In a Dragon’s Dream by Riley Storm Page 0,72

now,” he said, gathering her up in a hug.

The towel fell with a mild protest from Laura, but neither of them stopped to pick it up.

“You sure are in a happy mood this morning,” she observed with a laugh as he twirled her around and showered her with quick little kisses.

“I am,” he agreed.

“How come?” she asked, bending to pick up the towel.

Rakell reached over and gave her rear a pat as she did, taking advantage of his huge reach advantage.

“Hey!” she giggle-yelped.

“I think it’s because I feel complete,” he said quietly. “I thought for the longest time that I was growing bored of the team. That they were no longer my purpose in life.”

“You love that team,” Laura pointed out.

“I do. You’re right, I do. I was thinking that it was an all-or-nothing sort of thing. That I had to leave them, to find my true purpose. Whatever it was, I was looking at it all wrong,” he said, stroking her cheek as he talked.

“Well I’m glad you seem to have figured it out,” she said, grabbing his hand and nuzzling her face into it.

“I have! It wasn’t that my purpose lay elsewhere. It was that I wasn’t complete. The team was only part of me. I needed more. Something that was…well, also me,” he said with a laugh. “Just a different half of me. I needed to be loved, and to love as well.”

Laura blushed.

“I needed you,” he said, leaning toward her, watching her face. “You make me whole. You give me the purpose I was missing in my personal life. I love you, Laura Fitzgerald. Completely, wholly, and openly.”

He felt her shiver slightly. She didn’t shy away. Not this time, not anymore. Rakell knew she’d overcome those doubts, that she felt the same way about him, and that was what made it even more powerful.

“I love you too Rak,” she whispered. “For now, and forever. No fear. No uncertainty. Just you.”

He bent over and kissed her.

A minute later she pulled back, her nose going wild.

“Is that coffee?”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Laura

“Yes!”

Laura slapped her thigh in exhilarating. “I mean, thank you. Okay, yep, thank you so very much.”

She hung up, bouncing from side to side on the edge of her chair.

“Everything okay in there?” a voice called from the bathroom.

“Yes, everything is fine,” she said back.

A moment later a shirtless Rakell emerged, heading to his dresser and picking out a dark blue v-neck long-sleeve. When he pulled it down over him, the shirt was forced to stretch to accommodate his muscles.

Laura spent a moment admiring his physique under it, even though she’d just seem him without the shirt.

He’s mine, may as well take the time to check him out whenever I can.

“Are you ready?” he asked, rolling his neck. “I thought you were the one who wanted to get a move on.”

“I do,” she said, pulling her legs up onto the bed and smiling at him.

“What is it?” he asked warily.

“Nothing bad, I promise,” she said, laughing at his reaction.

“Okay. Well come on then. We’ve got places to be. You need to get home, and I need to start getting work on your office organized. It’s not just going to rebuild itself.”

Laura shrugged. “I know.”

Truthfully, the office just wasn’t that high up on her priority list. Now that she was fully immersed in the world of dragons, and knew what was out there, and what she was getting herself into with a life with Rakell, her priorities had shifted.

So had his, however, and they had agreed that if it was going to happen, they both wanted it to happen soon. That was why the pack of pills was still in her purse. Unopened. If they got their way, she wouldn’t be spending much time in the office anyway. So why repair it?

“Okay. What’s up?” Rak asked, shifting his weight and settling in to a stance, prepared to wait for her.

“Ugh, you’re no fun,” she moaned. “Stupid dragon uber-patience. Never getting so excited you can’t wait any longer. How am I supposed to have any fun with that!”

Rak laughed. “You aren’t. It’s the one defense I have against you. I intend to exploit it ruthlessly.”

“Fine,” she pouted, then broke into a grin. “Do you want to hear my news?”

Rak’s face went dour, all emotion leaving it. “Not really. I want to get on the road and go.”

Laura fixed him with a glare.

“Of course I want to hear,” he said, breaking down with a hearty chuckle, never once worried that she would have