“We should probably get you back.” Dusk’s voice was low as he kissed her neck. “As much as I hate it, we have things that need attending.”
“Like sleep,” Layla agreed.
“Sleep is for the weak.” Dusk chuckled, stroking Layla’s neck.
“You don’t believe that.”
“No, I don’t. Sleep keeps Dragons sane.” He kissed her neck, then lifted her as he rose, cradling her close as their torsos came out of the water. Dusk was only a few inches taller than Layla, and it was the perfect height for her to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him, deep and slow. His hands heated on her skin, pulling her close as he kissed her back. When he finally pulled away, he was breathless, smoothing his hands over her ass in the water.
“I thought you were pining for Adrian,” he chuckled, giving a sexy growl with a smug smile.
“I am,” Layla grinned back, nuzzling his nose. “But you might just be changing my mind about whom I feel like spending time with. Especially after I’ve had a bad day.”
“I’ll take it.” But Dusk’s grin got serious then, his summer-blue eyes pinning her as something complex moved through his gaze. He paused as if he wanted to say something, then stopped.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Layla asked gently, lifting up to kiss his lips again.
“Layla. I hope you know…” Dusk frowned, then smoothed a hand over her ass again as he watched her. “I’m not requiring exclusivity from you, as my lover. Even though we’ve been bound by magic, you and I are friends, and I have other long-term lovers here at the Hotel that I’ve had for a very long time. You captivate me,” he reached up, brushing a strand of her wet curls back from her neck, “but… I’m not monogamous. I never have been, not even when I was young. Can you handle that? Could you do this, with me… if I had other partners now and again?”
Layla thought about it, watching his handsome, serious face. It was a deep question, and not one she’d precisely considered yet. She’d never tried being with a man in an open or polyamorous relationship before, and from her prior experience with Gavin and his secret harlots back in Seattle, Layla felt a sudden grip of tension coil through her.
But as soon as it came, it changed. Standing with Dusk, breathing with him, she could feel his deep honesty, bringing the question of monogamy up now before anything got truly messy. She could feel his dark worry; that he would fuck up everything good he had with Layla if he tried to stuff himself into a monogamous life and failed. And though a coil of anxiety churned through her, thinking about him being with other women, Layla knew her life wasn’t headed in a monogamous direction anytime soon – and it seemed wrong to demand Dusk do so.
Her new life at the Hotel was about her; not about any man. Even though Adrian had been the instigation for it, Layla had come to the Hotel because she needed to find out who she really was. She was learning how to control her Dragon-magics, and doing so required that she be Reginald’s for the time being, even if they weren’t sleeping together. Discovering who she was meant opening to her Binds with both Adrian and Dusk – and who knew what the outcome of that might be.
Gazing into Dusk’s handsome face, she realized she could try to work with it. He’d had other partners for decades before their Bind. It wasn’t comfortable for her, and Layla didn’t know how she might feel if she heard from someone else that they had slept with him, but she didn’t want to deny him something he needed – especially when she had a complicated situation herself.
“I think I can work with that.” Layla spoke at last with a small smile. “I can try.”
“Are you sure?” Dusk’s brows lifted, an answering smile lifting his face hesitantly as he searched her eyes. “What are you thinking? I thought you’d be mad, but it seems like you’re… strangely ok about me having other partners.”
“I mean, I can’t say I’m one hundred percent ok with it.” Locking her hands behind Dusk’s neck, Layla pressed her hips to his. “It makes me churn inside to think of you with another woman, but you had a whole life here before I came along, Dusk. I’m not going to bowl on in and demand that you change who you are because some magical resonance happened between us. I care about you. And you’ve been there for me more times than I can count since my life changed back in August. The least I can do is try to be understanding about what you need. Because lord knows Reginald isn’t going to let us boink like this everyday. Just because I’m frustrated as hell doesn’t mean you have to be.”
“Boink.” Dusk chuckled sexily, gripping her close by a hand around her waist, and one down at her ass. “I’d boink you any day. You are my favorite boink, you know.”
“I hope so.” Layla grinned, nuzzling his nose.
“No, I mean it.” Dusk’s gaze was serious again as he lifted his lips, kissing her. “I would rather be with you than any of the rest. My partners are amazing women and men, Layla, but you, this… you smite me in a way I can’t describe. I want you in my life. If it means giving up my other regular partners, I’m willing to give it a go, but…”
“I don’t want you to,” Layla spoke softly, holding his sober gaze with one of her own. “I want you to get what you need, Dusk. I want you happy when you and I get to be together, not frustrated and angry.”
He took a breath, and then sighed in a wave of vibration so deep that Layla realized it was relief. He’d truly been worried she was going to demand exclusivity from him, or even celibacy. Lifting her hand, Layla stroked Dusk’s dark waves back from his temple, feeling something tender blossom between them. “I’m not saying I’m not jealous,” Layla smiled slightly, “because I am. I do want you all to myself, especially now that I know how it can be between us… but I also realize the practicality of our situation.”
“You sound like Adrian,” Dusk chuckled, something glowing in his sapphire eyes now. “When he’s not all spun up about you, that is.”
“I came here for me, Dusk,” Layla spoke firmly. “I came to the Hotel because I needed a change in my life. I didn’t come here initially for Adrian or for any man. Becoming who I truly am ismyadventure, my life. And I’m going to live it how I choose to – not the way any society told me to. I’m learning that Dragons are passionate, sexual creatures. I’m trying to adjust to that, to learn new ways of being. Because I don’t want my life tied up around any man. And I don’t want to demand that of you, either.”
“I like the sound of that. Independent women are my kryptonite, you know.” Dusk chuckled, nuzzling her nose.
“Do Crystal Dragons have kryptonite?” Layla spoke back, enjoying his soft skin.
“Only sexy, witty, amazing women that my Dragon can’t get enough of. And I can’t either.” Pulling her in, Dusk kissed her hard this time. Pulling her hips to his with his strong hands, he massaged her ass as he devoured her – making her feel how hard he was becoming yet again. By the time he released her, Layla was wet below as she stared up into his rakish, sexy gaze.
“Gotcha.” He growled with a grin.
“Gotcha yourself.” Layla laughed, breathless.
Dusk released her with a bright laugh, stepping smoothly out of the milky pool to the floor with a ripple of his strong thighs. Extending a hand, he helped Layla out of the water, which was all the more impressive as she watched the exquisite muscles in his body contract to help her step out. He was glorious with all that sexy, lean muscle and iridescent lines in so many shades. He saw her watching and a ripple of dark luminescence rolled through his sleek ridges, lighting his eyes.
