He grinned. “Iam glad you are getting into the spirit of the thing.”

She went up onher toes and kissed him before sauntering over to the man who wasshowing Lya boot designs. “Sir, please make sure to send the billto Kaiyun Feng. These are birthday presents for her. So if I hearthat she even saw the bill, I will not be impressed and will makeKaiyun not impressed.”

“No problem,Lady Zelle. It will all be done and the bill sent to Mr. Feng.”

“Excellent.”She inclined her head and walked to Lya. “Keep shopping. I will seeyou Thursday at the latest. Despite my being disqualified fromwinning, I get to sit with you guys during the viewing and thechatter afterward.”

Lya hugged her.“Okay.”

Kaiyun took herarm, and they were nearly to the door when she paused. “Or I couldjust pop over. We now live about a mile down the road from yourden, Lya.”

Lya grinned. “Iwill be over to borrow sugar or something.”

Venkasnorted.

“And I willbring Venka to carry it if she isn’t doing legal stuff. I stillhave no idea what branch of legal she specializes in, but I am sureit will come up at some point.”

Venka grinned.“It will, but you have already seen me in action.”

“Oh. Contractlaw.”

Venka huggedher omega. “Correct. You get a cookie.”

“I was going toask if I was allowed cookies, but I have a few pounds to puton.”

Zelle nodded.“You work on that while I am trying to figure out how to get bumpinto my favourite jeans. When I can find my favourite jeans. It’slike a scavenger hunt with him around.”

Kaiyun laughedand steered her out the door.

Zelle kept thesmile on her lips until they were in the vehicle and on their wayhome.

She sighed, andKaiyun rubbed the back of her neck, pulling her in for a kiss. “Youdid very well.”

“Yeah. A fewmore days, and I might have enough energy to actually spend morethan an hour away from home at a time.”

“Aw, sweet. Iwill top you up.”

The bodyguardslaughed.

He kissed herand poured fire into her. He was getting better at it. When helifted his head, there was a tiny fire phoenix between them thatsettled on her shoulder and nuzzled her.

She chuckled.“Hello again, my little friend.”

There was a lotof trilling, and the mini phoenix was having a lot of fun peckingat her earring.

“Uh, Kaiyun,what do you know about this little fella?”

Kaiyun wasstaring. “I am not projecting him. He’s just there.”

“As long as hedisappears before we get naked, I am sure things will be fine.”

“Why must hedisappear?”

“He looks likea baby. I don’t know if his wings will cover his eyes.”

Kaiyun laughed.“Fair enough. We will make him a teeny blindfold.”

“Oh. I can knitone.” She smiled.