Page 55 of Wells

The wire in my chest from this morning pulls tighter. I've been braced since the driver pulled into that lot just before six this morning, since I put Dane in the back of that car and made him talk.

And she's just sitting there.

I want to put my hands on her, to let her softness smooth down my rough edges. I want to stop thinking about Juno and my father and Vin and Ridge.

I step onto the balcony.

She startles, laptop shifting on her legs, hand flying to her chest.

"Jesus."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Cera closes the laptop and swings her legs down, bare feet hitting the concrete. Her dewy, tan skin makes my mouth water. She stands, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, looking at me with something I can't name.

"You were up and at 'em early."

"Had a thing at the terminal."

"Is everything okay?"

"It's handled."

She nods and then turns to sit back down. Her shorts ride up when she does, revealing the perfect curve where her upper thigh meets her ass.

I should walk back inside, go to my room, open my laptop, and start pulling the data I need. That's what I came back to do.

"You eat yet?"

"No. I was waiting for you."

The words hit me harder than they should.

"I'll order something. What do you like for breakfast?"

"Surprise me. I'm easy."

She smiles and steps past me toward the door. I watch her go, the wire still humming under the surface. I follow her inside.

The kitchen smells like coffee. Cera puts her mug under the coffee maker and puts in a pod, pushing the button to brew. She's self-sufficient, and how is watching someone make coffee this fucking hot?

"How's the work going?"

She glances over her shoulder, that same errant hair falling across her cheek.

"Almost there. I'll be done with the list of things I need from you this morning, and once I get that and plug it in, we can go over it. Can I make you a cup of coffee?"

I nod once and she tuns to prepare another cup.

"Good. I'm waiting to hear if I need to go back to the terminal this morning. I think I have the breach contained, but I want to make sure before we head back to New Orleans. In the meantime, send the list and I'll turn it around."

I never told her I didn't have to come here for that. I did everything I needed to from my laptop before we left and finished it on the plane. I do want to make sure before heading back, but neither she nor Ridge needed to know the real reason I came to Florida.

"Perfect."

She hands me a mug. Our fingers brush. The wire in my chest tightens again. I sit on the sofa with my coffee, pulling my bag over to pull out my laptop.

Cera walks over a few minutes later, laptop in hand. She settles beside me, close enough that I can smell the clean soap scent on her. I want to bury my nose in her neck and breathe it in all day.