“Too late.” Amber curled under the covers. “It’s okay, I have a similarly afflicted canine.” She peeked out of the covers. “Morning.”
“Morning.” I lowered my mouth to hers, but Velma wasn’t having it and leaped between us.She laughed and I groaned. “All right, all right.” I sifted my fingers through her silky hair before I rose off the couch.
Amber took all the blankets and made a blanket fort.
I hurried over to the kitchen and got Velma’s food ready, then boosted the heat before rushing back over to dive under the covers with her.
“It’s cold.” She shivered against me.
I gathered her in close. “I keep it pretty cool in here. I’m usually hot.”
She slipped her cold hands under my sweater and I yelped. “You’ll turn it up next time, now won’t you?”
“Understood.”
“Good.” She pressed her cold nose into my neck. “Are you part polar bear or something?”
I laughed. “Well, if we were in my bed, we’d be a bit cozier.”
“I didn’t mean to sleep over. Sorry about that.”
“I like waking up with you.”
She was quiet. Damn, too fast, Reynolds.
“Me too,” she whispered.
“How about some breakfast?”
She nodded. “Tell me you have coffee, first.”
“Of course I have coffee. You might be out of luck if you like the crazy creamers, but I have those Nespresso pod things.”
“Sold.”
I kissed her forehead. “Anything you hate?”
“Peppers.”
“Got it, no peppers in your coffee.” She giggled as I slipped away from her and tucked the blankets around her. “Be right back with coffee.”
“You are a prince.”
I huffed out a laugh and started a few mugs of coffee for both of us. I broke into my holiday pods and the warm scent of caramel and espresso got me moving. I checked on Amber, who had fallen back asleep. I held off on her cup and sipped mine as I diced up some vegetables and started some bacon.
The domesticity of it should have freaked me out. Instead, it felt right to take care of her. I wasn’t sure if that made me a chump or not, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
When cold hands slipped under my sweater, I jumped. “Geeze, you’re quieter than a cat.”
She huffed out a breath and pressed her cheek to my shoulder. “Sorry, I fell back to sleep.”
“No problem.” I reached over to the coffee maker and set it to brewing for her. “You hungry?”
“Starved. I’m gonna go use the bathroom.”
“There’s an extra toothbrush in the cabinet behind the tub if you need it.”
“Bless you.” She tossed a smile over her shoulder and I damn near swallowed my tongue. Her legs should be illegal, especially when my ancient hoodie only covered an inch past her ass.
