I bit my lip trying to remember.
He sighed, exasperated. “The fact thatyou can’t remember says it all. Breakfast is the first matter of business,” hesaid, eyeing me with a possessive look. I knew his protective instinctsextended to all things concerning me, including my appetite.
I smiled at my overprotective alpha.“Sounds good,” I agreed readily.
And over coffee and a ginormousbreakfast, I started to feel more like myself.
Cole watched as I shoveled food intomy mouth. “I’ve never seen you eat like this,” he commented, eyeing me withregret. I knew it bothered him that I was obviously so starving.
I shrugged not wanting to make a bigthing of it as his large hand engulfed mine across the table. “That’s the lasttime you get upset enough to skip so many meals,” he grunted more to himselfthan to me.
I squeezed his hand reassuringly.“It’s done babe, I’m fine.” And I was. I knew he was dealing with a feeling ofpowerlessness that he was unaccustomed to and that he wouldn’t take it out onme again. And, he loved me. I continued to hear him say the words over and overagain in my head.
“What’s on for today?” I asked,changing the subject.
“I’m hanging with you,” he saidsimply, without hesitation.
I smiled, pleased at the thought.“That sounds good. I just have to work at six.”
He scowled. “You’re scheduled already?And for the late shift?” he asked incredulously. “Don’t you think you shouldtake some more time off?”
The truth was that I’d love to takemore time, but my bank account wouldn’t allow for it. “Can’t,” I answeredevasively, hoping he’d leave it at that as he settled our bill and we headedout into the sunshine.
“Why not?” he demanded lightly,opening the passenger door for me and leaning in the doorframe as I buckledmyself in.
I shrugged casually wantingdesperately for him to drop it, and feeling distracted by the muscles flexingin his arms as he peered down at me. I put my hand to his chest, and pulled hisT-shirt so that he was forced to lean down to me. I kissed him with nothing ofthe soft tenderness of the morning. He responded immediately, taking over thekiss as his body pressed into mine.
“This wouldn’t be your attempt todistract me now would it?” he asked against my lips.
I simply smiled and kissed him againuntil our breathing was labored. “Better get you home before we get arrestedfor indecent exposure,” he growled as he pulled away.
“This is hardly indecent,” I scoffed.
“It’s about to be,” he answered, his fierceeyes making my toes curl.
“Oh,” I breathed.
“We’re not donetalkin’,”he warned as he closed my passenger door and came around the front of thetruck.
I was afraid of that.
We drove to his place in comfortablesilence as I looked out the window mulling over the past few days and what awhirlwind they had been. When we walked into his place I was momentarilystunned as I eyed the boxes of my things piled in the corner. Taking a lookaround the room, I noticed that my favorite throw blanket was now on his couch.My books were sitting on the media cabinet. I noted more boxes when I enteredthe master bedroom.
“Um, this doesn’t look like yougrabbed just a few of my things,” I noted, my voice sounding a bit panicky.
He came to stand behind me placing hishands on my shoulders, “No, it’s basically all of your things,” he admitted,undeterred by my impending freak out. “I wanted you to be comfortable here,babe. Now all your things are here. I left the unpacking to you so that you canput your things where you want them. I just cleared some space in my dresserand the closet,” he said as he shrugged, as though he were talking aboutsomething as casual as what we were going to have for dinner.
“But…we’re not moving in together,” Iprotested.
He grinned. “You just haven’t agreedyet.”
“But,” I protested again completely ata loss.
He moved to stand in front of mestooping down slightly so that we were eye to eye. “You still have yourapartmentdarlin’, for as long as you want it. All ofthese things can easily be moved back there in a few hours if need be,” heassured me. “Hell, if it makes you feel better don’t unpack,” he saidnonchalantly, though I could tell the idea bothered him. “I don’t want you tofeel trapped, but I do want you here with me and I want that badly,” headmitted.
I bit my lip looking beyond him at theboxes. Part of me wanted that badly, too. There wasn’t anywhere else I’d ratherbe than sleeping beside Cole every night. But it was so fast and there was somuch already muddling my head. I just didn’t have it in me at the moment toprocess it all. I couldn’t even tell him I loved him, though I did witheverything I had.
Instead of sharing all of this Isimply nodded, ready to accept the compromise. He took me in his arms gentlyand kissed the top of my head. “What do you feel like doing?” he asked quietly.
