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I nodded. Stephan stepped out of the room, and I pulled the door closed behind us.

When I turned around, Stephan was right there. He took a step forward, and my back bumped against the door.

Stephan brushed the hair off my forehead, then tucked it behind my ear. His fingers trailed over my jaw, to my chin, then tilted my head up. Our eyes met. The heat was back, running down my spine and settling low in my gut.

“I don’t want you to think I forgot what we were talking about,” he said in a voice so low it seemed to rumble into my bones. His touch drifted to my neck, then he curled his hand around my nape as he pinned me with his gaze. I didn’t want to move. His touch was so firm, so possessive, and God, I wanted to lean into it.

My lips parted. My body was begging for more of his touch, on my waist, my hips. I wanted him to touch me where I wanted it most, where I was hot and wet and wanting between my legs. I shivered.

Gold flashed in his hazel eyes. Then he took a step back and smiled. Smirky and hot. “Good night, Harley.”

I blinked. My brain felt like it was submerged in honey. “Good… Good night.”

Stephan slipped into his bedroom and closed the door. I tipped my head back against the door and stared at the ceiling, desire blazing through my body.

What the hell was this man doing to me?

14

ACE

Ileaned against the counter and sipped my coffee, watching Harley move around the kitchen as she made breakfast even though Dylan was still fast asleep.

She was so damn gorgeous with her auburn hair loose and simple shorts clinging to the curve of her thighs. She looked so at home in my kitchen as she chopped vegetables for an omelet.

Harley looked over her shoulder at me, her cheeks flushing.

My dragon growled with hunger. With the need to make her mine.

I was proud of Dylan for managing his tail’s first appearance so well, but the timing hadn’t been ideal. If I’d had a few more moments, I would’ve had Harley beneath me on that very couch, gasping my name.

“Usually I’d make Dylan get up,” she said, more to herself than to me, “but he could use the sleep after last night.”

“He’s going through a lot,” I agreed.

She sighed and raked one hand through her hair, pushing the long strands off her face. Even those simple gestures made me crazy. I wanted to run my tongue up the curve of her arm. I wanted to devour her.

She met my eyes, and the flush on her cheeks deepened.

I knew she wanted me just as bad. I had to get her alone. The tension was too much. We needed to have a conversation—a real conversation, not snippets stolen in between meals and work and in the cool darkness of night.

I needed her attention on me. And what happened then would happen.

“I’m gonna make a call, then I’ll go wake Dylan.”

She nodded, and I stepped out onto the deck. Putting my mug on the railing, I grabbed my phone and watched Harley move around the kitchen. Was she singing to herself? Fuck, I wanted to be near her all the time.

“Pretty early for a call, Ace,” Hawk said as soon as he answered. “There a problem?”

“Something like that,” I said. “You have time for uncle duty today?”

“Duty, huh? You finally getting your head out of your ass and making a move on Harley?”

My dragon huffed his approval. “Not exactly.” Cue my dragon’s disapproval. “I have to have a real conversation. I need to know where her head is at.”

“Yeah, there’s definitely something between you two,” Hawk said. “Better to clear the air either way.”

If Hawk had noticed the tension, it was definitely getting bad. I needed clarity. We both did. If Harley was serious about keeping things hands-off between us, I’d respect that. Even if my dragon didn’t like it. Maybe I’d eventually reject her, and we’d try to move on with our lives. But the mere thought of doing that pissed my dragon off.