his mouth. He was old school in how he felt women should be treated. So then why couldn’t he simply open his mouth and say sorry? Shit, Mordecai thought. I’m freaking out. I’m actually freaking out. Pull it together, you pussy! he scolded himself.
“Do not hurt yourself, Warden,” Dana said, dryly.
Mordecai glared at her, torn between feeling amused and aggravated. “I’m sorry, okay? What I said earlier was not supposed to be rude. You’re not someone who can be in the background. You’re the star of the show – and always will be.”
Dana blinked a few times quickly, obviously processing his words. “Well … that is … thank you. Apology accepted.”
“Good. Great. As for my behaviour in the gym, that was uncalled for and unacceptable. I am very sorry if I scared you or made you feel threatened in any way. I have never treated a woman like that in my life, let alone a goddess. I humbly apologise.” It wasn’t hard to say the words this time, likely because every one of them were true. And far overdue.
Dana was looking at the ground, her bare foot making small circles in the lush green grass. Even as he watched, bright yellow flowers began to bloom as if from nowhere and a small ring of simple daisies formed to encircle Dana where she stood. She created life so effortlessly and with such simple beauty that it took his breath away. She appeared lost in thought and didn’t even seem to notice what she had wrought. When she continued to keep her head down and not say anything, Mordecai bent down and plucked a single flower. Strangely, it wasn’t attached to any stem and when he held it, he felt no death. Usually, as soon as a flower was picked, he could feel the plant begin to die. Sometimes it took hours, and other times days if it was well cared for. But, inevitably, a picked flower was a dying flower. Apparently, that was not the case if it was created with Mother Nature’s toe, he thought. Nudging her chin up, he pushed her unruly red hair behind her left ear and tucked the flower there. The contrast of yellow and red was astounding and he wondered what she would look like wearing nothing but yellow lingerie.
Dana’s eyes were a little bewildered as they met Mordecai’s and she touched the flower with a tentative hand. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “Apology accepted.” And then she poofed away in a cloud of coloured sparkles.
“Whoa, that was positively fuckin’ romantic, Mordecai,” Ryker yelled at him.
Spinning around, Mordecai snarled at his son in law, “I’m going to kill you, Ryker!”
Mordecai used the ensuing, undignified chase to cover up the burning of his cheeks. Because, yeah, it did feel fuckin’ romantic. And he had no idea what to think about that.
Chapter Six
Dana closed her eyes as she leaned back against the wall in the hallway just outside Axel’s music room. The fire paladin was currently inside playing a particularly poignant piece on the piano, and Dana was forced to stand and appreciate the beauty of the music as well as the skill of the man playing it. She really liked Axel and was so relieved he and Celeste had come together once more. It was true, she should not have stepped in and created small opportunities for the pair to come together. She did not necessarily break any rules – not like she had with Mordecai all those years ago. Still, Dana had come close to blurring a few guidelines and she was going to have to answer for that. As soon as I stop dodging my colleagues, she thought. Tempus and Tanda had not called for her, so she was able to keep on deluding herself that they did not care what she had been doing on Earth the past couple of months. But just because she had not heard from them, did not mean they were unaware. They knew all. Just like she did. Yes, she was going to have to answer for her actions. And soon.
“What are you doing?”
The voice startled her, and she gasped, a hand flying to her chest as she opened her eyes. “Warden,” she breathed out. “You startled me. I am not doing anything.”
Mordecai scowled at her as he crossed his arms over his burly chest. “Really? Then why are you so jumpy? Are you spying again?”
Dana pushed herself off the wall, indignant rage filling her. “I was not