. Every touch amplified my feelings.

No, I don't have feelings, I protested.

Did it do much to protest? Not really. Nothing seemed to matter when Milton was kissing me. Nothing seemed to exist. Thoughts became repetitive if they occurred at all and sensations were merely that.

The truth was that Milton put me under his control without doing much at all. A glance, a word, a smile-there was no shortage of his influence. There was nowhere inside me he couldn't reach by spiritual or physical means.

It was something I'd wanted my entire life.

And now that I had it, I couldn't tell if it was real.

Our performance was magnificent. The way it expanded across the world impressed me as much as his kiss. And the way people responded to us made me think twice about deceiving them.

But what if it's real? What if we're not pretending anymore?

No, that was impossible. Milton didn't mean it. Whatever he gave me privately was merely to uphold the presentation we gave to the public. If I felt satisfied, then I looked satisfied. It made sense. It was brilliant.

He was right to praise our transformation from words to actions. Sleeping with him was both a blessing and a curse. Because while it solidified our image, it played with my heart.

Just like it was doing right this second. "Milton...?"

"Yes, moonbeam?"

His kisses never stopped. But they slowed enough for me to speak. "Why are we making out in the car?" "Should we go home?"

"No, I mean-"

He ravished me with another passionate kiss while his fingers dipped into the crease of my bottom. Desire sprang forth, doubling with the way he pressed me flush against his body. Something hard twitched against my slit.

And then I forgot what the hell I was talking about.

"Yes," I gasped. "Yes, we should go home. Right now."

The quickness with which he commanded his driver to turn around told me it was less a performance and more a primal urge. Sweat decorated his hairline as his nostrils expanded to full volume. Every one of his exhalations came louder than the last as he tackled me to the seat and shoved my dress up to my hips.

Ravenous hands exposed me within seconds. I writhed beneath him, images flashing just outside the window. Cameras? Or just the light reflecting off the mirrored buildings?

Who cared? I was getting exactly what I wanted.

Worry creased my brow. Is this what I want?

Milton nestled between my knees just the way I liked. He snatched my chin. He forced me to meet his gaze. He made me witness the way his pupils blew out.

And just like that, doubt evacuated. His lust was the fire that ate the oxygen in a room. Desire consumed me like an infection. Feverish longing took place of logic. Nothing made sense. Yet everything made sense.

It was what he did to me.

It was what I wanted.

"Milton," I repeated. "I don't know..."

"About what?" His tongue traced my bottom lip.

Desire be damned, I was going to speak up. "I don't know how much longer...I can stand..."

"To be with me?" He snapped back, putting a foot of space between us.

Cold air shocked me to sit up. My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe. "No, not that. Not at all."

His eyes were wide and his chest was puffed up. That wasn't the look of a guy who didn't care.

Quite the contrary.

Could it be true? Could he actually mean the things he says and does?

My gaze softened. "I need to grab something from the old house."

Damn it, Brandi. Seriously? Is that really how you want to admit your feelings?

I closed my eyes. "Sorry, I just-"

"No, it's okay. We should do that." He tapped my chin, commanding my attention. "Actually, why don't you make a public appearance? I'll head to your house and grab what you need. What is it?"

It wasn't anything. It was just a distraction.

But maybe it would help. We'd been attached at the hip since the day I was caged. Milton refused to let me out of his sight. Being in a public space with his guards and the public watching my every move was much safer than heading back to the pack. Even if I didn't have much of an excuse to go back.

"What is it?" he asked. "Tell me. It's okay if it's embarrassing."

I blushed as I dug through my memories of the things I had left behind. "It's a picture of Tanner and me that I forgot about." I looked away, bashfulness taking hold. "It has you in it."

Milton sat back. Did he get it now? Did he understand what he meant to me? Or would I have to spill the entire truth?

After a second, he nodded. "Consider it done, moonbeam. Let's drop you off at the nearest cafe. I'll call Jermaine."

"No, you don't have to-"

"My moonbeam," he said firmly, "isn't going anywhere without protection. Is that understood?" He wound his arm around my waist. "Accept it, Brandi. I'm going to protect you." I swallowed hard. "No matter what?"

"No matter what."