Page 11

Chapter 11

Cat

A fter that delightful break, I got back to the coffee.

Deegar leaned against the counter, his gaze shooting from the can to my mouth over and over.

“I made it from cold brew, so it’s really smooth and not too strong,” I explained as I gave each glass a stir and added more cream on the top.

I handed him a glass, and he brought it to his nose, taking in the aroma before sipping.

“The flavor’s unlike anything I'd ever had before—smooth yet slightly sweet, with an earthy undertone,” he said. “It's amazing. What did you add? Spices?”

I shook my head. “Nope, it's just a touch of brown sugar and the whipped cream—the perfect combination for a fall day like this one.”

We took our drinks outside to enjoy the last few moments of light before the sun slipped below the horizon. Snuggling together on the porch swing, we watched as the sky turned from vivid blue to deep orange and yellow.

Mosquitoes started to buzz around us.

“We don’t have insects like this in the orc kingdom,” he said, swatting one away.

“Let’s go inside where they can’t nibble.” I couldn’t stop thinking of what I’d done for him in the kitchen. The amazed look on his face. The way he’d bellowed when he came. The way he’d looked at me after, as if I meant everything to him.

Somewhere between the thrift shop and that can of whipped cream, I’d fallen in love.

What should I do about it?

I didn’t have to think long or hard to come up with an idea.

We watched another romcom, him picking it out this time, laughing at the silly jokes and the cute way the couple fell in love. I felt like the characters’ lives mirrored ours, and it wasn’t hard to see us slipping into the same happy ending.

“Another day off tomorrow,” I said. “What should we do?”

“We could walk on the beach again. It’s amazing there. I can see why you love living so close.”

“We could hike Trellor’s peak if you’d like. It’s only about three miles round trip, and the trail’s easy. The view from the top can’t be beat. The ocean stretches in front of you, dotted with islands, and if you use binoculars, you can see Canada in the distance.”

“That sounds like the perfect way to spend the day.” He rose, glancing at the clock. “I suppose we should go to bed now.”

“Yup.” I got up as well and walked toward my bedroom door.

“I’ll try to wake before you do. I’d like to cook you breakfast.”

“I adore bacon almost as much as you,” I said with a sultry smile. “Though you’re a close second.”

His laugh barked out. “If you’d like, we could do a comparison in the morning.”

“Or . . .” I gathered the courage to speak “Or . . . you could come to bed with me and give me a sample I can use when comparing to the bacon in the morning.”

His eyes widened, but the sexiest smile crept across his face. “What are you offering, Cat?”

“Everything. Me. You. Any way you’d like to be with me.”

“Are you sure?”

Nodding, I took a deep breath. “Yeah, I am. I want to be with you, Deegar.”

“Mate,” he breathed, striding toward me.

“I haven’t been with anyone in what feels like forever,” I croaked. “At least a year before Mom died. I was sad for such a long time. I couldn’t bear to open myself up to someone new.”

“I understand.” He tugged me into his arms and held me. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Lifting me off my feet, he carried me into the bedroom.