Page 149 of The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance

“She has a massive cage and is still not happy the instant you leave.”

We head inside and I look around before deciding the new kitchen table is the proper place for the vase.

“We’ve been througha lottogether, Mr. Vase,” I say as I set the vase down and shift it a little. “So very much.”

“Sure have,” Tavish agrees as I notice a little crack on the edge.

“Aw, I think it got cracked.”

“Did it?” Tavish asks. He picks it up and I watch as the vase shatters in his hands. “Huh.”

I stare at him.

“Whoopsies.”

“I… I risked mylifefor that vase.”

“It was a pretty expensive vase.”

“I held that vase as I jumped out of an airplane, which probably shouldn’t have even beenpossible,” I say. “Like why didn’t the velocity whip it out of my hands?”

“Yeah, bet that’s when it got weakened. You had quite the grip on it. Ah well.” He dusts it to the far edge of the table like I might not notice.

“What do you mean ‘Ah well’? My vase!”

“I’ll buy you a new one. Want to have sex?”

“Not until that TV stand is built.”

“What? Really? That sounds horrible. Come on, Ellis.”

“Better get moving while I let Jolene out.”

“I’m going! I’m going!”

I head back to Jolene, who isthrilledthe moment she sees me. She dances and hops her way after me as we reach the living room where Tavish has removed everything from the box and is now sticking partway out of it. Like I can only see his bottom half. Jolene flies over to the top of the box and starts dancing on it, liking the sound it makes beneath her feet.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask.

“I gave up, Ellis. It was too hard.”

“You know what else is going to be hard when you’re finished with this?”

He unzips his pants. “Take me now.”

“You’re so ridiculous.” I reach down and grab his ankles, pulling him from the box before dropping down on him. “Would sex first rejuvenate you enough to build it?”

“Sure would help,” he says as he grabs me by the hand and pulls me down to kiss him.

“Yeah, I bet it would. We need lube and a condom.”

“Already got them,” he says as he flashes them at me.

“How the hell did you get those so fast?”

“I’m prepared.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

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