Page 87 of Ride Me Reckless

“Thanks for the coffee, Dalia.”

She waved me off. “Thank the Lord. I just followed the instructions.”

I stepped back into the bedroom, the morning light just starting to push through the slats of the blinds. The covers were tangled around Tessa’s legs, one arm flung over her pillow, the other curled beneath her cheek. She looked peaceful—soft, warm, and mine.

I crossed the room quietly and leaned down to press a kiss to her bare shoulder.

“I love you,” I whispered, letting the words linger just above her skin.

She blinked slowly, stretching as her lips curved into a sleepy smile. “That’s a nice way to wake up.”

“I figured I’d take some advice from your mom,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Her eyes fluttered all the way open at that. “She been giving you marriage tips again?”

“Yep,” I said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Told me your father never missed a morning. Said ‘I love you’ every day.”

“She’s not wrong,” Tessa murmured, rolling onto her back. “Keep that up, and I might keep you.”

“Might?” I placed a hand over my heart in mock offense. “Woman, I just pledged eternal devotion at seven-something in the morning. That oughta at least earn me some bacon.”

She laughed, that throaty, half-awake sound that always knocked something loose in my chest. “If you’re wanting bacon, you’d better start cooking.”

“I was thinkin’ hot tea for you first.”

“Mmm.” She stretched again and yawned. “If you bring it to me while I shower, I’ll love you forever.”

I raised a brow. “That easy, huh?”

She cracked one eye open. “Don’t push your luck, cowboy.”

I leaned in for another kiss. “Hot tea, coming right up.”

“And toast.”

I stood with a groan. “You drive a hard bargain, Tessa Rae.”

“Yeah, well,” she called as I headed toward the kitchen, “you’re the one who said ‘I love you’ first.”

The sound of an approaching vehicle filtered through the window above the kitchen sink. I glanced up from buttering toast and saw a car pulling up the drive.

Tessa stepped beside me, holding her cup of coffee with both hands. “That’ll be Callie.”

I leaned to kiss her temple. “Yep, five minutes early.”

By the time I got the door open, Callie was bounding up the porch steps with a brown paper sack in her hand and a grin that could brighten a stormy day.

“Hope y’all are hungry,” she said, waving the bag. “Muffins from the bakery. Still warm if you don’t waste time.”

Dalia had moved to her favorite patio chair with a throw blanket around her shoulders with her Bible in her lap, and clapped her hands. “You’re an angel, Callie.”

“You’re lookin’ good this morning, Miss Dalia,” Callie said as she handed her a muffin and settled into the rocker beside her.

“Good?” Dalia scoffed, tearing off a bite. “I lookfabulous—at least until the sun gets too high and shows all my wrinkles.”

Tessa and I stayed back, watching through the screen door as the two women laughed like old friends catching up after years apart. The breeze lifted a few strands of Dalia’s hair as she sipped from her coffee mug.

“This Bob sure makes a yummy breakfast,” she said, loud enough for me to hear.