Page 15

T he sounds of coffee sputtering reach me through my sleep before anything else, though it’s immediately followed by the smell of nature's mojo juice. Waking to the smell of coffee again no longer brings tears to my eyes, just warmth to my heart when I remember my sweet parents. No matter who gave birth to me, they raised me and loved me like their own, and now my lifelong memories of them are being carried on through my relationship with Roman.

My heart isn't the only thing that's warm, though; I can feel the sun beating down on me through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the townhouse. Reminding me that we all fell asleep on the couch to see if we could stay awake until the guys got home.

I slowly, and only slightly, open one eye to take in our sleeping arrangement and immediately close it again and bring my hands to my mouth to hold in the giggle that so badly wants to be released. From what I can see, we're a wild, static mess of hair and fuzzy blankets. Zoey is quietly snoring with her head tipped back and mouth wide open. Runa is obnoxiously gorgeous and peaceful-looking as she sleeps. Her dark lashes resting gently on her high cheekbones and twitching faintly with what I hope is a happy dream.

Just as I decide to go ahead and fully open my eyes for the day, I'm greeted with the sight that I do my absolute best to commit to memory for always. Roman rounds the couch, coming towards me holding a pink steaming mug of coffee. He's shirtless, his hair damp from his usual morning shower. His maroon sweatpants are hanging low on his hips, leaving all his completely drool-worthy muscles on display. He notices I'm awake, and the smile that stretches across his unnaturally handsome face could make nuns reconsider their life choices. Speaking of nuns, well, kind of, with the sun shining on us through the windows, he's illuminated and looks like an answered prayer with the rays beaming around him. He looks like he's glowing.

When my eyes make it back to his, his smile has morphed from the previous sweetness to all cocky orneriness, causing me to release the previously contained giggle.

“Good morning, Princess,” he greets me, and even his words wrap around me like a warm embrace. He hands me the mug of my life force, and I accept it with one hand, using my other to grab him by the leg of his pants to tug him towards me as I lean over the mug between us for a morning kiss.

“Hmm, good morning, handsome,” I purr a little more than intended and hope I'm not blushing.

When he's righted himself to his full height, he leans back in with his whole body, and I look at him curiously with an eyebrow raised, wondering what his next move is. He grabs me just under my ass, sparking a fire in my core that can't be tended to with company. Once he's lifted me and carefully extracted part of my blanket from Runa's clutches, he slips beneath me and settles me on his lap, tucking my blanket back around me to keep me warm.

I nuzzle into him beneath his chin, resting my head on his chest and listening to his heart. The amazingly caring organ he keeps tucked away just for me. I sigh in total bliss and continue to sip on my coffee while we sit in the most comfortable silence. We're just soaking each other in while his hand lazily trails up and down my legs and back, and I continue to listen to the beat of his heart.

When I've finished my coffee, I move to set the mug on the table, but Roman quickly pulls me back into his embrace while taking the mug out of my hand and setting it down for me simultaneously. Both arms are now wrapping me in my safe space, and I thread my fingers through his where they meet around my legs. “I love this,” I lean into him and whisper, not wanting to break the magic of the moment.

“Hmm,” he growls, “I love you.” And now he's the one nuzzling into me.

I reach up and take his face in my hands, spending a moment looking into each of his gorgeous eyes. One blue. One green. “I wish there was a word that could even measure what you mean to me,” I breathe. I move my arms, wrapping them around his neck, and kiss him, trying my hardest to pour all those emotions into our connection. He answers my every movement flawlessly. I moved again, untangling blankets from my legs and moving myself to straddle my mate.

A small cough sounds from the other end of the couch, and I freeze completely. “I mean, I can't blame you or anything,” Zoey laughs. “I just wanted to make sure you remembered I was here so that I didn't have to witness something I shouldn't have.”

We all burst into laughter, startling Runa awake, and I launch myself off of Roman's lap so we don't give his sister the ick.

Benny must have heard us laughing and takes that as his cue to join us. “Ugh, I'm so glad you're all awake,” he whines dramatically. “ Someone, ” he stresses and playfully glares at Roman, “wouldn't let anyone near this part of the house until you lovely ladies woke up.”

I try to scold him, I really do, but I just laugh and smile because I'm not surprised at all. It makes Zoey laugh all over again, and Runa rolls her eyes as all the men filter into the kitchen. “You wouldn't even let them in the kitchen?” I point at them while glaring lovingly at my mate.

He doesn't even react for a minute, and then he raises his hand to his ear dramatically and just looks at me. All you can hear is drawers opening and closing, cabinets being shut a little too forcefully, someone rummaging through the refrigerator, a blender firing to life, and the water running.

I blush and snicker, “Oh, okay.” I glance over at Benny, who looks like he just got caught in a game of hide-and-seek. “Well, if that's what you guys' sound like in the morning, I can't say I blame him for the kitchen bit.” I hadn't realized how loud they are because they're all usually up and about before I've even woken up for the day.

Benny's smile returns, and he makes his way to join everyone else in the kitchen for his own morning routine.

“Welp, I really should run.” Zoey stretches her arms above her head and arches her back. “I've got class in a couple hours, and it's going to take me nearly that long to brush my hair at this point.” She eyes a specifically gnarly-looking rat's nest in her hair, sighing in dread.

I pick my discarded blanket from the floor and toss it back on the couch and move to where Zoey clearly isn't actually ready to get up for the day but doesn't have much of a choice. “All right, let's get you up before you change your mind and skip class,” I tease. Grabbing her hands and pulling her up and off the couch despite her groaning protests.

“Yes, Mother,” she says mockingly before sticking her tongue out at me and trudging towards the kitchen. “But first, coffee.”