He grinned. “She might’ve already had a little bite.”
“Then she’s getting another one.” Brianna snapped off a piece of bacon and gave it to the dog, who looked extremely grateful.
Brock got back into bed. Brianna leaned over and kissed him. “For a second, when I woke up, I thought you’d gone. So glad you didn’t.”
“Gone?” He raised his eyebrows. “Nothing could make me leave. Not after holding you all night.” His voice had gone soft and husky. Brianna suddenly felt self-conscious. Brock looked like he felt that way, too. Gone was the cocky attitude from the night before. This was hardly a badger sitting next to her, quietly listening to the dawn chorus of birds and stealing looks at her while they ate. She liked both sides of him.
“How’s the workshop going?”
“Great,” she said after she swallowed a bite of toast. “I’m learning so much.”
“Does your song have a name yet?”
“Oh yeah, I played that for you, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did. And it was fantastic.”
She sighed. “I’m working on it. Anthony likes it, too. Not sure if I’ll have it finished in time for the competition though.”
“Speaking of, we’ve got just enough time to shower and get over to the festival,” Brock said.
“Shower? Together?” she asked hopefully.
Brock grinned, the skin around the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Oh, you almost had me there. But if we shower together we will definitely get there late.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
He stroked her cheek. “Soon. After you’ve won the competition.”
Brianna rolled her eyes. “Your lips to God’s ears.”
“God doesn’t need me whispering in His ear for that. Hell, He’d bat me out of the way so that He could better hear your fiddling.”
She laughed and tagged his arm. “Goof.”
“Your goof.”
She looked into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything.” She looked down at her hands. “When Brian came into the coffee shop as messed up as he was, I thought you might realize how fucked-up my family is and walk away.”
He lifted her chin with his finger. “Bri. I’m in way too deep to walk away. You need to know that. And, I think your family is great, maybe minus Brian’s behavior. I like your cousins.”
“Even Kevin?” She grinned.
“Especially Kevin!” Brock laughed, then grew a little more serious. “And your uncle is very protective of you, and that’s a good thing to have. Though, it might be hazardous tomyhealth.”
“How so?”
“When he said the family had never heard you play, I was afraid you were gonna tell him I’d broken your cherry.”
At that, Brianna threw her head back and laughed. She covered her heart with her hands as she curled back down and rocked with laughter. “I…can’t…even…imagine.”
“Ican. He woulda dumped me into one of those giant coffee bean grinders behind the counter and brewed me into the daily special, that’s what he woulda done.”
This’ll get him. Brianna stopped suddenly, a look of shock overtaking her face. “So I betthat’swhere my first boyfriend ended up after he disappeared. After all these years, to discover the truth.” And then she started laughing even harder when he raised his eyebrows.
