“Ouch. “Bite me.”Jai grinned slyly and looked up at her from under his lashes. “Just tell me how hard.”

“You didn’t tell me she was so soft on the eyes,” he said to Patch, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He spoke with a heavy Irish accent.“I didn’t tell her how hard you are on them either,” Patch returned, his mouth at the relaxed stage just before a grin.”

“Well . . . I mean . . .”Her eyebrows lifted and she looked at him slyly. “You want to ask me about the fan again?”He grinned. She'd never let him live that down.”

“She reached out and touched the king’s face, cupping his cheek in her hand.“Just a nightmare,” he said, his voice still rough.The queen’s voice was cool. “How embarrassing,” she said, looking at his maimed arm.The king looked up then, and followed her gaze. If it was embarrassing to wake like a child screaming from a nightmare, how much more embarrassing to be the reason your husband woke screaming. A quick smile visited the king’s face. “Ouch,” he said, referring to more than the pain in his side. “Ouch,” he said again as the queen gathered him into her arms.”

“Come on, baby.” Paris combed his fingers through her hair. “Look past my terrible personality and hideous looks and throw me a bone. Teach me how to woo you properly.” She snorted. “I’d argue the hideous looks part.” “But not the terrible personality? Ouch. That hurts, baby.”

“Aidan from the past: He took her hands in his bloodied, callused ones. “Accept me?” His eyes glowed, his lashes spiked from rain.Declan in the present: He gripped her nape. “I fuckin love you, Regin!” Rain spiked his lashes as he gazed down at her, commanding her, “Love me back!”