Page 35

Miri

T wo weeks. Two freaking weeks and Miri hadn’t heard a peep on the job front. Sure, it wasn’t the best time for a teacher to be looking for work—summer was right around the corner and end of the school year was getting ready to wrap up—but surely, some school must be hiring.

She didn’t even care what grade. Her degree let her teach anything from Kindergarten through elementary school. There had to be a class of unruly children in desperate need of an equally desperate teacher somewhere out there.

Miri trudged up the walkway to the front door and pushed it open.

She kicked her shoes off onto the rack Ace had begrudgingly built and tossed her purse on the side table.

Every inch of her back ached. Whether it was the weight of her stress or doing grocery delivery all day, her body was feeling every single ounce of tension.

Stopping in the hall, she glanced between the kitchen and stairs. Food or shower? Miri lifted the collar of her shirt and gave herself a quick sniff. Definitely shower.

Every step up the stairs felt like a mountain.

She was so over doing grocery delivery. There hadn’t been many substitute teach jobs open this week and Nicole and Ashley were still working on coming through with other prospects for her.

Between Nicole’s engineering company being on a hiring freeze and Ashley arguing with the partners of her marketing firm about her secret project, it was not looking good for her.

Ashley had even tried to create a temp job for her, but was being blocked by the other executives.

So… grocery delivery. That being said, if she had to haul one more case of water to the door of a bored housewife, she was going to lose her shit.

Miri still hadn’t told the guys about quitting.

There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that they would blame themselves for what had happened with the academy board.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep it from them; Duke was already suspicious.

His frown had been frownier than ever the last few days.

It was like the four demons could sense her stress.

Tomorrow. She would tell them tomorrow. For tonight, Miri just wanted to wash the week off her skin and pretend for a little bit that she wasn’t a mess.

Closing the bathroom door, she clipped her hair on top of her head and started to strip.

She stepped into the steaming shower and groaned.

If she was in there long enough, maybe one of the guys would bring her dinner in the shower.

Could she hold a fork with pruny fingers?

Miri wasn’t sure, but she was willing to try.

The door opened on the other side of the shower curtain. Loofah in hand, she poked her head out. Ace leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Hey.”

His golden eyes dipped from her face to her bare shoulder and a slow smile stretched over his fangs.

“Hey, you. Want some company?”

If the cheeky demon wanted to climb into the shower and soap up her back, who was she to question?

Miri waved him in and disappeared back under the hot spray of the showerhead. He must have stripped with supernatural speed, because she had barely managed to reach for her body wash before Ace was climbing in beside her. She looked him yup and down and bit her lip.

For a guy who served vegan lattes for a living, he was in excellent shape.

Golden skin and silver nipple piercings shone under the water.

Her eyes followed the droplets running down his chest and over his belly lower and lower.

His thick cock was already standing at attention.

Darker gold at the base, the color faded along his shaft into the same blush red as his tail.

Miri had gone to shower out of necessity, but standing under the water with the very naked Ace, she sent out a quick thank you to the universe. She might have been tired when she got home, but she would never be that tired.

His tail curled over her wrist and turned her around. Reaching over her shoulder, the demon snatched Miri’s loofah out of her hand. Miri offered him the body wash. Her head fell back with a groan at the first firm swipe up her back.

Never mind. Forget about getting dicked down in the shower, Ace just needed to keep sliding his hands up and down her back, and she would be a puddle on the floor.

“So, ae you going to tell me what’s wrong or should I guess?” he asked, breaking the warm silence.

“What?” Miri blinked, rudely dragged from her trance. “Nothing’s wrong.”

Ace tutted. Even as he questioned her, his clawed hands never let up. The loofah glided up and down her curves, his fingertips washing away the bubbles as he went.

“You always come home and poke your head into every room like you’re tallying up your demons. Today you went right for the shower.”

Damn it. Miri winced. Stupid observant monsters.

Ace was supposed to be the lighthearted joker of the bunch and he even he was calling her out. Miri opened and closed her mouth. She should just tell them. Spit it out and let the chips fall where they may.

The words froze on her tongue. Not today. She couldn’t let her news ruin the warm, coconut scented shower bubble she had found herself in.

“I’m just a little rundown this week. No biggie.”

His hands paused on her hips. “You’re not a very good liar, Miri.”

Stomach dropping, she closed her eyes. Fuck. Now she really did have to tell him.

Before she could muster the words, he squeezed the hips overflowing from his hands and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

“It’s okay. You can tell us whatever it is when you’re ready.”

She stared at the tiled wall. That was… it? He wasn’t going to badger her with his childlike enthusiasm until she gave in? He wasn’t going to poke and prod until he got his way?

Ace was silent. Focused on the path of the loofah in his hand, he soaped up her body with gentle circles and rinsed her clean. He didn’t speak and he didn’t make a move to touch her outside of his careful ministrations. His hands were gentle but firm as he took care of her body.

Miri’s eyes welled with tears. Turning her face under the showerhead, she let the water carry them away.

Reaching around her, Ace turned the shower off.

His tail wound its way around the shower curtain and brought back a towel.

The demon wrapped it around his waist. Tail fetching a second bath towel, he took it in his clawed hands started to gently pat her dry.

He worked from her shoulders down, catching every drop on the thick material.

Miri swallowed, her heart in her throat. Ace say a word. He didn’t pepper her with more questions or try to pry her open and find answer, he just toweled her off. It was sweet and cozy… and made her want to cry for some reason.

Tugging open the shower curtain, Ace stepped out and dragged on his boxers. He grabbed Miri’s pajamas off the bathroom counter. Careful of the clip in her hair, he pulled the baggy t-shirt over her head and leaned forward to kiss the end of her nose.

“Come on, doll.”

Ace took her hand and helped her out of the shower.

Miri followed him, words tangling in her throat as he led her down the hall to her bedroom.

His tail whipped forward to drag the blankets back on the bed.

She scrambled up onto the tall bed and waited for him to join her.

Instead, Ace tucked the blankets around her and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Hide up here tonight and get some rest.” His warm breath tickled her face. “I’ll bring you up some dinner later.”

He straightened and took a step back. Miri grabbed his hand before he could get too far.

“Will you stay here with me for a bit?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”

The sassy demon climbed up the bed and wiggled his way under the blankets beside her. He turned on his side and wrapped his arms around her. Miri settled back against his chest. Perfect.

Something teased her ankle. She didn’t need to lift the duvet to know that his tail was beginning its usual path up her leg. The mischievous appendage curled around her thigh.

“Ace?”

“Hmm?” he asked with a yawn.

As if he didn’t know. “Your tail.”

“It has a mind of his own.” Ace made a show of lifting the blankets and smacking at the end of his pointed tail. “Down, boy.”

Miri snorted into her pillow. And he thought she was a bad liar?

It wasn’t long before his tail was gliding up her thigh again. Looking over her shoulder, she caught sight of his wide, innocent eyes.

“It’s not me, I swear! I think my tail might be possessed,” Ace promised. The hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Do you know a good exorcist?”

Miri rolled over and kissed him. Silly, ridiculous demon. She wasn’t stuck in her head anymore though, so there was that.

“I think I need a little something more to relax.”

He looked at her face with a hungry glint in his eye.

“I might be able to help with that.” His tail teased her inner thigh.

“I was hoping you would.”

Ace pulled away and pushed her shirt up her belly. Dropping kisses down her body, he journeyed south. Clawed hands spread her legs to fit his shoulders, kneading her soft thighs in his strong fingers. His head dipped toward her pussy.

Ace paused and looked back up at her.

“My horns aren’t long enough for you to hold on to, so feel free to pull my hair.”

His head lowered again, only to pop up a second later. Miri groaned as his hot breath teased her flesh and disappeared.

“I mean, if you want to play with them a bit, I wouldn’t say no. I’m not gonna pull a Nico and go feral with a little horn action.”

Head dropping, the tip of his tongue grazed her clit. Ace raised his head once more.

“Ace,” she growled. Damn him.

“I’m just saying, doll. I make up for the stubby horns in other departments.” The golden demon flashed her a wide grin. “You know the saying: short horns, humongous dick.”