Like what? I thought, deciding that Skimmer’s and my relationship was probably going to nosedive like a brick with wings. This was really, really not anything I was prepared for.

Skimmer carefully broke her muffin in two, then got to her feet to find a knife and the butter. Leaving them by her plate, she moseyed to the coffeemaker, her steps carrying the presence and power of the courtroom. Damn. I’m in trouble.

“Coffee, Ivy?” she asked, the sun blinding on her shirt, crisp and pressed for the office.

“Sure. Thanks.”

Feeling the tension, Rex slunk out. Wish I could.

“Here you go, sweets,” the vamp said, bringing Ivy a cup. It wasn’t the oversize mug with our Vampiric Charms logo on it that Ivy liked, but maybe she used them because I did.

Ivy jerked back when Skimmer tried to steal another kiss. Instead of being upset, the woman confidently sat down again to meticulously butter her muffin. She was pulling both Ivy’s and my strings, fully in charge though Ivy was the more dominant of the two.

I wasn’t going to leave because she was trying to make me uncomfortable. Feeling my blood pressure rise, I settled myself firmly in my chair. It was my kitchen, damn it.

“You’re up early,” the blond, blue-eyed vamp said to me as if it meant something.

I fought to keep my eyes from narrowing. “Did you make these?” I asked, raising what was left of my muffin.

Skimmer smiled to show her sharp canine teeth. “Yes, I did.”

“They’re good.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I didn’t say thank you,” I shot back, and Ivy’s hand on her mouse paused.

Skimmer ate her muffin, watching me with unblinking eyes and slowly widening pupils. My scar started tingling, and I stood. “I’m going to shower,” I said, irate that she was giving me the creeps, but I did need to get cleaned up.

“I’ll alert the media,” Skimmer said, licking the butter suggestively from her finger.

I went to tell her to shove it up her ass and lay an egg with it, but the front doorbell rang, and my manners stayed intact. “That’s Kisten,” I said, then grabbed my shoulder bag. I was clean enough, and the last thing I wanted was three vampires in my kitchen and me naked in the shower. “I’m outta here.”

Ivy broke from her computer, clearly surprised. “Where are you going?”

I glanced at Skimmer, feeling a blush rise. “Driver’s ed. Kisten’s taking me.”

“Oh, how sweet!” Skimmer said, and I gritted my teeth. Refusing to respond, I headed for the hallway and the door, dirty knees or not. A sharp snap jerked me to a stop, and I turned, catching a blur of motion. Skimmer was red, clearly shocked and chagrined, but Ivy was smug. Something had happened, and Ivy arched an eyebrow at me in dry amusement.