Page 118 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“How are you feeling?” she asked. “You were so tired last night.”

“You slept next to me,” he replied.

She frowned. “Of course I did. Why wouldn’t I?”

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I was worried I might frighten you like that. You’ve never been that close to my dragon before, and—”

His words cut off, and he shook his head. She’d never seen him like this—exposed and vulnerable like a raw nerve at the end of a splinter. He cleared his throat, rolled away, and then jumped up.

“I’ll get you some breakfast,” he said, leaving her staring after him, that brief moment of openness wiped away. She tried not to let that bother her. He’d let down his guard last night, but Row’s words repeated themselves in her head. She didn’t really know all that much about him, and he’d already broken her trust once.

She stretched her arms and examined the knee of her pants. They’d taken some damage during the scuffle with the Kiraaye Ka in the form of a small rip.

“I told you those were useless,” Rabin growled, handing her a bowl filled with rice, channa, and mint yogurt. “And why are you looking at me like that?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Sometimes, I’m half expecting you to begin pretending I don’t exist again.”

His face darkened.

“I suppose I deserved that,” he said.

“Hmm,” Zarya replied.

“You forgave me, remember?”

“Only under duress.”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t love every moment of it.”

She shoved him away playfully. “I kind of did.”

His answering smirk was all too smug.

“And what is your problem with my outfit?” she demanded. “I think it’s nice. What has it ever done to you?”

“It’s useless,” he said, waving his hand. “All flash, no substance.”

She narrowed her eyes. Given the leather had torn, and his armor didn’t appear to bear a single scratch, she conceded he was probably right, but she wasn’t about to admit that.

“Besides, you’re way too fucking distracting in that.”

“Oh?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”

“Yes.”

She barked out a laugh. “Why are you so upset about it?”

He dug into his food, hunching his shoulders, and shrugged.

“I’m a little bit obsessed with you,” he said in a growly voice that did scandalous things to her insides.

“Only a little?” she said, pretending to be offended.

He smiled with a crooked tip of his mouth.

“Okay. Very obsessed. And I don’t want to see you get hurt walking around in that crap they sell in the market.”

Zarya looked down at herself. “Well, I’m sorry your big dumb man brain can’t handle multiple emotions at once.”