I kissed him again, feeling my heart clench when he smiled softly at me.
“Don’t leave,” he said softly, reaching out to lightly grab my wrist.
“Just making breakfast. I think all the leftovers are gone. You can go back to sleep if you want.”
I pulled on one of his shirts and went downstairs to start cooking.
“Things aren’t so bad when you have pancakes,” I told myself as I mixed up an easy batter. There were berries in the fridge, because of course Grayson would have a drawer full of berries he wasn’t going to eat.
“He is now,” I said, dropping handfuls of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries into the bubbling circles of pancake batter.
Bacon was crisping in the oven, I had eggs in the frying pan on the stove, and I was even making my own syrup.
Gizzy, who was my eternal kitchen companion, made a barking sound when Grayson walked in. He was wearing loose black pajama pants slung low around his waist, no shirt. Just how I liked it. He wrapped his arms around me, snuggling me to him so he could press kisses to the crook of my neck, my jaw, and my mouth.
“Something smells amazing.”
“Just the smell of someone actually cooking the food in your fridge.”
I grabbed his firm backside.
He returned the favor by caressing my own, letting one hand linger briefly between my legs, and kissing me, tongue slipping in my mouth lazily, like I was his, no questions. He released me then opened the fridge and grabbed a water.
“I have tea for you,” I said, pointing to the steaming mug.
“Thanks, sweetheart.” He kissed me again then leaned against the counter, regarding me and sipping his tea while Gizzy padded in a figure eight in front of him.
“I think your lizard is hungry. He wants some bacon.”
I flipped the pancake over.
“I hope you like berries.”
His face had that dark expression on it.
“This food is for your neighbors,” he protested.
“I think they can survive missing a few strawberries.”
Grayson didn’t say a word, just stalked out of the room. I inwardly sank. I needed to do a better job of not triggering his moods.
“Here,” Grayson said, returning with a handful of gift cards. “Take them these.”
“I heart you so much.” I beamed at him, feeling relief that I hadn’t ruined the morning. I kissed him then I handed him his plate.
The Mickey Mouse pancake grinned up at Grayson.
He scowled. “Do I look like a five-year-old? I feel like you’re insulting my manhood here.”
“Who doesn’t want to start the day off with a smile?” I said and scooped pancakes on my own plate.
It was still too chilly to eat outside, so I had set the dining room table for breakfast.
I sat across from him then walked my toes up his leg.
He reached down to grab my foot.
“Since you’re on an online shopping kick,” I told him, “next on the list is some curtains. I found a place that sells automatic shades with a blackout option and a diffused-light option for when you need a little light.”
