Phoenix’s Fire (The Ruins Of Men #2)

Chapter 71

Seventy-One

Ayla

I was blushing. I was sure of it, but Rymar finally nodded, proving he couldn't see anything he shouldn't. There was just one little problem with this. My bottle of wine was still on the grass, and my arms weren't that long.

"I think I need to get out," I said sheepishly.

"Huh? Why?" he asked, moving closer. "You can stand, right?"

"I left my wine, and you'd see if I tried to get it."

Which earned me a grin, then Rymar waded over to the edge. Before I knew what he was going to do, he heaved himself halfway out of the water. I watched as the muscles along his back flexed, making the splotches of color across his spine bend and flex. When the base of his tail reached the surface, I remembered I should look away - but couldn't.

Then he grabbed my bottle and sank back down. "For you, my lady." He offered it with exaggerated gallantry.

Which made me giggle. Part of it was from nerves, but some was from the drink. "What happens when I get drunk?" I asked.

"Your inhibitions will vanish," he said. "It's a great way to stop worrying and have a little fun."

So I tilted up the bottle and drank again. This stuff was good. It was both bitter and sweet in a way that made me want a little more. When I swallowed a second time, Rymar reached up to ease the bottle down.

"You also build tolerance from doing it, so I'm going to bet you're a lightweight," he warned.

"Is that bad?"

"Nope." Then he made a little sound. "Not with us, at least. See, some people are assholes who would take advantage of your lowered inhibitions. Or they lie, saying what they think you want to hear so they can get what they want."

"Like Gideon did to Meri?"

He nodded. "Or like Qavan did to me." Then he sighed, moving to lean against the rocks. "Ayla, what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing!" I hurried to assure him. "Why?"

He lifted a hand, dripping water as he flicked it back towards the town. "They say I'm sexy, but all they want is to fuck or have me buy shit."

"You buy lots of shit," I reminded him before taking another drink. My thoughts were starting to feel a little blurry. "And you have nice muscles."

"Like those?" he asked, standing up to show off his bare chest. "I like it when men have these." Then he flexed his stomach and bent forward a bit, creating multiple ridges of muscles across his abdomen.

I moved a little closer so I could feel them. "Those are muscles?"

"Mhm," he agreed. "I've got six. Some men - like Zasen - have eight."

"What does Kanik have?"

He grinned at me. "Eight. He also has dimples on his back, just above his tail."

I giggled. "No! You're teasing me, right?"

"They're right here," Rymar said, turning to point. "I don't have them, but Kanik does. The next time he's shirtless, you'll see. I think they're cute."

"What did Qavan have?" I asked as I moved back, aware I was standing much too close to him.

But my foot slipped on the rocks beneath me and I dipped down. Right as I was sure I'd go under, Rymar darted in to wrap an arm around me, pulling me back to my feet. That put my bare breasts right up against his chest.

"See?" he asked. "I promised I wouldn't let you drown." Then he drifted back just enough to put space between us.

"There's nothing wrong with you," I said, because it needed to be out there. "You're funny and kind, and considerate. You're handsome and fit and..." I bit my lower lip. "You're just nice, Rymar."

"Nice isn't a good thing," he said before taking a drink. "Nice isn't exciting."

"I'm not exciting," I countered. "So maybe you're asking the wrong person?"

He hummed, swirling away from me and around me as he spiraled out. "You're very exciting. This Mole girl who just shows up, kicks ass, and saves our entire town? Ayla, that's exciting."

"And you're the deputy mayor, who can talk in front of hundreds of people," I pointed out. "And you never take credit for all the things you do." Then I paused, looking at my bottle because my thoughts felt very fuzzy. "Rymar, you're a good catch."

"Sadly, I can't seem to get caught," he said. "I'm starting to think I'm cursed. They said I was the best-looking guy in our class at school. Women tell me I'm handsome, and men say I'm sexy. But that's the problem! I'm not just..." He gestured at his face. "This! I can't fight because I was born the colors of a flower. I can't do anything but convince people to look at me while I talk!"

I moved closer, taking the bottle from his hands so I could pass him mine. "You care. "

"Huh?" He looked at the bottle I'd given him. "And this one is almost empty."

"Mhm," I giggled, lifting his to take a swig. Okay, that was good too, so I tilted it for a bigger gulp. "But you care about people," I said again, my words starting to feel harder to get out than normal. "That's the thing, Rymar. People like it easy. Men!" I waved at the air. "Men want to have someone do it all for them, handle all the caring, and then they just get pampered. They fuck - " I giggled at the word because it still felt strange to say. "They want clean clothes, and food made, and just to be spoiled. But you're not like that. You cook, and clean, and organize." I gasped, pushing myself to my feet. "You're a woman!"

"Back down," he said, reaching out to push my shoulders under the water. "And I promise I'm not a woman."'

"But it's the same problem," I said before pausing for another drink.

"I need one too," he declared, making his way to the edge.

Before I realized what he was doing, Rymar had hopped out - naked - and was walking over to the bag with the wine. Without shame, the man bent over to get both of the bottles. I saw as his tail stretched out behind him, but there was something else.

"Oh my!" I gasped, spinning around when I realized what that was.

"What?" he asked.

"I didn't mean to look!" I squeaked.

That made him laugh. "Ayla, have you ever seen a man naked before?"

"No," I whimpered. "Well, parts when I healed them, but not those parts!"

"Are we friends?" he asked.

"Yes!" I hurried to assure him.

His voice got closer. "So that means if you want to look, it's okay," he said. "I'm not offended if you turn around."

I almost didn't. I shouldn't have, but I also couldn't think of a reason not to, because this was Rymar. He was my friend, and safe - and I was kinda curious. So, slowly, I turned around to see him standing right at the edge of the water with his crotch almost even with my eyes.

I saw all of him. The soft part hanging down. The testicles behind it. I could even see the creases at his hips and the way his color changed at his belly and inside his thighs. But as I ran my eyes over him, the part I wasn't supposed to look at was changing, standing up a little more.

"Yeah, ignore that," he said before slipping back into the water. "They do that."

"Do what?" I asked.

"Get hard when people look." He reached back to set the extra bottle within reach. "They have to so they can fit inside the body."

"Your penis?" I asked.

"Dick," he agreed. "Here's the thing. Just because it gets hard? That doesn't mean it's going to be used. Just means I need some tepid water to make it go back down."

"Are you supposed to tell me that?" I asked.

He nodded before tipping up his bottle and sucking back a big drink. "I think I'm supposed to tell you everything, because that's what friends do. A safe place to figure things out, right?"

So I moved a little closer, feeling the water swirl around me. "So, will you tell me how to know when I should kiss someone?"

"Do you want to kiss someone?" he asked.

I nodded a little too much. "Mhm!"

Which made him give me a sweet smile. "Ayla, are you tipsy?"

"I dunno." But I lifted my chin. "Zasen said I had to do the next kiss if I want another, and Saveah said I should ask if I want to, but I don't know how."

"Mm." He nodded, then reached back to set his bottle down with the other. "C'mere?"

"Okay." I moved even closer.

Rymar snagged the bottle of wine from my hands and set it with the rest. Then he slumped down in the water so our heads were even. Gently, he hooked my chin, making me look at him.

"Why do you care about kissing, little Phoenix?"

"I don't know."

But he made a face. "That's a horrible answer. You can do better. I mean, you're at least a little drunk, because I don't think you can focus on me."

"Your face is kinda blurry," I admitted.

He grinned. "So this is the perfect time to tell me why you care about kissing."

"Because Zasen kissed me and it didn't hurt," I said. Then I grunted. "That's stupid. Of course it didn't hurt, but that's the only way I know how to say it."

"So try in a stupid way," he encouraged.

"He touched me and leaned in, and it didn't scare me," I explained. "And my heart was beating so fast, but I wasn't scared. Not even a little. And when his mouth touched mine?" I reached up to touch my lips in demonstration. "It was soft and nice. And I wanted to lean in. I wanted him to put his arms around me because I know he wouldn't hurt me."

"And it felt good?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. And after the bear, he hugged me, and I thought it would be nice if he did it again."

He wrapped an arm around my back. "But just Zasen?"

I shrugged. "I know Zasen wants to kiss me. He keeps looking at my mouth."

"What if Kanik did?" Rymar asked.

I felt my lips split into a grin. "Would he kiss the same?"

"Nope."

"Kanik is very handsome," I informed him. "I like his freckles and his purple eyes. And he smiles in the best way, you know?" I hummed, just thinking about it. "And he touches me. Like my leg, or my arm when he walks by." Then I tried hard to get serious. "Once, I told him it was improper, but that was stupid. It was just because he made my heart race too, and I thought that was how women died."

"Because of babies?"

I made a production of nodding again. "Yep. But I'm on birth control now, so I won't die, and Naomi will make sure Meri doesn't, and I want to know how to kiss someone."

"You can kiss anyone you want," he told me.

Which made me tense. "Really?" And I put a hand out to steady myself. It landed right on his chest. "Can I kiss you, Rymar?"

"Oh, you are so drunk," he told me. "This is probably a horrible idea."

"But I trust you," I insisted.

"Okay," he relented. "I will make you a deal. Because we are friends, Ayla, and because you asked, I will let you kiss me . But it's just practice, okay?"

"How?" I asked, leaning closer so I could see him better.

He moved his hands to my waist, making sure I was stable. "You lean in, press your lips to mine, and then you part your mouth a bit. When mine opens, you can use your tongue."

I giggled. "I feel stupid asking."

"It's easier to learn by trying," he admitted. "But! I am going to put my hands right here," he said, pulling one out of the water and resting it on the rocks, then the other. "So you have to do this, and I will not force myself on you, okay? But you can try all you want."

I grabbed his shoulder and pulled myself a little closer in the water. "I'm nervous."

"You don't have to do it," he pointed out.

"But I want to. I'm just scared I'll do it wrong."

"I will tell you if you do."

I moved my other hand to the side of his face. "Ready?"

"Mhm."

So I leaned in. Halfway there, my eyes slipped closed, and then I felt his lips. They were warm, and when I pressed my mouth against his, I felt him open. The problem was, I didn't know what came next, but Rymar leaned in just a bit and his tongue met mine.

Slowly, he kissed me, showing me how it was done, and I followed. With no one watching and no reason not to, I leaned in a little more until my body was crushed against his. My hand slid deeper into his hair, holding his mouth against mine. My other hand moved down his chest, feeling all those muscles under my palm.

And our mouths moved.

Feeling brave, I explored him, tasting the fruit of the wine and shifting my body to give me more access. Again, then again, I slid my mouth over his, finding the rhythm, but I wanted more. I wanted to be closer, to feel his arms around me. My hips pressed in, and something was there.

Rymar gently lifted his mouth from mine. "Ayla, that," he whispered, "is not my tail."

I sucked in a breath and jerked back. "It's your…" I swallowed. "Oh."

A hand shot out to catch me by the waist. "Stop squirming and you’re fine," he promised, pulling me back up against him. "I'm not going to do anything, Ayla. I swear. You're drunk, and I'm not some kind of predatory fucking asshole."

I nodded, accepting that. Rymar had never hurt me. Instead, I traced the splotches of color down his neck, smiling at how they overlapped. His arm was wrapped around my waist, holding me up, but he kept a handspan of water between our bodies. When I realized he was watching me, I looked up, unable to focus completely on his face.

"It's pretty."

"You're pretty. Those are just scales." His eyes darted across my face. "Why do you always trust me, Ayla?"

I giggled. "Because you're kind and caring. You're my friend, and you never make me feel stupid when I don't know things. You're nice, Rymar, and I didn't think men could be that way." I pushed closer to him so this time, I would be the one whispering in his ear. "And men aren't horrible and ugly without clothes."

His fingers tightened on my skin, the tips of his nails just barely poking me. "Maybe they were right to keep you Mole girls locked up after all." But he said it with a devious smile.

I pushed away from him with a playful huff, making for the bottles he'd set on the rock. "Why?"

He smiled, then turned, shifting behind me just as I reached the edge. When I stretched for the bottle, he grabbed my waist and lifted, giving me that extra inch. I felt my chest break the surface, but he was behind me, so I decided it was okay. I grabbed one bottle, and he held me there easily.

"Get both, because I need some too."

"Okay." I grabbed a bottle in each hand, and he lowered me again. "I don't think you're drunk," I informed him.

His grin said I was right. "Not quite," he admitted as he reached for his bottle. "I'm also not entirely sober."

So I tapped his chest again. "Why do they keep us locked up, Rymar?"

He took a big drink, emptying the last of his wine. Tossing the bottle towards the blanket, he stepped closer to me. "Did you read any stories about dragons in those caves?"

"A few." I couldn't stop smiling when he was close to me like this. I wanted him to kiss me again, so I lifted my chin. I hoped he would take it as a dare.

He looked down at me, his hands moving to my waist again. Then I felt his tail sliding up the back of my leg to press behind my knee. In the darkness, he blinked, watching me, waiting for my reaction. I was waiting to see what he'd do next. To break the stalemate, I took another drink.

"Why?" I asked again.

"Dragons love gold."

"I'm not gold. I'm the Phoenix."

"Mhm," he agreed, his voice just a bit deeper. "A beautiful golden Phoenix, Ayla. And to Dragons, gold is a treasure." He bent a bit closer, but not nearly close enough. "Remember that." Gently, he reached up to smooth my hair back. "And you are my friend. No matter what, above all else, we are friends, and that makes this okay, not shameful."

I leaned into his hand as it moved around to cup my cheek. "This doesn't hurt."

"This," he promised, "is completely innocent." He trailed one finger lower, caressing the tendon on my neck. "And safe." Then he shifted his hand to run the backs of his knuckles across the top of my shoulder. "And there's a very good chance you won't even remember it when you wake up, but I sure hope you do."

"Because I'm drunk?"

"Mhm," he agreed. "You're very drunk, so I'm not going to take advantage of it. Not any more than this."

"Why?" I asked, aware I sounded breathless.

He smiled at me in a way that was almost sad. "Because I think Zasen was right. You deserve to have someone prove to you that people can feel good. You're allowed to experiment, and I just want to make sure you're always safe when you do it."

"I know I'm safe with you."

And his smile stopped looking so sad. "That's all I want, Ayla. Now drink the rest of that, because I have a feeling it'll be a while before I can convince you to do this again."

So I tilted my bottle and drank deeply. "And maybe another kiss?"

"Only if you ask," he said. "That's the thing with consent. You have to make sure the other person says it's okay." Then he snagged my bottle away from me. "And you started this."

"Yes, I did," I declared, feeling just a little proud of myself.