“I suppose you’re going to ask me to leave now, huh?” I chuckle, sitting up as I prepare to slip out of her bed and throw my clothes back on so I can do exactly that. As much as I would love to stay and spend the rest of the night with her, to wake up next to her in the morning, it’s not an issue I care to push.
“What if you stayed?” she asks, reaching a hand out to stop me.
It’s like she can read my mind. “Really?”
“Please. I want you to. I’m ready.”
I have always been an early riser. I could have stayed in bed for hours watching Tessa sleep soundly beside me, with her body curled against mine. At some point during the night, we had both rolled over, so her back was to my chest and my arm was around her waist, holding her close. I woke up in that same position, and I pulled her closer as I brushed her hair to the side, nuzzled into her, and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her neck. My cock was already hard against the curve of her ass, and being buried between her thighs first thing in the morning sounded like the perfect way to start the day, but when the idea struck me to surprise her with breakfast, I couldn’t ignore it.
Hopefully, she won’t mind that I’ve rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator to find what I need. There’s hot, fresh coffee waiting for when she wakes, and I’m working on a stack of pancakes when I hear small footsteps walking down the hall toward the kitchen.
Jake’s sandy blond hair is a mess from sleep, and he rubs at his eyes, blinking repeatedly in an effort to wake up. “Logan,” he shouts excitedly. “Why are you here?” The accusation in his little voice has a laugh ripping from my chest as I add a few pancakes to the stack.
“Good morning to you, too,” I laugh. “Are you hungry? I made pancakes.”
His eyes flick to the platter, and he smiles. “Yes!” He scurries in and climbs up to sit at one of the barstools at the counter. It takes opening a few different drawers before I find the one with the silverware. Grabbing a fork, I use it to stab two pancakes and add them to a plate, setting them in front of him along with the bottle of maple syrup. I pour another scoop of batter into the skillet before leaning my back against the opposite counter beside the stove, watching him as he stares at the plate with a frown.
“No peanut butter?”
“You put peanut butter on your pancakes?” I ask. I can’t say I’ve ever tried the combination.
“Andsyrup.”
I laugh. “Alright, bud. Where’s the peanut butter?”
He points to the cupboard beside me. A bright smile paints his face as I hand him the peanut butter and a butter knife, and I watch as he wiggles in his seat, spreading it on his pancakes. Though, spreading may be thewrong term for what he's doing. It's more like he's dropping globs of it on and then smearing them until they're mostly covering the pancakes.
“What’s all this?” Tessa asks, tying a robe around her waist as she steps into the kitchen.
“Momma, Logan’s here! And he made pancakes,” he chimes, shoving a bite slathered in sticky syrup and peanut butter in his mouth.
She giggles. “I can see that.” Her hazel eyes dart in my direction, a rosy red hue rising to her cheeks. She crosses the room and pulls a mug down from the cupboard, filling it with coffee and hazelnut creamer. I hand her a spoon to stir the creamer in, and she takes it with a smile.
“Good morning, darlin’. I wasn’t sure when you needed to be up, but I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” I place a hand on her hip and close the distance between us, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her temple. I know I should probably step back and let her lead until she has a chance to talk to Jake and let him know I'm not just a friend, but keeping my hands off of her feels like torture.
She hums softly. “Good morning.” She raises the mug to her lips and takes a slow sip. “Careful, I could get used to waking up to this,” she teases.
My tongue digs into my cheek as I bite back my response. I want to tell her she should get used to it and I’m not going anywhere, but I’m very aware of the small child in the room, and I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t in front of him.
She holds the mug close to her chest, a gentle smile spreading across her face as she watches her son devour his breakfast. “Finish up, buddy. You've gotta get ready for school, and I’ve got to get to Lori’s.”
I’d love to offer to take him to school, but I don’t want to overstep or add any unnecessary stress to her morning by having to switch over his booster seat. The thought crosses my mind to purchase one to have in my truck for him at all times, just in case, and I add it to my mental to-do list while I’m off duty for the next few days.
After we're all finished eating, I put the leftover pancakes in a container in the fridge and clean up the kitchen while they both get ready for the day. The morning was just about as simple as weekday mornings can be, and everything about it was perfect. I wouldn’t change a damn thing, aside from having to head home to shower and change.
But that can be rectified.
Chapter twenty-eight
Tessa
Liv’seyeswidenasshe gasps dramatically, the buttery yellow mug I chose for her today clasped between her hands. “You let him stay the night?”
“Yeah,” I say, fighting back a laugh as I brace my hands on the counter. “It felt like the timing was right, you know? Like I’m finally ready to close the door on my past and move forward with Logan. He’s been so kind and patient, and I want to see where things will go if I give them a real chance.”
“About damn time.” She lifts the mug and takes a sip, setting it back down, then meeting my gaze. “What does Jake think of him?”
“Honestly? He didn’t have nearly as much of a reaction as I thought he would. Logan made us breakfast this morning, and if anything, Jake seemed excited for him to be there. I mean, he’s not really old enough to know whatdatingis, but on the way to school this morning, I told him that Logan was more than just my friend, and he’s going to be around a lot more.”
