we have a game to finish over here . '' then he declared the one he 'd chosen . `` not a scratch , '' he said , and grinned . he got down on his knees on my kitchen floor and looked up at me . sin did have a temper where his wife was concerned . my boot heels clack on the stone tile floors and sounding like a heartbeat , slow and steady . china was growling and pacing at the bottom . 