Chapter 12 #2
My frayed self-control is hanging by a thread, and she’s standing there with the scissors, one finger on the blade, smiling like she knows exactly what she’s doing.
I shift, trying to ease the pressure in my jeans, and bite back a groan. “You keep saying things like that, and breakfast’s gonna be very delayed.”
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip.
“You’re going to be the death of me, Sunshine,” I mutter, voice rougher than I mean for it to be. “Get that perky arse ready and come downstairs.”
I turn before I do anything extremely ungentlemanly, like toss her back in the bed and make her say it again.
Preferably while not wearing anything at all.
“Fine,” she calls after me. “But only because I’m feeling generous!”
I make my way downstairs, scanning the kitchen for what I’ve got to work with. By the time she makes her way down, what started as a simple bacon and eggs situation has somehow morphed into a full-on brunch feast. I might’ve gotten a little carried away, but whatever. It looks damn good.
When she walks in, she lets out a little gasp. “Oh my gosh, this looks amazing! I figured you’d offer some burnt toast or something.”
I clutch my chest dramatically. “You’ve cut me deep, lass. My culinary skills are a work of art, and here you are, insulting them like that. I might never recover.”
She bursts out laughing. “Oh, come on. I’m just giving you a hard time. Seriously, this looks like it belongs in a fancy café, not a kitchen that could probably double as a war zone.”
The counter is covered in plates of golden French toast stacked high, dusted with powdered sugar. There’s thick-cut bacon, scrambled eggs with chives and cheddar, and fresh berries tossed in a bowl.
“All made in twenty minutes,” I say. “Impressed yet?”
She just blinks at me. “Are you secretly auditioning to be someone’s husband?”
I grin. “Careful now. You keep this up, and I’ll start charging you for brunch. It’s gourmet, after all.”
“I’ll take my chances.” She pops a berry into her mouth, eyes fluttering shut when she lets out a moan. And I am not okay.
I grip the edge of the counter.
God help me.
“Well, you’ve been warned.” I step back, giving her a slow, teasing bow. “I’ll be accepting payment in the form of compliments…or, if you’re feeling generous, maybe something a little more creative.”
Her brows lift, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Oh? And what exactly would that be?”
I smirk, letting my gaze sweep over her in a way that makes her cheeks flush. “I don’t know, Sunshine. Maybe a whispered thank you in that pretty little voice of yours… Preferably right up against my ear.”
She bites her lip, but a smile breaks through anyway, and damn, if that isn’t the best payment I could ever ask for.
When I gesture for her to sit, her eyes light up in that way they do when something small makes her genuinely happy, as if me making her breakfast has already become the highlight of her morning.
I load her plate up with all the good stuff because she deserves it. More than that, I want to do this for her, even if she doesn’t realize how much I enjoy it.
For a while, we eat in easy silence. Then she looks up, something curious in her expression, like a thought is teetering on the edge of her tongue. Instead of speaking, she turns toward the window, her gaze lingering outside.
“I didn’t get a good look last night, but you have some incredible views here,” she says, her voice almost reverent as her eyes glance over the landscape.
“Aye, I do.”
I catch myself smiling, a little proud, even though I don’t really want to admit it.
This place is my pride and joy. I’ve put in blood, sweat, and probably more money than I’d care to count into getting it where it is now.
When I first bought it, it was a dump. A far cry from the place I wanted it to be.
But the location? The loch just out the back with the hills rolling around me? I couldn’t pass it up.
There’s peace here, a stillness that feels like it could swallow me whole if I let it. It’s not as remote as Knox’s place up in the mountains, but it’s mine.
The neighbors aren’t too far, but they’re far enough. I’m surrounded by hills, water, and the kind of tranquility that makes me feel like the world could stop spinning for a moment, and I wouldn’t mind one damn bit.
I’m the kind of guy who can thrive on chaos. I’m the one people turn to for a good time, the guy who’s always ready to take things to the next level. Hell, even I get a rush from it. Adrenaline’s the closest thing to feeling alive that I know.
The thing is, I’ve learned over the years that I can’t be that guy all the time. There’s only so much wild I can take before I need to step back and breathe. That’s why I chose this place.
It’s like a reset button. After the loudness of life, I need the calm to clear my head. To remind myself that I don’t always need to be “on.”
Maybe that’s why Bree’s been so good for me. She offers a stillness that lets me recharge. I can just…be. It feels damn good.
I catch myself zoning out, getting lost in the view, the way the light hits the water and paints everything in shades of gold.
Then I refocus, pulling myself back to the moment.
That’s when I see Bree again, still staring out the window, her hair catching the light in a way that makes everything feel like it’s a little too perfect.
I can tell she wants to say more but she hesitates. Instead of speaking, she looks back down at her plate, her fork absently pushing food around.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
Her gaze flickers back to mine, still a little guarded. She gives me a half smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, great, really. I just, uh…wanted to thank you. For last night and this morning. I didn’t want to make it awkward because I definitely already did that last night.”
I lean back, crossing my arms as I give her a look. “No need to thank me. I promise you, lass, there was nothing awkward about that for me.”
Her cheeks flush, a faint pink creeping across her skin, and damn, if that isn’t just the most adorable thing.
“Get that smirk off your face, Callan,” she warns, her voice full of amusement and mild embarrassment.
“Who, me?” The smirk stays, of course, because I can’t help it.
Just as she’s about to respond, her phone rings, and I watch her face shift into full-on panic. “Oh my god, it’s Rose. I didn’t tell her I wasn’t going back to her place last night.”
I can’t resist teasing her. “I’m pretty sure she figured it out. In fact, I think everyone did.”
Her hand shoots out and swats me on the arm, and yeah, I definitely deserved that. I rub the spot where she hit me, pretending to be wounded.
She answers the phone, taking it from her ear and muttering under her breath before putting it back up to her face. “Good morning, my favorite Auntie Rose!” she says, though there’s a nervous edge in her voice that she doesn’t quite manage to hide.
There’s a brief pause as she listens to Rose.
“I had…a lovely time, yes,” she winces, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. I already know exactly what’s being said on the other end of the line, even though I can’t hear a single word of it. The tone, her expressions, the way she’s squirming… It all speaks volumes.
“Um, I’m sure Cal will bring me back in a little while?” she says, looking at me like she’s not sure what to do. I nod, offering a reassuring smile.
“Okay, yep, no problem. I’ll see you a bit later then. Okay, bye!”
She hangs up and leans her head back with a groan, her face practically glowing with embarrassment, and I can’t hold it in anymore. A laugh bursts out of me, loud and full of amusement. She’s just too adorable, and I’m eating it up.
“Stop it! It’s not funny,” she protests. “Let’s call one of your aunts and give her a play-by-play, see how much you like it!”
I raise an eyebrow. “If I know Rose,” I start, “then she probably congratulated you but asked you to spare her the details, considering I’m kind of one of her bosses.”
Her eyes narrow, and that’s all the confirmation I need. I hit the nail on the head, and she knows it.
“Right?” I tease. “That’s probably why she was so diplomatic. She didn’t want to hear all of it. Just the highlights.”
Her eyes narrow even further, suspicious delight warring on her face. “You’re terrible,” she mutters, but there’s no real heat behind her words.
“Only for you, lass.” I flash her my most charming smile. “So, what’s your plan? Going to see Juliette today?”
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t think so. I’ll give her one day of wedded bliss before I go bothering her with my antics.”
“Back to Rose’s, then?” I ask, though I don’t want her to leave just yet. It’s a rare thing, having her here, and I’m not ready to give that up.
She offers a subtle nod, taking a sip of her coffee, eyes darting over to me. “Yeah, I guess so. She said she’s going to be out most of the day, but she’ll be back later in the afternoon.”
“It’s my lucky day then,” I say, resting my elbows on the table. “Unless you’re wanting to get back?”
A sly smile spreads across her face. “What did you have in mind?”
“How about a ride? I kinda missed having you on the back of my bike.”
I say it casually, but that ride six months ago still haunts me in the best way.
Her body pressed close to mine, her laughter in the wind, the rush of adrenaline that came as the world fell away.
But I’ll never forget the way she looked when we stopped, the bruises on her body that didn’t belong there. It stayed with me.
I can’t get that moment out of my head.
Now, I want a do-over. I want to give her the ride of her life, where nothing but pure joy fills the space between us. No worries. No past hurts. Just the freedom of the road and her laughter in my ear.
She raises an eyebrow, glancing down at her bare legs with a smirk. “Only one problem there, danger boy. I’m currently pantless and have nothing else to wear.”
She’s cute. I definitely didn’t forget about that.
“Don’t worry,” I say with a wink. “I might’ve picked up a few things for you, just in case we ever found ourselves in this situation again.”
Curiosity dances in her eyes. “Well, color me intrigued,” she says, propping her chin on her hand. “Whatcha got for me?”