The Valkyrie's Guardian by Moriah Densley

lifelike animal noises, but the jungle-cat-purring against her neck now made her want to stretch out on the counter and arch her back. Still, she feigned nonchalance.
    She scoffed as he drew his KA-BAR from his pants to cut coconut chunks. Couldn’t he use a sanitary kitchen knife? Blueberries and carrots went in the blender as his knee rubbed the inside of her thigh — he was trying to coax her into submission. Persuasive, but she couldn’t let him blow hot and cold and think she would still be at his beck and call. Girls who did that got into all kinds of trouble.
    He poised his hand over the top of the blender, ready to crack a raw egg when Cassie cracked first. “Gross, Jack! I draw the line there.”
    â€œGreat protein. Grows hair on the chest.”
    â€œJust what I need.”
    â€œGenerations of your ancestors ate this for breakfast every morning.”
    â€œI know — the two-minute egg. Kyros still does, and it’s gross.”
    He reached for the blender again. “You won’t even taste it.”
    â€œNo egg!”She blocked the top with her hands. “See? The smoothie already looks disgusting. No reason it should stink too.”
    She realized the revolting sewage color would be lost on him, as he probably only saw an indeterminate shade of gray-blue. He dropped in five more peels of lemon rind and two pinches of cinnamon.
    â€œBack off, you’re ruining my smoothie.”
    â€œI like these pants, Cass.” He ran his fisted hand down the outside of her thigh and back up, thankfully without breaking the egg. He teased it over her navel, tracing in circles with a more facetious mood than seductive.
    â€œNot a chance,”she insisted, sending a mental explanation to include both the egg in the smoothie and his playful advances.
    â€œI think you’ll change your tune.”
    â€œWishful thinking, Jack.”
    I’m going to tell you everything about last night.
    Her heart leaped and she spun around to look at him. His eyes reflected sincerity. She wanted to squeal and cheer, but instead she played her cards close. She cocked one eyebrow and said coolly, All right, dish.
    Breakfast first. Make it look innocent, I’m not supposed to do this. And Kyros has the ears of a bat.
    Jack chattered out loud about nothing while she poured their vomit-looking smoothie into tall plastic tumblers. He suggested they go out on the beach, and she understood he wanted the noise of the water to obscure their conversation. Kyros and Lyssa came through the door as Jack was about to open it. Cassie smiled at Kyros’ snarky T-shirt which read , I’m huge in Japan, and saw Lyssa surreptitiously give Kyros’ backside a rough squeeze. An electric charge vibrated the air, his pupils dilated. Cassie and Jack took the cue to flee. Cat darted out the doorway behind them with her ears laid back.
    Newlyweds, Jack groused, and they both chuckled. Kyros and Lyssa’s fourth anniversary had come and gone. Still they behaved like horny teenagers. Four years, and Cassie was still jealous. How would it be for a man to need her like air to breathe? A fairytale she would never have believed if she didn’t see the way Kyros and Lyssa looked at each other.
    Jack took a long drag on the straw and complained, “Needs egg.”
    He collapsed on a hill of cool sand, lying flat on his back with his cup tilting precariously in his fist, uncaring that he dusted himself in sand. His other hand patted the ground beside him, and Cassie sat after extricating that infernal cat who had wormed her way in first. Cat hissed in protest, Cassie hissed back and tossed the feline away while Jack chuckled. Apparently his considerable thermal output was in demand.
    Without preamble he whispered, Want to know why I can’t tumble you first, or what the big deal with the Lake Powell ranger is?
    Cassie hid her shock at his bluntness. First tell me why you’re disobeying orders.