Zane turned his focus on Janie’s sky blue eyes. “What about me?”
Her smile revealed even white teeth. “Depends if you play your cards right.”
“Meaning?” He lowered his voice to a demon growl, knowing full well how it affected her.
A visible shiver wound up her shoulders, and a pretty blush covered her cheeks. “You clean up Hope after she eats cake.”
He grimaced. “We’re really not going to give her a whole cake, are we?”
“Of course.” Delight lifted Janie’s lips.
His life had been colorless before Janie had joined it. Like the dream world, he’d just existed without real light. Now light and love surrounded him. “Tomorrow morning our mothers are taking turns watching Hope for a week,” he said.
Janie blinked. “Why?”
“We’re going on a vacation.”
“Really?” She looked around the festivities at family and friends. “Can we just take off like that?”
He slipped an arm over her small shoulders. “We can. It’s time we had some fun without war, without ruling, without worry. Just a week.”
Her smile warmed his heart. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” A warm, very nice, extremely private villa on an island where clothes weren’t necessary. “It’ll be our new dream world.”
She turned and stretched up on her toes to kiss him. “Sounds lovely.”
He kissed her back. “Do you miss the dream world?” Since they’d blown it up, they hadn’t been able to re-enter. The place, wherever it had been, no longer existed.
“No.” She rubbed his chin. “Real life is so much better now that you’re in it.”
Her sweetness knocked his knees out from under him each time. Every time. “I love you, Belle.”
She sighed and snuggled into him. “I love you.”
Yeah. Life was pretty damn perfect.
Janie laughed, her heart full, trying to wipe frosting off her daughter’s nose. “Maybe letting her go at the cake was a bad idea.”
Zane nodded, grimacing as he removed a frosting-covered sandal. “It was your idea.”
Prophet Lily Donovan clapped her hands together. “No, it was wonderful. She enjoyed herself so much, and we took lovely pictures.”
Her mate, Caleb, stood well back and away from flying frosting. “You’re all crazy.”
Hope turned sparkling black eyes toward him and let out a giggle.
Caleb smiled, the harshness of his features disappearing. “The girl has good taste.” Then he lowered his chin and gentled his gaze. “Forget that marking on your neck, little one. If you want to be a prophet, great. If not, tell Fate to . . . push off.”
“Nicely put,” Zane said dryly, shaking the second sandal.
Caleb ducked as frosting flew by his head to stick to the stone mantel. “Let’s hit the bar, Lily.” Holding out his arm, he waited until his mate slipped hers into place. Then he winked at Hope and headed off.
Talen arrived with more towels. “You made a nice mess, sweet girl,” he cooed to Hope.
Hope grinned, showing one new tooth. “Tayen.”
Janie stilled, and Zane’s head jerked up.
