“Fine. Good night, Jeege. Let’s get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” He leaned forward and I closed my eyes, feeling that warmth and familiarity coming from him. I stayed still, letting the moment linger, enjoying the feel of his hand as it hovered at my shoulder, and the quiet weight of his nearness as he kissed the top of my head.
His presence had always been my safe place.
I sighed softly. “Good night, Bear. Love you.”
“Love you more.” He winked before walking away, pulling the door closed behind him.
A sense of excitement settled in my chest that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I was out of that tiny apartment and putting my life back together.
I had three months to work on an amazing project with my best friend.
I could hike in the mountains again, and swim in Blue Sky Lake.
I was going to get my mojo back, and Cutler Heart was going to help me do it.
I couldn’t ask for a better teacher.
I made my way to the bathroom and turned on the water in the bathtub.
After undressing and tying my hair in a knot on top of my head, I sank beneath the warm water.
It felt good to be here.
This was exactly what I needed.
I’d helped Cutler design this kitchen a few years ago when he built this place, and I was silently patting myself on the back as I moved around the enormous space. It was so well thought out.
A chef’s dream.
I’d been cooking noodles in a four-hundred-square-foot studio for the last few months.
This was a massive upgrade.
And his refrigerator was well stocked, of course, because my best friend enjoyed a good meal.
I’d woken up before the sun rose because my inner clock was all messed up. I went for a walk and did some stretching exercises, and now I was making pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
I was feeling much more like myself.
I was amazed at what a couple of days with my best friend had done for my mental state.
Like he’d breathed life back into me.
I normally cooked with music on, but Cutler was still sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake him up.
I dropped a few handfuls of blueberries in the batter and gave it a few quick stirs before checking on the sizzling bacon. I made a little extra because he’d told me that one of his closest friends, Bass, was stopping by this morning to see me. I was close with all of Cutler’s friends, and I couldn’t wait to see everyone.
“Damn, my stomach started growling in my sleep,” his deep voice said as he came around the corner, and I turned around and took him in.
I tried to keep my expression unaffected.
But hot damn. He wore a pair of gray joggers, hanging low on his hips, and nothing else. His chest was a mix of golden skin and chiseled muscle. Just the right amount. His abs were defined and cut, and my eyes trailed down to the deep V that clearly led to places I shouldn’t have been looking at.
This was Cutler, after all.
I forced myself to turn away and cleared my throat. “Good morning. I hope I didn’t wake you. I just thought I’d start cooking breakfast because I know you’ve got Bass dropping by this morning, and you wanted to take me to see the house after. There’s so much to do. So. Much. To. Do.”
Why was I rambling?
