Free Asmodeus: Demon of Lust---Part One (Princes of Hell) by Sara Humphreys

that Aaron suddenly developed an aura when he touched her, there was nothing brotherly about the way he made her feel. Quite the contrary. In fact, it took some serious self-control to keep from jumping his bones right there in the barn. When Kai looked into those pale blue eyes, something deep inside her stirred and fluttered to life, yawning and stretching as though suddenly awakened.
    Kai peeked out the window and stole another look at him. How in the world could a man look even sexier when he was covered in dirt and sweat?
    Kai had no idea but Mr. Miles sure fit that bill. The man was pure muscle, bone and sinew and his sweat soaked t-shirt clung to every sculpted curve.
    She was equally sweaty and dirty but had a sinking suspicion she didn’t look sexy and she certainly didn’t feel sexy. A strong breeze blew through the window and the dark, menacing clouds captured her attention. She remembered the weatherman had mentioned something about a storm coming in and, based on the blackening sky, he was right. Kai glanced at her reflection in the gilded mirror in the dining room as she headed toward the kitchen and grimaced.
    “Oh my God,” she groaned and attempted to wipe dirt smudges off her face. “I’m so gross right now. So not sexy.”
    Zephyr mewled her agreement and trotted past Kai into the kitchen.
    “Oh excuse me,” Kai muttered as she followed the cat. “Not all of us spent the day sleeping.”
    Kai went to the sink to wash some of the dirt and sweat from her hands. She made a sound of disgust when she saw the amount of gunk that stuck to the ring. A sense of guilt pulled at her. She should know better than to have kept the ring on while she worked today.
    “Great. I have this thing for one whole day and it’s already dirty.” Kai pulled on the ring to remove it but it wouldn’t budge past her knuckle. “That’s weird,” she said under her breath.
    Kai looked at her hands and frowned, thinking they’d swelled from the heat, but other than being dirty, her fingers appeared normal. Squeezing liquid soap into her palm, she lathered her hands up thoroughly but still the ring would not come off.
    She puffed the hair from her face and grabbed the ring again, pulling as hard as she could. Pain shot up her arm and she released her hand with a frustrated growl.
    “Shit!”
    “I finished up in the barn.” Aaron’s deep, rich voice filled the room.
    Kai let out a yelp of surprise and spun around, sending soapy water flying across the kitchen. He was standing in the doorway with a grin on his dirty, beard-stubble face. His blue eyes stood out beneath inky black eye brows and Kai wondered if it was possible for him to have gotten even better looking in the past couple of hours.
    “I hope you don’t mind but it looks like it’s about to start pouring, so I moved my bike into the barn.” He tilted his head and leaned against the doorjamb looking all kinds of sexy. Dirty sexy. “Problem?” His lips lifted at the corners.
    Kai knew he was tall but somehow, framed by the kitchen doorway, he suddenly seemed like a giant. Gaping at him like a stunned sheep, it took her a moment to find her voice.
    “My ring,” she blurted out as she held up a soapy hand and lifted one shoulder. She tugged on it again but still the damn thing wouldn’t budge. “I can’t seem to get it off. My hands are probably swollen from this heat but it’s weird because they look fine.” Her face heated as she looked away, knowing she was a mess. “I mean aside from being dirty.”
    “The ring won’t come off?” Aaron’s brow knit with concern as he crossed the width of the kitchen and stood in front of her. “That doesn’t make any sense,” he murmured.
    Standing this close to him, Kai got a clear idea of how tall he was. Aaron towered over her, but it wasn’t just his height. He was broad and muscular yet there was something else that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. He may not have an aura but he sure as shit had