“I must have dozed off.” I rubbed my eyes as Bear rolled over onto hisside.
I held my breath as he wrapped his arms around me. Relief consumed me as I melted into hisembrace.
“I’m sorry for waking you, I just didn’t want to startle you.” The slight hint of whiskey rode on his breath, the aroma comforting me as I nestled into the crook of hisshoulder.
“I’m glad you are home,” Iwhispered.
He kissed my forehead. “I’m glad you’re stillhere.”
“Where would I have gone?” I was shocked that he would have thought that I would leave without even sayinggoodbye.
“I don’t know. I was just worried I would come home and this would have all been adream.”
“Well, I can assure you that the road rash can prove none of what happened over the last week and a half was conjured up in yourmind.”
* * *
Iwokeup to an empty bed and the sweet smell of pancakes coming up from the kitchen. I hopped up, not even bothering to put on the jeans Jaxon had brought me. I was still moving a little slow from my injuries, but I didn’t need anything more than some strong Motrin to take the edgeoff.
Bear was in the kitchen in camo boxers and a black and white polka dot apron with frills on the ends. I stood in the entry of the kitchen watching him hum to himself as he stirred the bacon and flipped a flapjack onto the top of the pile he wasforming.
“I never would have pegged you for a man with an apron,” I teased, wrapping my arms around his broad frame from behind. I could barely touch my fingertips together around hismiddle.
A deep, throaty chuckle escaped before he turned to look down at me. “Someone was wearing my shirt, and bacon grease splatter hurts like heck when it attacks a nakedchest.”
He swiftly kissed the top of my head before pouring more batter into the sizzlingpan.
My stomach grumbled at an embarrassing volume, and my cheeks burned as I grabbed a piece of bacon that was cooling on a papertowel.
“I guess someone likes the smell of my cooking.” Bear winked at me as a small smirk played on hislips.
I rubbed my hollow stomach. “I think my tummy was just talking to the bacon, beckoning for its fatty goodness. It’s amazing to not be eating the bland hospital food for achange.”
“Didn’t order from Al’s, I takeit.”
I shook my head. “The sleepies took precedence over hunger lastnight.”
He scraped the last of the batter into the pan. “Ready toeat?”
I nodded, helping bring the plates to the small table in the corner of the kitchen. “Thanks for doingthis.”
“You’re my guest. It’s only right that I feed you a proper breakfast,darlin’.”
Before taking his seat, he poured us both mugs full of coffee. “Cream andsugar?”
“Never. My daddy never took fixins in his joe, so I grew up not knowing anything different.” There was nothing better than a good cup of strong coffee and some greasy bacon in themorning.
Sitting at that table, staring at Bear from across the worn wood, it sank in: he reminded me of my father and brother—not in a creepy incestuous way that would give me the heebie-jeebies and make me seek out a Freudian professional for some couch time, but in a very comforting, homey way. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced since my brother signed his name on that dotted line. I was proud of Liam for serving our country but I truly did miss having himaround.
I sat in content silence as I noshed on buttery, maple syrup-covered pancakes that tasted like they were made from heaven’s own recipe forflapjacks.
As the last couple of bites rolled around in my mouth, I moaned from the euphoric tasty trance I had been castinto.
“That good, huh?” Bear asked while clearing my plate and setting it in the sink. He untied the apron and threw it onto the top of therefrigerator.
“I don’t think you’ll ever get me to leave now that I know those little clouds of fluffy deliciousness can be created within this kitchen—especially if you wear thatapron.”
Bear put a stopper in the sink, starting to fill it with hot water and soap to soak the dishes and pans. With his back to me, he teased in a singsong voice, “Don’t flatter me too much, darlin’. I know the apron is a panty dropper, but try not to fall too hard for me.” As he turned back toward me, his jaw hungopen.