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Jaxi bit back her grin. She should be offended for her. She was surely not. If he’d spoken to her, she’d have been offended. Since he was Mr. Frost Bite with her.

Up until he shoved his fingers past my lips and roped my tongue with only words.

“I’ll be in my residence,” Kohl suddenly said, his voice a thunderclap straight to her pulse. His eyes locked on hers. “Keep your phone with you at all times.”

Oh. Mercy. There was that voice again. She nodded, probably too fast. “Yes sir,” she murmured, like he’d just issued orders she hoped came with restraints.

And just like that, he was gone. Vanished into his half of the house like he hadn’t wrecked her breath, her thoughts, and her entire concept of acceptable foreplay.

“Well, and that actually concludes our little tour,” Sheryl announced with a polite smile, already turning for the door.

“Are you sure you don’t want tea?” Jaxi called out, trying to sound normal. Civilized. Like she wasn’t moments away from melting into a carpet of hormonal paint splatter.

“Oh, thank you honey, but I’ve got tons of work waiting for me still. Rain check!”

Jaxi stood in the doorway and waved. “Thank you, Miss Sheryl,” she called after her, then muttered under her breath, “See you on the next rainy day in never.”

She shut the door behind her and let the grin finally explode. A real one this time. Giddy. Unfiltered. Possibly unstable.

Then she whispered to herself, voice cracking with awe and disbelief, “What just happened?” Her knees nearly buckled all over again.

Chapter Three

“How long is soon,” Kaos demanded into the phone, his voice tight, heat laced beneath the surface.

Kildare chuckled, sharp and amused. “Why? Are you late for some life I’m not aware of? Or is she too difficult to babysit?”

“It’s a straightforward question, Seraphim. Why is a being like me babysitting this… human avalanche of emotional rainbows?” He lowered his voice, the words scraping his pride. “She has needs I cannot meet.”

“Oh?” Kildare pushed, his voice all teeth now.

“Read my mind, Seraphim,” Kaos bit out.

A pause. Then a sharp hiss. “Seems I can’t yet,” Kildare admitted. “So how’s the threat situation?”

“I had to create a shield with my Rage. And that plugged me into her thought parade. Which required asecondwall.”

“Have mercy.”

Kaos growled at the humor layered under his brother’s voice. “Her smile presses against the barrier like heat. Her optimism is crawling through the cracks like vines trying to bloom in blood.”

“Thankfully, you’ve got god powers over your Rage and Lust.”

“Powers, yes. Control?” Kaos whipped his head around at the knock on the door. “She’s fucking knocking. I have to go.”

He hung up and dialed her number.

“Uh, not sure how to answer the phone,” she called from outside the door. “That’s why I’m here. Sorry.”

He stormed to the door and opened it, snatched the phone from her hand, and lifted it in demonstration. “This.” He handed it back and shut the door, dialing her number again.

“Hello?” she answered brightly.

“Good.”

“I did it!” she cheered.

“Is that all?”