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A heavy weight kept her from tugging the quilt over her face. She looked to her left and saw Fiona, her tabby cat, purring next to her. “It’s too early, Fi.”
The cat meowed once, then closed her green eyes. Clearly, she agreed. Delphi laid an arm over her face, trying to nab another few minutes before starting the one day she had off each week. Mondays were as close to a holiday as she got.
Just as she started to drift back into a dreamless state, a loud song startled her awake. Groaning, Delphi blindly batted her left arm at the side table. She finally found her cell phone when the song made it to the chorus.
“What do you want?” she answered, eyes still closed.
“My, my, don’t you have a sexy morning voice?”
Delphi’s eyelids snapped open. “Brewer?” She sat up and glanced around the room as if she’d spot him waiting on her to wake up. “How’d you get this number?”
“Eh, called the restaurant last night and Edgar gave it to me.”
“Dammit, Edgar.” She flung the quilt aside and stood, sliding into her fuzzy pink slippers. “So, you going to tell me why you woke me up, or leave me guessing?”
She made it to the kitchen and opened the cupboard to find the coffee beans.
“Wow, you’re not a morning person, are you?”
“Only after I drink coffee.” She dumped three scoopfuls of beans into the grinder.
“Ah, good to—”
Delphi smirked when she flipped on the grinder, the rest of Brewer’s statement lost to the noise. It was bold of him not only to get her personal number but also call instead of text like everyone else. The audacity of the man sent a jolt of adrenaline through her.
“Oops, sorry,” she said, stopping the grinder and pouring the contents into the coffee maker.
“It’s okay. I was talking dirty to you anyways.”
She cocked her brow at his teasing. “Too bad for you I don’t like dirty talk.”
He chuckled. “You say that now, but I guarantee if I were there, your body would be giving off another vibe.”
“Whatever.” She pressed the On button and willed the machine to hurry up.
“Anyways, I was calling to see if you’d like to come on a ride with me today.”
“A ride? What kind?”
“Not the kind you’re thinking, but we can circle back to that one later.” He cleared his throat. “I’m heading to Waverley on business and could use somebody riding bitch.”
Finding a clean mug, she poured sugar-free vanilla creamer into it. “So, I’m purely a warm body behind you?” She shook her head. “I’m not buying it. What’s the real reason? Make an old girlfriend jealous?”
“I wouldn’t do something like that. I have more respect for you.”
For a split second, she considered badgering him about that statement. He barely knew her. “All right, keep your secrets then.”
“Don’t go quotingLord of the Ringsto me, girl. You’re sorely outmatched.”
Delphi laughed, silently complimenting his knowledge of classic fantasy novels, albeit one that had been turned into a hit movie series. “Fine. Give me one good reason to agree to go on some crazy bike ride with you.”
Brewer hummed, the sound of music droning in the background. “How about—you have the day off, and if you don’t come with me, you’ll be stressing about your bistro?”
He wasn’t wrong. She’d planned on doing exactly that after munching on cocoa cereal and three cups of caffeine. She poured coffee into the mug and blew on it. The sensible part of her brain warned her that Brewer Stapleton was bad news all around. Sitting down at the small kitchen table, Delphi wrapped her hands around the cup. The reckless side of her urged her to live a little.
“I’ll agree under two conditions.”
“Name them.”
