Free Darkest Fire by Tawny Taylor

the right was a gorgeous room with a swimming pool. The tang of chlorine hung heavy in the air. The walls that weren’t glass were gleaming wood. Her shoes made sharp clack-clack sounds on the stone-tiled floor. Under the bank of windows facing the driveway stretched a long planter filled with cactuses and flowering plants.
    “Do you swim?” Drako ushered them deeper into the house.
    A vivid image of Drako, his wavy hair wet, droplets glistening off his sun-burnished skin, played through her mind. Her face warmed. “No, I sink.”
    He pointed over his left shoulder. “Maybe it would be safer if you read instead?”
    Safer, but a lot less fun. “Much.” She peered through the door they were passing, finding a library-slash-bar featuring tall white bookcases filled with volumes. Smack-dab in the room’s center was a full service bar with a loaded glass rack. At one end of the bar stood a high, round table with padded benches pushed up to it. The light from hanging pendulum fixtures reflected off the gray and silver flecks in the glossy black granite top, flashing silver.
    Reading and drinking. Interesting combination.
    “Such a large home for one person,” she commented.
    “I don’t live alone. I share the house with my brothers.”
    “Oh.”
    “They’re out,” he said quickly. “Won’t be back for a while.”
    She had to assume that was intentional, so they could have some privacy their first few days or so. Once again, her cheeks burned.
    On they traveled, through one room after another. Living room. Den-slash-media room. Kitchen. Dining room. Game room. As they walked, Rin tried to push aside the one thought that kept slipping into her mind, the one that kept making her flush like a kid on her first date.
    The one that kept making her heart race and hands tremble ever so slightly.
    It was hell trying to hide her jittery nerves from her sister, someone who knew her inside and out. Especially when Drako was close enough for her to feel the heat of his body, catch the scent of the spicy cologne he was wearing. And ohmygod, when he accidentally brushed against her back—or more specifically, her butt—she could swear she stopped breathing for at least ten seconds. She tried to mask the worst of it under friendly chatter. Her sister didn’t need to know how anxious she was about tonight.
    Her wedding night.
    The house was nicely furnished, its style contemporary but not so industrial it was uncomfortable. Up a short flight of wide steps, the bedrooms were spacious, tidy, and airy, each featuring a wide wall of windows that looked out upon what had become heavily shadowed grounds as the sun had slipped below the western horizon.
    When Drako showed Rin a room and told her it was hers, not theirs, Lei gave her a pointed look. Rin ignored it. She also tried to ignore the fact that Drako didn’t show them the rooms farther down the hall but instead turned back toward the stairs, leading them down to the ground floor again.
    The grand tour ended in the kitchen, where her husband opened the steel refrigerator door. “Are you hungry?”
    “Starved.” She pressed a hand to her hollow stomach.
    “Feel free to help yourself to anything in here.” He inspected a plastic container with a wrinkled nose. “Everything should be safe to eat.” He tossed the container into the sink. “If you’ll make a list of what you like, I can have the kitchen fully stocked by tomorrow.”
    “Thank you.” Standing close enough to Drako to smell that intoxicating cologne, Rin rubbed her belly. “Do you have any deli meat? Cheese? A sandwich will do for now.”
    “I don’t know.” Drako pulled open several refrigerator drawers before shaking his head. “How about I order some takeout? What would you like?”
    She moved a smidge closer to him, telling herself it was so she could see inside the open appliance. “It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. In fact, I’d rather eat something simple but solid. I guess I’m not in