Page 63 of The Sinner's Touch

Kade turned and frowned. The lukewarm smile she offered made him frown harder. “What’s wrong? You love Christmas shopping.”

“Are you sure we should be out here, in the open?”

“Weren’t you the one offering yourself up as bait just yesterday?”

“Well, that was before I had an entire night full of nightmares.”

Kade’s face softened. “Angel, you’re surrounded by a team of ex-military as well as an FBI agent. You’re safe. Look, there’s Watkins, just a few feet away. His job is to be wherever you are.He’s not going to let anyone get close to you. If I thought there was any danger, I wouldn’t have brought you out.”

Angel spotted the security guard lounging by the tree display. He looked like he wasn’t paying attention to anything. She had to trust that Kade was right and she was safe surrounded by her own personal security team. Target during the holidays was one of her favorite stores, and she was letting her own paranoia ruin it for her.

She turned her attention back to the Christmas ornaments and picked up a box of purple bulbs. The sound of disgust from Kade made her turn a baleful eye on him. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“No, you just made that noise you do when you want to say something and are biting your tongue instead.”

“Why don’t we mix in some white and blue, maybe red or green? You know, some traditional Christmas colors.”

“I like purple.”

“I know.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m just suggesting an alternate color scheme.”

“It needs to be color coordinated. Red and purple don’t mix.” He hated purple, and she knew it. That was part of the reason she’d been picking out all purple stuff. Just to piss him off.

He sighed and adopted a martyred expression. “The things I do for you, woman. Next year, we are doing a traditional tree.”

He was banking on a next year, was he? Kade always had been a smug, cocky bastard. She hadn’t even decided if she was going to try to give them a chance or not, and here he was making plans.

His hip bumped hers, and she looked up, startled. He was holding a mistletoe over her head, a wicked grin telling her he was up to no good. “I think the tradition calls for a kiss, don’t you?”

“What happened to you not touching me until I touch you?” She arched a brow, barely containing her laughter. He could be such a charmer even when he was being an ass or aggravated with her.

“Well, we can’t ignore a Christmas tradition, now, can we?” He smirked, leaning in closer.

She took a step back, leaving him to stumble forward. “We sure can.” She turned the buggy and went to the next aisle where the stockings were, unable to control her laughter when she heard him cursing in both English and Russian.

“Not nice, Angel, not nice,” he whispered in her ear. The tickle of his breath teased her earlobe, sending a shiver through her.

“Hey!” The indignant shout made them both look toward the end of the aisle where the security guys had detained a tall, blond guy. His blue eyes were shooting daggers. “Kade, some help, please?”

Kade laughed, and a real smile lit up his face. “It’s fine, gentlemen. This is my brother, Dimitri.”

“Asshole.” Dimitri enfolded Kade in a bear hug. “You could have warned me when I texted that you had some of Viktor’s thugs with you.”

“What’s the fun in that? Besides, I wanted to show Angel she was perfectly safe surrounded by Viktor’s thugs. What better way than to let them tackle you?”

Dimitri turned to Angel and smiled. “Privet, sestrenka.”

Dimitri was not what she expected. He didn’t look a thing like Kade, Nik, or Viktor. He resembled some blond Norse god, with glacier blue eyes. Now, if only she knew what the hell he’d just said to her.

“It means, loosely translated, ‘hello, little sister.’” Dimitri gave her the same bear hug he had Kade. “Welcome to the family. I know I’m six years late, but welcome all the same.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, a little unnerved by his welcome. She and Kade hadn’t been man and wife in a long time, but it didn’t seem to matter to his family.

“Are you guys about done? I’m starving, and I saw an Italian place across the street that looks good.”

“Angel?”

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