I rolled my eyes. “Beer gets you dreaming about coming home? I’ll have to keep the refrigerator stocked.”
But before I’d even finished the sentence, his arm went heavy, and his head rocked back a bit. His grip on me slackened. He was already snoring.
I shifted, moving his arm so it didn’t feel like I was trapped under a newly felled Douglas fir. I didn’t shift away from him, didn’t want to move too far.
“Water,” I whispered, staring at the little blue flower pot. “Sunlight, patience, and time.”
“And truth,” I added. “Because you’re gonna have to tell me what you’re hiding, Ryder Bailey.”
Chapter Eleven
I was alonein the bed. No dog, no dragon, no boyfriend. The smell of coffee and sausage drifted through the air along with the clatter of dishes being moved from the sink to the drying rack.
The little blue flower pot was right where I’d left it, a finger of sunlight spilling into it.
Hopefully it was enough.
I took a quick shower. I’d need to cover Than’s shift and my own today. Jean had covered my shift yesterday, but she had today off.
Myra would be back. I knew she’d want the download on Than’s interior decorating choices.
“Morning,” I said. “Smells great.”
“Pancakes in the oven.” Ryder rubbed oil into the cast iron skillet before stowing it in the drawer beneath the oven. He sauntered my way. “Sausage too.” He stopped in front of me and oh, how my heart beat harder.
Today’s Henley was sage green, and it made his eyes darker. Instead of a flannel, he’d layered with a black, sleeveless jacket.
“Sleep well?” He moved right up into my space, swaying a little as if aiming down a runway, gaze laser-locked on me.
“Eventually.”
“Sorry about coming in so late.” His hands were a welcome weight on my hips. He drew me closer, pulling me in for a kiss. “You were snoring.”
I made an offended noise, and I felt the huff of laughter on his lips. He was here and now and soright, I couldn’t have moved away from him if I’d tried.
He pulled back slightly. “And you stole all the covers.”
“I never—”
The second kiss was harder, deeper. I stopped trying to make whatever point I was trying to make, and just let him kiss me until I was liquid inside.
When he pulled back again, he paused, then caught my lips with his teeth, softly tugging, even though my mouth was swollen and tender.
“No need to dress up, but maybe not the uniform,” he said.
I licked my lips and blinked up at him, trying to remember what he’d been saying. Had he been talking?
“Huh?”
He grinned, and it was a wicked thing, wild and happy. I wanted to drag him off to bed. I tugged on his wrist, but he held up his other hand.
“This.” He flipped up two fingers with a card between them. A business card.
“What?”
“Our reservation is at six. You come casual but nice, so maybe not the uniform. I’ll come casual but nice, so maybe not the work boots. We have the balcony room with the view. No dragon.”
He pointed at the dragon pig, who toddled over to sit on my foot and puffed smoke at him.
