"You really like this don't you?" Beth asked.

"I do. I love colors and bright, sparkly things. I like fun music and cute stuffed animals. I don't like when people are upset, so I always try to make things fun and lively."

"It's why I call her Bubbles," Meryn added.

Beth giggled. "You are bubbly."

Amelia laughed. "I like that nickname. I just hope my brothers never hear it; I'll never hear my own name again."

Beth rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it! My uncle, to my knowledge, has never called me Elizabeth. I always get Bethy."

"The guys call me Menace. I don't think that's entirely accurate," Meryn protested. Behind them, they heard Jaxon laugh and cover it quickly with a cough. Beth winked at Amelia. Something told her that Menace fit Meryn to a T.

Amelia tilted her head and stared at Beth. She was mostly done, having chosen bronzes and browns for her lids. She was debating how Beth would handle a pop of color. She decided, to throw caution to the wind, and added a gorgeous teal color to her lower lash line. Between the bronze and the teal, Beth's eyes popped. The result was exactly what she was going for.

"Well, what do we have here?" a male voice asked from behind them.

Amelia turned and saw the men and Rheia standing just inside the doorway looking in with smiles on their faces--except Aiden.

"What's wrong with Meryn?" he asked, frowning.

Amelia and Beth turned to Meryn and Noah, and Amelia's mouth dropped. How had things gotten so bad, so fast?

Meryn blinked one eye repeatedly. "It's my sexy, smokey eye."

The men shook their heads in unison. Aiden broke the silence. "No baby. You look like a sad little panda."

"A drunk, psychotic, panda," Colton added.

Rheia swatted at his shoulder, a fierce frown on her face. Colton instantly looked contrite.

"What about Noah?" Meryn asked, pointing to the blond who ducked his face in embarrassment.

Colton nodded. "Looks good." He gave Noah a thumbs up.

Noah flushed with the praise. Amelia knew he must have been nervous facing a group of warriors with makeup on.

Meryn looked at Noah with one eye, and her bottom lip started to tremble. "But we both watched Manny. Why does he look good and I don't?"

Aiden walked across the room and scooped her up. "Come on sexy, let's go take a shower."

Meryn looked up into her mate's face her one eye wide. "I'm sexy?"

Aiden nuzzled her neck. "I can barely contain myself."

Meryn smiled and kissed him all over the face. "I did it for you."

"I know."

As he walked past the men to head upstairs, Keelan tilted his head. "Why do you keep winking at us?" he asked.

Meryn sighed. "I'm not winking. I think I glued my fucking eye shut with the lash glue."

Aiden turned to Amelia a panicked look on his face.

"Olive oil," she said, answering his unasked question.

He nodded. "We'll get some from Ryuu. Thanks Amelia." He carried Meryn out, telling her again how sexy she was.

Rheia and Beth sighed. "He's so sweet," Beth said, smiling softly.

Rheia looked over at Beth. "You look like a model. Standing next to you, I look like a pumpkin."

Colton quickly pulled Rheia into his arms and dipped her back low. "You'll always be a goddess to me."

Rheia laughed. "Do we have time for a shower?"

Colton growled low and righted her. "Challenge accepted." Rheia squealed as he chased her out of the room, grabbing at her butt.

"Pup." Gavriel shook his head at Colton's antics before he walked up to Beth's chair and lifted her hand in his. He bowed over it before kissing it gently. "You have taken my breath away. I desire your company upstairs where I can look my fill a bit longer." When he gave her a heated look from beneath his dark brows, even Amelia almost swooned. Beth's hand in his began to tremble, and she nodded shyly. Gavriel helped her to stand and laid her hand on his forearm before escorting her out of the room.

"Wow," Noah breathed, fanning himself.

"No kidding. I'll be in the shower, too, though it's not as much fun when you do it alone," Keelan grumbled and left.

Noah blinked. "Did he say what I think he just said?"

Jaxon laughed. "Probably. Come on Noah, I bet if we look pitiful enough, Ryuu will serve us dinner early, then we can log in to beat Lennox's ass in Call of Duty," he said, wheeling toward the door.

Noah jumped up excitedly. "Good idea, I'm starved." He turned to Amelia. "Thank you for letting me use your makeup."

"Any time and I mean that. Colton was right; you nailed that smokey eye." Amelia could clearly see that Noah had an interest in cosmetics.

"Thanks, maybe you can show me different styles later?"

"Sure," Amelia said sincerely. Not many people shared her passion for creating new looks.

Once they had left, she noticed that Darian alone stood by the door.

"Aren't you going to shower, too?" She started cleaning her brushes and putting her stuff away.

He pushed away from the wall. "In a moment." He walked into the room and sat down on the love seat. He didn't say anything, just watched her as she lovingly put things back where they belonged.

"This comforts you, doesn't it?" he asked when she was done.

"Yes. The ritual of it, the bright colors and soft fragrances, it makes me happy. I like making things beautiful." She snapped her case closed.