Page 9

Starring Melinda and Genesis from Stone Cold Groom

“ B aby? Do you know what I want you to do when I get home?” Melinda pulled herself away from me as the sky began to turn from lavender to orange.

“I hate that you have to work the day shift. This is going to throw off the whole week,” I groaned, gathering my wings into a cape-like shape behind my back.

“Stop being a grumpy gargoyle and listen. I have the day shift, and then I have Craig and Minerva’s engagement party in the hospital cafeteria. I’ll be home at seven.”

“I’ve known Craig for years. Shouldn’t his oldest friends be invited?” I grump. Yes. Still grumpy. I hate day shifts. I like Melinda and I to be night owls together, and Pine Ridge’s hospital has a really understanding scheduler—usually.

“It’s for hospital staff and work friends this time,” she soothes.

“There should be a clause about night-dwelling spouses or something.”

“Genesis Davidson! Listen to me before you go rock hard.”

We share a smirk. “You usually like that,” I tease.

She kisses me, and I wrap my tail around her leg. “What’d you want tonight?” I whisper between the sun’s first rays and her final kiss of the morning.

It’s faint, but I hear it as I slide into stone form.

I’m confused as heck, but I hear it.

“ I ’m home, sweetie! I’m so stuffed from all the food at Minnie and Craig’s party, but I think we can still do that thing I said.”

“I sure hope so. I had to bug Georgie and Claire at home for help with this. It’s not in any of the cookbooks we have. I had to make it up as I went, but... They taste delicious. I added chives.”

Melinda looks puzzled as I pull out the white plate heaped high with my still-warm-from-the-oven offering.

“These look wonderful, babe! Mmm. They smell good, too. Heavenly.”

She looks at me. Confused.

I stare back. Confused.

“Mel—”

“Genesis, did—”

“You go first,” I offer, putting the plate down as she steps out of her pink sneakers and puts down the gigantic water bottle and tote bag that seem to be part of every nurse’s uniform.

“These look wonderful. What are they? Why the baking binge?”

My jaw drops. “Why?? Because you asked me to! You said tonight you wanted to make bacon-cheddar biscuits!”

The confusion deepens instead of evaporating. “I did?”

“Yes! You kissed me goodbye, and you said, ‘Tonight, make bacon-cheddar biscuits.’ So I did! Like a good husband, who has no effing clue how to make bacon-cheddar biscuits. In the old days, I would have just killed you a boar or something,” I mumble, folding my arms in a huff.

Melinda stares. Swallows. Then the laughter bubbles out of her.

“I love you. And I love when we go to the Fenclan’s and eat venison and wild boar and have the big bonfire.

.. but I did not ask for bacon-cheddar biscuits.

I said, ‘Tonight, take care of business.’” Melinda waggles one strawberry-blonde eyebrow under her dark red curls, a bashfully seductive smile spreading across her face.

“Ohhh. Oh!” I leave the table and sweep Melinda into my arms. “ Business .”

“Mmhm.” Her voice is all high and breathy. It makes my talons itch and my tail twitch. “But those would be good... for after.”