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“Several hours. But there is a price and⁠—”

“Scratch,” Insy purrs, reaching a hand toward him and running it through his hair. He shuts his eyes and bumps his head against her touch. “I was thinking this could be a favor for me,” she says.

He pauses, eyes opening. “That’s a big price.”

“Fine, what do you need? We’ll pay for it,” Corvin declares with a huff.

“No,” Insy butts in. “Surely there is something I can offer you instead?” She steps around the table and approaches him, her hand on his chest, telling me these two have been intimate before. She presses herself closer, rubbing herself against him, and he sniffs her hair. “I’ll do anything,” she whispers.

I suddenly feel like we shouldn’t be present for this.

“Really?” he answers.

“You know how I feel. I’ve been outside your place for months now, every night, showing you I’m interested.”

Lian’s in my ear, whispering, “Very normal thing going on here.”

I grin back at him, but in my eyes, it’s more of a courting dance. The man must be some kind of feline monster or shifter, and Insy is doing everything he’d love. And I adore that for them both.

Scratch instantly pounces across the room to his shelves, pawing through his jars. Then he finally plucks a mostly empty one into his grasp. He rips the corked lid off and shoves his hand inside, collecting something into his fist. He returns just as fast and kneels before Insy.

My heart thunders as I gasp.

“Insy, as payment, will you marry me?”

I squeal with excitement for my friend. Both Lian and Corvin look over at me with way too much curiosity, eyebrows lifting.

But it’s Insy who suddenly bursts into tears and laughter. “Yes,” she chokes out, then throws herself into his arms. “I accept.”

My heart melts.

“Will you wear this for me?” he asks Insy.

Adorably, they break apart. She wipes the tears from her eyes as he unfurls his fingers to reveal a delicate golden bracelet and ring.

She cries aloud. “You had this all planned already?” She presses her hands to her chest, shaking.

“I’ve had it ready for months, unsure if you’d say yes.”

She’s laughing. “It’s a million times yes.”

On his feet, he quickly slides the ring onto her ring finger and clasps the bracelet around her wrist. A fine chain sweeps across the back of her hand, connecting the two pieces of jewelry.

With a grin, he scoops her into his arms. She pushes herself onto her toes, and their mouths clash. They kiss so passionately that my knees weaken.

“Aww, that’s adorable,” I murmur because I always loved attending weddings back in the village. The idea of committing yourself to someone for life is pure magic to me.

“You all right there?” Corvin asks.

“Can’t you read the room?” Lian replies. “She’s swooning for her own lover.” He stands there with his chest sticking out. “I’ve got you, little dragonfly.”

I blush at how direct he is, but I focus on the happy couple, now pressed up against a door, hands going everywhere, clothes getting pulled off. “All right, this is moving fast. We should go.”

Lian has his hand coiling around my back, drawing me against his side. “Let’s leave the Apex Cat Predator with his girl, and I need to wipe this memory from my mind.”

“Um, so then,” Corvin says, “I take that as a yes to the job?”

Neither of them responds, but Insy is flapping her hand at us. I reach over and take Corvin’s arm. “They’ll get to it. Let’s leave them alone.”