Just like before, I wanted to stay with Heath, because the idea of snuggling with him in bed all night gave me peace. But I felt awkward about asking, so I left after he fell asleep. It felt awful, leaving his gravitational pull like that. Still, I slept better than I had in a long time, but when I woke up this morning… I was definitely missing him, which is a new feeling for me.
Thanks, I hate it.
My pity party is interrupted by a knock at the door, and it feels like my life has become a series of leaving warm beds when I’d rather not. I know that I’m rumpled and only in my boxers, but anyone who’d wake me up at this time of the morning doesn’t get me at my cutest. I open the door to a disgruntled-looking bear, and… sigh. Even though he looks as grumpy as I feel, he’s adorable. “Hey, Sexy Papa Bear. Nice seeing you so soon.”
He pushes his way in and goes to my kitchen, fiddling with my espresso pods. Um, okay.
“What’s going on, your coffee maker break down?”
He grabs a mug from the cabinet above the maker and starts the machine before addressing me. “Nope. Someone snuck out of my bed like a teenager with a curfew, and I came here to find out what gives. Last night felt kinda important, and now I’m curious if I’m the only one who felt that way,” he says matter-of-factly, crossing his arms with my mug in his hand and Audrey doing figure eights around his ankles.
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Actually, that’s not true. No words come out, but a microwhine pierces the silence between us.
He takes a sip of the coffee and snarls, looking at it like it offended him. “Dude, when’s the last time you descaled your machine?”
“Um,” I say, eloquent as fuck. “Never?”
He grunts, pouring the expensive coffee down the drain. “That’s it, we’re moving this fight to my house, where at least the coffee is decent.”
Wordlessly, he grabs the leash and hooks Audrey’s collar and starts walking toward the door. Looking back, he says, “Go ahead, get dressed. Feel free to go without the shirt, though. You’re really fucking hot, and the neighbors deserve a show.”
I gape at his back while he leaves my house with my dog.
Motherfucker just kidnapped my dog.
I huff out and find a pair of jeans that aren’t too unfortunate, slip into my Adidas slides, and, fuck him, I’m wearing a T-shirt. I’m not his… whatever… to parade around. I grab my phone and my wallet and lock the door behind me, jogging in my flips to catch up with him. We’re almost to his house when I reach them, and Audrey, who has never been faithful to me, is perched on his shoulder like she’s on some grand adventure. She turns around and I’m pretty sure that’s a damned smirk on her face.
* * *
Heath
I wasn’t entirely surprised when I woke up to a cold, empty bed this morning, but Iwasirritated. Here’s the thing. I get that I was the one kicking him out of bed at the beginning of all of this, but he’s been running from the cuddle for a long time. I’m beginning to realize that he just doesn’t know how this works, and that he’s still not sure if he’s even worthy of the cuddle. Life went and humbled him in a really fucking violent way, and while he’s got the “treat others better” part, he’s gonna need some help with the “I deserve affection and love and forgiveness” part.
I also need to lock down this little shit before anyone else gets any kind of ideas. I mean, a bit of play with an extra person can be fun, but I’m not big on sharing in general. At least not when it comes to people I’m fucking crazy about.
And when it comes to Roly? I’m fucking certifiable.
“Why are we in a fight?” Roly asks, bouncing up from behind me. “I mean, the sex was good, and I didn’t want assume anything after, so… yeah.” He sounds a little less secure on that last part.
I look around and wave to Clyde, who’s up early this morning, waxing his Corvette. Clyde laughs to himself and keeps on buffing.
“Roly,” I say through my teeth, “stop giving the neighbors the play-by-play.”
He stops bouncing on his toes and bites his lip. “Sorry, Sexy Papa Bear. I’ll try to be more careful.”
Clyde laughs a little louder this time, and I know that’s going to come up on the next poker night.
I open the door more quickly and pull him inside, setting down Audrey as quickly and gingerly as possible. I stand up and put my finger in his face. “Also? Sexy Papa Bear?” I say, pulling him to me.
“Yes?”
“Is something you can call me in private.” I say the last words on his lips before pulling his warm body against mine, and he makes a small sound of agreement as our lips crash into one another. I lean him against the front door and roll my hips and belly into him before pulling off and walking to the kitchen for a halfway decent cup of coffee.
“If this is us in a fight, I can’t wait to see what happens when we get along,” he says, sauntering behind me.
“We haven’t gotten to the fight part yet, my sexy minx. I need my coffee for that.”
Since I have an actual espresso machine, I make two quick shots for the both of us and hand Roly his. We stand there casually in my kitchen and sip our hot drinks. Finally, when enough caffeine is in my veins, I set my mug down and face him, putting on my sternest expression.
