“Shepherd,” Claire said, turning mournful eyes away from the glass to glance at him over her shoulder. “I am tired.”

He knew she was not referring to physical exhaustion. “I know you are.”

“I’m not very good at this.”

“You are improving daily.”

She sighed, partially unconcerned they were discussing their long running personal war as if it were openly acknowledged between them. “Are you tired, Shepherd?”

Lounging back in the comfortable chair like a king on his throne, he shook his head. “No. I am the opposite.”

Narrowing her eyes, Claire fought the overwhelming urge to kick him in the shin. Feeling the need to knock him down a peg, she coolly reminded, “On the ice, I told you an apology would not make any difference.” Squaring to face him, feeling something unpleasant surge in her gut, she tried to make him toil, starve, and move. “I want one now.”

He was somewhat surprised, slowly standing from his chair, towering over her.

When it seemed he was only going to loom, Claire chose to walk away, but Shepherd began to lower and the anger all but fell off her face.

He got on his knees.

They were almost eye to eye when Shepherd said, “Claire O’Donnell, I am sorry.”

“Gods dammit,” Clare snarled under her breath, moving past him to flop back into the oversized chair, confident she’d lost another battle.

Swiveling, he faced her and leaned over, caging her with his arms. “Did I not grovel properly?”

A slight tick came to the corner of her lips. “Would you have knelt on the ice?”

He shifted enough that his torso parted her knees. Shepherd smiled at her while he warned wickedly, “Little one, you are in my chair.”

“What happened to the whole Shepherd philosophy of take what you want? I wanted it, I took it. It’s my chair now,” Claire quipped. A second later, she realized she was practically flirting.

Confusion weakened her smirk.

Shepherd started purring, his big hands kneading the muscles atop her thighs.

Closing her eyes and leaning back, Claire let out a shaky breath. “Maryanne was right. I have it better than everyone else in Thólos. I am kept warm. I eat great food. You have created an alternate reality for me filled with distractions, including time with my friend whom I know you dislike, and pictures of the people I care about so I won’t worry over them.”

Shepherd grunted. “You did not make a point in your statement.”