Page 18 of The Lawgiver's Firebrand
She crawled halfway on top of Daire, stroking his chest, a leg thrown over his thighs. “Are you insulted I’m not mooning over you?”
“I believe I am.”
“Maybe I missed something. Can we try again? I’ll pay closer attention to detail.”
And with those words, his dick hardened.
ChapterSeven
Ariawoke on her stomach, cheek to the pillow, filtered light streaming through gauzy curtains, possible drool trickling from her mouth. She swiped a hand across her lips.Nope. Dry. She twisted onto her back, careful not to disturb Daire.
But he wasn’t there.Gone.
Excellent. She had time to get presentable. For the incubus?Yes. For the damn incubus. Somehow, the proper, elegant Daire had wormed his way into her common heart. Permanently? She wasn’t certain.
Naked, Ari sprinted into the bathroom. She glanced in the mirror.Yikes.
On the counter were a packaged toothbrush and a new comb. How considerate. The incubus must entertain quite a few females. No surprise there.
Morning chores completed, including her face scrubbed and hair unsnarled, she padded into the bedroom. There, she rifled through a drawer until she seized an oversized T-shirt, pedestrian apparel for such a spiffy dresser. After slipping it over her head, she searched for Daire.
She found him in the kitchen, his back to her. At the stove, he stirred something which smelled delicious. “Cook’s day off?” asked Ari.
He rotated toward her, his arrogant grin more startling than she’d remembered. Her hormones sparked.
“Finally, you’re awake. Yes. It is the cook’s day of respite.”
“Really? I was kidding. Do you truly have a cook?”
“A housekeeper who doubles.”
“The rich are different from the rest of us.”
“Yes. We have more money.” He returned to his stirring duty.
“Didn’t someone else kinda say that?”
“A human author, I believe. Can you assemble toast?”
“Assemble? Do you mean pop it in the toaster, take it out, butter it, and slap it on a plate?”
“I do indeed.”
She nodded. “It’s my specialty. Along with boiling water.”
“Good thing I have a cook.” Daire pointed. “Bread box there. Toaster there.” He swung a hand into the air. “Plates in that cabinet. Coffee on the counter. Cups above.”
Ari poured herself a mug of coffee, adding cream from the fridge. After topping off Daire’s, she began her chores, standing guard over the toaster, not wanting to screw up her complicated task. “What’s that you’re making?”
“Eggs, sausage, potato scramble.”
“What kinds of eggs?”
“Teekfowl from Darque. I buy them from a specialty store.”
“Of course you do.” Darque was a realm watched over by Firebrands. The dangerous beasts that inhabited it had to be prevented from entering Scath, or worse, from getting through her realm and onto Earth. But teekfowl eggs were okay. She’d had them before.
Ari didn’t ruin the toast.Success!Once she set it on the stone-topped counter and Daire’s concoction was plated, they perched on stools to eat. What could have been an awkward moment—the morning-after thing—wasn’t. The incubus acted almost normal, except for his arrogant demeanor, which he couldn’t help but project.
