I crouch beside him, shaking his shoulder gently. “Ford. Wake up.”
He groans, face scrunching as he stirs. “Five more minutes…”
“Nope.” I plop down on his lap, straddling him, still in my pajamas, the cool morning air making me shiver a little. He cracks one eye open, and a slow grin spreads across his face.
“Hey, Kitty.” His voice is thick with sleep, raspy and low.
I lean in to kiss him, and he pulls me close, one hand sliding down to grab a handful of my ass. I laugh against his mouth, swatting his hand away.
“You taste like stale beer,” I say, wrinkling my nose.
He chuckles, unbothered. “And you taste like trouble.”
I give him another light kiss before pulling back. “Come on, lazy. You need a shower.”
Ford grins lazily, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “Only if you come with me.”
I smile and stand up, pulling him inside with me. As I tug Ford toward the bathroom, Jacob’s voice echoes from the kitchen, “Make it quick—breakfast is almost ready!”
The bathroom fills with steam and the sound of running water as Ford and I strip down, leaving our clothes in a pile on the floor.
He steps into the shower first, holding out a hand to help me in. The warm water cascades over us, and I sigh as it hits my skin, washing away the remnants of sleep. Ford stands behind me, his big hands resting lightly on my hips as we both adjust to the soothing heat.
We don’t rush—there’s no urgency between us, only a quiet tenderness. I grab the shampoo, squirting some into my hand before turning to lather his hair. His eyes flutter closed as I work my fingers through the messy strands, and for a moment, he leans into the touch, like he could melt under my touch.
“Feels good,” he murmurs, voice low and soft.
“Yeah?” I ask, smiling as I rinse the suds from his hair.
He hums, and I press a kiss to his shoulder, feeling the muscles shift beneath my lips. Ford takes the bottle from me next, pouring some into his palm.
“Your turn.”
I tilt my head back as he gently massages the shampoo into my scalp, his strong fingers moving with a surprising amount ofcare. It’s not sexual—just...intimate.And it feels good in a way that makes my chest ache a little.
After rinsing, we move on to body wash. Ford’s hands glide over my skin with lazy strokes, tracing the curve of my waist, and the slope of my shoulders. His touch is worshipful, like he’s memorizing every inch of me.
“You’re too good at this,” I say softly, and he grins.
“Just taking care of my girl.”
I roll my eyes but don’t protest. When he’s done, I take my time washing him, running the washcloth over his broad chest, down his arms, and along the planes of his back. Every touch feels grounding, like we’re reconnecting in the simplest, most honest way.
When we finish, we stand under the spray for a while longer, letting the water rinse away the last traces of soap and sleep. Ford leans his forehead against mine, his hands resting on my lower back.
“Thanks for this,” I whisper, and he smiles, brushing a kiss against my temple.
“Anytime, Kitty.”
We step out of the shower and dry off, our movements easy and familiar. It’s not the first time we’ve done this, and it won’t be the last, but each time feels like a small gift—a reminder of the simple ways we care for each other.
Back in the kitchen, Jacob and Matthew are waiting, breakfast is ready, and coffee is brewing. Ford slings an arm around my shoulders as we settle in at the table, and I can’t help but smile.
These quiet moments—the lazy mornings, the easy banter, the shared showers—they’re what makes everything else worth it. And as we dig into breakfast, surrounded by the people who mean the most to me, I know without a doubt that this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
Chapter 30
Jacob
