34
I wakeup with a dry mouth and a kink in my neck.
I rub my face into the soft pillow beneath me and yawn. The cool air on my back has me reaching out across the bed, searching for the warm body I fell asleep with before realizing quickly that I’m sprawled out on my stomach with my limbs extended.
I’m also alone.
I frown. Did Finn leave? No, he wouldn’t have done that.
Flopping over onto my back, I look at the empty half of the bed. The duvet is shoved down out of the way—by me, most likely—and the pillow beside mine still smells like him. I rub my eyes and glance at the clock on my nightstand. From the time, he couldn’t have been up for long. He hates early mornings just as much as I do.
The front door slamming shut has me pausing, my hand stilling over my heavy eyes. “Finn?”
There’s a whispered curse that follows, before I hear a rough “It’s me!”
I blow out a laugh and get out of bed before grabbing my powder-blue robe from the chair in the corner of my room andsliding it on. Tying it closed beneath my tits, I groan at the pain zipping up my neck.
I’ve been a restless sleeper all my life, and clearly, that doesn’t change when Finn’s beside me. I should start investing in massages, but I’ve never had the time to book an appointment. Between my workload and the friends I see when I’m not at the office, I could use more than twenty-four hours in a day.
After slipping into the ensuite to clean myself up, I walk into the hall and stall. Finn’s bent over my kitchen island, half-naked, with his hair messy and eyes bright as he pulls food out of a white takeout bag. The cardboard tray beside it has three drinks in the holders. I see one that I hope is a vanilla cold brew, and my stomach growls.
“Is that from the coffee shop Beck’s obsessed with?”
Finn jumps at the question, his head whipping toward me. He blinks a few times before grinning. “It’s not the place he likes as much as it is the owner who always makes his coffee, but yes. Is that okay?”
“That depends. Is that a vanilla cold brew?” I eye the clear plastic cup, parched.
“What else would it be?”
My heart speeds up when he grabs it from the holder and brings it to me. I take it, the dew on the cup distracting me before he cups my face and brings me in for a kiss. My lashes flutter as I close my eyes and press up on my toes, breathing him in.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmurs, backing away. “Are you hungry?”
I stay frozen in place for a minute after he turns and makes his way back to the island. He looks completely relaxed as he continues laying the food out, like last night was something casual and not the first time we’ve ever had sex.
Sure, we’ve slept over at each other’s places a thousand times, but last night wasn’t just a regular sleepover. It was . . . something else entirely. You’d never know, though. Not if you didn’t know the details.
I clear my throat and step forward. It’s six in the morning, which isn’t ungodly early to some people. To me, it may as well be last night still. It doesn’t matter how many days I wake with the sun to get ready for work, it never gets easier. Early risers are straight up psychopaths.
“I’m starving, actually,” I finally answer him.
It’s impossible not to check him out, so I do. He has a few new scratch marks on his side, and my cheeks burn before I divert my eyes. The low hang of his sweatpants doesn’t fare much easier on me. It would have been safer if I tossed the spare clothes he keeps here out the window so he had to wear a garbage bag instead.
“Did you go out dressed like that?” I ask a bit harsher than necessary.
He glances at me, one eyebrow raised. “Why? Would you have been jealous if I did?”
“I don’t get jealous.”
“I’m glad to see I didn’t fuck the jokes out of you last night, Bree,” he drawls with a wink.
I take a long sip of my coffee. Then another. I don’t stop until he starts laughing at me and pulls one of the cream, high-backed bar stools out for me. I roll my eyes and slide into it before he does the same with the one beside me.
Two wrapped items are set in front of me, and I stare at them while muttering, “I was just concerned for the poor citizens of Vancouver who had to see you parading around the streets this morning half-naked.”
“Mmm, is that it? In that case, I don’t think town hall will be getting any complaints.”
“What did you get at this magic cafe?” I ignore his baiting.
