Riley could’ve sworn he heard a muttered curse.

One so ancient, he couldn’t even tell if it was a good or bad thing.

And if not for the hardness that was threatening to break someone’s very expensive tailored pants, one very reckless human mortal—who was apparently testing the limits of his life—wouldn’t have known how a certain golden dragon truly felt about this.

Then again, with every passing moment, even the unsuspecting bookshelf would have known what the chair and the poor table already did.

Riley’s words came down like a gavel.

Or maybe like a meteor. Who knows?

But what Kael did know was that he needed at least three eyes for this.

"Kael, if you don’t mind," Riley said, voice trembling between confidence and chaos, "please watch."

A millennium. That was how long Kael had lived. And in that span of time, someone like him should’ve seen everything—sights, wonders, horrors that would make most men kneel. But the moment that silk top—both the shield that protected and the barrier that blocked what was his—slid to the floor, a vein in his neck twitched.

Because in front of him sat his mortal.

And stars above, did he look too good in Kael’s eyes.

Riley wasn’t trying to be seductive, and yet somehow, he was. The faint tremor in his hands only made him look more human, more alive. That long neck—smooth and pale under the dim light—led down to the faint lines of his collarbones, sharp and inviting. His skin looked soft, almost glowing, as if it were calling to Kael.

And that waist.

That slender waist Kael had once mocked for being too fragile—too much like a twig—was now the very thing his gaze traced with dangerous intent. There was a faint dip that drew the eyes lower, and Kael followed it before he even realized it, openly admiring the man who dared to tempt him like this.

Riley was trembling, though whether it was from cold or something else entirely, he couldn’t say. His breath caught once, twice, and he fought the urge to cover himself, to hide from that piercing, golden gaze. But when Kael’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, predatory and full of heat, something inside Riley changed.

It wasn’t fear that filled him this time.

It was bravado. Reckless, foolish bravado.

And maybe something else too.

Because the moment Kael’s gaze darkened like that, it wasn’t only the dragon who was reacting. Riley’s heart was pounding, his throat tight, his face hot, and—well, his manhood was definitely not helping.

Kael was openly devouring him with his eyes now, gaze tracing every curve and line, every breath, every faint tremor.

But maybe what Riley should’ve been worried about was that he himself seemed to be enjoying this far too much.

In truth, the original plan had been to do this to the dragon lord, to turn the tables, to make Kael flustered for once.

But now, looking at that face, those slitted eyes, that restrained power sitting right before him, Riley couldn’t help thinking that if their positions were reversed, a few unsuspecting volcanoes might have erupted by now.

So maybe, just maybe, this was fine.

Right?

Kael’s hands hovered around Riley’s waist, fingers twitching with restraint. They were so close, the heat from his palms burned through the space between them, but before they could make contact, Riley placed his hand on top of Kael’s and whispered softly, his voice trembling despite his effort to sound firm.

"Just a bit more. I promise. If you can hold on, after this, I’ll let you have your turn."

Kael exhaled through his nose, sharp and long, and Riley was certain it had to be one of the deepest breaths the dragon lord had ever taken in his long, dangerous life.

But maybe it was the right call after all, because instead of grabbing him then and there, the dragon lord actually folded his hands together and held still, allowing himself to be driven mad inch by inch.

The human dared to shift in his lap, his body warm against Kael’s, and leaned back slowly. His palms reached behind him to grip the edge of the table, using it as leverage as he arched himself further into view. His back curved, his chest rose, and he tilted just enough for Kael to see everything more clearly.

The movement was smooth, languid, and undeniably intentional. Kael’s eyes were glued to him, unable to look away as Riley’s hips shifted and pressed subtly against his thighs, adjusting for balance but creating a friction that neither of them could pretend to ignore. The drag of fabric. The soft pressure. The way Riley’s legs tensed around his own.

It was all maddening.

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

Yes, the study was sealed, the teleportation runes locked, and every possible intrusion warded off—but in that moment, Kael thought maybe it would be better to lock down the entire estate. Possibly the entire city.

Because Riley... was not done.

With a movement that was barely noticeable, Riley brought his hand up and licked his thumb. There was no flourish. No performance. He just did it, quiet and deliberate, and Kael almost lost what little composure he had left.

And then that same thumb slid down his own chest.

Kael followed it.

He watched as Riley’s slick fingers made their way over the peaks Kael had so carefully avoided earlier—the ones he had skipped in the desperate attempt to hold onto sanity. But Riley had no such intention.

Riley’s fingers brushed over one nipple, then the other, circling them, teasing with light pinches, rolling the tender flesh between his fingertips. The soft flesh flushed under the attention, turning pink beneath his touch, and Kael could feel the heat rising uncontrollably in his chest.

Riley tipped his head back, mouth parted slightly, chest heaving with every breath. He looked dazed.

Seductive.

Beautiful.

A restrained moan slipped past his lips.

"Mmh..."

He tried to bite it back by catching his lower lip between his teeth, but it still escaped, soft and shaking. The sound was enough to make Kael’s stomach tighten, and somewhere in the study, a forgotten piece of something sparked to life.

Kael didn’t even look.

He couldn’t.

His focus was trapped.

Right in front of him, his human kept moving. Those fingers never stopped. His breathing grew ragged, lips wet and trembling, while his long legs—one on each side of Kael’s—slowly began to press inward. He was trying to squeeze them together, desperate to create friction, to rub against something, anything, as tension flooded his body and short-circuited his restraint.

Kael stared, stunned into stillness, because there was no part of the scene in front of him that wasn’t demanding everything from him.

Riley was the one doing the teasing, yet it was Kael who was trembling from the effort it took to stay seated.