Page 63 of A Love Like Christmas Time
And then all the memories come rushing back into my brain. His face between my legs, about the best orgasm I ever had and…
I jump up and throw the blanket off me. I’ll have to postpone the reminiscing, because I have two cats at home who, despite having a lavish dinner before I left for Caleb’s, will turn into starved, ravenous beasts if they don’t get fed soon.
What time is it anyway? My eyes dart around the room, finding my pants tossed into a corner, my phone peeking out of the pocket. I fumble it out quickly.
Six o’clock. Okay. That isn’t too bad. I reckon I have another hour before they decide to eat the couch or break into my fridge.
Wait. Where’s Caleb?
I whip my head around, but his whole flat is quiet and dark. I turn around. Right. He definitely wasn’t in bed. I’m pretty sure I would have realized that, even pre-coffee.
Coffee. Right. He’s probably already at the café.
Quicker than a hurricane, I find my clothes, scattered all across his flat, and pull them on. I’m about to rush out when I see a palm-sized note pinned to his apartment door:
Swing by through the back before you head home.
And just like that, thanks to his scratchy handwriting, all the stress leaves me. Now that I think about it, it would be better for both me and the cats if I had a coffee before I drove home.
I grin, pluck the note from the door, fold it neatly, and stuff it in my jeans pocket before I run down the stairs.
“I didn’t even know your café had a back door,” I blurt as I walk inside the kitchen through said back door.
He’s kept it ajar with a brick between the door and frame. Whether that’s because his ovens have turned the kitchen into a sauna or because he was waiting for me, I don’t know. I’m going to pretend it’s the latter.
“Good morning,” he mumbles, blinking up from where he’s rolling out a giant piece of dough. As soon as his eyes land on me, he sets the rolling pin aside.
I didn’t know what to expect this morning. Maybe it was going to be awkward. Maybe he’d return to his usual grumpy self and scold me for demanding a gingerbread latte.
But he doesn’t.
Instead, he walks around the worktable. Before I know it, he’s running his fingers through my hair, wrapping his other arm around my back and kissing me.
I hum happily, sliding my cold hands under his sweatshirt and pressing my palms against the small of his back. He flinches, but I feel him grin into the kiss.
“Good morning, handsome,” I mumble against his lips after he breaks the kiss, a love struck smile tugging at mine.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispers right back and kisses me again.
“Careful, I might get used to this.” His only reply is to lean in once more for a kiss that leaves me breathless. I’ll take that as a ‘please do.’
“I made you breakfast.” He nods toward the left. There’s a table scattered with papers and recipe books that have markers sticking out of them. On it are a thermos mug, hopefully filled with coffee, waiting for me, along with a small plate holding a golden pudding pastry.
“You’re spoiling me.” I grin and lift myself onto the table. “Sorry, is it okay if I sit here? Am I in the way?”
“Sure, sure.” His gaze wanders over me, unhurried. Lingering just long enough to make my heart skip a beat and heat to rush into my cheeks. Oh, he’s definitely thinking about yesterday. “Dig in. I figured you might want something to eat before going home to feed your kitties.”
Aww, he thought of my cats.
“You figured right.” I giggle and take a bite. My eyes widen. “Oh my God,” I groan, hiding my full mouth behind my hand. “Caleb, that is so good.”
It’s buttery. It’s flaky. And it has a hint of gingerbread spice.
“Are you a magician?” I wave the pastry through the air, but then I stop when I realize that some of the pastry is falling off. “You could achieve world domination with these.”
“I don’t need world domination.” He shrugs, but the corners of his mouth tug into a grin. Then he shoots me a look that makes me go weak in the knees, even though I’m sitting.
“You’re so sweet,” I say dreamily and takeanother bite.
