Page 40 of Ensnared (The Dragon Captured #1)

O nce, when I was eighteen, I had this co-worker I’d known for a few months. His dad owned the restaurant we were working in, so he was almost immediately promoted to assistant manager, even though he wasn’t very good at, well, at anything.

He wasn’t a jerk; he just wasn’t very competent.

At the end of a long shift, I was carrying an entire order out to a table of six when he walked out right in front of me. I stopped quick, but the food tray didn’t react as fast. I dumped the entire order onto the ground, food splattering, dishes shattering, and silverware clattering.

It was a disaster.

Several people stepped in to help, including the guy who caused it, Jack. By the time we finally got the mess taken care of, I was done for the night. I was leaning against the counter in the back of the kitchen when he came over to chat.

Out of the blue, with no lead in, he said, “Hey, you know, you’re really good to have around when things go wrong.”

I didn’t remind him that he was the thing that went wrong.

He continued. “I’d love to have you around all the time. Would you marry me?”

I thought he was kidding, or maybe I was just really uncomfortable, but either way, I started laughing.

He got angry. . .and fired me.

I could probably have made it into a big thing, but it wasn’t the best job in the world anyway. Losing it wasn’t a big travesty or whatever. I just walked away.

When Axel says, “I want you to teach me how to kiss,” my first inclination is the same as it was that night.

To laugh.

I’ve learned a little since then, at least.

“Are you making a joke?” I keep my face utterly serious.

He shakes his head. “Nothing you humans do surprises me when it comes to tactical maneuvers. You’re pretty amateurish in your military strategy, to be honest.”

Maybe I misunderstood him. He’s talking about battle strategy now. Maybe he’s confused about what a kiss is. I frown.

“But in your personal relationships, I’m constantly confused.

You shelter and care for your siblings. Your companion Gideon risked his life by coming into enemy territory to look for you.

Then, when you asked, he left you here to protect your family.

” He frowns. “He doesn’t want to leave your side, but he does it anyway when you ask.

” He shakes his head. “I can’t understand it. ”

“I told you. I haven’t kissed him.”

Axel steps closer. “I don’t experience emotions the way you do, but I’d like to try to understand your actions in spite of that.” He’s only a foot and a half away from me now, standing in the center of the game room at the top of the stairs.

My back isn’t against my bedroom door, but it’s not far from it.

I’ve backed away quickly from Axel before, and I know what happens when I do.

Predator drive kicks in, so backing away from him is out.

Instead, I step closer, my eyes meeting his.

I stare into his eyes for a moment. “Humans experience a lot of emotions, but we don’t always know what we’re feeling or why.

It’s a little like our bond in that way.

I know it’s there. I know it connects me to you.

” My voice is low, but I drop it lower still.

“But I don’t know all the things I can do with it, or exactly what it’s telling me a lot of the time. ”

“Okay.” Axel picks up his hand and runs his fingers down the side of my face.

My heart reacts instantly, picking up the pace. I lick my lips.

Axel smiles. “Your heart did that when he touched you, and I didn’t like it.”

“That’s close to an emotion we feel too. It’s called jealousy.”

“Jealousy.” He drops his hand. “Our studies tell us that’s wishing you had what someone else has.” He frowns. “I don’t want what Gideon has.”

“Maybe not,” I say, “but you might want my attention.” As I say it, I realize how presumptuous I sound, like I think he’s pining for me or something. I already know he doesn’t have feelings like ours.

“You’re mine,” Axel says. “I don’t share what’s mine.”

Maybe it’s that simple. “You clearly feel possessive about things, and maybe that’s why you slide into something close to what we know as jealousy. You don’t share, and jealousy is when you feel like someone else is taking what’s yours.”

“He can’t have you.” He lifts his hand again, this time absently, like he’s not really aware of what he’s doing, his fingers brushing the hair back from my face. “I don’t want him to touch your face. I don’t want anyone touching your face.”

“Humans don’t like the idea of belonging to anyone else.” I push his hand away. “We’ve fought wars over it, and we don’t relinquish our independence easily.”

“All of life is about hierarchy and power structures,” Axel says. “Pretending otherwise is foolish.”

“Perhaps.” I lift my hand this time. “But think about this. You may own me, but I make demands on you, and you listen and honor them.” I touch his brow, my hand far above my own shoulder, and then I drag it down slowly until my finger’s next to his mouth.

“I can’t teach you to kiss, because no one can do that.

Kissing’s an extension of an emotion you don’t possess. ”

“What emotion?” His lips move as he speaks, pressing gently against my finger. As if he likes it, he leans closer, turning his face toward my hand.

I’m not ready to teach a lesson on love. I’m not even sure I understand it.

“Lust,” I whisper. “When two people want to touch one another, when two people can’t think about anything but touching that other person.

. .” I drag my finger downward, pulling his top lip toward his bottom, and then stopping, my finger pressing harder against his mouth.

I swallow slowly. “You want to press your bodies closer, too.” Why’s my voice so breathy?

“So it’s like a mating ritual,” he says. “But why the mouths?” He’s looking at my mouth, still speaking against the pressure of my finger.

I pull back, but he stops me—by biting the tip of my finger. He releases me quickly, but he still looks confused.

“Why not hands?” His voice is as low as mine was, like he’s mimicking me in everything I do.

I drop my hand. “People usually hold hands first.”

“Like this?” He reaches for my hand, covering the back of my hand with his, sliding his fingers between mine, his fingers easily sliding past the one he just bit.

It’s been a really, really long day, and I’m one of the only beings who knows about his secret.

That’s probably what’s going on—the excitement of a shared secret—but every nerve ending on my body is awake and alert, almost in overdrive.

My hand, where he’s touching it, feels like the only place on earth that matters.

It’s the only thing I can think about.

“Can you feel this?” His words almost sound like a rhetorical question, but the bond’s a bright gold color I’ve never noticed before. It’s almost shining.

This doesn’t feel smart. I try to slide my hand free. “We probably ought to?—”

“No.” Axel tightens his hand around mine. “This is different from anything I’ve ever done.” He lifts his eyes to mine, and his are glowing softly. “I like it.”

He likes it.

For some reason those three words shift something inside of me, something strange. It’s like I’m a boat that’s come unmoored. I’m floating in the middle of the ocean, no anchor, no dock, no course set. I’m free, but also so very lost.

“Axel,” I say, “I think?—”

His free hand whips up, his finger pressing against my mouth this time. “Shh.”

“Axel.”

He smiles and moves his finger. “You can say my name. I don’t mind that.”

“Today has been really long.”

He freezes. “You’re tired.” He closes his eyes. “I forget that about humans. Of course you are.”

“Yes,” I say.

He releases my hand, looking down a little longingly. “Go right ahead.”

But when I turn, he follows me, just a step behind. “What are you—” I frown.

“You were injured today,” he says. “It was a long, exhausting day.”

I nod.

“The last time you were injured, you slept better with me present.”

A shiver runs through me at that memory. “Yes, well, I’m not sure?—”

“You’ll sleep better this time, too.”

“I need to shower,” I say. “I’m filthy.”

He nods, as if that’s just fine and he sees no reason to duck out or leave me alone.

“Humans don’t shower together,” I say, blushing furiously.

“They don’t?” He frowns. “I’m sure that in some of the video transmissions we saw?—”

Movies. He means movies. “Not unless they’re. . .” I close my eyes. “ Together. ”

“We’re together.” When I open my eyes, he’s simply staring at me in confusion.

“We’re not together like that,” I say. “That’s for people who are in love.”

“Show me,” he says.

“Axel.”

He smiles. “I still like it.”

He’s like a golden retriever right now, impossible to shake. Maybe I’m handling it wrong. I grab his wrist and drag him into the room and close the door, pressing him up against it.

His eyes widen and he stiffens, but he doesn’t stop me or say a word.

“If we were together,” I say, “this would have a lot of meaning.”

“Meaning?”

“I’d be pressing you against the door because you were invited to spend the night with me.”

He blinks.

“Then I’d peel this off.” I unsheathe the swords one at a time, and I unbuckle the straps holding them on. Then I unbutton my shirt, peeling it off, leaving only a camisole covering my bra.

His eyes widen and his head dips. “What is that?”

I can’t help my smile. He’s staring at the outline of my bra. “It’s—” I can’t help laughing.

“What?” His eyes come back up to mine.

This is totally not working. “I’m going to shower. You better be gone when I’m done.”

He frowns.

As I shower, I can sense him. He’s still in my room. When I step out of the shower and dry off, I can feel that he’s still out there, waiting. I put lotion on myself, giving him time to make the right decision, and then I dress. Still, he hasn’t moved an inch.

When I open the door in my pajama shorts and t-shirt, he’s sitting on the edge of my bed.

“ Axel ,” I say. “You were not supposed to wait.”