Free The Leopard King by Ann Aguirre Page B

not the worst thing anyone ever did.
    His mouth smarted, reminding him that Slay felt otherwise. Gonna be a while before he forgives me. If ever.
    Pru studied him for a long moment, then her expression brightened to a willingness to tease. “Easy for you to say. I can shift, so you won’t be tested.”
    “You have a point. Wash up if you like. I’ll clean the kitchen.”
    Given what she’d said about helping him, Dom didn’t expect her to accede, but she smiled and thanked him. They hadn’t made a huge mess, so he made short work of the dishes. By this point, it was late enough that he felt like going to sleep, but it seemed wrong to retire without Pru on their first night together. So he got a random book from the shelf and was dozing with it on the sofa when she finally came out of the bathroom.
    “Sorry I took so long. Ready for bed?”
    “More than,” he answered.
    She crossed to him and took his hand, tugging him to his feet. “Don’t be polite. This is home now.”
    “I know.” He followed her to the bedroom, where they worked in tandem turning down the covers.
    It’s been forever since I slept in a real bed.
    As Pru eased under the blankets, she said, “I think it’s natural for it to be a little strange at first. But… we have a lot going for us. Friendship. Respect. And we’re definitely… compatible.” By the look she slid from beneath her lashes, Dom took her meaning.
    Despite his general exhaustion, a flicker of heat shimmered through him. “True.”
    “So as long as we communicate well and remember to ask for what we want and need, I’m sure we can make this work.” This sounded like a pep talk she had been giving herself, so he didn’t poke holes in it.
    Besides, she made some fair points. “I can’t promise I’ll be good at any of that. Hell, I didn’t talk to anybody for quite a while.”
    “I won’t expect immediate perfection,” she said, smiling.
    “Thanks.” Dom pulled the covers over him and settled in.
    When she rolled onto her side, facing him, he did the same, because it seemed like she had more to say. Hopefully the conversation wouldn’t run long, as he had no idea if he could stay awake, and it’d probably piss her off if he drifted while she was talking. At least that had been the case with Dalena.
    Reaching over, she switched off the light, plunging the room into shadow. “This next issue is a bit more complicated. I mean, if we’d been lovers for a while it’d be different…”
    “Just tell me what’s on your mind. Honesty is our motto, right?”
    “Definitely. At first, it might be difficult to come out and say that we’re… in the mood. So I propose some kind of signal.”
    Suddenly wide-awake, Dom realized she was talking about sex. Yeah, I can’t grab Pru and growl, “Let’s fuck.” Part of him still couldn’t believe they’d done that. It was odd enough being in bed with her when he only meant to sleep. During the daylight hours, his mind had skittered away from the heat that sizzled between them. Probably because I was starved for it, and she was riding an endorphin wave. Even so, they’d both want more sooner or later, as it wasn’t like orgasms came with a warranty.
    Good for six months or six thousand miles.
    He thought for a moment. What would look innocent to anyone else? “Like, if I kiss your neck, it means—”
    “Yes,” she whispered. “And if I run my nails down your back…”
    Dom barely checked a moan. The idea of a secret sex signal turned him on something fierce. He imagined her coming to him in the middle of the conclave with some innocuous excuse while her fingertips whispered filthy things in a slow slide down his spine. With no further prelude, his cock stirred, half-ready to play.
    Somehow he managed a sensible response. “If you don’t pick up the cue, I’ll know it’s not in the cards.”
    “Saves us both some embarrassment,” she said.
    At the moment, he didn’t know if he could sleep because his dick