Arak's Love: A World Beyond Book 2 by Michelle Howard

snarled but Arak noted he stepped in stride with them.

Chapter 7
     
    Sylvie stopped mid-laugh at something Faye said to Joni when the three men entered the room. Her gaze unerringly landed on Arak and the two men walking on either side of him.
    “Jaron,” Faye squealed and ran to hug the blond, who smiled and opened his arms wide.
    The short, dark haired woman had gone out of her way to make them comfortable. Faye welcomed them warmly and had spent the last hour explaining things about life on Enotia and her own experience finding love with the Jutak warrior, Torkel Alonson.
    Sylvie lowered the spoon in the hot cereal Faye had recommended as her gaze landed on the man who entered behind Jaron. His blue eyes scanned the large area until coming to rest on her. Joni muttered under breath but Sylvie ignored her friend to concentrate on the handsome dark-haired soldier striding briskly toward them.
    Arak paused when he reached their table. “I hope both of you are finding everything meets your needs.”
    While he posed the question to both of them, his blue eyes never left Sylvie’s face. She clamped her thighs together as the attraction she felt in his presence bloomed. Her treacherous nipples hardened and it was a good thing she’d put her silverware down or the tremble in her hands would have been noticeable.
    “We’re fine,” Joni chirped with a wink at Sylvie.
    Sylvie glanced over at her and growled. She’d kill her supposed friend.
    “Did you just growl?” Arak’s voice deepened when he asked the question and the blue of his eyes darkened until they almost overshadowed the white. His hands clenched into fists on the table beside her plate as he leaned his imposing form close enough to brush against Sylvie.
    He rubbed his nose along the angle of her jaw then across her cheekbones, ending by her ear where he whispered in a thickly accented voice, “You shouldn’t do that in public around me.”
    Sylvie shivered at the blatant desire humming on the air between them. Before she could offer a protest at his high handed statement, Arak straightened and left them alone to join the men he’d entered with. The three sat on a low-slung couch and soon a small group formed around them. They spoke animatedly with one another and it was clear by the camaraderie displayed that they knew and respected each other well.
    “My girl, if you don’t take him for a ride, I’ll think you lost your mind.”
    Joni’s jest broke Sylvie from her stupor. Once more she glared at the redhead. “That was totally your fault.”
     “And it was hot as hell.” Joni offered an unrepentant grin and leaned across the narrow, wood table separating them. “I couldn’t see everything with the angle of his head but it looked like he nuzzled you. F-ing sexy.”
    Sylvie flushed and picked up her spoon, finding the lumpy, hot cereal fascinating as she shoveled it in her mouth.
    “He did!” Joni crowed with a gleeful laugh, drawing stares their way.
    One blue stare in particular caught and held her attention then one lid lowered and he winked at her. Sylvie slumped in her seat. “God. You kill me, Joni.”
    Her friend sobered and reached across the table to grasp her free hand. “I like seeing you like this. For so long we had to pretend we weren’t scared. Had to stay strong in that hell hole never knowing if we’d make it out. I’m glad you like him.”
    “I didn’t say I liked him,” Sylvie cut in, though her heart pounded in his presence.
    Joni squeezed her fingers and let go. “But you’re attracted to him and it’s not wrong, no matter what you tell yourself.”
    Her heart shifted into an unsteady rhythm as Sylvie remembered being held in a cage, the burn of the whip on her feet. “Joni, it’s too soon.”
    “No,” Joni snapped, amber eyes narrowed. “No, it’s not. You deserve every bit of happiness available. I would have lost my mind without you there.”
    Sylvie took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat. Joni