Page 21 of Hers to Keep

Nova harrumphed.“You sure?Samar’s idea of casual is not really the steamy looks across the dinner table variety.”

Pris leveled an amused look her way.“Now that sounds like some yummy gossip to me.”

Nova laughed, her snakes shivering with amusement.“He and I have gone a few rounds, yeah.You’re one lucky witch.He really knows what he’s doing, in all the best ways.”

Tilly cocked a curious eyebrow their way.“Never plowed that particular field, but he’s easy enough to look at.Maybe I should give him a shot?”

“Well, he definitely doesn’t have boobs,” Mari countered.

Tilly cackled.“But heisprettier than me, which is my only hard and fast rule.”

“Gods, he’s prettier than all of us,” Nova said, fanning her face with a sigh.

Pris chuckled, eyelids lowered demurely.“I kind of want to argue that point, because you’re gorgeous.”

Nova aimed a simmering smile at the raven-haired witch.Her copper snakes undulated in a slow dance.“Why, thank you.”

Tilly coughed and ruffled her feathers.“No flirting at movie night!”

Nova slid a coy look in the harpy’s direction.“Oh, you didn’t mention that rule.I’m not sure I would have signed up.”

“It’s a new rule necessitated by the fact that all of a sudden I’m surrounded by hot babes making eyes at each other, and I don’t know how I’m going to keep my cool about it.”

Everyone laughed at that.

“Okay, okay.”Pris smiled.“We’ll flirt on our own time.Any other topics of discussion that desperately need attending to?”

“I wouldn’t mind talking about the new guy in all our lives,” Nova said, turning toward Mari.“I’ve seen him a few times in the hallway to the guest rooms, but I’m never sure if I should stop and say hello or avoid eye contact entirely.”

“He’s not much on small talk, but I don’t think he’d mind if you said hello.”Mari forgot sometimes that Dohal hadn’t been around forever, and many of the people in the compound didn’t know him at all.He seemed like such a fixture in her life already that it was difficult to recall him ever not being around.“I’ll make sure to introduce you next time you’re both in the same room.”

“And did I hear right that he’s a dragon?”Nova’s voice shimmered with curiosity.

“Yup.”Mari gave what was likely a hopelessly besotted smile.“He thinks he’s the last alive.”She had tried to ask him about what had happened to the rest, but he hadn’t been very forthcoming.The books they had were frustratingly quiet on the subject, or she never would have brought it up with him at all.And when she had asked Willow about what had befallen the dragons, the sphinx had shaken their head and refused to answer.

The room was quiet for a minute before Tilly cleared her throat.“Any other last minute conversational nuggets that won’t bum us out before the movie?”

“I suppose it’s pointless to ask for a Kima update?I noticed things were pretty frosty between you at dinner,” Nova said.

Tilly rubbed her cheek.“Good, we’re all done then?”She pushed the button to start the movie.

Nova wrinkled her nose, but didn’t protest as the music blared to life.

Mari was in Dohal’s lap ahead of the night’s meeting—soaking up his magic the only way he had allowed since gaining his freedom—when she asked what had been on her mind for days, “When can I tempt you into my bed again?I need more than this.”

She knew that wanting wasn’t the problem.Beyond the swell of his immense cock under her ass, his desire for her curled tight and hot inside him.But no matter her teasing, he wouldn’t let it out.He touched her constantly and showed her all the affection a woman could ever want, except he never let it go past second base.With a rotation of three other very fulfilling cocks to choose from as often as she wanted them, she thought she should be satisfied, but the longer it went on, the more she craved the only one she couldn’t have.She was very nearly to the point of begging.

He chuckled low as he stared into her eyes with his fathomless cosmic gaze.“Soon, little rabbit.”He stroked his clawed fingers over the delicate skin of her throat.“You require quite a bit of recovery time from being subject to my passions.”

“I’m ready,” she said, a little breathless just from the hot way he was looking at her.Saints, she was seconds from crawling face-down on the table and ordering him to fuck her right now, meeting be damned.

“Controlling myself with you is difficult, so I have to exert the control I can to be sure that I don’t damage you.”

She lifted her chin.It bothered her someplace deep and spiteful that he hadn’t given her all of him.“I’m not that fragile.”

His grin was sharp.“No, but I am a creature of dark appetites when it comes to you.”

“You seemed in control of yourself the last time.”She smiled as she remembered when he had lost himself in the urge to breed her.She needed that intensity again.“At least until the end.”

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