Page 74 of Kiss of Magic

He raised a brow.

“Well, I’ve heard some excuses in my time butthat…”

“Yeah, very funny.” She slapped his arm. “You know if there was any other way, I’d take it. You’re the last person I want to spoon with.”

“Always so complimentary, Blue. Fine. Budge over.”

He kicked his boots off and removed his gun holsters, putting them with his coat over the back of a chair. Then he stretched out on the bed and she settled next to him.

They lay in awkward silence for a while. Blake was very aware of Dani’s presence. Her warmth. Her floral scent. The press of her thighs next to his.Dammit, think of something else.

“You okay there, Blue?” he said gruffly.

Dani was fighting her own battle. The insistent murmuring prodding at her mind quietened when she was close to Blake. But she knew that only one thing would ease it completely.

Goddess, it was so humiliating. That this hunter, thishumanwas the only one she could turn to was the ultimate irony.

“I… um…” Heat flooded her cheeks. “It’s better when I touch your skin. Can you… do you mind taking your shirt off?”

He gazed at the ceiling.

“I don’t think so.”

“I get it. I’m your bounty, you don’t owe me anything. It’s just that touching the tattoo seems to cut off the noise in my head.”

An image of her hands stroking his body flashed unbidden to his mind. He let himself dwell on that enticing thought for a moment.

“It’s not a good idea, Blue.”

“Please. Please, Ethan.” Her voice cracked and when he turned to her, the pain in her eyes made his heart falter. “I know we’re not friends. I know I’m just a job to you. When you… when you did what you did yesterday to help me get over the potion, I know you weren’t doing it because you wanted to. But please, Ethan. I need to touch you.”

He couldn’t say no to her raw plea. Slowly, he pulled his shirt off. Dani lay her palm on his chest, pressing lightly against the dragon tattoo. Relief washed over her almost immediately. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer.

Blake tried not to react, though it was becoming almost impossible. He could feel her hair tickle his chest and her breath on his skin.

“Is that…” he cleared his throat. “Is that better?”

“It’s fucking brilliant.” She tilted her head back. “I’m sorry, I know this must be annoying for you. You probably think I’m being a real pain in the butt right now.”

“It’s fine. Go to sleep.”

“Yes, sir,” she teased. She stroked the dragon absently. “You have a really nice chest.”

“Oh my god,” he groaned. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What? What am I doing?”

“You know exactly what you’re doing. Now quit it.”

She frowned.

“I don’t understand. What are you so pissed off about?”

“Blue.” He spoke slowly and deliberately. “Let me spell it out for you. You are not annoying me. You are not being a pain in the butt. You are, in fact, making me do something I’ve never done in my life.”

She stared at him with wide eyes.

“What’s that?”

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