AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A heavy silence falls over the room, making my worst thoughts come true.
Of course, she ran away without a word to us. Even though I’d challenged my brothers’ assumptions about her being an innocent young woman, deep down, I’d believed it to be true.
A deep ache cuts through me as I realize I’ve been wrong about her. She’d probably stolen whatever she could grab and run out of here before any of us woke up.
Or was it our fault for teasing her too hard? Did we push her too far when we ordered her to strip before us? Did we scare her into running away?
There’s a mystery surrounding Winter and I’m desperate to unravel it. My frustration heightens as I run my fingers through my messy hair.
Disappointment weighs heavy in my gut as I step out of the guestroom and close the door behind me.
The house is silent as it’s still early in the morning. Cole and Kai are probably still asleep too. Deciding to get something to drink, I head downstairs to reach the kitchen.
My feet suddenly come to a halt at the foot of the stairs. A delicious sweet scent wafts into my nostrils, instantly reminding me of hot pancakes.
Following the trail of the luscious aroma, I walk down the corridor.
I’m only a few feet away from the kitchen when I hear the sound of clinking metal. My mind goes to Cole and Kai immediately. It’s rare for them to wake up early enough to get breakfast started. I’m the one who usually gets up before them and has the meal ready for them.
Hurrying forward, I enter the kitchen.
Winter’s standing at the stove, stirring something in a pan. She’s wearing the T-shirt we left out for her last night.
For some reason, she hasn’t put on the sweatpants. I guess they were probably too big for her. In any case, I enjoy the sight of her long, smooth legs.
With her back turned toward me, she hums a cheerful tune, flipping a pancake without a spatula and then expertly dropping it onto a stack nearby. To my surprise, there’s already a good pile on the plate positioned on the counter beside her.
Our girl can cook. A smile comes onto my lips as I realize what I’d just thought of Winter as. Our girl.
“Morning,” I greet her.
Winter jumps at the sound of my voice.
Turning around, she faces me. Her hands tug at the hem of the shirt consciously.
I like that she knows what’s going through my mind. A wolfish grin threatens to form on my lips and it’s a struggle to keep a cool expression on my face.
“It smells great in here,” I say, gesturing toward the pancakes.
A pretty pink blush slowly spreads on her cheeks at my compliment. “Thanks,” she says with a dip of her head. The motion spreads her golden tresses over her face, curtaining it from me. “I thought I’d make breakfast to repay you guys for helping me last night.”
Surprise flickers through me at her innocent reply. As the eldest among my brothers, I’m always the one taking care of them. It’s a nice feeling to know that someone else wants to look after my needs.
“Can I have some breakfast, then?” I ask going toward the kitchen island and taking a seat.
“Sure,” she says with a smile. “Um…do you like syrup with your pancakes?”
“Absolutely. Oh, and don’t forget the butter too.”
She nods, hurrying to grab a plate.
It’s barely been twenty-four hours since Winter’s come to our home and she’s already become familiar with our kitchen.
I watch her as she makes me a plate.
She stacks a generous half a dozen pancakes on a platter and covers it with maple syrup and dollops of butter. Next, she decorates it with strawberries and sliced bananas.
Pleasure spreads through me at the sight. She does everything with the elegance of a trained chef.
