“Hello, Pan,” I answer, trying for a smirk even as my pulse picks up.
He huffs a quiet laugh, but his eyes don’t leave mine. Not for a second.
His hand comes up slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering just long enough to make my breath hitch.
Like he’s making sure I’m still here.
Then he leans in and kisses me.
There’s no urgency, no desperation… just heat and intention.
My hands come up instinctively, settling against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall beneath my palms as his hand slides to my waist, grounding me there.
When he pulls back, it’s only slightly, his forehead resting against mine, both of us breathing a little heavier than we should be for something so slow.
“Morning,” he murmurs.
A soft smile tugs at my lips.
“Morning.”
The moment lingers.
Dex pulls back just enough to look at me, his thumb brushing over my cheek like he hasn’t quite decided he’s done touching me yet.
I don’t move. I’m not even sure I could if I tried.
“You gonna keep staring at me like that all morning?” I ask softly, aiming for teasing but missing by a mile.
His mouth curves.
“Depends,” he says, voice still rough with sleep and something deeper. “You gonna keep looking like you did last night?”
Heat blooms under my skin instantly.
“You’re impossible,” I murmur.
“Yeah,” he says easily. “But you like it.”
I don’t even try to deny it.
He steps back then, finally putting space between us, but the air doesn’t settle. If anything, it stretches tighter.
“Sit,” he says, nodding toward the counter. “Before I forget I was making breakfast.”
I slide onto the stool, tucking one leg under me, watching him move around the kitchen like he belongs there.
He plates the pancakes, pours coffee, and sets everything in front of me like it’s second nature. And the whole time, I feel it. That awareness. The way his attention keeps drifting back to me, like he’s checking I’m still there.
“You gonna eat,” he says, “or just sit there thinking about last night?”
“I’m eating,” I say quickly.
His brow lifts. “Uh-huh.”
“You’re staring again.”
“And you’re blushing.”
