I forced myself to quit focusing on Regge and eat my breakfast. I shoved a syrup-laden forkful into my mouth. Perfectpancakes. Light and fluffy and good. No wonder this place was packed.
Cobb nodded, mumbling a thanks as the server spread three plates of breakfast food in front of the big man. He slathered the pancakes with syrup, even with Ziggy’s protest.
“She has me watching my blood sugar,” he grumbled.
“He needs looking after,” Ziggy responded, turning to her plate of cut fruit and English muffin. “Cobb and I had our first date here.”
“Really?” Regge asked.
“Yeah. And we met to talk about… God, it was some kind of case, wasn’t it?” She leaned into Cobb’s shoulder again. “Anyway, the waitress came on to him big time and he was clueless.” She grinned again without a hint of jealousy.
“I was not clueless.” Cobb wiped his mouth and beard and turned to her. “I wasn’t interested. Not with you in front of me. Well, never really, but especially not with you in front of me.” A tiny smile emerged.
I wanted what they had. That special thing that made Ziggy laugh and Cobb soften like ice cream on a hot day. It was them against the world. Looking out for each other, like Ziggy said. Suddenly I was desperately lonely, even with my friends here.
“HB?” Regge’s voice slid like velvet against my senses. I glanced up at the waitress standing at my side.
“Are you done, honey? Can I take your plate?”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” I handed the nearly empty plate over before catching Cobb’s glance. “Sorry, it’s been a long night. I need some sleep.”
“Of course.” Ziggy reached across and squeezed my forearm. “You guys go. We’ll get your breakfast.”
Another growly noise came from Cobb. “We will?”
Ziggy’s brows arched at him. “Yes. We will.” She turned to us with a smile. “Go. We’ll meet you at the hotel at fiveish.”
“Thank you so much,” Regge said. He wrapped the bacon in a napkin, flicking his eyes up at Cobb. “It’s for the cat that owns the place.” Another quick smile. It wasn’t for me, but it made my blood sing. He slid out and tugged on my sleeve.
I must have said thanks and goodbye to them, but I didn’t remember. All I could focus on was Regge’s fingers grazing my arm as he pulled me out of the restaurant. Everything was in hyper mode. Regge releasing his grip to let Archie into the car. The scent of bacon as he slid into the passenger seat, the soft grunt as he fidgeted with his seat belt. I felt it all.
I drove home in a daze of tired thoughts, half watching Regge hand feed Archie bits of bacon. We reached the apartment building, and Archie bounded out of an open car window and up the stairs, waiting by the door for Regge to let him in. As soon as Regge opened the apartment door, Archie trotted in, sat beside his empty bowl, and yowled like he was starving.
“Didn’t you feed him like a pound of bacon?” I asked.
“Familiars eat more than a normal cat does. Even more than a cat his size.”
Archie responded with a resounding yowl.
Regge shushed him as he pulled out the futon and gently pushed my shuffling form onto it.
“Sleep. I’m going to go out and get some groceries.”
My protest died on my lips as my head sank onto the pillow. It smelled of the mint and herb shampoo in Regge’s shower. I slept.
On the futon, I half woke with a mumble and rolled over, warmth surrounding me, humming in contentment. My eyes snapped open. I was suddenly aware that the warmth at my back was a human body. A forearm draped over my torso and snugged me closer.
Not fully awake yet, I panicked. Where was I? Oh, yeah, Regge’s. I was fine, it was just Regge. I relaxed.
Wait.
This was Regge. We were beginning to be friends again. I couldn’t just be caught in bed with him. Could I?
I’d let him rest with his head in my lap. But that was different. We were in a hotel on a lumpy couch. Nothing would happen.
Regge huffed in his sleep, his breath hitting the back of my neck, which set my heart thumping and my skin flushing. I could turn and those lips would be waiting for me. Waiting for me to kiss them, to kiss him to wakefulness.
It would feel amazing. I knew it. But Regge was still in love with Charlie. Or at least he had been. And then there was the club. No. If I went for it and was rebuffed again, I couldn’t take it. Our newfound easiness would be gone.
