"Nah, I understand more than you think."
She stared at him, aware he had no idea she knew of his parentage. Curious to see if he'd confide in her, she wasn't surprised when he didn't.
"I'll help you out at Dracon Mount, Ava. Don't worry about that." He turned back to her duffle and zipped it up. "No one will screw with you there. Not while I'm around."
She didn't have to drum up the gracious tears that welled in her eyes. "Thanks, Tanner." She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "You're a true friend."
And someone I'd like to have as much, much more.
"Matthias has offered to make a formal statement about my innocence, but I just want to let everything die down, you know? As much as his heart's in the right place, he doesn't get it. People don't act the same around him as they do around us normal people."
Tanner nodded, understanding.
"I mean, who's going to insult me in front of him? He's a Dracon prince, for God's sake. The women are constantly throwing themselves at him, and half the men want to
be
him. Of course they're not going to say what they really feel in his presence."
"That's what I tried telling him earlier. But he thinks he knows everything."
Ava had overheard their quiet altercation. Matthias had mentioned taking Tanner on as his personal guard, to which Tanner had responded with a sound "No." When Matthias had argued, Tanner had remained firm. No one would want a half-breed guarding one of the princes, and when word leaked of Tanner's heritage, as it always did, Matthias would have a rough time of it on his hands.
Matthias hadn't wanted to hear the truth, and Ava felt for him. He was so certain that Tanner was a part of his future, he didn't want to face the trials they'd surely face if he pursued the man. Tanner, bless him, had no problem saying what he felt. But he couldn't hide the conflict in his gaze when he thought Matthias wasn't looking. Ava had seen, and it made her more determined than ever to keep Tanner with Matthias. The Dekkers would look after him as no one else could. With the exception of her, perhaps. Then again, she didn't have the financial or logistical resources to provide Tanner with a purpose. Ordinary Ava Tailstack needed security from no one. She wasn't important enough to bother with, and though she was surprisingly fine with that state of being, she might have wished otherwise if only to keep Tanner for herself.
"You know, Tanner." She grabbed the two pillows and wrapped the quilt around them. "I'm glad to have you for a friend." She smiled at him, her gaze focused on his mouth as she licked her lips. His breath hitched, a small sound she heard since she'd been so intent on his reaction. "And I'm looking forward to reestablishing our friendship real soon."
His gaze deepened and his nostrils flared. "So am I, baby. You have no idea."
Ava grinned to herself as she preceded him out the room. She gave Matthias a subtle nod when she saw him waiting for them in the living room. He seemed to relax but still grumbled at Tanner as the man pushed them all toward the waiting truck.
Score one for Ava.
Matthias sighed as they finally eased into a hotel for the night. After twelve hours on the road, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed. But as he watched Ava and Tanner stretch outside the truck, his libido kicked into full gear. Sitting beside Tanner mile after mile had been both peaceful and decidedly difficult.
The male's scent was musky and overpowering at times. Tanner had an aggressive streak that called to Matthias's own, and Matthias could feel his need to challenge and overcome Tanner in the most primal of ways. Remembrances of sucking Tanner until he came kept him hard half the trip. And having Ava's light, floral scent so close and mixing with Tanner's was as torturous as memories of her naked breasts under his tongue.
He groaned as he left the truck and stood. His body felt cramped and the stitch at his side was much more pronounced after the long drive. They were now somewhere in Wyoming and still had another few days worth of travel since he'd decided they'd take it easy the rest of the trip. Twelve hours at a time in this godforsaken truck was just too much. And besides, he had nothing major to rush home to. Adrian was filling in for him, and with Lea's help, had the keep in order. Why not use this alone time to work on his future mates? He was beginning to feel more confident about Tanner. Now to enlist Tanner's help with Ava.
Working to walk as if his body felt perfectly fine, he joined Tanner and Ava. "I don't know about you two, but I'm ready for a nice, big bed."
They nodded, but Matthias noticed Ava's narrowed gaze on his body and Tanner's suddenly shuttered expression. Throughout the journey, he and Tanner hadn't spoken much past directions and food recommendations. Ava provided a buffer between the two, so Matthias had let Tanner's distance stand. But now all bets were off.
"Feeling okay, Matthias?" Tanner eyed the hand he hadn't realized he'd settled against his side.
He immediately dropped it. "Fine except for the kinks in my legs. That truck should be put out of its misery."
"Oh, come on," Ava chimed in, pert and pretty in that fresh way that made him think of spring lilies under a clear blue sky. "The heater only went out once. And I'm the one crammed into the back seat."
"Don't you mean stretched out in the back seat?" Matthias teased. They entered the surprisingly full lobby and he noticed several people filtering into a bar. A local nightspot, maybe? Nearing the front desk, he paused and closed the distance to Tanner. "Tanner, why don't you and Ava grab the necessities from the bags in the truck while I check us in? You've already cased the place. No danger to speak of, right?"
Tanner slowly nodded. The small hotel they'd entered smelled clean and looked neat. It wasn't fancy, but it was warm and the people behind the lobby desk had large smiles. "Just stay out of the damned bar."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
Tanner gave him a hard look before he took Ava outside. Matthias took the opportunity to rent them a room for the night.
One large king-sized bed in a suite with a fold-out couch. The bed might comfortably fit all three of them, but the fact they had a couch would soothe Tanner, at first. Matthias, however, had no intention of sleeping alone. Or with just one of them. The time had come to introduce both Tanner and Ava to his style of loving.
Tanner found Matthias waiting for them patiently, still favoring his right side. The damned prince refused to admit he was hurting, but Tanner knew it couldn't have felt good to be shoved into a vehicle for half a day after suffering bruised ribs. He winced, recalling how forceful he'd been earlier. But he hadn't seen any major bruises on the man. And Matthias hadn't complained, too focused on pleasure to do more than moan Tanner's name.
Tanner forced his thoughts away from their intimacies. Instead, he found himself respecting Matthias's stoic acceptance of his injuries. Like a warrior. Matthias, to his credit, hadn't complained once about his bruises. And he'd actually been a decent traveling companion.
Afraid he'd be forced to make small talk, Tanner hadn't said much and had deliberately kept the radio going. But Matthias had surprised him. The man just sat and watched the scenery pass them by. He'd been spot on with directions, and had made sure they stopped often to accommodate Ava, who kept up a steady stream of conversation.
Ava was both witty and intelligent. And her commentary on everything from farming to rednecks to the new Dracon policies implemented by Ferin and the council had been enlightening. Tanner particularly appreciated the new Dracon laws governing interspecies marriages. Of course, with the king's new mate being a former human, notice had definitely been given to human/Dracon relationships.
Still, all her talk hadn't been enough to completely distract him from the hard-on throbbing in his jeans. Having Ava and Matthias so close made his mouth water, his memories too clear about what he'd done with both of them, and what more he wanted to do. And now they were together in a hotel. He should have been tired. Hell, he'd demanded to drive the full twelve hours they'd spent in the truck, much to Matthias's mumbled protests.
But instead of feeling exhausted, Tanner was keyed up. And following Matthias in those form-fitting jeans wasn't helping. A glance to his left made him groan under his breath. Ava's shirt parted, giving him a glimpse of her generous cleavage. Shit, this promised to be a long night.
The room Matthias took them to was a suite with one large, king-sized bed, a small kitchenette and an area containing a couch, a few chairs and a desk.
"Nice," Ava commented before flopping back on the bed. "Very nice."
Matthias chose that moment to share a look with Tanner.
She's better than nice, don't you think?
Tanner swallowed around a dry throat, taken with Ava's breasts lovingly molded by her blouse. A glance at Matthias showed the man obviously taken with Ava, his gaze on her body, his arousal straining the jeans that clung to him like a second skin.
Matthias shook his head, as if shaking the carnal thoughts evident in the erection he couldn't hide. "You two can have the bed. I'm going to watch a little TV on the couch. I'm not tired."
"How about you let me look at those ribs first?" Tanner caught Matthias's annoyance and squared his jaw.
Ava sat up, concerned. "Matthias? I saw you get out of the truck, so don't try to pretend you're not hurting. Just a quick look and we'll leave you alone, okay?"
"I said I'm fine. In fact, I noticed a bar downstairs on the way in. Why don't I go down and order us something to eat? Room service closes at eleven. We're an hour past that." He glanced at the bedside clock.
"That's a good idea." Ava beamed. "You and Tanner can get us something to eat...as soon as we've looked at your ribs."
Tanner couldn't help grinning. Matthias's annoyance was as amusing as Ava's persistent pleasantness.
"Damn it. Go ahead and look. But I don't know what you think you're going to see. It's just bruised flesh."
Matthias shrugged out of his jacket and moved to lift his shirt when Ava interceded.
"Gently. Tanner, help him, hmm?"
Matthias glared. "I'm not an invalid. I appreciate your concern, but really--"
Tanner's touch stopped him short. That electric connection between them buzzed as Tanner felt Matthias's warm skin under his palms. He carefully lifted the sweatshirt over Matthias's head, his hands gliding over the prince's silky skin. Tanner couldn't help noting how Matthias's breathing increased, or how his nipples hardened. And a glance at Ava showed she wasn't immune to the flooding of sexual tension in the room either.
She cleared her throat and leaned closer. But she blanched when she took a harder look. "Good lord, Matthias. That must hurt like a son of a gun."
Tanner frowned and looked for what she was talking about. There, on Matthias's right side, was a huge purple bruise that hadn't been there twelve hours ago.
Hell.
Had Tanner done that with his roughness in the shower?
You didn't do it, Tanner.
Matthias's gentle voice reverberated in his thoughts.
I was sore before we were together. Remember Mike with the bat from Morrow's?
Ava narrowed her gaze at them, and Tanner realized she couldn't hear them.
"It's rude to mindspeak in front of a person." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, but her gaze kept returning to Matthias's ribs.
"Sorry, Ava. I was just surprised because I hadn't noticed any bruising on Matthias earlier today."
Ava nodded, her frown fading. But he realized she didn't question how he might have seen Matthias. Did she know about them in the shower? And why wasn't he more embarrassed that she might know? His concern faded as he realized Matthias had walked around half-naked most of the morning. Ava hadn't noticed his bruising then either.
"Everybody happy now?" Matthias sounded disgruntled as he fought with Tanner over his sweatshirt.
Tanner used what worked on the man, and placing a restraining hand on Matthias's chest, saw the prince freeze in place.
"So stubborn." Ava shook her head, but Tanner saw the quick grin she gave him. Little did she realize how affected Tanner was, his palm tingling over Matthias's muscled pecs. "Well, it's obviously bruised. Matthias, breathe deeply." She put her hand next to Tanner's, and the heat fairly sizzled through the room.
Matthias's eyes glittered, a rainbow of color clearly expressing his desire. He said nothing, however, and did what Ava told him to do. After a minute, she nodded. "I don't hear any wheezing, and the pain's not excruciating, right?"
"No." Matthias stared from Ava to Tanner, resting his gaze on Tanner's lips. "But I have to say I'm really starting to ache."
Ava stroked his side before letting go. "Then why don't I go down to the bar while you wait up here and lie down."
Tanner for the life of him, couldn't take his hand off Matthias. But when Matthias clasped his hand holding onto the sweatshirt and ran a thumb over his palm, Tanner let go of the fabric and took a deliberate step back.
"Thanks," Matthias mumbled, donning the garment with a slow movement. "But I need to stretch out some. I'll head down to the bar while you two wait here."
Remembering Matthias's last entry into a bar, Tanner denied him. "I don't think so. I'll go with you if you're so dead set on going downstairs. Ava, lock up behind us, okay?"
She nodded and walked them to the door. "Fries if they have 'em. And bring back some ketchup, too."
Matthias nodded. But before he left, he turned back to Ava and planted a long, lingering kiss on her lips. Much as Tanner longed to do the same, if he spent one more minute in the cramped little room with Ava and Matthias, he'd end up throwing one or the other to the floor and fucking the hell out of them. So he hustled Matthias out the door and muttered over his shoulder for Ava to lock up after them. Only when he heard the deadbolt turn did he join Matthias down the corridor.
They walked quietly and waited by the elevator in silence.