“You should be that and more at all times. Wake me up like that any time you want.”
She kissed my chest, her hand resting over my heart. “I do admit I like having you here. Waking up with you is nice.”
“Understatement of the year, Harper.”
I stroked her back, fingers exploring all of the skin I could reach. Outside, the city was starting to wake up—distant traffic, a siren somewhere far off. But in here, it was just us.
“I don’t want to go to work today,” Harper said quietly.
“Then don’t. We could both call in, play hooky, fuck all day.”
She sucked her teeth. “Right. Don’t play with me, Cole.”
I tucked a curl behind her ear. “When’s the last time you took a day off?”
“My sister asked me that last week. I almost cussed her out.”
“Sounds like you’re overdue, then. Come on,” I cajoled, jiggling my shoulder. “Call out.”
She bit her lip, considering. “I could use a day that’s not about the hospital and the Greene case.”
“Sounds nice, huh?”
“You don’t have to go in?” she asked, tipping her head up to see my face.
“I mean, yeah. But considering they’re trying to trash my reputation, I don’t really give a shit if they’re mad about metaking another day. I have vacation out the ass I need to use. So…”
I shrugged, then pushed out a sigh. “I’m calling in. You’re calling in too.”
“Deal. I’m going to make coffee and text Rowan.”
Harper rolled out of bed and padded out of the bedroom, hips swaying, not shy about it at all. I watched her go, unable to help myself. Harper wasn’t the kind of woman who faded into the background. She was tall with curves that pulled your attention to the generous line of her hips, the thickness of her thighs, the way her breasts looked in a good bra.
She was lush and sensual, the kind of woman you could never get enough of.
A while later, she came back with two mugs of coffee, steam rising from both. She’d thrown on a short silk robe that hung open, revealing everything underneath. I pushed myself up, pulling the sheets around my waist.
“Here we go.” She handed me a mug and climbed back into bed, settling cross-legged beside me. “Let me know if you need cream or sugar.”
I took a sip. It was quite strong. “I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but…”
“Oh.” She glanced at me with a shy smile, eyes wide. “I assumed. Do you want tea? Water?”
“Nah. My baby made me some coffee, I’m going to drink it.”
“Rowan picks on me about my coffee habit. I like this brand that’s way too expensive, but it’s all I drink at home. The blend is nice; bold but doesn’t taste burnt.”
“It’s good. Can’t say I’m a coffee drinker now, but I like that.” I set my mug on the nightstand and dropped an arm around her as she tucked into me.
We sat like that for a while, drinking our coffee, talking about nothing important. It felt good. Normal. Like being a couple.
I hadn’t been part of a couple in a long time, and the last time I’d been part of a couple, things didn’t end up the way I’d thought they would. There was so much disappointment on both sides. I thought she understood my life. She thought I’d cut back on something I’d committed myself to for her.
Truth be told, I was scared as hell to start something with Harper. But I was even more scared to enter a future without even a possibility of a life with her.
“So,” Harper said, reaching around me to set her mug down. “What are we actually going to do with this day off? Besides the obvious.”
“The obvious being more sex?”
