Chapter 7
The first thing that Brice became aware of was warmth. Not from her being tangled up in the comforter, but a radiating heat. Almost as if she had a furnace in the bed with her. Brice’s eyes fluttered open slowly.
The early morning light softly drifted in through the windows. Her bedroom window curtains were still open allowing her to witness the snow that drifted lazily down toward the ground. The sky looked like an idyllic watercolor painting with pale blue sky and white and gray clouds floating by.
For one blissful moment she simply laid there and listened.
The apartment was silent.
The only sounds were the hum of the appliances out in the kitchen and the steady breathing of the person laying next to her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Slowly as if her slight movement might shatter the peacefulness of the room, she rolled over onto her back and glanced over at the sleeping figure.
Keena.
She hadn’t left. A smile spread along Brice’s face.
She had gone asleep expecting to awaken to an empty bed. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Keena had bolted and left sometime in the night.
Instead, she was still here.
The guarded lines that normally framed her beautiful face had disappeared. She looked peaceful. Her long locs were spread along her pillow. One toned arm rested above her head while the other lay loosely across the blanket.
She looked…younger, softer…
Almost vulnerable.
Brice’s gaze lingered on a small scar on Keena’s shoulder. She wondered what the story was behind it and the many others that Brice had discovered last night. There was something undeniably captivating about her. Even in her sleep, she possessed a quiet strength that drew Brice to her.
“Oh, no,” Brice sighed.
The realization hit her. She was in love.
Completely, hopelessly in love with Keena.
She let out a groan and buried her face against her pillow.
It was fast, she knew, but she also always followed her heart and it was telling her that Keena was the one for her.
But shifters fell hard and fast when it came to their fated mate.
From stories she’d heard, some of them knew from the moment they first scented the other person.
Too bad humans didn’t have that same ability to detect the one person that was meant for them.
The human divorce rate would be almost non-existent.
She peeked at Keena and saw she hadn’t moved.
She listed off all the reasons in her mind as to why it should be impossible.
They barely knew each other.
Keena barely talked.
She’d only kissed her a few times.
She’s a protector.
She’d granted Brice a few sightings of her smile and laugh.
She knew how to light a fire in under two minutes.
She drinks coffee like she’s offended by flavoring.
She’s gorgeous and had a body to die for.
Her intense gaze made Brice feel as if she was the only woman in the world.
Keena had also brought Brice to orgasm with an ease that should scare her.
“I’m in trouble,” Brice sighed. That list quickly turned into everything that would cause a person to fall in love with someone. Keena stirred slightly beside her and Brice froze.
The enforcer settled again with a sleepy exhale. She was completely unaware that she’d interrupted Brice’s internal debate.
Brice smiled and carefully slipped from the bed, determined to not wake Keena. She was sure the woman barely slept and was probably exhausted—especially after the night they’d had.
She found her robe draped across her bedroom chair and slipped it over her shoulders. She padded her way toward the kitchen. The hardwood floor was cool beneath her feet. She paused in the doorway long enough to glance back at Keena.
She hadn’t moved.
Brice smiled again. She’d let her sleep. It felt good knowing she’d managed to give her peaceful sleep. She continued on and went into the kitchen. She quickly started the coffee brewing before pulling out items to make a quick breakfast. The scent of coffee filled the apartment within minutes.
She hummed softly to herself as she moved around the kitchen. She couldn’t stop smiling. The holiday music floated through her head as she cracked a few eggs in a ceramic bowel and whisked them. Unable to resist, she turned the music back on but kept it low, not wanting to disturb Keena.
She returned to preparing their breakfast. This was how she imagined spending the days leading up to Christmas with a loved one.
Love.
She grinned even harder knowing that she’d fallen in love with Keena.
Sausage sizzled gently in one skillet while water began boiling in another pot.
She had a taste for cheesy grits. She wondered how Keena took hers?
Buttery or cheesy? Or sugary and buttery?
She didn’t want to judge the woman if she chose sugar and butter.
To each their own. She shrugged while she removed a tray of biscuits fresh from the oven.
It wasn’t an elaborate breakfast, but it was comforting on this cold December day. The fire in the hearth had burned down. The air in the apartment was slightly chilled. They wouldn’t need to light the fire again since she had to go down and open the shop soon.
She went over to the cabinet and pulled down two mugs when a sensation rippled down her spine.
She turned and found a barefoot Keena standing at the edge of the kitchen.
She’d thrown on her underwear along with her black tank.
The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Especially with her sleepy expression and her unrestrained locs. Her amber eyes were locked in on Brice.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
“Good morning.” Brice smiled. She placed the mugs down on the counter and turned. She leaned back against it. Her heart fluttered at the intense glint in Keena’s eyes. This was the look that made her clamp her thighs together.
Instantly the memories of Keena’s face buried between her legs returned…the feeling of her tongue pressing against her opening, the sensation of her suckling Brice’s clit…it all came back to her. She held back a whimper.
“Morning.” Keena’s voice came out husky and sent another wave of desire though Brice. She bit her lip to keep from moaning.
“Coffee?” Brice cleared her throat.
“Please.” Keena nodded.
Brice turned and reached for the carafe.
She poured Keena’s black coffee and turned.
She gasped, having not heard Keena cross the room.
She tilted her head back and looked into those beautiful amber eyes.
Keena took the mug from her and placed it down on the counter.
Without a word she gently backed Brice against the counter.
One hand settled on the countertop beside Brice’s hip.
The other lifted slowly and brushed the loose strands of hair from Brice’s face with a sweet tenderness.
Hell, there was no doubt in her mind that she was in love with Keena.
“I woke up and you were gone,” Keena said softly. Her fingers traced along Brice’s cheekbones before traveling to the nape of her neck.
“I woke up and you were still here,” Brice teased.
Keena grunted softly. She tugged Brice forward as she lowered her head. The kiss stole every coherent thought from Brice’s mind.
It was slow.
Deep.
The tenderness of the kiss made Brice’s knees wobble. She placed a hand on Keena’s waist while the other one gripped her tank. She leaned into her and returned the kiss. Keena’s tongue slid along hers with boldness. Her hand slid from the counter to grip Brice’s ass to draw her closer.
Keena broke the heated kiss, lifted her head and stared down at Brice.
The heat in her eyes was enough for Brice to want to fall to her knees before her.
She licked her swollen lips and knew they didn’t have much time.
Disappointment filled her. Maybe she could be a little late opening the shop, but then Alanis would worry and come upstairs to find her.
“I guess that was the proper way to say good morning?” Brice said.
“Yeah.” Keena pressed another chaste kiss to her lips. A growl rumbled from her chest. It was a sound that Brice was quickly coming to get used to. It was the wolf inside of her. Brice wondered what Keena’s animal looked like. She was sure she was as beautiful as the human version of Keena.
A small smile was perched on Keena’s lips as she reached for her coffee mug. Brice blinked, she had completely forgotten about the coffee.
“I like it. Maybe we should do it more often.” Brice bit her lip. She’d just made an offer and she hoped that Keena would take her up on it. Keena glanced down at her mug for a brief second before looking at her again.
“Maybe.”
Brice’s heart fluttered. She motioned to the food she’d just finished making.
“Breakfast is ready. I hope you have an appetite,” Brice announced.
“I do.” The smile slipped from Keena’s lips as something passed in her eyes.
Brice wasn’t sure what it was. She just hoped it wasn’t regret.
She bit her lip and moved over to the stove.
They needed food. After all the energy they had expended on the floor before the fireplace then in Brice’s bed they would need sustenance to replenish it.
Morning sunlight streamed through the front windows of Hearth and Story. The shop sat in a peaceful silence. The bookstore smelled exactly as it always did—coffee, fresh pine, and the faint sweetness of vanilla from the candles.
“We’ve got about an hour before we are due to open,” Brice said. She glanced toward the wagon still sitting where they’d left it near the register. “Ugh, I forgot we had books to put away.”
“I can help,” Keena offered.
“Thanks. Alanis should be here at any moment to help open,” she said. Within minutes they settled into an easy rhythm. Keena unpacked the boxes while Brice wheeled over a small step ladder so that she could reach where some of the books belonged.
The store was always peaceful before opening. The only sounds that came was from the holiday music she’d turned on when they entered the shop.