Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

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Don't Poke the Luna

Chapter 108

Xena's POV

"Time to get up for breakfast," Ryder's voice was a gentle murmur against my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

“No,” I grumbled, pressing my ass against him, feeling his chest rumble with quiet laughter. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, tempting me to stay wrapped in this cocoon of warmth.

"You need to get up and eat a good breakfast. You've got a fight to win today," he said, his fingers tracing light patterns on my bare

shoulder.

That got my attention. "I'm looking forward to it!" My voice carried an undeniable edge of excitement.

Ryder's arms tightened around me, his tone more serious than I'd expected. "You need to focus. Winning this fight will show everyone else not to challenge you so easily."

I rolled over to face him, studying the concern etched into his features. "Who else would dare challenge me? Besides, I'm the one who issued this challenge."

and pulled myself up from the bed,

in front of Ryder. Strangely, it felt more natural with each passing day. The vulnerability that once

shower, but I wanted one anyway. I needed to wash

before the fight. It was strategic-I couldn't afford to let my opponent catch any trace of distraction or weakness in my

my head under the

Ryder muttered as he stepped into the shower behind me. I

It struck me as strange-intimate yet not sexual-just two people sharing a shower and a conversation. We'd reached a level of comfort I never thought possible. I'd always assumed shared showers were inherently erotic, but this felt

I'd rather not see it at all," Ryder replied, his displeasure

trying to lighten the mood. "Is Logan

"He should be."

so I could rinse the shampoo from my hair. "I still can't believe he and Penelope

heart rate accelerating as unease washed over me.

Penelope isn't. She's a

still fight,"

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Chapter 108

After a final rinse, Ryde turned off the shower and handed me a

care of today," Ryder said coolly, his back to me as he

downstairs. I hadn't done anything wrong-he'd known about this fight for over a week, and

Ryder walked out, closing the bedroom door with more force