“Yes, Matron.” He grinned, winsomeness brightening his eyes again as Layla finished the first cufflink and started on the other. “You just want an excuse to touch me.”
Layla realized with a flush of heat that he was right. His hands had been so gentle and strong upon her shoulders; his lips so smooth at her neck that some part of Layla did want an excuse to touch him again. That thought made her Dragon roil and Layla heated with a combination of attraction, embarrassment, and anger that she’d been found out. Fumbling the second platinum and sapphire link, she nearly dropped it.
“You’re as bad at this as I am. And you smell like burning oranges again. Are you secretly harboring a dark desire for your boss, Layla Price?” Dusk grinned, back to being rakish and sexy as hell, though Layla knew it was a cover-up. He was as attracted to her as she was to him, but Dusk used his blithe innuendo to gloss over his strange mood and that hot energy that had exploded between them earlier – still simmering like a braided coil between their bodies.
“Enough, you.” Layla sassed to cover her own attraction as she affixed the cufflink, adjusting his French cuff into place. “There. Now tell me what else I can expect at the party.”
“Not before you slide out of that hot red dress and get down and dirty with me on the bathroom floor.” Dusk’s eyes positively sparkled with rapier humor.
“In your dreams, pal.” Layla gave him an eyebrow, though she was smiling in truth now.
“Alright! You win this round. Can’t say I won’t try for a round two, though.”
Dusk gave a beaming grin, extending his arms and adjusting the French cuffs to the perfect length under his jacket. Layla rose, feeling like she and Dusk were back on familiar ground though tension still simmered between them – plus the strange sensation of whatever he wasn’t telling her. Dusk gestured for her to exit the bathroom ahead of him and Layla did. She noted his gaze following her, though – sliding up her body, drinking in her every curve in the sleek crimson gown. Pleased, Layla sashayed away so he could get a good rear-view. Moving to the closet, she fetched a short crimson cape of feathers that went with her gown – and saw Dusk’s stare, his sapphire eyes so hot they could have erupted the Ring of Fire all around the Pacific.
“You are one hell of a woman, Layla Price,” he spoke, a dark smile curling the edges of his lips. “Damn you. I never should have chosen crimson. I’ll be battling Dragon-lords back from that exceptionally firm ass of yours all night.”
Layla grinned; she couldn’t help it. She loved Dusk’s frankness, his beautiful blue-grey lips that spilled such lurid innuendo. His burning sapphire eyes watched her every move as she slung on the cape, tying it about her shoulders with the crimson ribbons. She loved how she could see the hard length of him pressed against his slim trousers – and the way a rumbling vibration suddenly slipped past his solid barrier. It rocked Layla and her lips fell open, her breath fast as they stared at each other from across the room.
“Your magic’s leaking,” Layla breathed, shaken.
“Damn straight.” Dusk growled, as shakily as she. Pursing his lips, he blew out a slow breath, wrestling control over his magics again. Layla felt the vibration in the air cease as he solidified that crystal barrier between them; so hard she could actually see glints of refracted light shimmer in the air. Moving to the side-bar, Dusk poured two new tumblers of bourbon,extending one. Layla glided forward to accept it, her silk train slithering over the carpet. They clinked glasses and drank, Dusk downing his in one fell swoop.
Layla’s eyebrows rose. “Careful there, honcho. Save some for later, or I’ll be carrying you home from the party.”
“I’m going to need it; all night, probably. And you’d be surprised at how much a Crystal Dragon can drink.” Dusk gave her a dark smile then set the tumbler aside, his gaze becoming serious again. “Layla. Before we go—”
“Yes?” Layla paused with her bourbon.
Dusk opened his lips, frowned, then spoke. “You’re going to see Adrian tonight, but please, no touching him. I know you’ll feel compelled to because of the Bind, even if you’re pissed at him.”
“What makes you say that?” Layla swirled her bourbon, scowling as a hot whip of her scorched-orange scent rose around her again. Making nice with Adrian was the last thing she wanted to do tonight, no matter how magically bonded to him she felt.
“Your vibrations don’t lie.” Dusk gave her a small smile, sad. “I know you’ll want to go to him when you see him… but we can’t have your Bind flaring all over the clans tonight. Some Dragons would adore it and try to scoop you up and fuck you in the pantry. Others would beextremelyoffended at the magical bleed-off. Plus, Adrian displaying a bond that strong with the only known Royal Dragon Bind in the world would raise far too much interest in you as a game-piece for others to meddle with. As much as you may feel compelled to go to him tonight…decorumwith Adrian is the name of the game this evening. With everyone else, let your magic do as it will. But with him – please be careful.”
Something in Dusk’s manner was so somber, so deeply warning that Layla realized he was worried about the evening. She had seen him protective, and had seen him act with no-nonsense in an emergency, but this was beyond all that. Something about this party, about meeting the Dragon clans was dangerous for her, but Dusk wouldn’t tell her why.
Or couldn’t – one of Adrian’s secrets he had to hold close to his chest.
“Are you afraid for me tonight?” She murmured, lowering her bourbon.
“Yes.” Dusk’s soft response held everything Layla suspected. And for the first time in this new world of magic and monsters, other than when her Dragon had attacked Luke, Layla felt truly afraid. She tried to not let it show as a slither of ice tightened her gut, chilling her core and making her feel like a black void opened deep within her. Raising her glass, Layla downed the rest of her bourbon, then set it decisively upon the side-bar.
“Well. Even if the stakes are high, I don’t think it’ll be too hard to ignore Adrian tonight. He let me stew in our Bind for two months; he can deal with me doing the same to him for a night. I’m fine giving him my best cold shoulder. Let the bastard Royal Dragon have a taste of his own bitter fruit tonight and see how he likes it.” Reaching out, she set her hand to Dusk’s arm so he could escort her. “Let’s go.”
“As you like.” Dusk smiled, lifting his arm into an escorting position.
But as he set his hand atop hers, clasping her fingers to his sleeve, another hard pulse of energy suddenly shot between them. Layla rocked where she stood, a small gasp leaving her, and Dusk shuddered hard as if their connection had done the same to him. Layla suddenly couldn’t get enough air as her heart pounded and her Dragon screamed for sex or fighting or some wickedly powerful combination of both.
Dusk’s fingers gripped hers and his lips parted. For a moment, she saw something rash consume his bright eyes; felt the crystal wall between them shudder and spiderweb with cracks. But he closed his eyes. Drawing his energy back, Dusk slammed up the crystal barrier between them so strongly that Layla saw a flash of light burst in the air. Though his hand was warm, Layla could feel that crystal wall like a second skin between them now – cool and impeccable. When his eyes opened again, his gaze met hers, and Layla saw struggle there. As much as he kept his barrier firm against her, he also wanted to drop it.
Drop it completely – and let fate do what it would.
“Let’s get to the party.” Dusk gave a wry smile, though his eyes said something else.
“Let’s go get hammered, you mean.” Layla smiled wryly back. “And see if we can drink away our problems with bourbon and maybe some tequila.”
“You don’t want to see me drunk on tequila.” Dusk’s lips quirked, humor lighting his face despite everything. “I do strange things. It really is the devil’s drink.”
