Crouching Tigress Horny Dragon (Fire Mates #3) by Lexxie Couper Read Free Book Online Page A

dragon rarely felt the cold, even when in human form, but damn, Chicago at night in autumn was cold. Colder than it ever got in Sydney, that was for certain.
    “When you change?”
    He frowned. Could he be wrong? Was it possible she wasn’t a dragon?
    No. It couldn’t be. He felt it in his heart, his soul. She was a dragon. She was. “You know what it feels like,” he said.
    Angry impatience twisted her lips and she crossed her arms over her chest. The move drew his attention to her breasts and for a split second the dire need to destroy the distance between them and worship those breasts with his mouth and hands almost overwhelmed him.
    “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not a dragon? The whole turn-into-a-dragon-and-fly thing? I can’t do it. I don’t have wings. I’ve never flown in anything other than a plane. I’m sure as shit not scaly. My mother? Human. My father? Human. Get it? I’m. Not. A. Fucking. Dragon!”
    Ryan’s own anger lashed at him. He ground his teeth, pulling in a steadying breath between them. “And how many times do I have to say bullshit? You smell like a dragon. You taste like a dragon. You fuck like a dragon. And you survive fire like a dragon. Ergo, you’re a dragon. My dragon. My Fire Mate.”
    “I’m not a dragon,” she repeated, shaking her head.
    He narrowed his eyes. “Why are you denying this? What are you playing at? Need me to make you ignite again?” He took a step toward her.
    She snapped her spine straight and thrust out her hand, palm toward him. “Don’t you come any closer! I’m not going to let you…let you…make the fuck flames with me again.”
    Ryan stilled. An icy finger slid up his back.
    Fuck flames. An Extraho Venator term. Why would she use…
    “I have to go,” she said, hugging herself as she shook her head. Her eyes darted around the dark park. Her shoulders hunched. “I have to…Julian…”
    The name stabbed at Ryan. Before he could stop himself, he took another step closer to her. It was dangerous situation. They were out in the open, unprotected, naked, with an Extraho Venator hunting them. But until they got this cleared up, whatever future they had was a mess.
    “Who’s Julian? He was in your thoughts earlier. A boyfriend?” He ground his teeth again. “I can’t share you, Deanne. I’ve heard there are progressive dragons out there who share their Fire Mate with human lovers or other dragons, but I’m not one of them. I’m not a Neanderthal, or a chauvinist, misogynistic bastard, but I can’t share you. Just our one moment together was enough to tell me that.”
    Her answering laugh scraped at what little calm he had left.
    “Julian is my father ,” she said, eyes flinty. “Unlike you, draco , I’m not ruled by the need to fuck like a rutting animal.”
    Ryan growled. Rage shot through him. “That’s where you’re wrong, babe,” he snarled, slowly striding toward her. “That’s exactly what you’re ruled by. We are in the first twelve hours of the mating fire. There’s nothing but rutting. Nothing but fucking. As humans. And as dragons.”
    She stumbled back a step as he reached her. Wild anger blazed in her eyes. Her stare locked on his. “Touch me and I will break every fucking bone in your—”
    Ryan snaked his arm around her bare waist, yanked her to his body, and crushed her lips with his.
    The instant their flesh touched, the second his tongue found hers, a groan of pleasure vibrated deep in her throat and she tangled her hands in his hair.
    Searing desire flooded Ryan’s veins. The constant hunger, the craving need for Deanne that had been simmering below the surface since she’d sat down beside him in the bar, reignited into an inferno. He grabbed her arse and hauled her harder to his body, her skin an intoxicating heat he had no armor or protection against.
    He knew they were exposed. He knew they were hunted. And yet, even with that knowledge, he also knew he had no hope of releasing her. Not