Page 29 of Purr For Me

Marcus kept walking, and she reminded herself to ring Stella later.

* * *

Queen’s “We Will Rock You” shattered the silence, jerking Lexie from slumber. She fumbled around on her nightstand until she located the offensive device and squinted at the screen which displayed Kade’s number. She caught sight of the time as she hit the answer button.

“Why the hell are you calling me at five-thirty a.m.?”

His slightly hoarse laugh sent a jolt of desire down her spine, and Lexie was suddenly wide awake. “I thought I’d take you to breakfast before I head to the gym.”

The memory of their kiss from the other night was never far from her mind, and his voice brought it into sharp focus. His warm, supple lips on hers, the way he’d tasted, the heat of his muscular body against her palms. Her breathing grew shallower as she recalled how good it had felt to have a man’s arms around her again.

“Did you fall back to sleep?”

At Kade’s question, Lexie flipped over onto her back with an exasperated sigh. “No. There’s no danger of that now. Once I’m awake, there’s no going back.”

“Sorry. I know a place that has the fluffiest pancakes you’ve ever tasted and nice crispy, salty bacon, and killer coffee. C’mon, Lexie. It’s just breakfast. Besides, I can update you on what my team has found out on Jason.”

Lexie’s stomach growled at the mention of bacon, one of her favorite foods. It didn’t matter what time of day or night it was, Lexie was always eager to consume the artery-clogging meat.

Her ravenous stomach shouted at her to accept his invitation. “Okay, if you’re buying.”

“I am. Meet me at Sunny’s on Bartlett Street in half an hour. See ya.”

Getting out of bed, Lexie felt a little giddy at the thought of a free breakfast. She raced through showering and threw on a pair of jeans shorts and a Joan Jett & the Blackhearts t-shirt. As she pulled her damp hair into a high ponytail to air dry, she caught sight of her reflection in her bathroom mirror and paused.

The woman she saw staring back at her looked different. Instead of the shadow of sadness that seemed to be ever present in her eyes, there was a little sparkle in their dark depths. It confused her because nothing in her life had changed to cause it.

Or had it?

Kade.

Lexie shied away from attributing the lift in her spirits to him, instead giving the credit to time. It was supposed to be the healer of all wounds, right? She told herself that Kade’s appearance in her life right then was nothing more than a coincidence. That decided, she grabbed her backpack and keys on the way out the door.