Chapter 26
Flora
Ihadn’t slept that well in months.
Curled up with Bear, my face pressed against his chest, that pumpkin bread scent had worked its magic like a sleeping drug. A few minutes of snuggles, and I was lights out. I didn't wake up once.
I had hightailed it back to my room, wanting to avoid awkward conversations, especially if any of the others noticed I had spent the night in his room. As I rummaged through the few items that had survived the ransacking of my apartment, I couldn't help but notice how well rested I felt.
My eyes were no longer swimming with exhaustion. My head wasn’t pounding anymore. All that tension and anxiety had just leeched away during my amazing, deep slumber. It was the kind of sleep where you woke up relaxed but also sore, having stayed in one position for so long.
Thankfully, one of my university T-shirts had survived the attack on my apartment. So I paired it with yoga pants from the night before.
I needed to figure out my clothing situation sooner ratherthan later. It seemed that very few things had been salvageable. Not that my wardrobe had been very large to begin with.
The guest bathroom had plenty of unopened toiletries and a new toothbrush, so I freshened up. I took my time, applying extra lip balm to avoid leaving the bathroom, which I inevitably had to do.
Eventually, I couldn't brush my hair any longer, so I threw it up in a bun and padded out of the room.
It had been so late when Bear had brought me here that I hadn't managed to look around. Coming down from the adrenaline high of almost being kidnapped at knifepoint made me a little scatterbrained, so I took the opportunity to subtly snoop.
Their home was easily eight times the size of mine, with tall ceilings and fancy countertops that screamed wealth. It was modern, but not obsessively so. There were several floor-to-ceiling windows that gave an amazing view of the city.
“Good morning,” Chase said as I entered the kitchen. He was sitting at the breakfast bar while his grumpy pack mate stood at the range.
Spencer was wearing a T-shirt and gray sweatpants, far more casual than anything I had seen him in before.
It suited him.
Chase, on the other hand, was straight-up shirtless and wearing gym shorts. My eyes gravitated toward the rippling muscles of his chest. I could recall how they felt under my hands while he was on top of me.
Averting my gaze, I mentally shook the idea from my head.Thatwas the last thing I needed to be thinking about.
“Hi,” I whispered, hovering in the doorway. Unsure what to do, I simply hung back awkwardly. It wasn’t like I was casually staying at a friend’s apartment.
“Come get some breakfast,” Spencer said, using a pair of tongs to turn over the bacon he was frying.
“I'm not a big breakfast person,” I admitted.
“Judging by what I saw in your fridge, you're not big onanysensible meal. Sit.” He pointed to the breakfast bar where Chase was seated.
I did as I was told, despite part of my brain demanding I protest. Something about Spencer’s instructions made my hackles rise.
No sooner had my ass hit the seat than a plate was placed in front of me, absolutely loaded with food. Bacon, eggs, and wholewheat toast with avocado on top.
“This is too much,” I grumbled, looking between the food and Spencer, who was now holding a spatula aloft as he gazed at me.
“You need to eat,” he said simply, nodding at the plate.
I turned to Chase, hoping to find some backup, but he just shrugged. “It’s a good breakfast, honeybee.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I muttered, “Traitor.”
He shot me a megawatt grin. “Will you like me if I offer to make you an iced coffee to go with your breakfast?”
I thought for a moment before nodding. “I’ll accept it.”
Chase hopped off his chair, heading toward the coffee machine and getting to work while I turned to my food, nibbling on a bit of bacon. “This is really good,” I admitted.
