lexi needed more than just time. she needed courage. she knew she had to tell him about the defenders and her conspiring with them to blow this place up. eventually, he would find out, and it was going to be easier on both of them if she did the grown-up thing and spilled her guts.

she wasn't sure how he'd react, but she knew he wouldn't hurt her. she trusted him at least that much, even if it was only because he needed her to survive.

the other men here-the ones who stared at her with hungry eyes-she was pretty sure they weren't going to be quite so understanding.

zach stuffed lexi full of food, hoping that would help relax her. she'd been right about them having a lot of things to work through, and most of those were better handled on a full stomach.

he lit some candles he'd found earlier, and they cast a warm glow over lexi's living room. zach was no interior designer, but he thought she liked the soft, comfortable things they'd put in her home. the way her eyes lit up every time she glanced past him and looked around had convinced him of that.

he'd given her a home. he'd made her cry, but in a good way. now all he had to do was get her to stay here. maybe let him move in with her. after two nights with her in his arms, he didn't think he'd be able to handle an empty bed.

he'd made sure that both beds in her suite were big enough to hold the two of them, just in case. he promised himself he wouldn't push, but the idea of getting her naked and making her feel good was swiftly becoming an obsession.

she slid the last bite of chocolate cake off her fork and sat back with a contented sigh.

"that was fabulous, zach. thank you."

"i'm not much of a cook, but i did order it from the kitchen myself."

her eyes glowed with the smile he'd put there, making his chest grow warm with satisfaction.

"i left all the important numbers on the fridge for you in case you need someone, or don't feel like eating in the dining hall."

"yeah, i'm not so sure about that yet. all those men staring at me is a little freaky."

zach stood and held out his hand to her. "they'll get used to you, just like they're used to helen now. just give them a few days."

lexi put her small hand in his, and it looked so perfect there, surrounded by him, protected.

"what about the dishes?" she asked.

"i'll set the trays in the hall later. no rush."

"but"-she looked from the dishes to her sink and back again-"i don't want to leave a mess."

in her new home. she hadn't said that part, but he could feel it in the air, hovering on her lips.

"you want to wash them?"

she grinned and nodded, like a child asked if they wanted to go into the toy store.

zach shrugged. "whatever makes you happy, honey." he had to have someone bring them some soap and dishcloths-he'd forgotten to stock those things for her-but a little while later, they'd finished the domestic chore and lexi was beaming.

who would have thought that something as simple as washing a sink full of dishes could make her happy? he found himself looking around, seeking out something else that might make her smile.

"so, what now?" she asked. "it's dark. do you go monster hunting?"

"usually. joseph has given me a few days off to help you settle in. i'll have to check the schedule, but i think i'm supposed to be on guard duty next week. we've got extra men on the job here since the repairs on the wall still aren't finished."

zach led her to the comfy leather sofa, and they sank into its pillowy depths. lexi bounced up and down a couple times, grinning, then settled down beside him. she hadn't pulled her hand away from his. in fact, she'd threaded her fingers through his, locking them together.

"will i have a job, too? if i stay, i mean."

he wasn't letting her leave, but he decided it was best to keep things light and not go all caveman on her. if she tried to go, then he'd make things clear.

"you and i will be a team," he said. "joseph rayd-our leader-will assign us our duties as soon as you're able to channel my power consistently."

"yeah, i've been thinking about that, and i want to practice some more."

"great. we'll go out in the training yard and try some things, see what works for you."

"what kind of things?"

"fire is good. kills lots of snarlies. helen kicks ass throwing fire around."

lexi shook her head, making her fine hair sway. "i never would have believed it if i hadn't seen it for myself."

"there's probably going to be a lot of seeing- is-believing for you at first. i promise you'll get used to it."

"i'm tough. i'll manage," she said. "what else?"

"learning to protect yourself is vital. that's my job, but i'm only one man, and i want you to be extra safe, just in case. andra's pretty good at creating shields, so she may be able to give you some pointers. she's also really good at blowing things up."

the color slid from lexi's face and her hand started to sweat. "i think i'll take a pass on that one. just for now."

zach made a mental note that the idea had freaked her out. it might be a sign what her specialty would be, if helen's initial fear of fire was any indication. he'd convince her to try something later, but now wasn't the time. he wanted her relaxed and comfortable so she wouldn't notice when he sneaked inside those mental walls of hers. once he was there, once she knew he posed no threat, then they'd deal with the rest.

"sure. it's up to you. we won't go into the field until you're comfortable."

she gave him a playful grin. "can i fly?"

"maybe. everyone is different. gilda-another woman here like you-she can jump so far it's almost like flying, but she's been doing this for centuries, so she's had some time to work up to it."

"i think i'll save that one, too. i don't want to learn the hard way i can't fly."

her fingers had relaxed again, and her shoulders were no longer up by her ears. zach tugged on her hand, urging her to come closer.

she kicked off her shoes, curled her legs under her and fit her body against his. her shoulder was under his arm and her head rested against his chest.

a sense of complete rightness filled him up, making him glow inside. he draped his arm around her, his hand resting on her luscious hip. the ring on his finger hummed happily. in fact, all of him was happy and content.

all his plans to gain her trust and crack her defenses turned to dust and blew away. they were inconsequential compared to the monumental satisfaction he felt right now.

zach may have offered her some walls and a roof over her head, but she was the one who'd given him a home. lexi was his home. he just hadn't realized he'd been missing it all his life.

her slender fingers slid up his chest until they reached the bare skin of his throat. the band that had been there so long, covering his skin, was gone, making his flesh ultrasensitive to the touch. lexi stroked him, as if knowing that was the case, and zach's body started to heat up with a predictable dose of lust. the woman went straight to his head.

"your skin's so much lighter here," she said.

"starved of sunlight since i was born." zach shivered and his muscles clenched. hot blood raced to his groin, making him so hard so fast it was painful.

"did i hurt you?"

"not my neck," he told her between clenched teeth.

she shifted so she could see his face. her bittersweet chocolate eyes glided over him, searching for the source of his discomfort. inevitably, she saw his erection and her lashes lowered, covering a flare of feminine greed. a sultry smile warmed her mouth, making it almost irresistible. "want me to kiss it and make it better?" she asked.

a punch of raw desire hit him in the gut, making him grunt against the force of it. "you're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

lexi shook her head. "no. i want you, zach. but i want you without the mind games. think you can do that?"

he wasn't sure, but he knew he'd try like hell. he'd do damn near anything to give her what she wanted, wanting only her in return.

he nodded.

"just sex," she told him, licking her lips.

it wasn't what he wanted, it wasn't the way things were meant to be between them, but he knew he'd take what he could get. especially if it involved getting lexi naked just for him.

zach tried to agree, but his vocal cords were clamped tight inside his throat. he settled for action instead of words, taking her mouth in a soft kiss.

lexi let out a groan of satisfaction and deepened the kiss, sliding her sweet tongue against his. she grabbed his head and speared her fingers through his hair, holding him while she drank her fill.

zach tried to let her set the pace, but he couldn't keep his hands to himself. he wasn't that strong. he clasped her hips in his palms and pressed her down against his straining erection. the contact, even through all those layers of clothes, shot sparks along his spine and ripped an animal sound of lust from his throat.

all his good intentions to woo her, make her trust him, slipped through his fingers, lost and forgotten. they paled in comparison to the glowing fire of need burning up his insides.

lexi's fingers slid down his body and tugged the hem of his t-shirt over his head, baring his chest. breaking their kiss pissed him off, and he flung her down on the couch where he could keep her right were he wanted her.

her lips were red and wet and puffy and her eyes glowed with anticipation. she splayed her hands over his chest and zach felt his lifemark swaying, the bare branches arcing toward her touch.

before he forgot himself and wound up hurting one of them, zach unbuckled his sword belt and laid it within arm's reach. it flickered to visibility, the silver leaf pattern that adorned the hilt and scabbard glowing in the yellow light of the candles still burning in the kitchen.

he wanted to see lexi's skin by that warm light. all of it.

"take off your shirt," he told her, unwilling to trust himself to do the job without ripping it from her body. his voice came out heavy and dark, almost sinister, but there was nothing he could do about that. not now, while his need for her pounded at him.

lexi hadn't heard him. her eyes were closed as her hands slid over his chest. sweat tried valiantly to cool his overheated skin but couldn't keep up with the task, not while lexi was touching him.

the look of total absorption, total enjoyment, on her face was humbling. the idea he could please her with something as simple as his bare chest made him feel powerful, gave him more hope for their future than he'd thought possible.

if he could please her, she'd stay, and zach was more than willing to put his enormous force of will to the task of giving her pleasure.

the luceria shimmered around her throat, glowing in pale, luminous plumes of jade and emerald greens.