Page 115 of Peaks and Promises

For the first time in more years than I could count, I slept in.

Blinking my eyes open, I glanced at the clock. Quarter after seven. That was wild. Granted, it was still early. But I was usually awake by five.

Summer lay on her side, facing me. She was sound asleep, her breathing slow and even. One hand rested on my chest, like she’d reached for me in her sleep. I covered it with mine.

So much for only acting like a couple in public.

She stirred, and without opening her eyes, shifted closer so her head rested on my shoulder and her arm draped across my chest. I held her, caressing her back as she slid her leg over mine.

I was in big trouble.

“You’re still here,” she said.

“Yeah. Slept in.”

“I can’t imagine why.”

I chuckled softly. The first time had been frenzied and hadn’t taken us very long to finish. But the second… I’d drawn it out as long as I could until we were both completely spent.

“You wore me out,” I said.

“Same. What time is it?”

“A little after seven. When do you have to work?”

“Not until nine, today.”

I tightened my arms around her. “Good.”

We lay in bed for a while, awake but drifting in sated relaxation. Her body molded to mine like she’d been made for me. Considering my size, that was saying something. But her curves fit perfectly around all my hard edges.

Eventually, biological necessities got the best of us. We peeled ourselves apart and got up. After using the bathroom, I put on some clothes, but stopped before leaving the bedroom. The sound of footsteps carried through the closed door.

Nate was up. And he was going to notice I hadn’t slept on the couch.

Was that going to be weird?

I was always the first one awake—already up by the time he came out of his room every morning. So maybe he wouldn’t even notice. But it would probably be better if Summer and I didn’t emerge from the bedroom together.

Instead of waiting for her to come out of the bathroom—and maybe steal a few more kisses before we had to start our day—I stepped out into the hall and headed for the kitchen, hoping it looked like nothing was different.

Nate sat on the floor in front of the couch, with a serious case of bedhead, using the coffee table to work on a Lego spaceship.

“Morning, chief.”

He glanced up. “Morning.”

“Sleep okay?”

He nodded and went back to building. “Are you Mom’s boyfriend now?”

I paused with my hand reaching for the coffee maker. “Uh…what makes you ask that?”

“You slept in Mom’s room.” He clicked a brick into place. “It’s okay, Zachary told me everything.”

It took me a second to reply. I didn’t want to sound like I was choking. Z could not have had the talk with my ten-year-old.

Not that he was really my ten-year-old. But still.