Page 114 of Midnight

“Then I will be needing a happening to happen around sundown, and along about midnight, I might be needing someone to rock me back to sleep. Forewarned is forearmed.”

Asher looked at the box of dishes, and then at the look on Nora’s face.

“About that happening… I don’t think it’s gonna wait,” he said.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m all yours, Kingston.”

He swooped her up in his arms, and down the hall they went.

Suitcases landed on the floor.

Shoes came off, and then their clothes.

Asher pulled back the covers as Nora stretched out across the bed.

He was hard, and she was waiting, and then the waiting was over as he slid between her legs.

“Mine,” he whispered, and began to move.

“Always,” Nora said, then wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper.

* * *

The suitcases didn’t get unpacked until hours later.

Her mother’s china was still in the box while they were having pizza via DoorDash.

It was their first night together in the house that would becometheirhome, and they hadn’t wasted a moment, making love everywhere but on the kitchen counter and the floors.

Tonight was theirs.

Tomorrow belonged to their jobs, and that reminder came late. Sometime after midnight, Asher set his alarm. Sated by sex and food, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

* * *

To Asher’s surprise, Nora was AWOL when he got out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went looking, and found her in the kitchen making coffee.

“Baby, you didn’t have to get up so early,” he said.

She was a little teary, but she was smiling. “I didn’t want to miss my first morning telling you goodbye and be safe.”

He hugged her. “I understand. I’m just as invested in knowing that I’m never coming home to an empty house again. Even if you’re somewhere else, I will still know that this place is where you land.”

“Can I make you breakfast? I’m not much of a cook, but I do scrambled eggs and toast okay.”

“I would be honored,” he said. “Don’t make a big deal about it. I usually just eat cold cereal, so eggs and toast will be a treat. Skillet’s in the drawer beside the stove. Everything else is in the refrigerator. When I get home tonight, we’ll get you signed up on my Whole Foods account and DoorDash, and whatever else you like to use. Delivery is good here.”

He kissed the tip of her nose and took off to finish dressing, while Nora pulled out a skillet and a rubber spatula to stir with, and then headed for the fridge.

About fifteen minutes later, he was back, black hair neatly combed, blue eyes the same color as the shirt he waswearing under his brown leather jacket. His sharp-creased denim Wranglers were shiny from the light starch from the cleaners, and he was wearing his holstered gun at his hip. He set his Stetson on the sideboard and shook his head.

“Darlin’, you’re going to spoil me with this.”

She beamed. “Sit. Eat. I don’t want all this to make you late.”

Then they sat down together and began to talk as they ate.

“What’s on your agenda, honey?”