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special occasions. The twins had behaved like it was nothing, which it was, really. Their behavior when in bed with her was more telling of their level of intimacy. If they touched each other it was only accidental, or by sheer necessity. Their focus had always been purely on co-facilitating her pleasure, which they accomplished masterfully and without even a hint that they held any shame in the act of doing so in each other’s presence. Two halves of a whole.
    But that kiss had never been bestowed on her before. Was it a signal of his acceptance of her, or of his lack of desire?
    The room suddenly felt too closed in. She walked around, turning on all the lamps, then threw the drapes across the wide windows open.
    The view beyond made her heart skip a beat and a startled gasp erupted from her lips. A pair of French doors opened up onto a narrow, wrought-iron balcony. Beyond the balcony the Seine snaked through the city, and beyond that, the Eiffel Tower stood, sparkling in gilded glory.
    Perhaps she was a fool to have hope. He hadn’t denied her accusation that he had moved on with someone new, however. And yet, he hadn’t confirmed it, either—merely deflecting the comment to request she meet her latest employers.
    Professional, she had said she wanted to keep it professional. She could almost believe, based on the kiss, that Dimitri was honoring her wishes.
    The view out her window somehow told her otherwise.

Chapter 3
    D imitri was as prompt as any date. He’d had a haircut since the day before, which disappointed Thea a little. She preferred the shaggy, unkempt version of him. This version looked too much like Alex. Her stomach lurched at the sight of the living replica that stood in her doorway just now and she forced herself to find the subtle differences she knew existed, features that were wholly Dimitri. She’d loved discovering their differences and learning how few there were. Identical in so many ways, she finally gave up. But there was always one method to figure who was who, and she could do it with her eyes closed.
    She swallowed hard and pulled her door closed, trying to ignore the look Dimitri gave her. Would he still make love that way? So different from his brother. So much more present. She always felt like she had been given all of him. Not just his body, but his soul, too. His brother had always kept something in reserve for some reason she had never discovered.
    Those blue eyes seemed to know her too well still, so she stared at the floor.
    “What’s for dinner?” she asked, lamely.
    “Whatever they make. It’s always a surprise.”
    “Who are ‘they’ anyway?”
    “My friends. They enjoy entertaining. You’ll be the highlight of their year, I bet.”
    “Fuck. No pressure.”
    Dimitri laughed as he steered her toward the lift.
    “You’ll love them. Nobody doesn’t, after meeting them.”
    He remained quiet during much of the drive, but slightly tense, his eyes flicking away from the road to look at her every few minutes as though he had something to say but couldn’t find the words. Thea knew how that felt. She’d had the urge to ask him about the kiss the night before, but was at a loss as to how she should frame the question without it sounding lonely and desperate. She finally forced herself to ignore him and gazed out the window at the passing scenery. It was full summer and the city bustled with life. In spite of her anxiety over seeing Dimitri, she began to feel a sense of eager anticipation. This could be a good trip for her if she could just let herself get past those old wounds. If the project was of the scope Dimitri had hinted at, it could be just the thing she needed.
    “I honored his memory on this trip,” Dimitri said, startling her out of her fantasies.
    “Oh?”
    “You know how much he loved dragons. The idea of them.”
    “He said the dragons were your dream.” His flustered look entertained her. “You never knew?” she asked.
    “Knew what?”
    “He