Syen jolted upright.

He was alone in Evalina’s bed.

Syen scrambled free of the quilt and stalked out of the bedroom on high alert. Yes, he’d been working nonstop to finish the last debt payment. He had always worked many days without rest. How could he have relaxed so completely in Evalina’s presence that he felt nothing when she slipped away from him?

Water was running in the bathroom. It shut off. The door opened. She stepped out, fully clothed, glimpsed him, and jumped. “Syen!”

His tension eased.

“Oh, you surprised me.” She pressed her hands to her chest. Her eyes widened on his nakedness. And drew lower to his cock with an excited blush. “And you’re—”

He dragged her into his arms and dominated her with his thorough kiss.

He was worthy.

She melted, giving herself over, and kissing him back. He relaxed. She accepted his claim with her body. Someday, perhaps, she would commit with a vow.

He found the bottom of her lacy blue shirt and slid his hand up her soft belly to her silken cups.

“Mmph!” She wiggled free and pushed down her red leather shirt. “Oh. Kay.” She took a deep breath and ran a smoothing finger across her smeared red-sparkle lipstick. “Sorry. There’s not much time. My friends felt bad about abandoning me last night. They’re taking me out to breakfast.”

Her rejection stung.

She fought his touch and stated her wish to separate. She would go with her friends to breakfast. He was not invited.

She slid one rainbow-striped, knee-high, toe-sock behind her and bit her lip. “You can come.”

There. He was invited.

But why was she awkward? Didn’t she understand he intended to treasure her with worship?

Her awkwardness hit a lower pitch. “Do you want a shower?”

He had no wish to wash off her scent the way she apparently wished to wash off his. “No.”

She flinched.

Had his voice been too harsh? He softened it. “I will dress and go.”

She frowned.

He must hurry so she would not be late to meet her friends. Syen flew to the bedroom, pulled on last night’s clothes, and ran his fingers through his hair. He put on his tactical shades and changed the tint to hard opacity.

His reflection in Evalina’s mirror struck him with new accusation.

He was judging her again. Judging her because of his fears that he was unworthy.

Humans washed frequently. His seed, thoughtlessly dispensed deep inside her, must have caused discomfort. His selfish fears created a misunderstanding and he’d almost treated her harshly.

Overturning a lifetime of unworthiness in a single night was too difficult.

And yet, for Evalina, he must try.

In the living room, she stared out the rain-dampened window. Her colorful hair was styled in a loose bun with soft curls and her face, hair, and body were extra sparkly.

Was it for him?

“You don’t have to feel obligated to take me to breakfast or anything,” she said without turning his way. “I can call an Uber.”

Hurt seared him.

She had not put on extra sparkles for him. She again rejected—

No.

He tightened his control. She was thinking of his comfort. Anger would not touch his vocal chords. “I will take you.”

She turned to face him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

His calm answer did not ease the anxiety on her face.

Why so tense? Better not to ask. He couldn’t risk her revoking her invitation.

She pulled on turquoise boots and a banana yellow leather coat, locked up, and obediently put her arms around his neck.

They rose into the gray skies.

“Your colors look vibrant against the gray,” he said.

She smiled. A slight softening. He pressed her close.

The clouds had a damp chill, but the horizons hinted at blue if only the clouds would burn away.

He landed on the street in front of the restaurant and climbed the stairs to the second floor. Her friends were already sitting at a table. They had to pull up a chair to accommodate him.

“This is Syen,” Eva said with an anxious smile. “He’s a dragon.”

Her friends stared in shock.

The haughty woman from the bar — Chloe — frowned as though trying to place him. She had dismissed the young male for trying to claim her as his girlfriend.

The others he’d only seen on the dance floor.

After introductions, a long silence settled over the table.

A male — Jon — finally turned to Evalina. “Did you finish grading last week’s portfolios?”

“Already? No way.” She laughed and rested her elbows on the table.

Jon smiled with too much intimacy.

Under the table, Syen placed his hand on Evalina’s knee.

Her shoulder relaxed. She didn’t look at Syen, but she leaned closer.

Syen’s chest eased. She did not reject him.

“How about you?” she asked Jon.

“I wish,” Jon said. “Self-evaluations take me twice as long to grade as the actual assignment.”

Their conversation broke the tension. The others began chatting. A waitress took their orders and brought Syen the spicy chai latte he enjoyed. Evalina ordered strawberry pancakes with whipped cream.

Across the table, Chloe addressed him. “Where did you meet Eva?”

“Your bar.”

Her confusion cleared. Perhaps she remembered him. “Do you go there often?”

“No.”

“Are you joining our merry group of friends?”

“No.”

Her brows rose. The other conversations stopped.

Evalina frowned at the table.

The waitress brought her plate of pancakes. “Excuse me, hon.”

“Oh! Sorry.” She scooted out of the way. Her knee dropped away from his hand.

The waitress departed again, and Evalina remained outside his easy reach. She stared at the fluffy whipped cream. Was she upset with her food? She squared her shoulders and picked up her cup of black coffee.

He curled his empty hand into a fist.

“You’re not joining us?” Chloe asked a second time and took a bite of her egg white omelet. “Eva’s like a party organizer.”

“My work is elsewhere. Last night is unlikely to be repeated.”

Evalina’s coffee tilted. Scalding liquid sloshed out of the cup and splashed her hand. She cried and released the handle. The whole cup tipped.

Right over her vulnerable lap.

He grabbed the mug around the rim and sealed the liquid in with his palm. Boiling heat seared his hand.

Pain burned white-hot.

He endured. Dragon scales, while able to tolerate high heats, were slick. He couldn’t risk dropping the mug.

Evalina scooted back. “Oh my god! Syen!”

He set the mug on the table. The coffee had seared an angry red circle on his palm.

“Oh, god.” She fumbled ice cubes from her water glass into a white paper napkin and pressed the disintegrating paper to his palm. “Your hand’s red. It’s probably burned.”

“It will heal.” He tugged a piece of ice free and pressed it to the burned splash on the back of her hand. “Take care.”

“I know! I’m so clumsy. You’ll never want to go out with me again.”

He palmed the single ice and lifted her chin.

Her anxious eyes skidded across his face. He forced her still until she focused on him. Her brown eyes cleared.

“You are kind,” he said quietly. “Not clumsy. I will want to go out with you many times.”

She sucked in a breath and let it out. A gentle smile curved her sparkly red lips. The tension between them dissolved, and she became the woman again who had melted into his kiss and opened herself to him in the bedroom.

“Wait.” Chloe pointed at them. Her voice sharpened with lurid accusation. “Did you two hook up?”

His chest panged. It was just a hook up. I’m not your girlfriend. He released Evalina, and she scooted back, each shifting apart.

“No,” he said.

In the same instant, she tucked her hair behind her ears and murmured. “Um, yeah.”

Her answer stabbed him in the chest.

She jolted and stared at him in shock. Hurt filled her voice with disbelief. “We did so hook up.”

“That was more than a hook up to me.”

She blinked. “But then why did you say you’re too busy with work and last night won’t be repeated?”

“Work is busy.”

“Aren’t you just saying you don’t have time for me?”

“I will only have time for you.”

Her disbelief fought with tiny rays of hope. She tilted her head. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“And this morning? You didn’t want to come to breakfast.”

“I wanted to return with you to the bedroom.”

Her mouth opened and closed. She suddenly looked at her silent, staring friends and covered her face.

Chloe pursed her lips. “So I guess you two are dating.”

He stilled. Would Evalina claim him?

Evalina made a muffled squeal and shook her head.

No.

His heart sank, dragging his shoulders down with it.

So, then, he had to work harder. He had to prove he was a worthy male someone like Evalina should—

His ear buds clicked. “Syen! Come to the office.”

He rose. “Sir.”

Evalina dropped her hands. She no longer had one of his earbuds to hear Sard but she recognized Syen’s reaction. “You have to go?”

He nodded.

“And bring your female!” Sard ordered.

What?

He breathed through gritted teeth. “She is not my female.”

Evalina flinched and looked down.

“I demanded you un-disappoint her.”

Syen had tried. Clearly he had not done enough.

“That is bad,” Sard said. “Really bad.”

Syen felt worse. His boss had tried to assist him by giving him extra time to woo Evalina and he had failed. Not only had he disappointed Evalina. He had disappointed Sard as well.

Sard was not a dragon to be kept waiting.

Syen strode to the restaurant balcony and flew.

Evalina raced after him, hit the wrought-iron railing, and waved. “Wait!”

Syen swerved back.

In the restaurant, patrons gasped and gawked and snapped pictures.

He focused only on her. “Yes?”

She tucked a strand of rainbow hair behind her ears.

That one shy gesture was so her. He wanted to scoop her off the balcony and seduce her. Make last night more than a hook up. Change his one-sided desires into her willing claim.

“I didn’t mean to minimize last night. You’re amazing and I feel like it was all a dream. Last night, today.” She shook her head. “I can’t honestly imagine tomorrow.”

She couldn’t see them together? She couldn’t imagine tomorrow?

“Try,” he growled.

“And then you say something like ‘try’ so seriously.” She reached forward and removed his glasses.

He forced himself not to flinch. The tactical information lifted away, baring him to her.

She stroked his cheek. Accepting him in the bright daylight just as she had accepted him in the artificial lights of her living area. “It makes me want to believe.”

“Believe.”

“Sorry. I’m not used to guys being nice.”

“I’m not ‘guys.’”

“No.” She studied him as though, now that he was floating on the wrong side of the railing, she really, truly, saw him. “You’re not. But you’re so hot. I feel unworthy.”

She felt unworthy? She’d said such things last night, too. It still seemed unbelievable.

Perhaps her self-conception of unworthiness felt as unbelievable to him as his self-conception of unworthiness felt to her.

She let her hand drop from his cheek. “Will I see you tonight?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

His earbuds clicked again. “Have you un-disappointed her yet?”

Syen touched his ear. “Sir?”

“Have you convinced her to come with you yet?”

“You want me to bring Evalina to the office?”

Evalina looked as surprised as he felt.

Sard’s deep growl rose in pitch. “Yes! Now! As fast as possible. Don’t keep her waiting any longer!”

Strange.

Evalina looked nonplussed. “You want me to come? How long will it take?”

He couldn’t guess. “A few minutes to reach the office.”

She coughed. “Minutes! Well, all right then.” She lifted her arms.

His heart soared.

He twined her arms around his neck and lifted her off the balcony. She snuggled tight against him. He soared.

She giggled. “Whee!”

He squeezed her tight.

The landscape zoomed below. A shot of adrenaline buzzed in his veins. He would show her around the office. Dress her in exotic outfits in the warehouse. Strip them off again at his private desk. Give her a pair of earbuds for their own private use.

This planet, which had once closed him in like a backwater prison, now gleamed as beautiful as the heart of the Empire. He, Syen, third son of a dishonored family, carried a gorgeous female. She had not claimed him yet, but there was hope. Like the emerging sun overhead, his future had once been dark and unfathomable. Now it was so full of hope it was blinding.

Actually, the blinding was the reflection of the sun against a giant incoming starship.

How unusual.

It headed to Carnelian Clothiers headquarters.

Was a special guest expected today?

He swooped in, just managing to beat it to the ordinary office building.

Eva craned her neck to see the interstellar pleasure cruiser overhead. “That’s so cool. It looks like it could hold an army.”

“It probably only holds one.” He swooped down the outside of the glass building to his floor. “Royalty or aristocrat.”

“No way! That big ship? How do you know?”

“I used to have one.” He keyed open his window and landed behind his desk in his gray, barren office. “Before my family’s dishonor.”

She regained her feet, sliding down his hard body, and caressed his cheek. Sweet sympathy reflected in her clear brown eyes. “I’m sorry. Do you miss it?”

“Every day. Before.”

“Before?”

He opened his mouth to say Before you.

His office door slammed open. Sard loomed in the doorway. “You’re here! Hurry. It’s almost too late.”

Behind him, dragons raced down the hall.

Danger.

Syen released Evalina and crossed the floor. He was not in the habit of questioning his boss and so he spoke softly despite his great agitation. “Why did you ask me to bring Evalina here?”

“Because your former sister-in-law is coming.” Sard indicated the incoming spaceship with a shiver of dread that matched Syen’s. “And Evalina is the only one who can save you.”