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kept her life simple. She’d never needed ten pairs of shoes or enough clothes to make a department store jealous, unlike Thyme. Her bathroom, however, would suit the most spoiled of brats. It was her sanctuary.
    Kestrel’s shower was large enough to be a room by itself—enough space for wings, for certain. She took her time and luxuriated under the falling water. Now that her head was clear, she stood a chance of figuring out how she felt about being kissed by an archangel. She stepped out and wrapped a plush towel around herself.
    “Hi!” An excited female voice called. A hand reached through the heavy drapery that served as a door and knocked on the wall. “Can I come in? I have supplies!”
    Who on earth? “Um, sure.”
    A woman with two large canvas bags and a wide smile maneuvered around the curtain. Long blond curls fell forward of her canary-yellow wings.
    Whoa. Bright.
    “I’m Carny.” She set the bags down and held out her hand. “Grumpy called me. I figured you’d need more than just a change of clothes, though, considering you’re working with a bachelor’s bathroom.”
    Someone after her own heart. “I’m Saffron.”
    “It’s nice to meet you.” Carny pressed her hands together. “We don’t get to meet new people very often.”
    The archangel proceeded to cover Kestrel’s mostly bare black counter with brushes and combs and pink bottles of various sizes. “You’re going to love this stuff. Eden’s apothecary makes it all from their flower and herb gardens.” She switched bags and took out a pile of clothes. “These should fit you. Take your pick. Sorry they’re all halter tops. I have to tailor the back of other shirts and that’s just a pain. The delicates are unworn.”
    “This is very nice of you. Thanks.”
    Carny held up a bottle sent directly from heaven—leave-in conditioner. “May I comb your hair?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I need an excuse to talk to you for a moment before Grumpy kicks me out.”
    “Have at it. It’s a snarled mess.”
    “Perfect.”
    “Why would he kick you out?”
    “Because he’s a reclusive old buzzard.” Grinning, Carny spritzed the conditioner and took a wide-toothed comb to Saffron’s hair. “So,” the conspiratorial murmuring continued, “Grumpy is far less grumpy than usual today. Whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it. Please.”
    If only. “I’m not staying.”
    “Carny?” Kestrel’s voice called from the main room, a touch of irritation in his tone.
    “She’s my human now!” Carny called back. She carefully worked out a tough knot, grinning. “Kes is going to ask you to stay for a little while.”
    “What?”
    “He has a good reason. I will leave it to him to explain. He only told me, in as few words as possible, because there was no way I would let him ask for a week’s worth of women’s clothes without providing an explanation.” She chuckled. “I just want to take this opportunity to get my two cents in. Hear him out, and please, please stay. He actually smiled at me. Smiled!” Carny met Saffron’s gaze in the mirror, crossed her eyes, and heaved a dramatic sigh.
    Saffron’s mind reeled. Stay? In Eden? At an archangel’s invitation? The moment they’d shared in flight had been incredible, and the kisses had been blissful, but those were stolen moments. Nothing more.
    An archangel and a Morin? Even though he’d held her so tenderly, there was no way he would ever be able to overlook that. Why the hell would he want to keep her around?
    “But, I’m…” Oh, God, if Carny didn’t know—
    “Abel Morin’s daughter?” The smile faded from the yellow-winged archangel’s face for a moment. “I know. Everyone in the colony has heard by now. You two shacked up here is the scandal of the century.”
    Oh, maudit.
    Carny resumed combing. “My father died of old age a hundred years ago. I loved him, and I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but he was very shy. Mute-in-public shy. Yet,