“I know you’re hiding,” he sang. The melodic taunt echoed all around her. “There you go, playing games again. But I will find you. I always find you.”

The scary yodel invaded the sanctity of her garden, and Gaia couldn’t help but tremble. Please don’t let him find me.

She hunched lower in the hopes of blending into the foliage. She held her breath, closed her eyes, and prayed—to herself. Go, go, earth magic.

The garden, with its chlorophyllic sense of humor, thought it funny to betray her. Branches rustled as they parted.

“There you are!” The exuberant exclamation had her prying one eye open. She almost lost it at the brightness of his Hawaiian shirt. “I found you, my darling snookums. Such a playful girl you are.” Lucifer wagged a finger at her. Wagged it while smiling.

Wrong. So wrong—sob—and she couldn’t handle it anymore. She’d reached the point she would have given anything—even the rights to some lumber crews to mow down a few forests mortal side—for a scowl from Lucifer. Some sign that the evil overlord she’d fallen in love with still resided somewhere inside that delicious body.

And she did mean delicious. Not just to eat, though, even if she did enjoy doing that too. Standing a few inches over six feet, with perfectly cut dark hair, a chiseled physique, and deep, dark eyes to make her swoon, her lover and fiancé had shed all the glamor spells hiding his true self. No longer did he hide his grandeur behind a mask, a mask he lost when Ursula cursed him with being nice.

Ugh. The horror of it. Who wanted a nice guy? Certainly not Gaia. Part of her reason for loving the big, bad demon was his totally alpha a-hole personality. But that bold and outspoken demon was gone, replaced with this candy-assed polite idiot who didn’t even attempt to raspberry her breasts, even though she wore her best push-up bra.

That’s just wrong! My girls need attention. I need attention. There had to be a way to fix her demon lover.

She’d already tried slapping and screaming at Lucifer. He’d just turned the other cheek!

Since when did the Lord of Sin forgive?

She tried seduction, splaying herself in lingerie upon his massive bed. He showed her respect and offered to sleep in the guest bedroom.

Attempts to just plain ignore him resulted in him bringing her candy and potted plants.

Potted. Plants.

Not cut from-the-vine or stem blooms. This new polite version of Lucifer refused to kill plants.

What a wuss. And he was all hers. Could she get a resounding ugh?

“Let me help you up.” He offered her a gentlemanly hand to stand from the bushes she crouched in. With a heavy sigh, she took it, and he hauled her to her feet with a strength he kept restrained. The old Lucifer would have yanked her off balance and made sure she fell against his hard body. Then groped her.

This one set her politely aside—without a single indiscreet touch—and asked, “How is my darling snuggle muffin today?”

“Thinking of jabbing sharp sticks in my ears.” So she didn’t have to listen to the syrupy nonsense spewing from his mouth.

“Why do something so painful when, instead, you can partake of culinary delights? You must have forgotten, my sweet cupcake. We have the cake tasting today. A perfect wedding isn’t complete without the perfect cake.” The bright shine of his teeth in the stretched grin held a hint of madness.

At least she thought so. Lucifer’s face wasn’t made for pleasant grins. Smoldering looks, scowls and wicked intention, yes! Sweet and inviting? No. Just no. It was so utterly wrong.

“Can’t we just get your palace chefs to whip something together?”

He clasped his chest—a wasted move since Lucifer didn’t have a heart. Hadn’t in ages, having hidden it a long time ago. “Perish the thought. I want nothing but the best for my pumpkin-spiced latte delight on her special day. A day that is getting close. Just think, my delicate flower, soon we’ll be together. Forever.”

Cue the ominous music. Why did he have to remind her? Bad enough she didn’t know how to get through the next hour with the torture he promised. She refused to imagine a lifetime with this candy ass.

Luc, oh Luc, where are you? Not in this body, that was for sure. “I don’t want to taste any cakes. I hate cake.” She preferred flaky pastries with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

“Hate cake? How is that possible?” he said with dramatic flair and not a hint of sarcasm. “I love cake. It’s my absolute favorite, especially when smothered in buttercream icing.” He licked his lips and rubbed his belly.

How sad his declaration made her, sad because, until the ill-fated engagement party, his favorite dessert had been pie, her pie to be exact, which he claimed tasted like cinnamon and apples.

How Gaia missed the way Lucifer ate her pie. The new Mr. Manners hadn’t touched her since their party, claiming he was saving himself for their wedding night. Here she dated the biggest manwhore in all of Hell, and she couldn’t get any action. Meanwhile, she was out of fresh and firm cucumbers.

Don’t judge. Organic was all the craze these days, plus she was allergic to most rubbers and latex.

“Shall we, my darling?” Lucifer gestured grandly at the portal he called, a swirling mass of colors, a new addition since he claimed the dreary black version of before lacked invitation.

She let loose another heavy sigh as she let him grasp her hand. “Coming, Luc.” And not in a way that would cause earthquakes and tsunamis.