He felt everything in him tighten as he remembered being inside of her. Deep inside. “No, we’re not.” His voice was a deep vibration. “We’re highly compatible.”

Julie licked her lips. “Okay, so maybe the sex is good but it doesn’t mean that our two species can reproduce. You are technically part reptile.”

“I am part dragon. Reptiles are cold blooded.” He was thrilled at her comment about the sex being good. Even if good wasn’t a good enough description.

She nodded and rubbed a hand down his arm. “You are warm.”

He nodded. “Two dragons from another kingdom took human females and both have reproduced successfully and numerous times. Human females become stronger once they are mated to a dragon.”

“Oh… so it really is possible.” She frowned, her eyes lifted in thought.

“Yes.” He nodded. Maybe she was thinking about the possibilities, about them being together.

“Don’t look at me like that and don’t get any ideas.” She shook her head. “Don’t fall for me.”

“Fall?” Why would he fall. He was lying down. Coal frowned.

Julie giggled. “Fall, as in, fall in love. Don’t fall in love with me.”

Coal laughed. “Oh… love. I’ve never felt love before. I am not sure I am capable. Dragons do not mate for love. We look for someone we get along well with. Someone who interests us. Someone who is fertile.”

She shook her head like he was nuts. “If you say so. I might not even be fertile. I’ve also been told I’m a bitch so there’s not much to like.”

“A bitch is a female dog.”

“A bitch is someone who…” She looked like she was in thought “Stands up for herself, is honest, is outspoken. Someone who generally says it like it is even though feelings might get hurt. I’m not a pushover. Some people don’t like that quality in a person.”

“I like you and you interest me. If you are a bitch, then I like bitches.”

Julie laughed. “You like bitches?” She was so beautiful. From her radiant smile to those full cherry lips. Her dark hair was spilled across his pillow. The smell of sex was heavy in the air.

Coal grinned broadly. “I like you, Julie.”

She licked her lips. “Back to the fertility part. I might not be… fertile that is.”

“You are.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“You were carefully selected. We looked for females that needed help but they also had to meet our criteria. A certain age, unmated, no children of their own and… fertile.”

She rolled her eyes. “And you what? Experimented on me while I was sleeping? How would you know that?”

“Whoever was watching you will have scented it.”

“That’s crazy and just a bit creepy.” She pulled a face. “I was followed?”

“Yes, but it was only to be sure. We needed the arrangement to be mutually beneficial.”

****