“This is my favorite stew of yours.”
Marie gave her a mock questioning look. “Not my gumbo?”
“Coming from the mid-west,” Harmony explained, “beef and potatoes are old friends. This dish,” she leaned in to take in a long breath, “is like the best of both worlds.”
When she stood back up, Marie drew her into her arms for a long, warm, motherly hug.
“You,” Marie murmured softly, “are the best part of Crois’ world. Don’t forget that.”
“He,” Harmony leaned back and looked into Marie’s eyes, “is everything to me.”
“Okay, okay.” Crois came back into thr room, holding his sister in his arms while she giggled. “I’m hungry let’s eat.”
“Be careful!” “Put her down,mom coeur.”
Harmony and Marie laughed together when they realized they’d both chastised him at the same time.
When they sat down to eat Harmony was acutely aware of what Marie and Sabine had added to her life and what she would miss when they left in the morning.
CROIS
After Sabine had fallen asleep, Crois left his apartment and went over to Harmony’s. He had a copy of her key. When she’d started taking care of him and his mother and sister had come to Center City, she’d offered her apartment as a place for them to relax when she was off duty and helping him.
His mother had left the key for Harmony on the table after she’d done to sleep and Crois couldn’t bear the thought of being without Harmony another night.
He opened the apartment door and part of him didn’t like the fact that she hadn’t put the extra locks on, but…
He put the locks on when he closed the door behind him.
Crois stopped in the bedroom doorway and smiled when he saw that she was cuddled up on one side of the bed.
He was in the middle of trying to decide how to wake her up when she opened her eyes and tucked her hands under her cheek.
“I was wondering if you were going to come.”
Her voice was sleepy, but the look in her eyes warmed him up from the inside out.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d let me in bed or send me back.”
Harmony sat up on the bed and stretched, leaving Crois staring at her with a smile.
“So, can I-”
“Come here,” Harmony reached out her hand, “I’m exhausted and you need some sleep.”
He moved closer and took her hand as he toed off his shoes.
“You might be exhausted,” he leaned in and kissed her forehead, “but the last thing I want is sleep.”
Before he could move, she lifted her free hand and hooked it around the back of his head and pulled him down.
Their lips were barely a whisper apart when she spoke. “Funny thing,” she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I’m not tired anymore.”
Crois kissed her again, his lips as gentle as he could manage, but he was hungry for her.
“We don’t,” he explained between kisses, “have to do anything.”
Her hands reached for his T-shirt and grasped it on both sides of his waist. “So you want to stop?”
