“Mulder,” Theo’s voice carries softly from my kitchen, “you look so healthy, don’t you, girl?”
Fuck, this day was shitty. I just didn’t realize it. But now there is a smile on my face, and the day is forgotten.
Moving as quietly as I can, I walk toward Theo’s voice.
“Not that it’s bad,” Theo says. “It’s just I thought it would be a break, like a getaway, a vacation, but now, everything just seems harder.”
I have no idea what he is talking about, and I don’t get any context because Theo blinks those beautiful brown eyes up at me, and I stop thinking. I lower myself to the floor. Mulder comes over and gives me a perfunctory headbutt against my knee, then goes right back to Theo.
“She tolerates me,” I joke. “You, she loves.”
“She’s a good listener.” The kitten purrs softly as she rests back in his hands. “Sorry if I overstayed. I gave her the medicine, but I guess I lost track of time talking to her.” His dark brown eyes are locked on my lips. Maybe he thinks I can’t see with his hair in his face and his head ducked down.
“You can come by anytime, Theo.”
His eyes linger on me before he says anything. “Looks like you had a day. I’ll just. . .let myself out.” He scrambles to his feet to go.
Though I let him pass, I stand to follow him. Theo leaving without so much as our skin brushing is unacceptable. “I did have a day. Do you want to stay for a drink? I was about to make one.”
I watch his eyes land on my lips yet again, and he nods. “Yes, that . . . I would like that.”
Damn, I like the way our kiss has him thinking about it so much. Heat strums in my body. I sort of want to play with the nervous attention he has, see how many times his eyes hook on my lips.
Something tells me Theo might say yes to more than just a drink, so I slowly walk over to him, giving him plenty of space in the wide area of my open-plan kitchen and living room.
Finally, I get close enough to touch, and he doesn’t move. My hand goes back to his face, and he leans into it, then stills as his brain kicks in. Some kind of war is going on in there.
He looks much more exhausted than he did three days ago.
“I had a shit day,” I confess. “Nice to not come home to an empty place.”
That gets me a smile. “Mulder is good company.”
I grin since he’s entirely missing the aim of my statement. Dropping my hand, I turn back to the kitchen. I’m surprised when he speaks while I make us simple bourbon and cokes.
“Why was your day shit?” This is the first time he’s ever initiated a conversation with me.
Progress.
I hand Theo his drink, not bothering to hide my smile and making damn sure my fingers brush his, and motion him back into the living room where the couch beckons.
“Pastry chef problems.” I rest my feet on the glass coffee table.
Theo sips his drink carefully. His lips are sexy, but now a hint of his drink clings to them, making them wet. It’s damn near pornographic. So beautiful.
I groan slightly.
“Patricia Felling is your pastry chef.” His nose wrinkles.
I raise an eyebrow. Maybe Theo is a closet foodie. I didn’t expect him to know Pierre Stanton and certainly not the name of my pastry chef. “She is. And she is going to retire in a few months. So, not only am I trying to replace her, today, I had to ask her to remake an entire dessert for dinner service.”
Theo’s lush lips make a perfect “o,” which fucking distracts the hell out of me, but he catches himself from saying anything further, sorting out his thoughts.
I take the moment to scoot closer to him. “Theo.” I brush his thigh. Not giving his brain time to shut this down, I move my hand to his hair. I wait until those beautiful brown eyes are on mine again. “Your lips on mine again would make this day a whole lot better. And I’m saying that because it is true, not to make you feel obligated in any way to kiss me again if that isn’t what you want, sweetness.”
A timid smile crosses his lips, and I’m glad my words didn’t send him away. “Yes. That’s . . .yes.”
Jesus Christ, the restraint I show around him should win me a fucking Medal of Honor. I want his body close, but I’ll take his chest pressed low against mine. The size difference between us is still very much there, even sitting down.
