I sat up, removed my nightgown, and tossed it aside, loving the way Elijah’s appreciative glance felt like a caress on my bare skin. I slid off the bed knowing damn well he’d follow and join me in the shower.
I heard his phone vibrating against his bedside table and looked over my shoulder when I reached the bathroom door. Elijah scowled when he looked at the caller ID then declined the call.
“Not feeling chatty?” I teased when he got off the bed and walked toward me.
“Unknown number. I never answer those. Whoever it is will leave a message if they’re legit and really want me to call them. Now, let’s get in the shower so I can rub soapy hands all over your gorgeous body.”
“I was just about to say the same thing to you.” I glanced at the clock. “Fifteen minutes.”
Elijah answered by swatting me on the ass.
“You’re late,” Milo said when we walked inside the little house he and Andy were living in until the remodeling was finished on the place Andy bought on Lover’s Lane. The home and the name of the street were perfect for my brother and the only man he’s ever loved.
“I’m two minutes late, Milo,” I replied. “It’s hardly worthy of the pissy scowl on your face.”
“That’s not why he’s pouting,” Andy said, entering the room. “He’s mad because Memphis texted to say he wasn’t coming.”
“Why? Is he feeling bad?” Memphis never missed Sunday brunch or French toast Wednesdays.”
“He was vague and just said he was sorry, but he wouldn’t make it this morning. I sent a follow-up text, but he hasn’t replied.”
I pulled my phone out of my purse and sent a quick message to his phone. Maybe he hadn’t heard Milo’s text come through.Hey, cutie. Is everything okay?
I’ve had the same group of friends for most of my life and a brother who knew me better than I knew myself, so I never knew I was missing anyone until Memphis moved to town. Milo and I were drawn to him immediately, and he became such a vital part of our lives that we couldn’t believe he hadn’t been there all along. I knew he was conflicted about Lyric coming to town, even if he hadn’t said anything. Memphis’s crush on the paranormal investigator was well-known, but he never used his cousin’s friendship with the man to wrangle an introduction. In fact, Memphis appeared to resist any attempts Emory made to introduce them, so you can imagine my surprise when Memphis offered his spare bedroom to Lyric for the duration of the investigation. I wasn’t the only one who stared in wide-eyed wonder and held my breath while waiting for Lyric to answer. Surely, he’d say no even though he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Memphis, right?Wrong. He agreed to stay with Memphis then appeared to fall off the face of the earth over the next three weeks.
I watched as Memphis seemed to pull tighter and tighter inside himself every passing day without Lyric arriving in town. Sure, he said the right things and laughed in the appropriate places, but his smile never met his eyes. I was convinced his absence from brunch had to do with Lyric. Had the brooding, mysterious man changed his mind about staying with him? Did he change his mind about coming to Blissville altogether? I quickly checked my email app, but there were no new emails from Lyric.
I glanced up when I returned my phone to my purse and caught Milo watching me with a raised brow. “What?”
“Any news?” Milo knew what I was looking for, of course. I wasn’t the only one who noticed Memphis’s subtle withdrawal. I shook my head. “Well, let’s eat while it’s hot. Maybe we’ll hear from him soon. I let Memphis know I would happily set aside a plate for him.”
“Do I smell cinnamon rolls?” Elijah asked, sounding nearly as desperate as the time I taunted him by tying his wrists to our bedpost and denying him the pleasure he sought from my body. I mean, I eventually gave him what he wanted, but not until he was sweating, cursing, and demanding I fuck him. It was a game we hadn’t played in a while, and I planned to reintroduce it later in the week when my newest pieces of intimate apparel were due to arrive. Elijah bought me a membership to Worship Me, a monthly subscription that delivered a gorgeous piece of lingerie and a bra and panty set each month. Elijah made sure his ass was home early on delivery day.
“Yes,” Milo said cheerfully. “I made them from scratch.”
“What time did you wake up?” I asked him. Nonna’s recipe took hours to make since the dough had to proof twice.
“I learned a new trick, and I’m eager to see if it was effective,” he replied. “I did the second rise in the refrigerator overnight.”
“In the refrigerator? I’ve never heard of that technique.”
“Me either, but someone shared their own recipe on Facebook earlier in the week. Of course, I was silently gloating because there was no way in hell it could be as good as Nonna’s. I saw a side note next to the instructions for the second rise which stated it could be done in the refrigerator, but it would take longer, so they recommended letting them sit overnight.”
“There’s only one way to find out if these monsters are as good as your nonna’s,” Andy said. “I’ll throw myself on the sword and go first, Peach.”
“You’ve already fallen on the sword once this morning,” Milo responded cheekily. “Let Elijah give these buns a try.” Andy scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m talking about the cinnamon buns, Slugger. Take it easy.”
“I’m game to take one for the team,” Elijah said gleefully. He walked to the counter where the cinnamon rolls rested in their pan and lifted one out with the spatula. He took a big bite and there was no misreading the pleasure on my man’s face.
“Oh goody. I gave Elijah a foodgasm.” I narrowed my eyes at my twin because I wanted to be the one giving any kind ofgasmto Elijah. “Step up your game, Sis.”
“There’s no competition, Freckles,” Elijah whispered in my ear after he wolfed down the big roll in three bites. “These are delicious, but you’re the only thing I can’t live without.”
I claimed a sticky, cinnamon-y kiss as my heart melted. Elijah had come so far to be able to speak those words to me. When we first met, he ran from the attraction he’d felt for me because he didn’t want to risk his heart ever again. This beautiful man overcame his fear to build a life with me, and I would strive to make sure he’d never regret it.
“Likewise,” I whispered before I kissed him once more. “Let’s eat,” I happily said when I turned around.
“If you think you can tear your hands and eyes off your man long enough,” Milo said.
