Honoria studied Lynne. She hoped the female wasn't trying to matchmake. After all, it'd been more than fifteen years since she and Asher had dated.
Not to mention the small detail of them both vying for the clan leadership position.
Lynne gently pushed Asher aside and motioned in. "Come, Ria. I have some fresh biscuits that will go lovely with some proper tea. I can only imagine the horrid stuff you had to
drink in America."
She smiled. "I do admit to missing the tea. My distant cousins didn't see the point in special ordering any, since everyone but me was a coffee drinker."
The older dragonwoman nodded. "Right, then that's settled. I'm going to give you as much tea as you can handle."
Lynne turned and walked down the hall. Asher didn't block the doorway but remained just to the side of it.
Honoria walked past him, a few scant inches between his body and hers. While it should be impossible, she felt the heat radiating from his body. Not to mention she picked up the spicy male scent that was purely Asher.
Their eyes locked and her heart skipped a beat. They were older and different, and yet her attraction to Asher hadn't changed. And judging by how his pupils flashed to slits and back, he was still drawn to her, too.
He was the first to break eye contact and take a step to the side, putting distance between them. Clearing her throat, Honoria went down the hall to what she could see was the kitchen.
It was a good thing her dragon was inside a mental prison currently, because she could only imagine her beast demanding to find somewhere private and ride Asher like there was no tomorrow.
And after the look she'd shared with him, she just might be tempted to do it without too much badgering from her dragon.
No. She couldn't allow attraction to derail her dreams or resolve. She may still be attracted to Asher, but she would restrain herself.
She had to. Otherwise, she'd never have the chance to help rebuild Skyhunter and make it greater than it ever had been before.
~~~
Asher watched Honoria's tall form walk down the hall, the sway of her hips making his beast roar inside his head.
She wants us as much as we do. We never had the chance to take her before. I think we should fuck her at least once.
His dragon was correct. As teenagers, they'd never crossed the line to full-on cock-in-pussy sex. And given the way Honoria had filled out in the hips and thighs, he wouldn't mind them wrapped around his waist.
Laughing, his beast spoke again. I give you less than a week before you strip her naked and claim her.
Warning bells went off inside his head. She's not our true mate. Tell me she's not.
No, I don't think so. But she'd be nice to claim all the same. She's as tall as us. It'll be nice to have all that female softness pressed up against us.
Stop, dragon. It's not going to happen. And not just because she's a rival.
So you do want to fuck her. But if you're worried about the nightmares, they rarely come anymore.
Rarely being the key word. No, I need to focus on healing myself before anything else.
She can help.
If you say her magical cunt will melt away all our troubles, I will toss you inside a mental cage in the next breath.
His dragon sniffed. You wouldn't dare.
I don't want to, but I will.
Since Asher only caged his beast as a last resort—he was trying to make up for the years they'd lost together—his dragon grunted in acknowledgment. Fine. I won't tease you for the rest of the afternoon. However, don't be afraid. It's Ria, the female who knew us best.
Knew is right. These days, neither of us are the same people.