Page 51 of Merry Fake Bride

“Good morning, did you sleep well?”

“I think so.” Perching on one of the stools at the island counter, I rub my eyes. “I don’t even remember falling asleep.”

“You were out pretty fast and then I couldn’t wake you, so I carried you to bed. I hope that’s alright.”

There’s a touch of concern in his tone as he sets a white cup down in front of me. “Coffee?”

I’m still stuck on him carrying me to bed and I missed it.

How tired was I?

“Just black, please,” I reply with a smile. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“You’re my guest, and guests don’t sleep on the couch,” he replies. “Hungry? I’ve got scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and waffles. Or I have fruit and cereal if you prefer?”

“Can I have bacon?”

Never has a man cooked for me before, and there’s something so sweetly domestic about watching Kairo move about this kitchen.

“Sure thing.”

I think I’m still dreaming.

As he pours me coffee, I study his thick forearm and the long vein that curves around it.

Following it with my eyes gives rise to the strongest urge to drag my tongue along it, so I jerk my gaze away.

“Oh, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Mmhmm?” Kairo sets the coffee pot down.

“Yesterday, you said you had been trying to reach me about something for us to talk about?”

I need something to distract me from Kairo and there’s nothing better than a dose of reality. “Was it about the bakery?”

12

KAIRO

Bacon sizzles like soft music in the pan, the hum of the coffee pot rises faintly as it processes fresh coffee, and Devon sits on my stool still wearing my T-shirt from the night before.

It’s like a quiet fantasy has bloomed to life in my apartment, born out of a storm of which no trace exists anymore.

The dark, stormy skies have been replaced by a stunning blue sky and a crisp wind that chased all my tiredness away when I did my morning exercises on the balcony.

All of that pales in comparison to Devon, a woman who will never be mine and yet in such a short time, my heart yearns just to be close to her.

Bringing up the bakery will undoubtedly ruin this bubble I’ve created, but I can’t stay silent forever.

“It’s about the bakery. Believe it or not, I don’t actually want to destroy your family’s livelihood.”

Devon’s brows pull together and she sits up a little straighter while hugging the coffee cup with one hand.

“If you’re about to spin some kind of ‘it’s not me, it’s the company’ thing…”

“No.” Turning back to the bacon, I start flipping the strips over. “Not… exactly. The deal for that entire block was secured by my father about five years ago. He passed away just over two years ago, and like the good son I’ve always been, I’ve spent these past two years doing everything I can to usher through his old deals. It started as a way to honor him but it quickly turned into me just wanting it all over with. I want to step out from the smothering memory he left behind and to do that, I have to clean up all the messes he left behind.”

The bacon starts to crisp up and just as the edges curl like I enjoy, I remove it from the heat.