"I'm about to set you on fire."

"You obviously don't remember the last time you tried to do that. I ended up kicking your ass. Try me."

"I don't think that you punching me in the stomach really counts as "kicking my ass" but whatever."

"You wanna go again, fire-boy?"

"Don't call me that."

"Don't call me a T-Rex, then."

"Don't act like one then."

"OH MY GOD," Lissa's voice broke through the argument, causing Christian and I to turn our heads to where she was trying to focus on signing decrees for the latest court sessions. "If you two don't shut up I'm going to set you BOTH on fire."

Dimitri's lips quirked from where he stood near the wall. It was almost impossible lately for him to keep his stoic guardian façade when I was around.

"He started it," I said, at the same time Christian said the same about me. We glared at each other from across the room. Christian and I had come a long way since our days at the academy, but sometimes we still rubbed each other the wrong way. I think some of that had to do with the fact that we both had big personalities.

"I don't care who started it, even though it was you Rose, because you took the last donut," Lissa rolled her eyes.

I narrowed mine at her. "I only had three. I'm starving."

"Yeah, you look like you're starving. Why don't you go back to destroying Tokyo so we can all move on with our lives," Christian snarked.

I turned my glare back to him, "Are you insinuating that I'm Godzilla?"

"Do you even know what insinuating means?"

I lunged toward the sofa he reclined on, ready to take him up on my threat to kick his ass. He saw me coming, sending a fireball arcing through the air and right by my head. It extinguished before it hit the expensive curtains in Lissa's office, which was more than I could say for the last time this happened.

Before I could retaliate by making my way over to him, strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. Dimitri tugged me toward the door with me fighting the entire way.

"I think it's time for some fresh air," he announced as I struggled.

"This isn't over!" I vowed, sending a particularly nasty gesture Christian's way.

Dimitri led me through the administrative building, keeping a firm grip on my elbow the entire way. The looks the other guardians shot our way were amused, obviously used to this type of behavior from the queen's personal guard.

We reached the courtyard on the inside of the building, and Dimitri pushed me forward, encouraging me to take a seat on one of the benches by a small oak tree.

"He's so annoying," I griped. "Truly, I have no idea why he has to be at Lissa's side constantly. Doesn't he have anything better to do? Like stealing candy from small innocent children?"

"Rose, Christian has never stolen candy from any babies, but I know for a fact that you have." Dimitri said calmly.

I whipped my head toward him. "Who told you about that?"

He shook his head, that amused smile tipping his lips up at the corners again. "Somedays I am amazed by how calm you can keep yourself, attending meetings and events with Lissa and not doing anything reckless at all. Others, you can't keep from provoking Christian over a pastry."

"It's two sides of the same coin, Comrade," I grinned, "You knew what you were getting into when you married me."

"Hmm," he murmured, sitting down next to me and brushing my hair back behind my shoulder. His finger trailed a line across my cheek and down my neck, causing my breath to hitch.

It didn't matter how long we'd been together or the fact that we got married two months ago, Dimitri still took my breath away. Looking at him now with his hair tied back at the nape of his neck, that one stray strand curling around his face, I couldn't believe that he was all mine.

I took a deep breath. "I suppose I overreacted. I shouldn't have called him fire crotch."

Dimitri's finger paused its descent on my neck. "You called him that?"

"Oh, maybe that was in my head."

Dimitri's grin became a full-on smile. "Oh, Roza. What am I going to do with you?"

"I can think of a few things," I murmured, leaning into his touch.

His eyes heated, the guardian façade completely gone. Sometimes I loved to wipe that look from his face, to see just how easily I affected him. To have that power and have that attention was something I would never get tired of.

All too soon, the fresh air began to clear my head and the need to murder Christian vanished. Dimitri sat silently the entire time, but I knew he could tell when I began to calm.

"I'm ready to go back now," I announced, jumping up from the bench.

He eyed me warily. "Maybe you should bring back more donuts as a peace offering."

I'd never heard a better idea in my life.

I ended up eating all of them on the way back.