God.
Those words.
Valerie’s hands dropped from her hair and she regarded him, trying to memorize everything about that moment because soon, it would be gone. The way the morning light beamed across the walls, a shaft of it lighting up the center of Dravka’s chest. She wondered if he could feel the warmth of it there.
Underneath the sheet, his body was relaxed. She could see the outline of his strong legs, his thighs, one leg curled to the side. And just above that, she licked her lips briefly when she saw the teasing outline of his cock, thick and long…and hard.
His full lips were quirked in a small, knowing smirk, his darkened gaze watching her. When his hand lazily brushed away the sheet, letting her see his arousal, her heart picked up in her chest, her mouth beginning to water for it as her fingers curled—as if imagining it in her grip.
This is why they always come back, came the stray thought.
His clients.
Because he was…beguiling. Seductive. Confident. Mesmerizing.
“You’re…” She trailed off, not quite knowing how to explain the way she saw him. “You’re wonderful. You know that, right?”
And one day, he’d make a female very, very lucky when he took her as his mate.
Something flickered in his gaze. He sat up from the bed, swinging his long limbs over the edge and reaching for her.
And because Valerie was weak, she went to him, stepping between his thighs. The bed was quite low to the ground so he pressed a kiss into her belly before looking up at her.
Valerie reached forward, stroking his cheek. She felt it then. Reality coming back in. A depressing reality, of memories from the night before, of the dinner at the Larchmonts’, of Gabriel and her aunt.
She licked her lips, her gaze sliding away. “I have to finalize the shipping of Eve’s collections today. I have to meet with the transport representative in an hour, so I should probably leave.”
Touching the back of her shoulder, Valerie thought that…maybe it didn’t matter if Madame Allegria tracked where she was. The credits were hers, in an untraceable account that her aunt wouldn’t be able to touch.
Dravka regarded her in a way only he could. As if he could read everything going through her mind. He could read her better than anyone.
Finally, he nodded, standing from the bed. He followed her as she walked to the bedroom door. But when she opened it, her steps faltered slightly because she saw Ravu and Tavak were already awake. Ravu was standing at the window, which looked out towards the Lake District, his hands behind his back. Tavak was scrolling through the Nu device, his mouth pinched down into his ever-present frown.
Both males turned to look at her when she emerged from Dravka’s bedroom…with a very naked Dravka behind her.
Valerie’s cheeks flamed, wondering if they’d heard her cries last night, echoing through the bathroom and then later, from Dravka’s bedroom.
She cleared her throat. “Um, good morning,” she murmured, her voice a little raspy.
Dravka’s hand came to snake around her waist, partially shielding her from the other Keriv’i males’ knowing gazes. Perhaps because her dress was short? Or perhaps because her nipples were pebbled underneath the silky material?
Ravu was the first to speak.
“Val,” he said, stepping towards her, though a short, strange, trilling sound from Dravka stopped him in his tracks, making him freeze. He leveled Dravka an impatient look, though he didn’t move towards her again, before looking back at her. “Celine Larchmont is my client for tonight.”
Valerie started and Dravka stilled beside her.
“Yes,” she said, trying to run a hand through her hair though she realized she’d already secured it in a bun. “I was going to call and cancel. You won’t be receiving anymore clients from now on. None of you will.”
The thought filled her with relief.
At least until Ravu said, “Don’t. I need to speak with her tonight.”
Valerie frowned, her expression becoming guarded. “You do? Why?”
Ravu’s gaze slid to Dravka.
Valerie sighed. “Look, if it has anything to do with…with the marriage…I don’t think she—”
