Kelly is in bed with me.
I had sex — no, I made love to her last night.
And now I’m waking up to her in my arms. I’m not dreaming.
Ollie’s whine intensifies, reminding me I have a dog that is probably desperate for breakfast and a visit outside. Carefully, I untangle myself from Kelly, hoping that she’s still as deep of a sleeper as she used to be.
She is, and I give one last longing glance back at the warm bed and the naked woman who’s still tangled up in the blankets. Oliver’s nose bumps my leg. “Okay, buddy. I’m coming,” I whisper, giving my dog a pat on the head. Snatching up a pair of sweatpants and pulling them on commando, I make my way to the kitchen, let Ollie out, and fill his food bowl. Then I get to work on the one thing guaranteed to wake Kelly up faster than anything else.
Dog fed, coffee in hand, I go back down the hall to the bedroom. Sure enough, Kelly is still asleep. I set her mug down on the bedside table beside her, then lean down to feather kisses over her hair. She mumbles something in her sleep and burrows deeper into the blankets.
“Come on, beautiful, I have coffee,” I say in a low voice, chuckling when the blanket slowly inches down to reveal her sleepy face.
“Coffee?” she mumbles, and I nod, lifting the mug into her line of sight.
She makes her way to sitting, and the sheet covering her slides down. But before it can reveal her perfect breasts, Kelly snatches it up and looks around, her eyes suddenly wide in shock.
“Umm, Jensen? Why am I in your bed, naked?” she asks.
In response, I lean in and kiss her lips. The way she eagerly meets me and kisses me back makes it clear she remembers everything. I guess I’m not the only one who was just a little surprised that last night wasn’t a dream.
“You’re in my bed because you were meant to be in my bed. I’m pretty sure you always were.”
She melts underneath me, her arms circling my neck to pull me back down for another kiss. “You say the sweetest things.”
“And I bring coffee.”
“My hero.”
An hour later, I pull into a parking spot just down the street from the town square. A gazebo is currently being painted by what looks like a group of high school kids. We let Oliver out and I take Kelly’s hand, threading our fingers together.
“Am I still sleeping? Because this place looks like I just stepped onto the set of a Hallmark movie.”
Her laughter is everything, and for a few perfect minutes we just wander around the adorable town of Dogwood Cove. I can see why she loves it here. Eventually, we stop in front of The Nutty Muffin bakery.
“I finally get to meet Mila.”
“Yup, you do. And I’m just going to say right now, I’m sorry if she’s a little…” Kelly bites her lip.
“A little what?” I ask, curious as to what it could possibly be.
“A little excited.”
“About meeting me?”
Kelly nods. “Yeah, and that we’re, you know, obviously notjustfriends anymore.”
I pull her into my body and wrap my free arm around her waist before lowering my head and kissing her lightly. “Not just friends, huh? What are we, then?”
“Oh my God, yes!” A loud female voice pierces between us and Kelly pulls back with an apologetic look on her face.
A brunette woman grabs her and cups her head, turning it from side to side. “Yep, you had sex last night.”
“Mila, come on.” Kelly sounds embarrassed, so I pull her back into my side and kiss her head.
“What? She’s right,” I say, then stick my hand out toward the woman who clearly is Mila. “Nice to meet you, I’m Jensen. Kelly’s boyfriend.”
“Thank God you two finally got your shit figured out. I thought I was going to have to find a new cookie baker. Or —” Mila stops dramatically “— try to bake them myself.”
