Page 69
“Then go to sleep,” he rumbled. “No more talking.”
I held him tighter, and there was no missing his sigh.
The man was not a morning person. There were a lot of questions about why I was up and some whining, then squinting when I handed him a mug of coffee and went to wash my face and brush my teeth. When I arrived back in my bedroom several minutes later, he was sitting up, mostly, hair a mess, gold eyes open to slits, and sipping from the enormous mug I’d given him.
“Are you hungry?”
“I don’t know what I am yet because it’s too goddamn early.”
Not a morning person at all.
I smiled at him before I returned to my bathroom to put on moisturizer, run product through my hair, and put on some eyeliner I liked. Once that was done, I went back into my room and over to my closet to decide what to wear on a blustery fall day.
Once I was dressed, I slipped out of the walk-in closet and realized he hadn’t moved an inch.
“Love, you must get up,” I told him. “It’s almost nine. We have a lot to accomplish today, beginning with our trip to Graeme’s.”
He just sat there.
“I put a washcloth and a towel in the bathroom for you to wash your face, a new but regular toothbrush until I can get you an electric one like mine, and—whyever are you staring at me like I’m speaking Mandarin? I can assure you, I’m not. I’m not terribly proficient at it yet, though I am working on it.”
“You called me love.”
“Yes. Do you not like it?”
“I really like it,” he husked.
I crossed my arms as I regarded him. “Then?”
“You decide something and go, huh?”
“You are my mate, are you not?”
He nodded.
“Then I have no idea what the issue is here.”
“No issue.” He threw the covers aside, standing and passing me the empty mug when I held out my hand. “That was really good coffee, thank you.”
“I’m quite fond of a robust roast in the morning, with some thick cream and a bit of sweetness to cut the bite.”
“Me too.”
“Of course you too. We’re mates, after all.”
He nodded. “I’ll be ready fast.”
Ten minutes later, when he joined me at the front door, he was surprised to see the two large to-go cups in my hands.
“Who are those for?”
“The officers out front.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you. I don’t think I know anyone who has cups with lids in their kitchen.” He put on his topcoat.
“I’m certain Graeme’s staff keeps them on hand as well. You never know when a guest will want a hot beverage to go.”
“He probably does. I’ve just never worried about that.”
