“Koko, Ididgive—
“Don’t even start, cutie pie,” Zane cut in with a rapid wave of his hand, those gingerbread eyes narrowing in a warning glare. “I’m perfectly contentwithoutone of your sugar-coated monikers, thank you very much. Some of us want to maintain our dignity around here.”
“But Ididgive you a nickname! Zoodle!”
The silence lasted exactly one heartbeat.
Then Koa made a strangled sound, his eyes widening to an impossible size before he simply tipped sideways. The crash as he and his chair hit the polished dining room floor was impressive, but not nearly as impressive as the unrestrained laughter that followed. Sprawled on the floor, Koa couldn’t contain himself, clutching his stomach as tears leaked from his eyes.
What shocked me more was the sharp bark of laughter that escaped Casimir, whose green eyes sparkled with a mirth I rarely saw. He quickly covered his mouth with the back of his fist, but the damage was done.
“Zoodle?” Zane’s voice cracked on the word. His red hair seemed to stand on end as his face flushed to match it. “I never heard you call me that! Seri, you’re delusional. Cas, check to see if she has a fever—”
“I thought it was cute.” My bottom lip pushed out in a pout. I hadn’t meant to embarrass him.
“Cute?” Zane’s voice rose an octave. “Suck that lip right back in, Serafina.You’rethe idiot who came up with such an dumb nickname—”
“Careful.” Casimir’s amusement vanished as quickly as it had appeared, his tone suddenly carrying the weight of command. “Donotcall our beloved an idiot.”
Koa finally managed to control his laughter enough to climb back into his chair, but occasional aftershocks of chuckles still rippled through him.
“Zoodle,” he choked under his breath, setting off another minor fit.
I quietly returned to my breakfast, cutting a piece of bacon and savoring the salty crispness. Maybe Zoodle wasn’t the right choice after all. I’d only wanted to give him something special, like I had the others.
“I can’t believe this.” Zane threw his hands up, his toast forgotten. “I’m being victimized at my own breakfast table.”
No one responded. Casimir calmly picked up his tablet again. Koa ate his eggs, his lips still curved into a grin.
“The absolute disrespect!” Zane’s voice rose as he slumped back in his chair. “The sheer indignity. You lobbed that verbal grenade during pillow talk, then passed out! Woke up thinking I’d hallucinated the whole thing.Heinous, Seri. Trulyheinous.”
I swallowed my bacon and blinked at him.
“I mean, Zoodle?Really? That’s what I am to you? Casimir gets Simmy, Koa gets Koko, and I getZoodle?”
“Yes, because you’re a little twisty, a little ridiculous, and good for everyone.”
Something shifted in his expression, a flash of surprise and a softening around his eyes that melted the exaggerated outrage.
“Go on, starlight.” He leaned forward on his elbows. “Feed me more praise.”
I grinned, recognizing the pleased gleam behind his pretend annoyance. For all his protests, he cherished every bit of affection thrown his way. He was like a cat pretending to be above it all while secretly purring.
“You’re very clever. And brave. And you make everyone laugh, even when things are difficult. You’re silly, but comforting. Comforting like hot chocolate that people line up for at midnight when they need…” My voice faltered at the memory of cold floors and hollow stomachs. “Something warm.”
His chair scraped back so violently that it nearly toppled. He rounded the table in three strides, his calloused palms cradling my face before I could blink. His thumbs brushed the apple of my cheeks, fiery lashes lowered to half-mast.
“More,” he demanded, his breath sweet with maple syrup, although his mate scent of night phlox nearly flooded it out.
“When you smile for real, not that smirk, your eyes crinkle at the corners.” The words spilled out, drawn by some invisible thread connecting my ribcage to his. “And your hair in the sunlight looks like someone spun copper wire through a campfire.”
“You’re cheating.” His forehead dropped to mine. “Using poet words.”
“Only the truth.” I brushed my nose against his. “My handsome Zoodle.”
Next to us, Koa fake-retched.
“Either kiss her or stop blocking the butter dish, fireweed.”
