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Ravina was aware of every brush of bare skin no matter how much she tried to ignore it. She tried to keep her back away from his chest but it was impossible since they were riding up a mountain. She fell back against him, the heat from his body both frightening and inviting.

“Do you have a name for your horse?” She asked so her thoughts would not wander to places that would frighten her even more.

“Rani.” He said.

“What does it mean?”

“Queen.”

“Oh, so you have a queen already?”

He chuckled, his chest vibrating against her back.

“I got her when I became king.”

“I see. You were desperate early on.”

“Very desperate,” she could hear the smile in his voice.

“Do you all own a mare?” She wondered.

All the ones Aaron had named were mares.

“I like mares. They are calmer and oddly they respond better to us. The stallions are more aggressive. I don’t have patience for that.”

“But stallions are faster.”_.

“Yes. You like them?” He asked.

“I think I would like a stallion.”

“I think he would be less aggressive with you.”

“What makes you think so?” She wondered.

He was quiet for a moment as if he had to think about it. “I think females are better at handling aggression. Males just respond with more aggression.”

She frowned. “You don’t think I am aggressive?”

“No,” he responded without hesitance.

Strange. She had only been aggressive with him.

“It seems like you have forgotten a lot of things.”

“I have not. I just know that you are only aggressive with me,” he told her.

She was surprised by this admission. But that was because he infuriated her. She made no comment on that.

“Are we going all the way up?” She asked.

“Almost,” he said. “You don’t want to be near me?”

“Why would I?”

“Why would any woman?” he asked.

‘Yes, but they were beasts.’ she remembered Kayla’s words where they spoke about him and Saul being worse than their younger brothers.

If dragon women said that about him then what would she say? She was not interested in beasts.

“I am not one of your women.”

“Right. What do you prefer then?” He asked.

Prefer? As if she ever thought about it but for fun, she thought of listing some things for him.

“A gentleman.” She said.

“What is that?”

Did he really not know?

“Well…” she was speechless and the beast thing was sinking deeper into her mind. “It is a man who is courteous and honorable. He is attentive, considerate, gallant, and well-mannered.”

“Hmm… Does he have to be well-mannered with his woman?”

Her heart skipped to her throat.

“What do you mean?” She asked feeling hot.

He chuckled.  “What do you think I mean? I wonder.”

“Of course, you have to behave.”

He laughed. “So you would not misbehave with your man?”

Her face burned even more.

“And you wouldn’t want him to misbehave with you? Doesn’t sound… passionate,” he added.

“What does it have to do with passion? I am talking about behavior.” She was flustered.

“You are agitated,” he pointed.

“I am not,” she denied.

But she was hot and she was grateful that the wind became colder and colder the more they climbed the mountain. And then they stopped high up. Ravina looked around. The weather felt different up here. The sky seemed closers and she could see the moon and the stars more clearly.

Malachi got off the horse and helped her down. She shivered. The wind up here was colder.

“Come,” he said and she followed him to the edge. She stared ahead at the view. The mountains looked beautiful against the dark canvas of stars. The wind was cool but… peaceful. The night was very quiet.

She looked at Malachi, the wind blowing his hair and his face relaxed. She could understand why this would be his favorite place but she didn’t think he was like this. Someone who appreciated such things.

“I like to come here to clear my mind,” he said. He turned to her, “do you feel it?”

She nodded. “Yes. The weather is different up here.”

He nodded and returned to watch the view. She watched him carefully. Clear his mind? She knew being a king wasn’t easy. She had seen her father. He had his place to clear his mind as well.

They sat down to rest from the ride for a while. She saw him turn to her from the corner of her eye so she looked at him. “You look beautiful in this color,” he told her.

She froze. This she didn’t expect. He didn’t say it in a way that was meant to embarrass her or get a reaction. It sounded genuine.

“Thank you,” she said confused.

He looked away as if he couldn’t keep looking. She returned to watch the view still confused.

Was he doing this on purpose? Was he trying to trap her? Seduce her as he said. Make her… beg?

The cold wind continued to blow, making her freeze. She put her arms around herself.

Malachi watched her. “I can warm you,” he said.

“Not needed. I am fine.” Just as she finished her sentence, she shivered again.

His hands came from nowhere, grasping her waist, he lifted her as if she weighed nothing.

“Woah…”

He placed her between his legs.

“What are you doing?” She tried to get away but he held her firmly. “Let go!”

He did the opposite wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist. He pulled her against his chest.

“This is exactly what a gentleman is not.” She said making another attempt, digging her nails in his forearm to pull him away, but she was fighting a wall.

“Well, I have no coat to offer so I am offering warmth in another way. Is it not being a gentleman?”

“No, it is not when I don’t want your coat.”

“Why would you not want it when you need it?”

“Just let go!”

“Could you just not fight me this once? I will do nothing you don’t want,” he said softly.

She stopped fighting him and he eased his arms around her but held her still to give her warmth. She was stiff at first but eventually relaxed in his arms. He was warm and now she was aware of his scent. It was like being wrapped with a thick blanket near a fireplace, except he wasn’t soft like a blanket. He was firm and hard all over.

She could see his thick muscled thighs, now that his skirt fell up after fighting him, but he didn’t mind showing skin. She almost wanted to pull the skirt down for him.

Or she should just get away but, she was feeling heady again. She should not have had that wine.