“He hates you?” Layla’s brows rose.
“It’s a brotherly rivalry.” Dusk gave a tight smile, reaching for his bourbon rather than his wine. Layla felt him shut that conversation down, the topic of Adrian almost always a sore point.
“So how many lovers do you have?” Layla changed topics, curious about Dusk. Just like they’d never really spoken about Layla’s personal life, they’d also never really spoken about Dusk’s. It was becoming normal for Layla to see sex out in the open and discuss all kinds of kinks. Yet, though the staff at the Red Letter Hotel Paris were frank, most of them were tight-lipped about who they were or weren’t doing.
Dusk was no exception, having never made a single casual comment about the people he slept with. Everything Layla had heard about him was rumor and hearsay – some of it ferociously scandalous. Layla wondered about it now, since he had just suggested in no uncertain terms that she would be better off having another lover.
Or several.
Dusk’s gaze simmered now, a teasingly dark smile curling his full lips as he set his bourbon down. “I have as many lovers as I need, Layla. Why do you ask?”
“Come on.” Layla pressed, a smile creeping around the edges of her lips as the mood lightened. She needed something to distract her from her own botched love life. “How many?”
“How many lovers do you think I have?” Dusk chuckled back as he finished his shrimp, eyeballing her with a roguish grin. Reaching out, he scooted Layla’s plate toward her with a pointed nod at her meal. Layla took Dusk’s insinuation and began eating again, knowing that a full belly would help keep her magics under control tonight, while being drunk on an empty stomach would only worsen things. The shrimp tasted fine again, now that she wasn’t flooding scorch into the air.
“Seven.” Layla answered. It was an outrageous number, but seemed accurate.
“Try twice that.” Dusk chuckled, wiping his mouth with his linen napkin. “The ones I see regularly, at least.”
“Are you serious?!” Layla couldn’t help it; she laughed as amazement flooded her. “Who?”
“A gentleman never tells.” Dusk gave a cheeky wink, pouring them both more wine. Swirling his glass, his sapphire eyes positively glowed as Layla sat back, shaking her head.
“You’re shitting me.”
“I shit you not. Crystal Dragons have tremendous appetites for all the finest things. Sex is no exception. The Crystal Dragon King Lorenz DuVir who built this palace was not the biggest lecher of his era, believe it or not.”
“You mean it was you?” Layla sassed with a grin.
“Come on. That was the 1600’s – I wasn’t born yet.” Dusk grinned back over the rim of his wine glass, darkly sexy. “But there are a few rumors that I was the most lecherous lover of the Victorian age. At least, here in France.”
“You are so seriously pulling my leg right now!” Layla laughed.
“I’m not.” Dusk swirled his wine, something deviant and delightful in his summer-blue gaze. “I am a lecherous playboy, and that’s the way I like it.”
“Who are your lovers? I want names or I won’t believe you.”
“Alright. I’ll give you the most obvious.” Dusk sat back, grinning. “Etienne Voulouer, though she and I aren’t primary lovers. She’s a hellcat in bed – literally. She was Head Courtesan here in her time and she’s lost none of her skills, believe me.”
“The Madame?” Layla blinked, astonished. “I thought she was with Reginald.”
“She is.” Dusk nodded. “Sort of. But Reginald’s primary lover is Sylvania.”
“So the Head Courtier and Head Courtesan are together?” Layla pondered that; it made a strange amount of sense. The Head Courtier and North Sea Siren Reginald Durant was as intense and austere as the Head Courtesan and Silver Passion Sylvania Eroganis was beautiful and generous. Somehow, it made sense that the one person who could win any heart was with the one person who could chill them all.
“They are an oddly perfect match.” Dusk nodded, as if reading Layla’s thoughts.
“Who else are you with?”
“Amalia DuFane.” Dusk gave rakish lift of one eyebrow and a sly grin.
“The Head Clothier!” Layla laughed. “No wonder she always dresses you so well!”
“I do get the finest suits in the entire Hotel.” Dusk chuckled, immensely pleased with himself. “And Amalia doesn’t mind my antics. She’s a busy little bee herself. Has at least ten lovers that I know of, and she’s not even a Dragon.”
“Who else?” Layla laughed. “Give me one more name and I’ll believe you.”
“Rikyava, actually.” Dusk gave a lecherous smile. “I’m one of her three regular partners. But she’s going to deny it up one side and down the other, so that’s not one you can confirm.”
