“Well, good news,” Isla said, flashing me a cheeky grin. “One of us is definitely right.”
“How about I get you and our hungry child breakfast?” I suggested.
“I thought you were hungry for something else?” she teased, pressing against me in a very,veryenticing way.
My hand automatically found the back of her thigh to pull her even closer, and she came willingly, rocking against me once before her stomach gave another angry gurgle. We both laughed. “I think we have to sate your growing appetite first. What do you have in the fridge?”
“Ooo.” She propped herself up on her elbow, intrigued. “You’re going to cook for me?”
“I’m not just going to cook. I’m going to give you a Lachlan Fraser fine dining experience,” I said, patting her butt. “C’mon, get some clothes on so you don’t traumatize the guests.”
Isla waggled her eyebrows. “Don’t lie, you’d love to see me naked in the kitchen.”
“Aye, woman. Though I fear for those five-star ratings of yours.”
She shrugged, rolling over and climbing out of bed. “Could go either way, honestly.” She did a little shimmy, and I sat up, admiring her in the soft light. “Might be a pleasant surprise for some of the guests,” she teased.
Over my dead body, I thought, a different sort of growl crawling up the back of my throat. I distracted myself by finding the rest of my clothes and following Isla back into the kitchen.
Ranger came to join us, sniffing around for his own breakfast. Isla fed him a meal from his drawer in the fridge while I worked on the scrambled eggs and diced up some mushrooms and peppers to fry with the veggie sausage I’d found.
“Chef Locke, huh?” Isla said, coming to stand at my elbow. “At least one of us can cook.”
“Wait until you get a taste of my bangers and mash.”
“I think I got a taste of your banger last night,” she quipped.
I tossed my head back and laughed so hard it made Ranger bark. God, this woman.
When everything was hot and the eggs were fluffy, I plated our breakfast and placed it on the table. Isla had made toast, poured my coffee, and gotten herself a glass of orange juice.
I slid into the chair across from her and picked up my fork, realizing I was hungrier than I’d thought. Isla just stared at her plate.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, worried I’d messed something up.
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Nothing. Breakfast just feels…domestic. It’s nice,” she clarified before my doubts had a chance to kick in. “I just sort of figured that, well, we’d be staging a breakup by now.”
“I suppose that was the plan,” I agreed, biting the corner of my toast. There was really no need to fake a relationship anymore now that the deal was done. This hotel was happening, regardless of what anyone else said now. Though the thought of ending things made my stomach churn. My breakfast wasn’t looking nearly as appetizing now. “How would we even go about it?” I asked, trying to shake the unease off.
Isla hummed. “We could go to Cat’s when it’s busy and make a big fuss. Then I could sic one of the kittens on you.”
“Oh, yes, a ball of fluff will really stick it to me. Not sure that would be enough, though. I think Jo would expect something a little more creative from you. Wouldn’t make a good story otherwise.”
Isla piled her toast with eggs and mushrooms. “She’s totally going to rake you over the coals when she hears.”
I grimaced, thinking of Declan. I didn’t want to be lumped in with the likes of him. “Unless, you know, we make it sort of amicable so I don’t come off as a total arse,” I reasoned. “Which I’d prefer since I’m going to be seeing plenty of these people from now on.” Unlike Declan, there’d be no running away for me. Not with the property in development and the baby on the way.
“Maybe we can have a fight about the fact I can’t stand your snoring,” Isla said. “I can say it’s driving me mental.”
“Except you’re the one who actually snores,” I pointed out.
“I do not!”
“Like a Highland coo with a cold.”
Her jaw dropped in mock offense. “Now I know you’re lying. If I snore, it’s adorable.”
“I, on the other hand, sleep like I’ve been sedated.”
