He moved his hand down to squeeze my butt. “Promises, promises.”
When I slipped free, he picked up the bowl and shoveled in a mouthful even as his eyes wandered back to his screen. I combed my fingers through his curls before I left him to his words.
I wasn’t entirely sure he realized that he told me he loved me.
And right then, I didn’t want to push the issue. Taking my glow of happiness with me, I returned to the living room with our dog. That was one thing I was sure of at the very least.
Mouse was both of ours.
As the night grew later, I gave up seeing him and crawled into his bed, leaving Mouse snoozing in front of the fireplace in his favorite spot.
In the middle of the night, his strong arms drew me back against him. Soft murmurs turned to firm strokes of his delicious hands that quickly grew into an ember of a flame. He held me tight as whatever drove him into his story flowed into me. The excitement and passion left me staggered and exhausted.
And as our skin cooled, I slipped back into sleep with him wrapped around me.
The fringes of my mind worried over the fact that he was still holding his secrets. But at least they weren’t from me.
When morning came, he was already back at his keyboard.
Well acquainted with a creative streak and how precarious they could be sometimes, I made myself a quick breakfast and some coffee, leaving the same for him.
His kiss was much more distracted than the last time I interrupted him, but I didn’t take offense. I had my own business to run and had an appointment in town for an update to a mural I’d done at the Heavenly Bite, a local sandwich shop.
Since Dutch definitely wasn’t paying attention, I let Mouse out to wander around. He’d hang out on one of our porchesuntil I got home. I took a quick shower and pulled on a pair of jeans and flowy paisley shirt since I wasn’t breaking out my paintbrushes for this meeting. I grabbed my sketchbook, phone, and measuring tape.Today was to figure out what kind of changes the owners wanted to do with the shop.
March was finally showing off with a hint of warmth in the air.Enough that I could roll my windows down and enjoy the breeze as the sun blasting through the windshield kept me warm. A text came through as I was driving down Destiny Street. When I got to a red light I glanced at my phone. My truck was too old to have Apple CarPlay in it, though my brother kept telling me he could outfit my car with something to update it.
I didn’t exactly mind keeping analog when it came to my vehicle. Especially since the tape deck still worked well enough for me to plug in my tunes with an ancient adapter.
Lance:
Where are you going?
I grinned and hit call instead of texting back.
“’Lo.” My brother’s voice was disgruntled. “You know I hate the phone.”
I tucked my phone between my boobs to use the speaker. “I’m driving.”
“I know. I just watched you pass me.”
“Where are you?”
“At the café.”
“Well, come over to Heavenly Bite and keep me company.”
He sighed. “I suppose I could.”
“Like it’s a hardship.”
“True. You’re buying.”
I snorted. “Fine.”
He hung up without saying goodbye and I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face as I found an empty spot a few spaces away from the front of the shop. Most of the buildings on our main drag were either stone or brick in varying colors. Heavenly Bite was a whitewashed brick and was situated on the corner of Destiny and Church Street. The side of the building was a blank canvas forever luring me in with ideas.
Romeo Ferrara, the owner, came out to meet me on the street. “What’s got you smiling so big, bella?” He opened my door.
