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  “Huh? Oh, just cooking,” she replied. Maybe that wasn’t the whole truth, but she was not lying, either. Ari flashed her a look of concerned disbelief, but did not press her for details.

  “I hope you don’t mind beef stew? It’s one of my favorites and I always make enough to feed an army.” She thought she saw his lips twitch, but he nodded. “What’s funny?” she asked as she ladled out two bowls and put the first in the microwave.

  “Nothing,” he answered, but his smile grew. “It is perfect.”

  “Oh, come on. I’m a comedian, remember? If there’s a good joke here, I want to know about it.”

  “I was just thinking about whether there was beef or lamb in the stew,” he shrugged.

  “Well, I did say beef stew, didn’t I?” she furrowed her brow and grinned at him. The man was like a large dark shadow with his tan skin and black hair. Ari’s eyes were dark until they caught the light and then flashed with flames that burned deep. But when he smiled, his intimidating aura melted away.

  “Yes, but I was thinking of human dragon lore,” he told her. “About how we supposedly attack farmer’s sheep all the time.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Well, not in a couple of centuries, no. There are tastier things to eat, like New Yorkers.” His lips twitched again as Ry laughed.

  “That joke was clawsome.”

  “You mean awesome?”

  “Pun was intended.” They stared at one another, each daring the other not to let themselves laugh, despite the amount of silliness they were playing with.

  The microwave beeped, Ry grabbed the bowl, and then quickly snatched her hand away. She was so lost staring in his eyes, wishing she could knock down both of their emotional walls and just let each other in that she forgot to grab a hot mitt before touching the bowl.

  “Ouch!” She sucked her fingers into her mouth. In a flash, Ari was at her side. She could not fathom how he moved so quickly, but within seconds he tugged her wrist, guiding her to the kitchen sink, and turned the cold water on. After she ran her fingers under the water, she was satisfied they wouldn’t blister.

  “Don’t touch that, it’s hot!” she cried when Ari let go of her hand under the water. It was impossible to focus with Ari so close. His presence dominated her kitchen. He was staring into her eyes, and she wished she could see past the shadows in his eyes and know exactly what he was thinking. She was about to reach up and touch his cheek when he turned away and picked up the bowl from the microwave. Her heart skipped a beat thinking that he was about to scald himself, but he carefully set the bowl down on the counter and placed the second one in the microwave.

  “Dragon, remember? If there’s something hot to be handled, I want to know about it.”

  It took Ry all of two seconds to throw back her head and laugh. He really was something. She couldn’t get a handle on this guy, dragon or not. He was so hot and cold, but when he was on fire with that buried sense of humor, she couldn’t deny she felt the heat down to her soul.

  The microwave beeped again and he placed the second bowl on the counter. He gestured to the first one. “That one will have cooled off a bit more. You should probably take it. I won’t be burned so easily.”

  Ry nodded and retrieved spoons. She went around the counter and sat down, where she was accidentally eye-level with his navel and the intriguing line of muscles that dipped below the towel. She was beginning to wonder what it would feel like to trace those lines with her fingers. They tingled in response, either from the heat of the bowl or desire.

  She glanced up, blushing when she realized she stared for so long, and she found Ari looking down at her with an intensity that mirrored her own. She looked back down at her stew, feeling heat inflame her cheeks as she dug in. They ate in relative silence as she fished for something to say. “So, do you prefer lamb over beef?”

  The question seemed to surprise him, and he took another bite before answering. “I don’t mind one over the other. Siesha, my mate, she used to make stew with lamb. But I think that is because back in Europe, lamb was easier to come by.”

  Ry nodded, not sure how to respond. She was not jealous; she did not mind that he felt comfortable talking about his mate with her. Ry was just anxious about being compared to someone else. “You haven’t had another woman in your life since she…” Ry trailed off. Ari shook his head.

  “Two of my brothers have mates, and they are nice enough, but no. I have not.”

  Ry thought about this a moment. “Well, I have decided that you and I are going to be great friends. You can have women in your life in more than one capacity, and despite feeling like I owe you my life, I like you. I intend to be around a lot to hang out with you.” Ry almost giggled when Ari looked up. He looked like a deer caught in headlights. His eyes widened in surprise and then he looked mildly alarmed.

  “Here’s my phone.” She didn’t give him a chance to argue. “You should call your brothers and let them know you are okay. While you’re at it, you can add your own digits to my contacts so I can hit you up and we’ll hang.”

  “...Hang?”

  “Yeah. You know. Like, hang out. Spend time together. Go to the movies, watch Netflix. What friends do.”

  “Friends?” he repeated, vexed.

  “Do you mean to tell me that you don’t have friends, either?”

  “I have my brothers,” Ari reasoned.

  “Oh man, the universe really is playing a joke on me. Alright, I got this.” Ry held out her fist, and he stared at it like it was going to turn into a weapon and attack him. “Fist bump,” she explained. He carefully balled his fist and looked hesitantly as she reached across the table and bumped fists with him. “Now blow it up.” She spread her palm open like her fist had just blown apart. He followed suit rather awkwardly, and she grinned at him again. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

  “I don’t need my fist to blow things up,” he told her. “I have my breath for that.”

  “This is true. But I kind of like my apartment the way it is, and if we’re going to hang watching t.v. and eating stupid amounts of junk food, you need to leave it like this and not in cinders.”

  Ari nodded like it was the most serious thing she said all night, and she smirked behind a spoonful of stew.

  When they were done, she left the kitchen, giving him some privacy for his call. Her tactic had worked. She hadn’t given him a chance to say no to her proposition of friendship, and didn’t argue when she handed him the phone. He joined her in the living room and she patted the couch. He sat on the edge of it like he was immensely uncomfortable with his bare skin against the fabric.

  “Everything okay?” She continued channel surfing and didn’t look in his direction.

  “Yes. My brothers are relieved that I checked in. Here is your phone back.” He handed it to her and she set it on the armchair.

  “Cool, so do you need to go, or are you good to watch t.v. for a little while?” she asked, glancing sideways at him. He continued to sit stiffly, leaning away from her. “I don’t bite,” she promised. He glanced over at her and she smiled, causing him to relax a little. He sat back against the cushions.

  “Scryos has gone out on patrol now that I have checked in, so I am good to watch t.v. What do you like to watch?”

  “Cooking shows,” She confessed. It was how she relaxed after a gig. She always tried watching stand up sets on Comedy Central, but it ended up making her anxious for the next gig.

  Ari nodded, and she settled in to watch a show about braised beef. If he minded, he didn’t let on.

  “Siesha was my best friend,” he blurted. Ry sat forward, hugging her knee she had brought up onto the couch. She stayed silent, watching his face as he spoke. “I didn’t know it was possible to have anyone else as a friend.”

  She was trying to think of how to respond, but before she opened her mouth, Ari leaned over and kissed her.

  Chapter 3

  Ari kissed Ry and couldn’t help but compare her to Siesha. He found R
y to be hesitant and shy, but he supposed that was because she was surprised. Siesha had kissed him like he was the oxygen she needed to breathe. Ry softened after a moment and he felt her leg drop from the couch as she leaned toward him. Ari was just about to pull away when he felt her hand splay across his chest, pinning him back. It was his turn to be shocked as she continued to advance. Her thigh slipped across his waist and the towel came loose as she slid across it. He raised his hands and gripped her waist. Her skin was so soft pressed against his as they continued their embrace. The kisses were becoming increasingly more confident and urgent. He couldn’t help the arousal he felt as his cock began to ache pressed between them.

  His hands slid up her sides and groaned when he brushed against the soft swells of her breasts before letting his hands tangle in her hair. He could feel the heat of her pressed against him between her thighs. His head spun when she began to rock her hips back and forth on top of him, grinding her pelvis into his. It was maddening, and he had to grab her hips again when he felt himself being pushed toward orgasm. Ari broke off a kiss and stared into Ry’s eyes, holding her still. He saw a flicker of frustration on her face when he made her stop.

  “What’s the matter?” she whimpered, and he opened his mouth to tell her this was wrong. They shouldn’t be doing this. She shouldn’t want him, because women didn’t find him attractive. If they did, he certainly hadn’t noticed it. He was broken, damaged. Why would anyone want him? Ari had no way of understanding the ways of women. He had been carefree in his youth, before he met Siesha. But he was not that person anymore. Ry was playing with fire by teasing him in such a way.

  Before he could respond and tell her to get up, that it wasn’t right for him to disgrace Siesha’s memory, Ry bit her lip which caused his own hips to twitch and thrust into the soft vee of her thighs. It was frustrating that her softness was being concealed by the rough fabric of her jeans. He wanted access to her, all of her, in that moment. Ry reached down between them to his exposed, throbbing flesh, and she wrapped her hands around his girth. The movement caused him to suck in his breath and grit his teeth. It felt so tantalizingly good when she started carefully stroking him up and down. All thoughts of a previous life were forgotten. All he could focus on was right then and there, that moment.

  When her palm rubbed up and over the head of him, he quickly grabbed her waist and stood up, forcing her to let go. She let out a surprised, “oh!” He dropped his face into her shoulder and stood there, with Ry hoisted in the air and her legs wrapped around his waist. He composed himself with a few steadying breaths. It had been so long since the last time he and Siesha had…but this wasn’t Siesha. There was a part of him telling himself how unfair it was to compare the two. But his body couldn’t understand that; it only knew that it had been far too long since his last release.

  He gritted his teeth as he thought about it, and the ache in his balls made him lightheaded. If she touched him again, he was sure to lose it, and he wanted this to last. He decided he was going to take his time and enjoy every erotic moment he could elicit with Ry. Then he would walk away. It wasn’t fair to her to become attached to him when he couldn’t give himself entirely over to her. Part of him had died along with Siesha, and he was afraid that Ry would want more than he could give. She deserved everything. It was best to give her one night and one night only, then disappear from her life.

  “Bedroom,” he whispered, and she pointed down the hall over his shoulder.

  He began walking with her wrapped around him. His cock pressed between her thighs. The friction was making it difficult to navigate the hall, and as she cupped his face and continued to kiss him, he slowed down even more. He bumped into the walls, knocking a picture from it, but when he paused she turned his face back to hers.

  “Don’t worry about it, I’ll pick it up later.” He nodded and spied her bed, which was at the end of the hall through an open door.

  Ari made his way into the bedroom and carefully set her down on the edge of the bed. He removed her hat and her red hair fanned out behind her. He carefully peeled off her vest and tossed it beside the hat which he had thrown onto a nearby chair. Her apartment was sparsely decorated from what little he had observed, but as her breathing continued to grow rapid, he only had eyes for her. His fingers trembled as he grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and slowly pulled it up and over her torso. She raised her arms and he watched her pupils dilate. Then, he finally looked down at her breasts which were peeking out over the top of a plain white bra.

  He had to close his eyes and concentrate on controlling himself for a moment. When he and his brothers came to the city, they were inundated with culture shock. Women were a lot freer to express themselves and their bodies, and it had been a process to grow accustomed to, and accept, that freedom. Scyros had pointed out that their point of view could be considered sexist, but Drake had told him that they had come from a time and place which was used to women who were completely covered. They were now used to the changed trends, but Ari hadn’t been up close and ready to touch a woman in a long time. Knowing he was about to caress her soft skin made his whole body shake with desire. He took a deep breath.

  He reached out his hand and lightly touched the swell of her right breast, just above the bra and he felt her twitch under his caress. He cupped her and gently squeezed her in his palm, and he had to grip the bedspread next to her waist to keep from reaching down, stroking himself, and coming against the side of her bed. She was so soft; softer than he had anticipated. He had forgotten what it was like. She sighed and he turned his attention to the other breast. He rubbed his thumb over her hardened nipples and she shivered as he brought his other hand up to cup her simultaneously. Her own hands wound their way into his hair as he leaned forward and began sucking one of her nipples through the fabric, causing the material to cling to her skin even more.

  Ari pulled the straps of her bra down, freeing her from it. He sat back, admiring her breasts. She had freckles all over her torso and he enjoyed tracing his fingers from one to another, drawing little paths along her skin.

  Ry was getting impatient. She reached behind her and unhooked the bra, tossing it with the rest of her clothes. She was just about to reach down to her jeans, but he stopped her and rubbed the rasp of his stubble against her sensitive nipples, before capturing one of the buds between his lips. She gasped at the contact and squirmed as he gave the other nipple the same treatment.

  “Ari, please!” she moaned. She reached forward and tried to touch him, but he moved his hips back. For now, he would focus solely on her pleasure..

  Ari was quick to find the button on her jeans, and he didn’t waste time as he unzipped them and then slid them down over her hips along with her panties. When he had her completely naked, he sat back admiring the soft red curls between her thighs. He permitted a grin as he grasped both her ankles and pushed her legs up onto the bed, spreading her open in front of him. Ry propped herself up on her elbows, gazing down at him as he bent his head forward and slowly began teasing her with his tongue. She gripped the bedspread and let her head fall back, forgetting that she had previously been trying to take control.

  Ari tilted his head to the side and nipped the inside of her thigh, causing her to jerk as he returned to teasing her. It wasn’t long before her body built itself up with the pressure of the intensity of his pleasure. He tasted her sweetness when her body quivered on the bed and orgasm overcame her.

  Only when Ari was satisfied that he had elicited every last moan from her did he sit back and grasp himself. He rose quickly and knelt over her as he guided himself inside. She was so soft and wet that when his tip entered her, he couldn’t help the groan that escaped him as she angled her hips to give him better access.

  Ari pushed gently, not wanting to hurt her, but she wrapped her ankles around him and drew him in with her thighs. When he was all the way inside her, he paused and leaned down, kissing her open mouth as she had gasped at the fullness of him. He only began to thrust when s
he used her thighs to rock her hips to indicate she wanted him to move. It was like being surrounded by silk and heat.

  Ari’s eyes closed as he let the sensations of moving in and out of her take over. He could feel her muscles squeezing around him. He couldn’t contain himself anymore when he heard her moan his name, “Ari.” He reached down between them and used the pad of his thumb to rub her to orgasm with him. When she seized up around him once again, he lost himself, burying himself to the hilt and fell over the edge.

  “Siesha!” he groaned, and it took him a minute to realize what he had said. Ari’s eyes flew open and he quickly backed off Ry. He hadn’t meant to say that. The guilt that washed over him was instant by the hurt look on Ry’s face. “Ry, I’m so sorry. I…”

  “No. Don’t apologize. I get it.” She sat up and immediately grabbed a throw blanket that had been bunched up behind her. “I should have known, being the first woman who…”

  “Riley, I’m sorry. There is no excuse. I didn’t mean it, I just got lost. I’m so sorry.” He stood in the middle of the room wanting to comfort her, but she looked so distant as she stared up at him like he was a stranger. But the fact was, they were strangers. He had no understanding of the depth of her thoughts or emotions. Perhaps he had been too hasty in succumbing to the desire he felt for her. It had been a lust born of denial, not a connection with this particular woman. At least, not to begin with. He shouldn’t have played with her emotions like that, especially knowing that his own were currently a maelstrom.

  “Ry…” He ran one hand through his hair and the other he held out to her as she got off the bed. She ignored it and quickly began tugging her clothes back on.

  “It’s ok, Ari. I get it, and I’m sorry for you that she is gone. I really am. But I think maybe you should go now.”

  Ari waited another few moments and watched her as she dressed with her back to him, but quickly decided that pushing her any further was a bad idea. He turned and walked out of the room before he could make things worse. When he was halfway down the hall, he paused and looked at the picture he knocked over. It was of Ry with another woman. Their features were so similar they had to be twins. Ari wondered why, when he was talking about his brothers, Ry hadn’t mentioned her sister. He picked up the picture and hung it back on the wall. He straightened it, thinking it was the last kind thing he could do for her. He had stepped in on her behalf that night out of a sense of honor and kindness, and he was leaving with his head hung low, ashamed of the fact that he had dishonored her by entertaining the memory of another woman.