Ren. Sure, his body pulled at mine with an electric force that had me tingling in places that hadn’t tingled in far too long. But no, Zelie. No. Not happening. What would Fraya and Alok think of me robbing the cradle with their cousin?
Sweet mango, why was I even thinking about this so hard?
“Is that a yes?” Ronin asked, managing to lean in even closer.
“That’s a yes . . . to the drink.”
His smile didn’t waver as he lifted his chin to the bartender. “Good sir, please fetch this lovely female a drink on me—whatever she desires.”
For someone full of ice magic, his words sent tendrils of flames licking through my body. I pursed my lips at Ronin before turning to the bartender. “I’ll have another pint of the same.”
Ronin rubbed the counter with one finger. “And I’ll have whatever she’s having.”
The bartender grunted before moving down the bar.
Ronin’s leg still touched mine.
“Why don’t you take a seat?” I suggested.
Ronin jumped onto the stool in a flash. He turned his seat to face me and set his arm on the counter, looking perfectly at ease hitting on an older female. Apparently, I couldn’t call one twin less cocky than the other.
“Tell me about Sterling Pond,” I said.
“Sterling Pond?” Ronin’s dark brows drew together.
“Freezing it over. Amelia breaking through,” I prompted.
Ronin winced. He pulled his eyes off mine, watching the bartender filling glasses at the other end of the bar. “Lapse of judgment.” He drummed his fingers on the counter.
“Must have been Reed’s idea,” I mused aloud.
Ronin looked at me with a frown and shook his head. “Mine, actually.”
I gaped at him. I was so sure it had to be Reed who’d suggest something as hazardous as freezing an entire lake. Ronin was usually the one who eagerly followed along.
“Not my finest hour,” Ronin admitted. “Thank goodness Amelia was fine. I mean, she got her clothes wet, but they’re dry by now, I’m sure. Won’t be trying anything like that again. Anytime soon,” he amended.
I liked that he didn’t blame his brother when he easily could have. Like I said before, sweet. “Sweet as a mango,” I said aloud.
“Huh?” Ronin cocked his head.
“A mango,” I repeated. “That’s how sweet you are. One mango has around forty-five grams of sugar. It’s got one of the highest contents of natural sugar in a fruit.”
Ronin’s grin lit up the room. “I would have liked having you as a teacher.”
Stars above, I didn’t need my brain going anywhere near a teacher-student scenario with Ronin. Luckily, the beers arrived, giving my mouth an excuse not to respond. I moved from sipping to drinking past the frothy layer on top and swallowing the cool brew down in gulps. Ronin didn’t touch his half-pint. The way he watched my throat as I drank sent all kinds of invitations on overnight delivery to every part of my body.
“Do you come here very often?” I asked after polishing off a third of my beer.
“First time,” Ronin said, not sparing a glance around the Pitch and Roll. He kept his full focus on me the same way he had on the dartboard. It was intense and arousing.
Gah. There I went again. This was my last beer. I was cutting myself off. Not that it was a school night. Summer break, Zel. Best time for a holiday fling.
I drank down the rest of my beer and smacked the empty glass on the countertop. Ronin had yet to take a sip of his. For him, it wasn’t about the beer. Nope, he was drinking me in with his eyes. Not once had Ren looked at me the way Ronin did now. I needed to run for the hills before I made a worse mistake than the twins freezing the pond. Me, I’d be plunging right into the icy depths, enjoying every goose bump that rose to my skin. The thought of Ronin’s icy fingers on my flaming body made my nipples tighten to jagged peaks.
“Thanks for the beer. I’d say congratulations, but I’m sure I enjoyed your prize far more than you.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Ronin drawled.
Since when did Ronin Elmray drawl? Eep. Seriously, I had to get going before I started ogling him back. We didn’t need both our hormones raging out of control. I was older. I knew better. Not to mention he was half Fae. Fraya had made some not-so-subtle hints as to a Fae male’s libido on a few of our gals’ nights out. I could feel the