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‘Enough of that, brother. So we had to learn our lesson the hard way. We got through it,’ she admonished gently. Then her gaze swung to Rebel. ‘But he still didn’t tell me about you until the story hit the papers.’
Draco’s hand curled over Rebel’s hip as he peered at his sister. ‘I was trying to protect you.’
Maria rolled her eyes. ‘I live in an ivory tower, Draco, guarded twenty-four-seven by security and private physicians. A scandal or two wouldn’t hurt to get the blood pumping.’
Rebel laughed. ‘I tell him that all the time.’
‘And let me guess, he does the “dragon breathing fire” thing—yep, there it is.’
They both turned to see the deep scowl marring Draco’s face, and dissolved into laughter.
He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Rebel’s ear before cupping her nape in a possessive hold. ‘Very funny.’
‘He makes it so easy, doesn’t he?’ Rebel chuckled.
Maria sighed. ‘Almost too easy.’
‘Enough from you two.’ He pointed at his sister. ‘I’ll see you next week.’
Her grey eyes softened. ‘I can’t wait. And I know you’re doing your best with Carla, but please remember that not everyone who needs help necessarily wants it. I love you no matter what.’
Beneath her, Draco tensed for a second. Then a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. The smile he sent Maria positively glowed. ‘You stay out of trouble.’
Maria rolled her eyes again before her gaze swung to Rebel. ‘It was nice to meet the reason for my brother’s bigger smile. I hope we meet in person one day.’
She signed off and the screen went blank. Draco turned his monitor off and an awkward silence descended.
Unable to stand it, Rebel cleared her throat. ‘I’m the reason for your bigger smile? Does that mean I get an extra half hour’s sleep tomorrow morning?’ she teased, praying her heart’s wild leaps wouldn’t show on her face.
Draco snorted. ‘In your dreams. Maria’s a hopeless romantic who sees hearts and happy ever after in every cloud.’ His grip tightened. ‘You want an extra half hour’s sleep? You earn it.’
She managed to keep her expression composed, despite the hollow that caved in her stomach. ‘And how do I go about earning my sleep? Scrubbing all seven levels of your villa?’
‘The only manual labour I require from you besides your training is on my person,’ he replied.
Like a flame on gasoline, the air erupted with desire. The hand around her nape caressed with rough insistence. Then he pushed her off him. ‘Take off that dress,’ he growled.
She took it off, but before he could grab her she dropped to her knees. Draco froze, giving her the precious time she needed. Before her nerves could get the better of her, she reached for his waistband and lowered his zipper. A hiss erupted from his lips but he raised himself up to help her ease off his shorts and briefs.
She grasped him, emitting a soft gasp as the power and steel of him sent a thrill through her. She caressed him from root to tip and back, lazily, worshipping him. Then she took him in her mouth. Quickly learning what pleased him most, she teased and sucked with just the right amount of pressure for the vocal sounds of his pleasure to fill the room.
At some point his fingers fisted her hair. For an alarming second, she feared he’d pull her away. Her gaze raced up to find his locked on her, his face a tortured mask of brutal hunger. Whatever he read in her face made him nod. Absorbing every expression on his face, feminine power roaring through her, she revelled in owning him as he succumbed greedily to her ministrations.
Afterwards, he caught her beneath her arms and tucked her up into his lap. Depositing an almost reverent kiss on her temple, he said gruffly, ‘For that, glikia mou, you can have a whole extra hour in bed tomorrow.’
* * *
Draco watched Arabella sleep the next morning, thankful for the reprieve of not having to keep his guard up. He wasn’t even sure what he was guarding. The emotions crowding through him had snuck up on him, slipped in and taken up residence while he’d been busy making love to Arabella. Or had it been when she’d met and exceeded his expectations each time he’d set her a physical challenge? Or the times when he’d found himself living for her fearless, smart mouth to draw laughter from him?
However it’d happened didn’t even matter.
Maria’s observation about his obvious contentment had rocked him, planted the evidence firmly in his lap, before she’d signed off, blissfully unaware of the wreck she’d left him with. But it was a wreck shrouded in fog on a black night of lies. He knew in his gut Arabella was hiding something big from him. She tensed and evaded him far too often for that not to be the case.
