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She shrugged and her smile brightened as she spun and headed for the door. “Well, I’ll take it,” she said as she headed for the door. “As a fact, as a fable, as fury and folly.” With every step, her plump ass blew teasing kisses, and his Lust packed all of them in his cock.

“Wait,” he called, making his way to the adjoining door and unlocking it. “Through here.” He opened it and she strolled her way over, her joy lit up and locked on him.

She stopped before him and stared up.

He stared back.

The proximity brought an explosion of human chemicals, all demanding his powers to taste and discern.

He resisted.

“You’re protecting me?”

The question was simple and yet his Lust and Rage clashed in his mind over the answer.I was created to protect what’s mine. Are you mine? Or are you a fleeting fantasy?“It’s my job,” he said, opening the door for her.

The roll of her eyes as she went in said his answer wasn’t safe—it was stupid.

Then his gaze lowered to her ass and everything that might matter no longer did. The longer he stared with his human gaze, the more urgent the chemicals churned, creating something that felt like an emergency. One that demanded immediate, precise actions, and zero words. Fromhim.Andonlyhim.

She glanced back, catching him in mid-Lust-Rage again. She smiled and decimated the brief fear that had risen in him. He studied it, realizing it wasn’tjusta smile. It was an invitation. To follow.

His muscles loaded with obedience then locked up at the buzz of his phone in his back pocket. His gaze devoured every second as she slowly turned and took that smile with her. But the invitation remained. Trailed behind her like fire and dreams.

He realized his breaths trembled in his chest as he slowly shut the door to the temptation. He wasn’t ready for that fire. Not in his human form. Not yet.

He pulled the phone from his back pocket and headed for the patio, looking at the screen. Kildare. How was he showing up right at the wrong time if he couldn’t read his mind? Once outside, he dialed him back.

“My Darkling,” he answered.

Kaos launched into his dilemma. “I asked her if she wanted to go to dinner when it became clear my pathetic human faculties weren’t capable of two tasks simultaneously.”

“Ahh,” he mumbled. “Which was to cook and to?”

Kaos felt his little probe right in his Rage. “And to juggle my human dysfunctions.”

He laughed outright at that.

“Without dropping everything I’m juggling.”

“Oh fuck, you’re fun,” he breathed.

“Or knowing what the fuck I’m juggling. Are you sure I can’t use my power foranything?”

He gave a ragged groan. “Nothing intimate, nothing sexual.”

Fuck. “So nothing.”

He sputtered barely. “Are you saying everything is intimate and sexual with her?”

He paced on the patio, sorting through the human mess inside him.

“If there’s a doubt, then it’s a no,” Kade informed. “You can’t take that chance. You do this as a human, or you don’t do it at all.”

Kaos’s legs went rigid at the threat. He held his jaw shut when his Rage and Lust fought to set the seraphim straight.

“You can do it.”

“I don’t want your encouragement. I just want to know how I’m supposed to take her on a date with no vehicle, no driving experience, and no money.”