Page 74 of Consort of the Dragon King

Another acolyte called out to Sephen. “Hey, are you going to join us for lunch?”

Sephen’s voice was remarkably steady as he responded. “No, but thank you.” Kisano was impressed at how Sephen could sound so polite when he was so aroused and annoyed at the interruption.

“Is everything okay?” The acolyte sounded concerned.

“Yes, very well. Please leave me to my meditations.”

After the young mage left, Kisano felt free to comment. “Meditations? Is that what we were doing?”

Sephen playfully shoved Kisano’s arm with a laugh. “You’re lucky I could think of anything to say at all!”

The tantalizing scent of Sephen’s heat inspired new feelings inside Kisano. He could scarcely believe it when he said, “It would be in poor taste to desecrate your virginal body in a temple.”

“But I don’t want you to stop,” Sephen whimpered. He arched his hips in a bid for reconsideration.

Part of Kisano was all too willing to give in to the dark whispers urging him to accept what was being offered, but it startled him too much to continue. “It is not right,” Kisano protested. He was too fearful his reaction was only in response to the temptation ofthe start of Sephen’s heat. It would not be fair to Sephen to react that way.

Sephen tried to change his mind with another passionate kiss, rocking his arousal against the shifter’s answering erection.

Things were moving too quickly for Kisano. “We must stop.”

“Why?” Sephen breathlessly demanded.

“Because the things I want to do to you would have you screaming my name, alerting everyone about what we were doing,” Kisano murmured. The uncharacteristic words startled him. “Sephen, my apologies for saying something so disrespectful.”

“Why are you apologizing for saying something so incredibly sexy?”

The blushing, innocent look on Sephen’s face made Kisano want to do things he could hardly believe he wanted. It was enough to force him to sit back to create distance between them and their desires.

Sephen sat up with a pout. “I know you’re right, but my bodyreallywants to keep going.”

It made Kisano chuckle despite his discomfort at how out of character he was acting. Was it only the start of Sephen’s heat scent causing Kisano to feel so strange?

“May I come back to the castle with you?” Sephen hopefully requested. His green gaze pleaded with Kisano.

The shifter had to take a deep breath to stop himself from immediately agreeing. He caressed Sephen’s cheek. “There is nothing I would like more in this world, but I do not wish you tomisunderstand my feelings as being present only under the sway of your heat. I never want to give you any doubt that I am merely desiring you out of a biological response.”

“Andyou’re honorable on top of it,” Sephen playfully groused. “Do you really have to wonder why I think you’re perfect?”

His actions had proven he was anything but. “I am far from perfect.”

“You are perfect to me, which is all that matters,” Sephen insisted before kissing Kisano with a tenderness that flooded the shifter with more romantic feelings.

When Kisano pulled back, he caught sight of a book that had fallen to the floor earlier. He leaned over to pick it up, surprised to see it was one of his own. “Do you really keep my book under your pillow?”

“I was reading it when Auslin came in to tell me the truth. Then you arrived so suddenly, so…” Sephen’s embarrassment was adorable.

It drew Kisano’s attention to the bookshelves in the room, which were stuffed full of books, most of which were his. “I do not know why I am so surprised to discover you were not exaggerating about your collection of Reskin and Liros books.”

“I know mages are supposed to lead austere lives free of the desire for worldly possessions, but being able to hold their words means more to me than any religious tenet.”

Sephen’s earnest confession moved Kisano’s heart. Despite knowing he should resist, he gave in to yet another kiss, unable to pull himself away from temptation.

Chapter 34

Sephen

If Sephen’s day got any better, he might explode into rainbows. He could hardly believe he had finally had his first kiss, let alone with his dream man, who was also his favorite author.

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