“—illogical little baggage,” Xerxes grumbled.

“Calling her names now?” Bjorn tsked. “That’s likely to get you staked.”

“Worth it,” the warrior replied in a singsong voice.

“Where is Elin?” Thane asked, and both men faced him.

They were very obviously trying not to grin.

“I’m almost embarrassed for you,” Xerxes said. “A female is your first thought, not your best friends.”

“I am embarrassed for him,” Bjorn said. “Thane, my man, I’d rather see you in a pink dress and heels than whipped like this.”

“Just wait until it’s your turn.” They’d crumble like Elin’s cookies.

Xerxes propped his feet on the new coffee table. One without broken legs. “You’ve met me, right? I’m un-whippable.”

Thane rolled his eyes. “The girl?”

“Not...here,” Xerxes said.

What did that mean? Frown deepening, Thane stalked into the room he’d emptied and cleaned for the girl. He’d even taken out the walls and put new ones in. But Elin had failed to fill it with the furniture of her choosing.

“She’s in her room,” Bjorn offered helpfully. “The one with the other barmaids.”

“This is her room,” he gritted.

Xerxes finally gave up the battle to hide his mirth and smiled. “I’ll let you convince her of that. The only things she took from the treasure room were armbands. Five of them. Because, I quote, ‘the Multiple Scorgasms will look so freaking awesome with matching Wonder Woman bangles.’”

Should have known she’d fight me on this. New plan: make amends first, then uproot her. “Did she say anything?”

“Only that she would discuss her reasons for declining with you, and only you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ELIN WAS LOST in the most amazingly erotic dream one moment, Thane slowly stripping her and kissing every inch of skin as he exposed it, and a nightmare the next, where Thane was actually looming over her¸ fury shining in his eyes.

“Get up,” he snapped. Then more gently added, “Please.”

She jolted upright, discombobulated for several seconds. Little details began to crystalize. Nightmare Thane was real. Sunlight slanted through the window to illuminate him like a rock star onstage at a sold-out concert. The girls were wide-awake and watching him unabashedly from their bunks.

“Is something wrong?” Elin asked, smoothing the hair from her face.

“You aren’t where you belong,” he said, and leaned down to scoop her up fireman-style, draping her over his strong shoulder. “I know I handled things poorly after...just after, and I’m sorry. But you have to admit I wasn’t in my right mind. You had just ridden the intelligence right out of me.”

No way. No way he’d just said that.

“I do not regret what happened,” he said.

“He-man in the house!” Savy called. “Whooo, whooo.”

“What, what,” Octavia sang. “Bonka’s about to get her a little some-some, ya’ll.”

Can’t laugh. As her man straightened, she beat at his back. “Thane No Middle Name Downfall. Put me down this instant!”

He strode out of the room. The last thing she saw was Bellorie giggling as if she’d just downed an entire keg of beer.

“You wanted to be lovers. We are lovers. You wanted all of me, I gave you all of me. Good and bad. You wanted space, I gave you space. Now, we do what I want.”

Caveman Thane was a major turn-on. Maybe it was the heat in his voice. Or the tight coil of muscle pressed against her, but Elin practically burst into flames. Just. Like. That.

“I see you like this idea,” he said, and, oh, the cocky bugger sounded smug. “Your temperature rose ten degrees in less than a second.”

Stupid Phoenix trait. “So what? What are you going to do about it?”

He stepped into the waiting elevator. When the doors closed, he smoothed her down the hard length of his body. A full-frontal assault ensued, his erection catching between her legs for several sublime moments.

With his arms banded around her waist, he said, “We will discuss my plans after you tell me why you aren’t in your new room.”

“Well,” she hedged, toying with the collar of his robe. “For starters, I’m mad at you.”

“This, I know,” he said. “But I apologized, and you accepted.”

“I did not accept,” she protested.

He kissed her, soft and sweet. “Then I beg you, accept. I won’t survive otherwise.”

Her lips tingled from the contact, and her insides tingled from the words. “Fine,” she said on a sigh. “I accept. I forgive you for how you acted after I rode you all the way to Stupid Town. But you’ve got another crime to answer for.”

“Tell me, and I’ll fix it.”

“Okay. You essentiaed all over me without a word of warning.”

“Not by choice,” he said.

Wait. Hold everything. He hadn’t wanted to brand her? Well, well. What do you know. There was a new sheriff in town, and his name was Disappointment.

She’d never really been upset about the essentia, she realized. She’d been hurt by Thane’s possible regret and looking for an outlet.

Trying not to sound whiny, she said, “So you didn’t want everyone to know I’m currently your favorite flavor of girl-cream?”

He cupped her cheeks and dusted his thumbs over her lips. “Kulta, I want to shout it to the world.”

The doors opened before she could stutter out a response—Mr. Romantic strikes again! Thane guided her out, the guards nodding at him as he passed. The guards also avoided glancing in her direction. Was that a big no-no now? Inside the suite, she expected to find Xerxes and Bjorn, but the males were absent.

“This is why I will never succumb to a female’s wiles for more than a single night,” Bjorn had said after she’d explained she wouldn’t be switching rooms.

“She’s part Phoenix,” Xerxes had replied. “She obviously likes to play with fire.”

Har-har.

“Sit,” Thane said now. “And we will discuss the room situation.”

Ugh. She didn’t want to discuss the room situation. Because, even though she’d forgiven him, no good could come from semi–moving in with him. The more she allowed him into her life, the harder it would be to leave him. “I’m only going to be here for a few weeks, right?”