Part 15 (2/2)

Lonzo nudged Larem with his elbow. ”You gotta quit looking at her like that. She's cute and all, but Sasha's the boss, not to mention her old man is a Regent.”

Larem was tempted to tell his roommate to f.u.c.k off and mind his own business, but Lonzo was right. Larem was playing with fire, and they both knew who'd end up getting burned if her father found out a Kalith warrior was itching to get naked with his daughter.

”There's nothing going on.”

”Yeah, right.” Lonzo nodded toward the dance floor where Sasha was dancing with D.J. ”I doubt anyone but me and Hunter know for sure that you're seriously interested in her, but you need to be careful.”

”I had one dance with her, and so did you.” He glared in D.J.'s direction. ”Go talk to him. He's on his second.”

Lonzo snorted. ”Yeah, he is, but she isn't cuddling with him like she did with you. I've got to tell you, bro, those were some serious moves you put on her out there.”

”So I was lucky enough to get a song with a slow beat instead of whatever you want to call that racket.” His words came out as more of a growl than intended.

Lonzo understood him well enough to know that when Larem's accent grew thicker, his temper was on the verge of exploding. That didn't mean he'd back off.

”I'm not trying to p.i.s.s you off, man, but you need to tread carefully. You already made waves when you went all heroic and saved her life, not to mention how you got all territorial when you faced down those two punks earlier. Toss in holding her close like that on the dance floor, and you might as well paint a sign on her back marking her as yours.”

Anger slid through Larem's veins. ”I didn't hear her complaining.”

”No, you were both too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else. But I wasn't the only one watching, and there was definitely some speculation about what was going on. Maybe you could deflect some of that if you'd go dance with someone else. Better yet, a couple of someone elses.”

That was the last thing Larem wanted to do, but he had to admit Lonzo was right. ”Fine, I'll go dance, but the first person who laughs gets his a.s.s kicked, especially if it's you.”

Lonzo grinned. ”Fair enough. Meanwhile, I'm going to steal Sasha before someone else does.”

He laughed when Larem glared at him. ”I'm just looking out for your interests, roomie.”

”Sure you are.”

”I sure as h.e.l.l am.” Lonzo turned serious. ”I don't poach.”

The party slowly wound down. With everyone pitching in, the final cleanup didn't take long. One by one, the cars and trucks disappeared from sight. Larem was catching a lift to the apartment he shared with Lonzo, but he wanted to make sure Sasha had a way back to her hotel. Yeah, she was a big girl and could find her own ride, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

Lonzo, always the mind reader, leaned close and murmured, ”Want me to ask her if she needs a ride?”

Larem's first instinct was to say no, but he gave in to the temptation. ”Yeah, go ahead.”

He watched as his roommate stopped to talk to a couple of friends, taking an indirect route to where Sasha stood chatting with Lacey. Smart thinking. That would lessen the likelihood that anyone would think anything of his casual offer to give Sasha a ride.

To reinforce the idea that Lonzo was operating on his own, Larem left the house to stand outside by the truck. Either Sasha would be with Lonzo or she wouldn't; all he could do was wait to see.

A minute later, the front door opened again. Larem had been leaning against the fender of the truck but immediately straightened up as soon as Sasha stepped out into the night air. He ignored the surge of excitement at seeing her coming toward him. Both the Kalith and the Paladins had superior night vision, so he carefully schooled his features to express only mild interest in her approach.

He ached to explore those feminine curves again, to crush her body against his somewhere a h.e.l.l of a lot more private than a crowded patio. He closed his eyes and imagined how it would feel to dance with her, only stretched out on a big bed, her satin skin sliding against his. d.a.m.n, he couldn't let himself think that way.

She walked directly toward him, Lonzo tagging along slightly behind her. Larem waited until they were little more than a car length away from where he stood to open the pa.s.senger door for her.

”Are you guys sure the hotel's not out of your way?”

”Don't sweat it,” Lonzo said, jangling his keys as he walked around to the driver's side. ”It's not very far from our apartment.”

”Well, I appreciate it.”

She paused to eye the high step up into Lonzo's truck with obvious misgivings. Larem glanced around and decided no one was watching. He quickly swept her up in his arms and lifted her up to the seat, startling a gasp from Sasha and a laugh from Lonzo.

”Next time warn me!” she said, sounding more fl.u.s.tered than furious.

She immediately scooted over toward the middle to make room for him. Even as tiny as she was, the cab felt crowded, but maybe that was because every sense Larem possessed was running hot with her next to him. Pressed together, shoulder to hip, hip to thigh, her warmth soaked through the thin layers of fabric that separated them, the sensation guaranteed to drive him crazy.

He s.h.i.+fted his position, angling his back toward the door, hoping to give both of them a little breathing room. It didn't help, not with the scent of her perfume filling in the small s.p.a.ce that he opened up between them. Right now, it felt as if both time and Lonzo's truck were crawling along, intent on straining Larem's selfcontrol to the limit.

Finally, they were back downtown and pulling up in front of Sasha's hotel. As Lonzo drove under the overhang, his cell phone chimed. He checked the text message and cursed.

”Sorry, folks, but I've gotta rock-and-roll. Devlin's calling in the troops.”

Larem climbed out of the truck and then lifted Sasha down to the ground. ”Drop me here. I can get back home on my own.”

”You sure?”

”No problem. I could use a long walk.”

A really long walk, like right off one of the piers. Maybe the chilly water of Puget Sound would cool his almost painful awareness of the woman standing beside him.

”So, did he say what was going on?” Sasha asked Lonzo ”Nope, but if it was really bad, he would've called rather than texting. Oh, well, never a dull moment.”

The Paladin smiled down at her. ”Thanks for the dances, Sasha.” Then he grinned at Larem. ”Don't wait up, Lucy.”

Larem laughed. ”Be careful, Ricky.”

”I will.”

Larem shut the door and the two of them watched Lonzo drive off. Sasha s.h.i.+vered as she stared after the truck, turning toward Larem only after the taillights disappeared down the street. ”G.o.d, I don't know how they stay sane and do what they do.”

Larem stripped off his jacket and hung it around her shoulders. ”Come on, Sasha. D.J.? Sane?”

She giggled. ”Okay, you got me there.”

”But to answer your question, they are warriors, born and bred to serve their people. They can't imagine living any other life. If you took it away from them, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. Perhaps join your military, although some would have a difficult time concealing their special abilities.”

Sasha's dark eyes studied Larem, seeing far more than he was comfortable with. He didn't want to hear whatever she was thinking.

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