elemental 02 - blaze by Larissa Ladd Read Free Book Online Page A

Normally she was not even inclined to notice what her houseguest-bodyguards were wearing or not wearing, but the slight indentation of Aiden’s hip above his drawstring pants was more than enough to send Aira into an arousal so intense she bit her lip to keep from speaking.
    She avoided looking at them, reminding herself she would be seeing Alex in a few hours and that he was a much more acceptable target for her lust. But it was impossible to ignore Dylan when he asked her a question in a soft voice, or to avoid the rush of sensation she felt at the brush of Aiden’s fingers against her skin when he handed her a mug of coffee. She pulled up a picture that Alex had sent her and focused on the air elemental; he was as intensely attractive as before, but somehow didn’t inspire the same immediate need Aira felt around Aiden and Dylan. Her mind was playing tricks on her; she wanted nothing more than to get her work completed and meet with Alex and his cousin. Instead, her mind kept leading her on tangents, providing oh-so-helpful images of what it would be like to see Dylan naked, to be wrapped tightly in Aiden’s arms while he touched her everywhere. She tried working isolated from the two men on her patio and then in her bedroom. But even without their presence, her imagination was in overdrive, more than happy to supply her with fantasies that made translating from Russian into Mandarin an impossibility. Aira decided that she was just going to have an unproductive day, and that she might as well take advantage of the opportunity to spend as much time as she wanted getting ready for her meeting with Alex.
    She realized her delusion in the shower when the hot water run out and was replaced by a frigid spray. She had intended to get herself clean and then start to primp, so she would look her best. Instead, as the hot water coursed over her body, she had found it utterly impossible not to run her hands all over herself, let them linger where her fingertips would do the most good, and watch the revolving door of potential lovers in her mind—Dylan, Aiden, Alex, men she barely remembered from previous dalliances, characters from TV. The cold water jolted her from her sensual reverie. Aira clamped down on her lust-filled thoughts, taking a deep breath and stepping out of the shower, determined to finish getting ready and be on her way. She focused on her makeup and hair before she faced a quandary: what to wear? It was a casual lunch, nothing fancy, but Aira’s stomach roiled with impatient uncertainty as she looked through her closet and drawers, picking up an item and then casting it aside just as quickly.
    After four changes of clothes, she finally felt like she had struck the proper balance: a skirt that fell to mid-thigh in softly pleated black cotton, paired with a tee shirt from a band she loved, a light jacket, and a pair of ankle boots. It wasn’t too fancy, she thought looking at herself in the mirror, but it showed off her best assets without overemphasizing them. She slipped on a bracelet and necklace, and heard a knock at her bedroom door.
    “Aren’t you ready yet?” Aiden called through.
    Aira grabbed the earrings that went with her necklace and rushed to the door, opening it to admit Aiden while she brought the first of the pair of earrings up to her ear to fasten it.
    Aiden let out a low, appreciative whistle at her ensemble. “Why didn’t you dress up like this to meet me?” He asked with a wolfish grin.
    Aira rolled her eyes. “In case you don’t recall, I didn’t meet you willingly.” She fastened the other earring and looked at Aiden; he had taken the same approach that she had—fitted jeans, a pair of comfortable but well-maintained shoes, and a button-down shirt in a deep red that contrasted his bright eyes. “That’s a subtle piece of psychology,” she said, pointing to his shirt, “matching your clothes to Dolores’ hair.” She gave him a smirk, throwing a lip color into her purse