Muzo wrinkled his nose. “Um, I smellreallybad right now. I was actually gonna hop in the shower and scrub myself raw.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. I stared at him, waiting for clarification.
When I didn’t respond or move away, Muzo said, “Oh, no. I broke Cobalt.”
“I’m not broken. What you said was absurd. You smell wonderful.”
Now Muzo was confused. He sputtered, “What? Everyone I’ve talked to for the past, like, two weeks has told me how sweaty and nasty I am!”
“They are wrong,” I stated. Plain and simple.
My dragon soul wouldn’t accept distance between us any longer. I leaned in until Muzo was enveloped in my shadow, then brought my nose to the space where his arm met his chest. He made a high-pitched sound.
“Uh, what’cha doing there, Cobalt?” he asked, flustered.
“I am smelling you.”
My nostrils flared as I took a deep breath ofhim.He smelled of sweat, yes, but also so much more. His pheromones bypassed my brain and activated my body’s instinctive lust response. Rich masculine spiciness mixed with delicate floral notes. Below that was a layer of heady omega musk, thick as incense and just as intoxicating.
Without realizing it, I’d buried my nose in his armpit, sucking up as much of my fated mate’s scent as possible. The temperature of his skin rapidly increased.
“Um,” Muzo said, his voice cracking.
I didn’t want to stop, but he clearly wanted my attention. “Hm?”
“You know better than me—being a dragon and all—but, uh, is breaking into a naked guy’s room and smelling him... allowed on the Dragonfate Games?”
That was the last thing on my mind, but he did have a point. The camera crew and nosy hotel neighbors might still be outside his room. They didn’t matter to me, but if they bothered Muzo, I’d scatter them like bugs.
Muzo raised an eyebrow. “By the way, are you pranking me right now, or are you actually super into my pit smell? It’s fine either way, I just wanna know.”
“I love it,” I growled. “I wouldn’t lie about that.”
The color of Muzo’s cheeks deepened and his brows shot up. “Oh, well, then...” He coughed softly. “Carry on, I guess? Like I said, I was about to shower—which is why I’m naked—but who am I to say no to the alpha dragon?”
I paused. Did he notwantme to smell him?
A sudden worry struck me. I hoped my size didn’t intimidate him. Frightening my fated mate by accident was my worst nightmare.
As painful as it was, I pulled away. “I’m sorry. I was insensitive. I won’t obstruct you from showering.”
Muzo watched me curiously, then snorted in amusement. “You’re kinda weird. I like that in an alpha. I’m weird, too—though I gotta say, sniffing naked strangers is pretty out there, even by my standards.” He cocked his head. “So, are you just gonna stand there like a sexy lawn ornament, or are you gonna come with me?”
“Come with you?” I echoed. I expected to be gently evicted from the room, not invited further in.
Muzo grinned. “Sure. Why not? You’ve already seen my bare butt and smelled my armpits and all. Doesn’t get much more intimate than that, right?”
Mental images of various sensual acts flashed in my head.
“It could,” I said honestly.
Muzo cackled with laughter. “You’re funny. Anyone ever told you that?”
“No.”
Waving me towards the bathroom, Muzo said, “C’mon, big boss. Let’s get soapy.”
Seven
