Chapter 23
Ryan
* * *
Brooke stirred and rolled onto her side. The sheets were wrapped around her so I didn’t get to drool over her perfect body like I had yesterday.
We’d been wrapped up in each other for the whole weekend. I knew I should probably get ready for work, but I thought I’d go in late today.
It was nearly eight. Usually I’d be up and ready to leave by eight thirty.
Aaron had already messaged about grabbing me coffee, but I told him I’d get some on the way in.
I was sitting behind the little desk by the bay window. It was where I kept my notebooks. I always had a notebook for everything. I bought them a stack at a time so I could replace each one as it ran out.
They were more like to-do lists. I hated diaries because I ended up wasting the days and wasting the book, so for me, pocket-sized notebooks were much better, more practical.
Today, I was using a brand-new notebook for a brand-new reason: I was going to write down all the information I’d learned in Brooke 101.
I’d thought up the idea the previous night. She’d have a field day when she saw it and would probably tease me with her cop or monk jokes.
I’d just written down the fiftieth thing I’d learned: she hated pumpkins too. I laughed at that just like when she’d said it to me early the day before when we went to lunch.
She rolled over onto her back and lifted her head to look at me.
“Mmmmm…” she moaned, reaching her hand out to me. “Come back to bed baby.”
I would in a second. I wanted to take her to breakfast in the old village. Then I’d head in to work at maybe ten or eleven.
“Give me a minute.” I wanted to think of five more things.
She hated walnuts and macadamias. I liked those nuts.
“Ryan, please tell me you aren’t working.” She sat up and pulled the sheet over her breasts.
“I’m not. I swear.” I chuckled.
She frowned and got up. She lowered herself into my lap and looked over the little notebook on the desk.
“This looks like work, like you’re taking detective notes or something.” She narrowed her gaze at me.
I pulled her closer to my chest. “It’s not. It’s just a thing, my notes, but not on work.”
She picked up the notebook and laughed when she opened it and saw the heading on the first page.
Brooke 101
“Your notes on me.” She giggled.
I laughed too. “You’re a hard woman to keep up with, Brooke. I’ve decided I want to be the best student in the class.”
“You are the best student in the class.” She leaned in and kissed my forehead.
“I want to get an A+. I want to be at the top of the class.”
“At the top of, or on top?” She gave me a saucy smile.
“Both.”
