Ashton only noticed Dias' presence when he sat down at the foot of the bed and plucked the book from Ashton's fingers; the ensuing squawk of surprise and dismay woke both dragons, who jerked up off the bed and stared sleepy-eyed at both men.

"Dias! Give that back!" Ashton wailed, prying helplessly at Dias' fingers. But Dias barely spared him a glance (a completely stone-faced glance with only the barest hint of humor in the depths of his eyes) before flicking the book closed, marking Ashton's place with one finger. Ashton's cheeks immediately went red.

After studying the garish cover for several minutes--long enough to ensure that Ashton was completely scarlet and squirming in agonies of embarrassment--Dias flicked the book back open and scanned through the pages. One eyebrow lifted. Ashton covered his face with both hands.

A minute or so passed. Finally, closing the book again, Dias eyed the cover. "... 'heaving bosoms'?"

A tiny noise leaked out from behind Ashton's hands.

"'Turgid manhood'."

Another tiny muffled moan. Ashton's ears were so red they were starting to shade into purple.

Dias sternly quashed the smile that was threatening to emerge. Instead, taking great pains to enunciate every flat word, he tilted his head and said, "'Pink. Pearl. Of pleasure'?"

That did it. With a completely indescribable wail of horror Ashton lunged forward, ripped the book from Dias' hands, and whipped the offending novel straight out the open window into the night.