Vespera came out of the lotchen holding the soup, only to see Dominic walking straight into her bedmem


    She steamed inbethrall Hecan''t go in there!


    Tankng, she dropped the soup ento The carpet mid-nm. Herhands were trembling so badly it felt like she''d suddenly developed a disease,


    Hot liquid sshed onto the back of her hand, but she didn''t even flinch, She bolted toward the bedroom.


    Tete


    To be precise, he''d already walked in before she even shouted.


    By the time she reached the door, Dominic was already at her bed, crencied down, picking up the terrified kitten, who had identally stepped on something and tripped a vibrating noise,


    The poor thing was ttened against the wall, mewling in distress.


    And, of course, he''d also seen it. The thing the kitten had shagged out, the thing


    ng that had fallen from the bag and was now lying, fully exposed.


    Dominic''s brow furrowed. He looked at the stili vibrating, pastel-plink-and-blue, very obvimus, very phallic-shaped item the floor. then nced at the half- exposed box beside it. He was contemtive.


    Vespers stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the scene.


    This was it. This was the end.


    Hersoul hadleft her body, and her vision blunted into white. She was done, absolutely shattered


    "Mx. Cildon, what exactly is that?" came his cool, emotionless voice.


    Huh? She opened her ever.


    Dominic motioned with his chintoward the pale yellow Items on the floor.


    "ph, that?" Vespera''s voice cracked. "That''s, um. It''s a handheld muscle massager. You know, for sore shoulders, arms, lower back, calves stuff like that."


    "Himin Sounds useful."


    “Small, sure. But it looks pretty powerful, and the design''s very refined," Dominic said


    With that, he bent down, reaching for it.


    Vesprta''s yes flew wide open


    She dove. Dropped into a crouch so fast her knee buckded, and she slid across the floor, barely catching herself-but she made it. Her hand snatched it up a split second before his fingers touched it


    One of them was bent over, and the other was kneeling.


    Between them was a kitten and very much still-vibrating toy.


    Vripera looked up, and their eyes met.


    The look in Domitiir''s eyes sletted darkened and softened. Slowly taking on the hazy glow of sochething unmistakably suggestive.


    After a beat, theer of his lips curved into a subtle smile, and in a low, velvety volce, he murmured, "Vera. Don''t panic."


    Vespera didn''t respond. Her Face Blushed so hard it burned-cheeks, ears, neck, all lit up like fe


    Her heart was thaamping funder than the toy vibrating in her lund.


    She quickly ducked her lead, funbling to shut the thing off, pressing buttons blindly. Then she started shoving the spilled box, instruction manual, and whatever else had pallement barkinforthebag


    Thank god thetten had only dragged out one


    Serialy thank the heavens. A small miracle in the middle of a disaster.


    Domanit straightened up. His eyes ligeird on her, that same tradable glit still there, "Take your time. No need to be nervous. It''s just a massager. If you say


    Vesperapanied


    No time tu sve tanalyze jt. She shoved the bag under the bed and stood up in a sh. "I''ll take the kitten, you go rat...."


    the reclind out and pretly took the kitten hom his artes.


    He picked up the song she''d dropped on the carpet eadler and sat at the table,


    calmly eating like nothing unusual had just happened.


    Vespera stayed in the living room, Mating


    Wall.wiul reactly did be any!


    "If you say so, I believe you!


    ack And the longer she thought about it, the worse it got.


    dich meant he didn''t believe het. He knew. He just chose to act like he didn''t. So, he definitely knew.


    She pped both hands over her face.


    From the dining area, his voice floated out smoothly, "Ms. Gildon, I''m done eating."