“Why not?” Walking to the edge of the bed, I sat on it and patted a spot beside me. “Come on—we did earlier today, when we took a nap before lunch.”
Ryse frowned, not budging.
“You’d trust me to sleep with you after what happened last night? I mean, in the same bed?” he demanded.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked. My heart was suddenly pounding. “I mean, you promised not to…to do anything.”
“Yes, but I already did do something.” He looked troubled. “I took advantage of you last night.”
“We were both overcome with the dragon lust,” I said. “You didn’t mean to…to kiss me. The same way I didn’t mean to, uh, kiss you back.”
“I was too rough.” He frowned but reluctantly sat beside me on the bed. “I was afraid I scared you, little one,” he murmured, looking at me.
“Well, it was a lot more, er, intense than I’d expected my first kiss to be,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks get hot with a blush. “But you didn’t scare me.”
“That was your first kiss?” Ryse’s eyebrows went up in surprise.
“Well…yes.” I nodded. “My home is up in the mountains. There aren’t many people around so I never really…I just…no one ever kissed me before,” I ended lamely.
Ryse stroked my cheek, which was burning hot by now.
“I’m sorry your first kiss was so rough, little one,” he said softly. “If I’d known, I would have been more gentle.”
I nibbled my lower lip, looking up at him.
“It’s not like I would…would know the difference,” I pointed out softly. “I mean, I don’t really know how to kiss one way or another.”
His golden eyes were suddenly half-lidded.
“Would you like me to teach you?” he asked. “I mean, in case you meet a girl you want to be with, you’ll need to know how to kiss her.”
My heart felt like it was trying to pound its way out of my chest.
No, bad idea—bad idea! a voice in my head was shouting.
But I didn’t want to listen to it.
“You…wouldn’t mind?” I asked. “I mean, I thought…you didn’t like other men.”
“I don’t,” he said quickly. “But this would be like anything else—like me training you in the weight room or teaching you to fly. It’s just another lesson.”
“Just another lesson,” I echoed, and I found I was leaning towards him.
“Do you want me to teach you how girls like to be kissed?” Ryse murmured.
“Have you kissed a lot of girls?” I asked, feeling a sudden stab of jealousy.
He rumbled laughter.
“Enough to know what I’m doing.”
“Oh…all right. Then yes—teach me.”
I knew it was a bad idea, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. He was so big and warm and he smelled so good. I felt like I was drowning in his golden eyes.
Ryse leaned over me, cupping my face in his hands.
“Like this,” he murmured. “First you look into her eyes.”
