AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Connelly woke to find Veronica’s side of the bed empty, and he could hear her talking to the dogs in the other room. After spending so many nights sleeping on the hard wood of her front porch, he’d slept like a rock in her bed. He smiled a little at the memory of holding her as she drifted to sleep, and his heart seemed to expand, filling his whole chest.
He stretched, every single one of his muscles protesting after yesterday’s cave rescue. But it was a good ache. He felt alive, purposeful. He felt like a piece of his soul had slotted back into place, a piece he’d not even realized was missing.
He would join RWCR, he decided and swung his legs out of the bed. The wood floor was cold under his bare feet as he padded into the kitchen, drawn by the scent of fresh coffee and the comforting sound of Veronica’s voice as she animatedly babbled to Rebel and Alfie. He leaned on the doorway for a moment to watch them. Veronica was wearing a faded band shirt and flannel pajama bottoms, her dark hair piled into a messy bun atop her head. She moved around the kitchen with ease, adding dog food into two bowls while speaking in a high-pitched tone that made Rebel’s ears perk up and Alfie scamper around excitedly.
She looked good. Relaxed. Peaceful. Happy, even.
A wave of tenderness washed over him. He wanted to hug her, just wrap his arms around her, bury his face in all that dark hair, and breathe her in. He hesitated, debating until he finally decided, fuck it. They’d already crossed that line last night. If she didn’t want him touching her in the light of day, she’d tell him, but he wouldn’t know until he tried. He went to her, wrapping his arms around her as she straightened from setting the dog dishes on the floor.
“Morning,” he said against her temple.
To his surprise, she didn’t startle at the unexpected touch. She leaned back against him, relaxing into his arms.
“Good morning,” she replied with a lightness that made his heart do strange things.
“Any more nightmares?”
She shook her head. “Not even a dream. I slept better than I have in years.”
Normally, the last thing an author wanted to hear was that he was a cure for insomnia, but this time, Connelly welcomed the news. He tightened his arms around her. “Maybe it was the company.”
“Hm. Maybe.” She turned around, her dark eyes meeting his, and there was a warmth in them that he hadn’t seen in a long time. “The dogs are good company.”
When he opened his mouth to protest, she laughed softly and reached out to smooth her thumb over the crease between his brows. “You, too. Maybe I should keep you around.”
He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “Maybe I’d like that.”
She moistened her lips. “I think... I’d like that, too.”
He didn’t miss the subtle shift of her body closer toward his, and he found himself closing the gap between them, drawn by the warmth of her skin, the twinkle in her eyes, the vanilla and cherry scent of her. Before he knew what he was doing, he tilted his head down, his lips brushing against hers. Veronica stiffened for a moment before melting into the kiss, her arms winding around his neck as she pressed herself closer.
He tasted coffee on her lips, and it was more intoxicating than any drink he’d ever sipped. Her hands found their way to his morning stubble, grazing it lightly before threading into his hair. His senses were overwhelmed—all thoughts of caution tossed aside as he deepened the kiss, earning a sigh from Veronica that sent a shiver down his spine.
Connelly heard Rebel growl somewhere in the background but chose to ignore it for now. Untangling himself from Veronica was going to be an uphill battle and he had every intention of dragging this moment out as long as possible.
But eventually he had to drawing back for air and rested his forehead against hers, eyes shut tight. They were swaying together in the quiet kitchen as they both caught their breaths.
He finally opened his eyes to find her watching him, her gaze soft and filled with a tender affection that made his pulse quicken.
He gave her a small smile, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “Are you okay with this? With us... being more than friends? Because I still want to be more than friends, Vee.”
She hummed an affirmative.
“You sure? I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.” He wanted her—God, how he wanted her—but not at the expense of her comfort.
Determination flashed in her eyes as she flattened her hand against his chest. The gesture was both intimate and comforting, a silent reassurance that this was okay, that she was okay. “I’d tell you if I wasn’t.”
“Or if it gets to be too much?”
“I’ll tell you. Promise.”
Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her tight against him. His lips found hers once more in a slow, sweet, lingering kiss. He could feel her smile against his lips, which only encouraged him further.
Rebel let out a series of deep barks and ran into the living room. Alfie joined in, yapping wildly as he scampered behind her toward the front door.
Someone knocked.
Veronica broke from the kiss, and her entire body tensed.
