Page 79 of Ash

“You might be surprised.”

He raised a dark brow at her. “It is difficult for people to believe I am anything more than a very large human with dramatic hair and a great butt wearing shiny tights.”

She stared at him, trying to see through the exotic Dragon good looks to the man. Impossible. But he was right. People explained things away based on what they knew to be the truth.

They really had no idea.

He cocked his head. “Do you not agree?”

“Well, you are large.”

He snorted a laugh and headed for the metal ladder that provided access to the ground, giving Dani a rear view of form-fitting scale clothing and the aforementioned butt. He was likely to give everyone in that restaurant a heart attack, even if they thought he was human.

“Maybe I should go get the chicken,” she offered.

He stopped and glanced back at her, one brow still elevated. It must stay there a lot.

“I have been here before,” he pointed out.

“Were you wearing clothes?”

He considered. “Sometimes.”

Oh, effing hell. “You have to start stashing sweatpants on rooftops,” she stated as she followed him down the ladder. “And what about your eyes?” The rest of him might pass for a giant human with odd and slightly erotic choices in wardrobe, but those eerie, metallic eyes were pure Dragon.

As they touched down in the back alley, she looked up at him. One corner of his lip had twitched up. Did the guy ever truly smile? He touched the scales along his ribs, and they moved aside to reveal a credit card and a set of military-style sunglasses.

“Handy trick,” Dani noted, addingwears shades at nightto the strange human ensemble.

“It is,” he agreed, donning the wraparound eyewear and holding the door open for her.

The restaurant had four tiny booths, and two of them were occupied. It was late for supper, but the diners took one look at Tyrez and froze. A middle-aged man had a drumstick halfway to his mouth. The gaze of the blonde woman beside him locked on Tyrez’s groin, widened, and then yanked away as her face flushed beet red.

Dani hadn’t reckoned on the entertainment factor inherent in watching the viewers cope. She had to fight to keep from cracking up. The kid behind the counter merely nodded to Tyrez—he’d obviously been through this before. A fact verified when the Dragon leaned forward and said, “The usual, please.”

As they waited, Dani observed the blonde woman surreptitiously scanning Tyrez whenever her male companion couldn’t notice. The two men in the second booth were equally captivated, their eyebrows dancing as they scoped him out. They were slow to return to their meals.

The Dragon had to be aware he was causing a stir, but he ignored it all, leaning a hip against the counter as he gazed down at Dani. But when she ripped her eyes away from his lower half, she noted his lips twitch.

She scrambled for something to say. “Um... You have a sister?”

“I have two full sisters,” he replied. “The chicken is for my youngest. She would be the equivalent of about fifteen.” He cleared his throat. “I would like you to stay with her. Her quarters are a level down from mine, and she has an unused bedroom.”

Dani grimaced. She didn’t know this sister. But she could hardly ask the big guy to spend any more time on that dented couch. “I could sleep on the couch,” she offered.

He shifted his feet and resumed the lean. “For the next few nights, it might be best if you weren’t in my quarters.”

He looked uncomfortable and wouldn’t meet her gaze. And then she got it. “Is this about Aranta?”

His mouth straightened. “Partly. Yes.”

Dani didn’t understand why her heart suddenly ached. “She doesn’t want me there, I guess.” Dani wouldn’t want a third wheel in the picture, either. “Maybe Ishouldstay with Cara.”

“It is up to you,” Tyrez rumbled. “Aranta doesn’t live with me. But she will be around for the next few nights.”

Okay, this was confusing as hell. Only for the next few nights? “And after that?”

“It will be up to you. But Sirki’s quarters are very comfortable, and Rindek will not get to you in the palace.”

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