Her brows lift, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Oh? And what exactly would that be?”
I smirk, letting my gaze sweep over her in a way that makes her cheeks flush. “I don’t know, Sunshine. Maybe a whispered thank you in that pretty little voice of yours… Preferably right up against my ear.”
She bites her lip, but a smile breaks through anyway, and damn, if that isn’t the best payment I could ever ask for.
When I gesture for her to sit, her eyes light up in that way they do when something small makes her genuinely happy, as if me making her breakfast has already become the highlight of her morning.
I load her plate up with all the good stuff because she deserves it. More than that, Iwantto do this for her, even if she doesn’t realize how much I enjoy it.
For a while, we eat in easy silence. Then she looks up, something curious in her expression, like a thought is teetering on the edge of her tongue. Instead of speaking, she turns toward the window, her gaze lingering outside.
“I didn’t get a good look last night, but you have someincredible views here,” she says, her voice almost reverent as her eyes glance over the landscape.
“Aye, I do.”
I catch myself smiling, a little proud, even though I don’t really want to admit it. This place is my pride and joy. I’ve put in blood, sweat, and probably more money than I’d care to count into getting it where it is now. When I first bought it, it was a dump. A far cry from the place I wanted it to be. But the location? The loch just out the back with the hills rolling around me? I couldn’t pass it up.
There’s peace here, a stillness that feels like it could swallow me whole if I let it. It’s not as remote as Knox’s place up in the mountains, but it’s mine.
The neighbors aren’t too far, but they’re far enough. I’m surrounded by hills, water, and the kind of tranquility that makes me feel like the world could stop spinning for a moment, and I wouldn’t mind one damn bit.
I’m the kind of guy who can thrive on chaos. I’m the one people turn to for a good time, the guy who’s always ready to take things to the next level. Hell, even I get a rush from it. Adrenaline’s the closest thing to feeling alive that I know.
The thing is, I’ve learned over the years that I can’t be that guy all the time. There’s only so much wild I can take before I need to step back and breathe. That’s why I chose this place.
It’s like a reset button. After the loudness of life, I need the calm to clear my head. To remind myself that I don’t always need to be “on.”
Maybe that’s why Bree’s been so good for me. She offers a stillness that lets me recharge. I can just…be. It feels damn good.
I catch myself zoning out, getting lost in the view, the way the light hits the water and paints everything in shades of gold. Then I refocus, pulling myself back to the moment. That’swhen I see Bree again, still staring out the window, her hair catching the light in a way that makes everything feel like it’s a little too perfect.
I can tell she wants to say more but she hesitates. Instead of speaking, she looks back down at her plate, her fork absently pushing food around.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
Her gaze flickers back to mine, still a little guarded. She gives me a half smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, great, really. I just, uh…wanted to thank you. For last night and this morning. I didn’t want to make it awkward because I definitely already did that last night.”
I lean back, crossing my arms as I give her a look. “No need to thank me. I promise you, lass, there was nothing awkward about that for me.”
Her cheeks flush, a faint pink creeping across her skin, and damn, if that isn’t just the most adorable thing.
“Get that smirk off your face, Callan,” she warns, her voice full of amusement and mild embarrassment.
“Who, me?” The smirk stays, of course, because I can’t help it.
Just as she’s about to respond, her phone rings, and I watch her face shift into full-on panic. “Oh my god, it’s Rose. I didn’t tell her I wasn’t going back to her place last night.”
I can’t resist teasing her. “I’m pretty sure she figured it out. In fact, I think everyone did.”
Her hand shoots out and swats me on the arm, and yeah, I definitely deserved that. I rub the spot where she hit me, pretending to be wounded.
She answers the phone, taking it from her ear and muttering under her breath before putting it back up to her face. “Good morning, my favorite Auntie Rose!” she says,though there’s a nervous edge in her voice that she doesn’t quite manage to hide.
There’s a brief pause as she listens to Rose.
“I had…a lovely time, yes,” she winces, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. I already know exactly what’s being said on the other end of the line, even though I can’t hear a single word of it. The tone, her expressions, the way she’s squirming… It all speaks volumes.
“Um, I’m sure Cal will bring me back in a little while?” she says, looking at me like she’s not sure what to do. I nod, offering a reassuring smile.
