“How in the name of Hell am I supposed to know what she wants?” Gritting his teeth, he began washing himself. He watched for signs of interest, didn’t he? If he pushed too fast, she’d run. Hell’s fire. He hadn’t even tried to kiss her yet because he was afraid she’d run, and he needed her there. He needed to be around her.

His hands curled into fists. He closed his eyes. This wasn’t the time or place for anger of any kind. Before he could get his tongue around an apology, Karla nudged him.

“I’m washed,” she said. “Trade places. I’ll do your back.”

Frustrated and miserable, he obeyed.

“It’s summer,” Karla said as she moved the cloth over his back. “Which means you wear what Eyrien males usually wear during the summer—which is next to nothing, right?”

“What’s your point?”

“So maybe you’re right about not doing anything obvious. Maybe it would be better to wait until she trips by herself and falls into your waiting arms.”

He snorted.

“I mean it.” She gave him a light punch. “Look. There you are, flaunting all these lovely muscles day after day—”

“I don’t flaunt.”

“Sure you do. All the males do. You’ve just got more to flaunt than a lot of them. You can rinse off now.”

He turned to face her to get his back under the spray. “Your point is?”

“Does she ever get a dreamy look when she’s doing something simple?”

He stuck his head under the spray. “Sure. When she’s planning what bulbs to plant for spring flowers.”

“Well, what’s she supposed to say? That she’s day-dreaming about your muscles and it’s got her all warm and tingly?”

He considered that for a moment. “Yeah. Why not?”

Karla shook her head and smiled at him. “When she finally gets up the nerve to try to seduce you, don’t make her work too hard, all right? And don’t scare her with that falling out of the sky stuff.”

“She’s Eyrien. She’d enjoy free fall.”

Karla just stared at him, then looked down. “You know,” she said slowly, “since you’ve got the water so cold, it’s hard to tell if it’s true about wings being in proportion to—”

“Do you want to find out how cold a mountain lake is even in late summer?” he demanded.

“You’ve never been in a cold mountain lake until you’ve been in one in Glacia.” She stepped out of the shower. “Taking a swim there will shrivel your assets for a month.”

His response as he turned off the water was pungent and succinct.

“That’s the Lucivar we all know and love,” Karla said, giving him that wicked smile. “Kiss kiss.”