“Folding my arms, I refused to back down. Andrew never liked me. I don't think he liked people in general. Or puppies. Or bacon.”

“I'd still be nice to you if you were ugly." "Okay."A wicked grin slipped over his full lips. He bent his head down and whispered, "I just wouldn't offer you any cookies."I folded my arms and tried to ignore the close proximity of our faces. "I'm starting to think cookies is a code word for something else.""Maybe it is." He tugged on my bag again as he took a confident step back, forcing me down another step. "And just think about it. If cookie was a code word, whatever it symbolizes, it's been in your mouth, sweetheart.”

“If you fall and break something, I’m going to be irritated.”Daemon grabbed my arm as I started to slip.“Sorry, not all of us can be as awesome---“ I squealed as he slid an arm around my back and lifted be into his arms. Daemon zipped us up the driveway, wind and snow blowing at my face. He put me down, and I stumbled to the side, dizzy. “Could you give me a warning next time?”He grinned as he knocked on the door. “And miss that look on your face? Never.”Sometimes I seriously wanted to just punch him in the face, but it made me warm in all the right place to see this side of him again, too.“You’re insufferable.”“You like my kind of suffering.”

“I'll accept your apology on one condition." He folded his arms across his chest."Anything?""You trust me."I cocked my head to the side. "I trust you, Cam.""No, you don't." He walked over to my small table and pulled out a chair. "Have a seat."Sitting down, I tugged the hem of his shirt down as he headed back to the stove, putting the tiny skillet over the burner."If you trusted me, you wouldn't have reacted the way you did," he simply said, cracking an egg. "And that's not me judging you or any of that kind of shit. You got to trust me that I'm not going to be an ass or freak out over that kind of stuff. You have to trust that I care enough about you.”

“This was it. And it was right. Perfect without the dinner, movies, and flowers, because how could you really plan something like this?You couldn'tDaemon sat back-A fist pounded on the door, and Andrew's voice intruded. "Daemon, are you awake?"We stared at each other in disbelief. "If I ignore him," he whispered, "do you think he'll go away?"My hands dropped to my sides. "Maybe"The pounding came again. "Daemon, I really need you downstairs. Dawson is ready to go back to Mount Weather. Nothing Dee or I are saying to him is making a bit of difference. He's like a suicidal Energizer bunny."Daemon squeezed his eyes shut. "Son of a bitch...""It's okay." I started to sit up. "He needs you."He let out a ragged sigh. "Stay here and get some rest. I'll talk-or beat some sense into him." He kissed me briefly and then gently pushed me back down. "I'll be back."Settling in, I smiled. "Try not to kill him.""No promises." He stood, pulled on his pajama bottoms, and headed for the door. Stopping short, he looked over his shoulder,his intense gaze melting my bones. "Dammit."A few seconds after he stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him, there was a fleshly smack and then Andrew yelling. "Ouch. What in the hell was that for?""Your timing sucks on an epic level," Daemon shot back.”

“Smacking his arm lightly, she leaned back. "And Adam is way nicer than his brother.""A rabid hyena is nicer than Andrew," he retorted. "When we were kids, he locked me in an old chest once. Left me there for hours.”

“No. Sorry. You have spent months being the biggest jerk to me. You don't get to decide to like me one day and think I will forget that. I want someone to care for me like my dad cared for my mom. And you aren't him.”