“Duh,” Saffron chimed in. “We thought ofeverything.”
Alaric cleared his throat softly. “Then I’ll take a look after dinner.”
My heartbeat quickened. Was that his way of accepting my clumsy compliment?
Holy Drake, I’d never been so nervous during a simple dinner. Once we’d put in our orders, I could only sit and fixate on Alaric. We sat so close together that I felt the warmth radiating from his slender form. He was only inches away—I could’ve slid my hand over his thigh beneath the table without anyone noticing. The shameless idea crossed my mind more than once, and worse, it made my cock throb. I channelled my willpower intonotgetting hard, but it was a challenge with Alaric’s scent constantly tickling my nose.
“So, Alaric,” Thystle began. “You enjoying this season so far?”
Alaric took a sip of water. “Yes, I am. For one thing, it’s the first time a bachelor has given me the time of day.”
The dry jab targeted four of my brothers—Crimson, Thystle, Cobalt and Aurum—but they took the comment in stride.
Crimson grinned. “Guilty as charged. Sorry, Alaric. You just weren’t the right cat for me.”
“Oh, don’t apologize,” Alaric replied, waving a manicured hand. “I wouldn’t have lasted two days listening to you gush over clothing.”
Crimson made an offended sound. “How could a fellow well-dressed man say something so cruel?”
Alaric turned his gaze to Cobalt and Thystle. “And you two were both obsessed with someone before the Games started, which was a blessing in disguise, since neither of you are my type.”
Cobalt smiled wistfully, as if thinking back on his first meeting with Muzo. I briefly tried to imagine an alternateuniverse in which Alaric was Cobalt’s fated mate, but it was impossible. I tried the same exercise with Thystle, who was head over heels for the musician Aquila—whose true identity was his fated mate, Matteo—and couldn’t do it. Alaric’s four failed attempts at winning a bachelor’s heart weren’t his fault—he just wasn’t romantically compatible with my brothers.
But Alaric and I had forged a connection that deepened by the day. I caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye and felt a vivid jolt of desire. My intention to think celibate thoughts during dinner was rapidly falling apart.
“Mais oui, my friends!” Gaius cried in a fake French accent. “Dinner is served!”
The steaming-hot plates were placed in front of us. The mouth-watering smell of food nearly overpowered my senses, but Alaric’s equally mouth-watering scent won out in the olfactory war.
Alaric’s eyes widened at the sight of his juicy filet and rich soup. I saw his throat bob as he swallowed in anticipation, drinking in the sights of the skilfully prepared meals. Our chefs always did good work, of course, but I had a feeling my brothers encouraged them to make it extra spectacular for tonight’s service.
“Dragons don’t do anything halfheartedly, do they?” he remarked.
“Never,” I promised.
Alaric sat up straight and held his knife and fork primly, cut himself a bite-sized piece of filet, then nearly moaned when the flavor hit his tongue.
“This is...” He swallowed. “I don’t even have words to describe how good this is.”
My pulse raced at his pleasured reaction. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Alaric cut a second bite-sized piece, then tilted his head to catch my gaze. “Jade, you simply must try this.”
My analytical brain almost objected—after all, I had the exact same dish on my own plate—but as Alaric turned towards me, his knee grazed my leg. An electric shock bolted up my thigh like fireworks.
It was just an accident. I composed myself.
“Of course,” I said.
I leaned slightly forward to catch Alaric’s offering. The taste was fantastic, but it barely registered—my senses were laser-focused on Alaric’s knee now pushing firmly into my thigh.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” he asked. His ocean green and blue eyes glinted with subtle amusement.
That was when I realized the naughty cat was teasing me on purpose. Was this his revenge formyteasing during the massage?
My rapidly beating heart leapt into my throat. I struggled to swallow past it. “Yes. Quite good,” I agreed.
“Would you like another bite?” Alaric asked.
