He swallowed, cocking his head. “It… okay, so…”
“I wanted to make sure Dav was okay with this,” sheexplained, flexing her fingers. It was easier to stare at her hands as she spoke, like the words might flow better if she could focus on her bitten nails and the tiny ink stain on her knuckle instead of the demon’s handsome face. “We all agreed on one night, but now…”
The words didn’t come, but they didn’t have to. A gray hand reached out, finger hooking around her chin to pull her gaze upward.
“You felt it too?” Davarox said in his deep rumble. “That connection between us?”
Rosalind nodded against his grip. “It’s something I’ve never experienced. Usually I need… something else? More? But with you—both of you, there was this… I was just going to lie to Mozke before I met you…”
“Hey, beautiful,” Laz whispered, finger tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear. “You don’t have to explain right now. Or ever. We just… want a chance.”
She swallowed. “And… we’d do this together? All of us?”
There was a spark of excitement in Laz’s eyes, but it was Dav who said, “It’s not unheard of in our culture.”
“But I’m human.”
“And you felt something all the same,” Dav said, so quickly there was no chance to doubt his sincerity. “You weren’t expecting this today. Take all the time?—”
“Okay.”
Lazerath’s face split into a wide grin, but Dav blinked, brow pinching as he studied her.
She stared back just as forcefully. “Youknow I don’t need more time. Because time means overthinking, and overthinking means lists, and the list for trying this is going to be miles longer than not trying, but I’m going to panic, and the only time my head actually feels any sort of calm is when I’m thinking of us together. Sorry, I’m a lot, maybe too much?—”
“Have you met me?” Laz teased, holding her face in his hands as her eyes fogged. “We’re going to drive Davarox so crazy.”
Rose sniffled around a laugh, probably because Dav also huffed out a chuckle. “So now what?”
“Come by again day after tomorrow,” Dav answered smoothly. “The bakery is closed, and we usually restock. It’s quiet, we have food, and it’s easy to have a conversation while moving around.”
Laz groaned. “You’re making her work for us on a day off?”
“It’s perfect,” Rosalind said, then gasped. “Oh my gods, work. I have to get back.”
She scrambled out of their arms, missing their touches immediately, and took two steps toward the door before freezing, remembering the errand she’d been sent on.
Rose turned, catching the tail end of Laz’s cheer—which coincidentally involved his tail—and Dav’s secret, satisfied one-sided smile.
“Mozke asked for a bronzeberry scone, but I’m going to conveniently forget their order for this stunt. They did, however, mention I should try a spiced biscuit.”
Laz let out a whistle and slapped Dav’s chest. “Oh, beautiful.You just picked thesecond bestDavarox Delicacy on the menu.”
Rose frowned. “Second best?” she asked at the same time Davarox’s eyes widened and he blurted, “Don’t ask!”
“You already loved the first,” Laz said proudly. “His?—”
8
PROPERLY COURTED, IN THE WRONG ORDER
Davarox
“Rosalind, I want to put babies in you, and I think you’re my soulbonded.”
Dav pinched the bridge of his nose. “Blazes, Laz.”
“Wrong order? You told me to say all my non-first-date thoughts before she got here!”
