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She bit her lip. “I guess I’m not used to waking up anywhere but my own bed. I don’t even have a toothbrush.”
“Believe it or not, I have extra toothbrushes. The dentist gives me one every time I get my teeth cleaned.” He ran the back of his hand along her cheek. “Stay, Ruth. Please.”
She took a breath. Big step here, Ruth. Are you ready?
Yeah, she was. “Okay. Coffee and a toothbrush. How can I refuse?”
Chapter Fourteen
As a general rule, Liam wasn’t a morning person. Given that he didn’t leave work until after one a.m. several nights a week, that wasn’t surprising. Breakfast was usually brunch or maybe even lunch, depending on whether he got up at ten or eleven. He seldom saw much of Antero before noon, and he seldom wanted to see it much earlier than that.
Right now, he was strolling down Main Street a little after seven in the morning and thoroughly enjoying it. The fact that Ruth was walking beside him had a lot to do with that enjoyment. The cool July air was almost like the end of summer. He could smell the willows from the nearby creek and hear the sound of water trickling over the stones. He felt a little like shouting, but he wasn’t sure why exactly. Maybe just so that everybody else could wake up and see this, too.
Since the town was in the shadow of Black Mountain, the sun didn’t fully reach Main until after seven, but he found that he liked the slightly shadowy, early morning light, particularly the way it emphasized Ruth’s cheekbones and the luminous quality of her eyes.
She’d complained about not having any makeup with her after her morning shower, but from Liam’s point of view, she still looked lovely. He knew the difference between wearing makeup that was designed to look nonexistent and actually wearing no makeup at all, and Ruth looked great no matter which she had on. But he suspected Ruth always looked great, no matter what. Or anyway, he’d think so.
Careful there, Dempsey. Keep your head.
He was trying to, but it wasn’t easy. Everything about Ruth this morning made him smile. He couldn’t stop looking at her.
She glanced back at him with a shy grin, and he realized he was staring. He managed a quick smile in return. Not a stalker, ma’am. Honest.
She ran a hand through her hair, feathering it quickly. “Sorry you had to wake up so early to get any breakfast. I forget other people don’t start their business at the crack of dawn.”
“I’m enjoying the novelty. Who knows when I’ll see seven a.m. again?” Although he suspected it would be soon, particularly if he managed to entice Ruth into his bed again in the near future. Who cared if it meant less sleep? He could operate on a few hours if they could spend more time together.
She cut down a side street, heading for the back door of the Salty Goat. He’d forgotten the place wouldn’t be open yet, although Peaches would probably be in there baking. Technically, the Salty Goat was a coffee break place where people went to grab a pastry at mid-morning. But those mid-morning pastries had to be baked before they got there, and today he got to have the benefit of that early morning labor.
Ruth pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the back door. Already, he could smell sweet spice and sugar, along with a scent he could only describe as brown. Whatever it was, his mouth was watering, and he suspected he’d be willing to eat cardboard if it had been frosted in whatever Peaches was stirring up.
“Have a seat,” Ruth said. “I’ve got to get the coffee started before I change into my cheese-making clothes. I’ll see what Peaches has in the oven.” She turned toward the kitchen door, dropping her purse on a counter.
As he settled down at one of the café tables, he could hear Peaches humming in the kitchen, some song he didn’t know. He’d forgotten how she hummed when she worked—her voice made everything a little brighter. Yet another reason the tavern seemed sort of dismal right now.
Nobody wanted McCullough to sing. In fact, having him shut up altogether would be a blessing. The muttered curses were bringing everybody down.
The door to the kitchen swung open and Peaches emerged with a tray of something that smelled delectable. She held it with a pair of checkered potholders. She paused when she saw Liam. “Oh, hello. How are you? I’ve missed seeing you every day.” She gave him a glowing smile and headed for the pastry display case. “Did you come in with Ruth?”
