“Christ, that’s so fucking hot,” I growled, knowing I needed to snap out of the animalistic stupor she put me in if we were going to get anything done.“Go shower, baby.I’ll make us something to eat.And I promise to take much better care of you tonight.”
“Tonight?”She cocked her head in confusion.
“Tonight,” I confirmed, nuzzling my nose along her jaw.“Griff called.We need to head to the station.After we’re done, I’ll cook you a proper meal.I didn’t feed you well yesterday.Then I’m going to worship this gorgeous body of yours until you pass out into the best night’s sleep of your goddamn life.”
“You have that pretty well planned out.But… don’t you want some space?Maybe I should stay at my place,” she added worriedly.
“Fuck space.”I shook my head.“Far as I’m concerned, I’m going to make it my goal to never go another night without you beside me.Now, ifyouwant space, that’s something else.”
She rolled her eyes, blushing adorably.“I don’t want space from you.”
Leaning down, I took her mouth in a reverent kiss.“That’s good ’cause you wouldn’t be getting it anyway.Now shower,” I commanded, taking a step back.“We need to leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Her expression dimmed, and I hated having to put that look on her face.“Does Griff know something?”
I cupped the side of her face.“He has some Ring camera footage from your neighbor that shows who broke in.I don’t know more than that.What I do know is that I’m going to figure this out, babe.”
“I know.”Her quiet confidence in me made me feel about ten feet tall.“I just wish….”She trailed off.“Well, I wish a lot of things, but the truth is, if things hadn’t played out the way they had—if my parents weren’t who they are, if Josh wasn’t such an asshole—then I likely wouldn’t be here with you right now.That path led me to you.You’re my reward,” she whispered, looking up at me with what I was pretty damn sure, but was too afraid to hope, could be love.
“I’ll make it my life’s purpose to live up to that standard, baby,” I rasped.
“Crazy man.”She shook her head, grinning at my intensity.
“Fucking insane for you,” I amended as she stepped out of my embrace.“Go shower.”I swatted her ass as she walked away.
Despite what the day might bring, the fact that I’d end it with Lucy in my bed, where she belonged, had me grinning to myself as I turned to make my girl some eggs.
Chapter 13
After the discovery that Hudson could make one hell of an omelet but couldn’t brew a pot of drinkable coffee if his life depended on it, we made our way into Greta’s bakery.Coffee was a requirement if I was going to make any sort of coherent decisions with the lack of sleep I’d had.
“The usual?”Greta tilted a brow in greeting, as though we walked in hand in hand every morning.
“Did you know?”I demanded.
“Know what?That the man is gorgeous but can’t make a drinkable cup of coffee to save his life?”she answered innocently.“Why, yes, yes I did.And it helps keep me gainfully employed, thank you very much.”
“You two are fired,” Hudson muttered without ire, his delicious mouth tilted up at the corners.
I distantly heard Greta speaking to me, but I was too transfixed by that mouth of his—a mouth that I now knew could do things to me that I’d only ever read about in books.
“Baby,” he chuckled in tender admonishment.
“What?”I snapped my attention back to Greta, all too aware that my cheeks were flaming.
It looked like she was at least attempting to mask her grin.“Safe to say I’ll be seeing you two in here together a lot from now on?”
“I bet Lucy can manage to teach me how to make a proper pot of coffee, so it’s a bit of a crapshoot.I keep her in bed, then no.We want to venture out, then yes.”
I socked him in the side.“You want another cup of coffee ever in your life, I’d stop talking.”
“Yes, ma’am.”He grinned down at me.
“You still coming to Katie’s fundraiser?”Greta asked, thankfully changing the subject while preparing our drinks.
With all the unwelcome excitement, I’d completely forgotten about Katie’s humane society fundraiser.
“Yes,” I answered emphatically, as Hudson replied, “Maybe.”
