Her pupils flashed rapidly, and she frowned.
He'd bet everything he had that her dragon was on his side.
Max put out his hand. "Then let's shake on it and get some bloody sleep."
Lavinia shook and dropped her hand, looking around him toward the bed. "You haven't changed the sheets yet, have you?"
He frowned. "No, why?"
"Well, then we're doing that first. It no doubt smells too much like the both of us."
He wanted to say exactly, but merely shrugged. "Then let's get to it."
And as they worked together to change the sheets, Max did his best not to laugh at how Lavinia kept tugging her towel up, refusing to let it drop.
The scant minutes spent putting on fresh bedding also felt so bloody normal, like they were an actual couple or something.
He'd never thought he'd like boring domestic shite, but apparently he did.
Maybe he was getting old. Or maybe, he'd just needed the right woman.
Then Lavinia slid into the bed, her towel still on, and he clicked his tongue. "We sleep naked together."
Fire blazed in her eyes, but she quickly tamped it down. "That wasn't part of the agreement."
"Wasn't it? Why? Are you afraid you can't resist me?"
"Oh, I can."
"Then prove it."
For a beat, she didn't move. Then Lavinia tossed the towel aside, raised her brows, and stated, "On second thought, I like the idea of torturing you with what you can't have."
He itched to pin her to the bed and refresh her memory of how bloody good they fit. How she moaned when he thrust his cock into her pussy and pressed her legs up to reach deeper.
However, he'd agreed to her rules and wouldn’t break her trust.
Shrugging, he turned slowly, showing off his naked body. "And you can be reminded of what's yours, if you ask for it."
Her pupils slitted a few beats and returned to round. Biting back a grin, Max slid onto his side of the bed. "Get some sleep,pet. Now that we've agreed to work together, we'll have to compare notes and research. And that means I'll need my bigger head rested and running at full power."
She rolled her eyes, and he did finally smile at that. She said, "I almost wish the buffoon version of you was the authentic version."
He winked. "No, you don't. Now, sleep."
Turning his back to her, he fluffed his pillow and closed his eyes. Max doubted he'd get much sleep tonight, but he'd resist touching her if it killed him.
Because he had a goal of making her beg for his hands, mouth, and cock. And that required a long-term strategy, one he intended to perfect.
After all, if he could work on locating a specific dig site for decades, he could take a few days or even a week of celibacy to woo a certain dragon lady.
Well, provided she didn't play too dirty.
Chapter Seven
Lavinia should've slept like the dead after the exhausting mate-claim frenzy.
However, she'd spent at least an hour or two listening to Max's soft snores, feeling his heat at her back, and constantly being bombarded with his scent.