He finally finds his words again. “You have never looked lovelier than you do tonight. You did something new with your hairs.”
Bringing my hand to smooth down my hair, I tease him. Yeah, I flat ironed it just for our special night. “I figured since they were the only hairs I have that I should show them to their best advantage.”
Borak gapes at me, cause he’s the only one in the room in our little secret. He glances around, but everyone seems nonplused by my remark so he murmurs, “I have always found your hairs to be lovely no matter how they are arranged.”
I can’t help but laugh as we move towards each other. This man is going to say hairs until the day he dies, and there’s no stopping him. It’s fine, cause he’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.
He wraps his wing around me and guides me over to a sitting area for two. I guess that is everyone else’s cue to disappear, because the room clears out in an instant. We sit across from each other at a small table containing a game board. “I’m pleased that you finally decided to visit my clade quarters this evening. My scions have shunted the queens from our food prep area in order to make a feast fit for a queen of queens.”
I can’t keep the smile off my face for anything. “You’ve already won me over, so you don’t need to lay the compliments on quite that thick.”
Pulling a delicate glass decanter over along with two glasses, he murmurs, “Will you share a drink with me in honor of winning your heart?”
“I’ve got something better to drink to.”
He almost spills the drink mid-pour, but recovers quickly. His eyes don’t meet mine. I feel for certain he’s getting emotional and doesn’t want me to see for fear of thinking of it as a weakness. I know this man just as well as he knows me. Slipping my hand into my new uniform dress, I pull out the velvet covered box and hold it out for him to take.
“What do you do, my queen?”
“Open it and find out.”
When his eyes land on the gold pocket watch, I can almost see him falling in love with it on the spot. Lifting it from the case, he rubs it between his palms and runs one claw gently around the rounded edges. “This is very old. I can tell because it has the soft glow of a burnished metal, as though it has been held thousands of times.”
“It’s the only heirloom of my line.” I intentionally phrase it the way a Draconian would say it in order to drive my point home. “It was carried by the males of my line for six generations. I want you to have it as a token of my affection.”
His wings draw up tight against his back as he gazes down at the most precious item I own. “This will become my most prized horde item. It will rest safe in my keeping for as long as I draw breath, my queen.”
“You know, when a woman gives a dragon gold, it means she wants him to be hers.”
“It is strange that this dragon warrior has never heard of such.”
I laugh at his carefully chosen words. Most of the warriors would say the gods don’t like liars, but my sweet warrior is too nice to name call me that way. “Maybe that’s just what it means when I give my chosen mate gold.”
He freezes in place, closing one massive fist around the timepiece. “You wish me to be yours for all times?”
“Yes. I would be honored to have you as my mate.”
It takes him a moment, but he snaps right out of whatever nervous trance had hold of him. After one more covetous caress, he slips the watch into his pocket and clips the long gold chains to the outside of his nifty new uniform. “I accept your offer of mating and promise to hold you in my heart for all times.”
He’s way sweeter than any dragon warrior has a right to be. “I love you too.” Lifting my glass, I make a toast. “To a long and prosperous mating.”
He lifts his glass, mimicking my behavior, and I tap mine gently against his. I don’t even know why I’m doing this. God knows I’m military rough, and all the fancy clothes, gemstone jewelry and fine wine has me a bit out of