With a groan, he pulled back, his chest heaving. “You are a dangerous temptation, Ashaya. You make me forget where I am.”
Ash panted, dragging air into her starving lungs, disappointment surging. “And that’s a bad thing?”
He let out a laugh. “It’s perfect, but the others will be back soon.”
Wonderful.She scrunched her face, having forgotten them. She smoothed his long ponytail where it fell across her chest. The truth was, if she wasn’t careful, this man could hurt her worse than Paul ever had.
With a rough inhale, Race sat up, feet on the floor.
At the sag in his usually straight shoulders, Ash forgot her own wariness and slipped her arms around him from behind. She didn’t know how he endured that horror for so long alone.
She rested her chin on his shoulder. An impish part of her couldn’t resist, “A shame to waste all that tension. My mouth can work miracles, you know?”
His gaze shot to hers, a groan breaking loose. “You enjoy tormenting me, don’t you?”
“Only because you’re fun to tease.” She laughed, letting her fingers trail lower, stroking his stomach, and his muscles tensed.
“Ash.” He grasped her hand, his voice like gravel. “I am a dragon on the edge. You’re playing with fire.”
“Maybe I like getting burned.”
Chapter
Nineteen
Hell.Race held her hands against his chest and forced air into his lungs, wrestling the mating heat blazing beneath his skin back under control. Who knew one mortal could crack open a heart he’d long thought lost?
Liked getting burned?Ash had no idea.
He pressed a kiss to the back of both her hands. Every instinct screamed to claim her. But she was human. She needed to understand what a dragon’s claiming truly meant.
A bite with full venom, and she could die.
You don’t know that,his dragon rumbled.She already has some of our venom.
Stop,he groaned.We can’t rush this. She’s too important to us.
“Why the sigh?” she asked softly, letting him go, and he sorely missed her warmth.
Race glanced over his shoulder to where she sat behind him, her beautiful face flushed, her gaze searching his.
I’m desperate for you. And terrified that if I let my needs take control, I could kill you.
He shook his head and shifted his attention back to the window so he wouldn’t drag her to him.
The mattress dipped behind him again. She wrapped her arms around him once more, her curves a seductive temptation against his back, and he gritted his teeth.
“Whatever it is,” she whispered, her cheek warm against his, “it’ll be all right. You’ll see.”
He fucking hoped so?—
Dammit. He had to get his ass ready for a recon once Attor got back.
“I need to prepare.” Race kissed her forearm, then rose. Later, he would explain the dangers of his venom.
He crossed to the age-fogged mirror opposite the bed and slid the tie from his hair. Haunted eyes stared back at him, his silver strands cascading down his torso like moonlight.
Behind him, Ash got off the bed and padded to the window. Hinges squeaked as she eased it open, and the sharp bite of damp stone and old smoke swept into the room, stealing the warmth.
