IVY
I stretched out, forgetting for a moment that I wasn't in my own bed.
But the pleasant ache in my body and the smell of the sheets was enough for last night to come flooding back to me.
I let out a contented sigh. Even if Nick wasn't in the bed with me, it was nice to wake up here, and not just because his flat was bigger than the one I shared with Laila.
I threw off the covers and spotted a t-shirt folded on the bedside table beside me.
Warmth spread through me at the gesture.
It hadn't been there last night, which meant there was only one reason it was here now.
I pulled it on, enjoying the scent of whatever detergent Nick used, with the hint of just him underneath.
Luckily, it fell to my thighs and pretty much covered me, which saved me from having to locate more of my clothing from wherever it had ended up last night. It wouldn't be a problem so long as I found it all before I returned home. I didn't want to make that trip while wearing my elf costume.
I let myself out of the bedroom and headed into the rest of the flat, realising as I did that we never managed to get to the tour of the place and I had no idea where Nick was going to be.
The moment I entered the kitchen, he looked up from where he was sitting on a laptop with a pair of glasses on. He smiled at me and pulled them off, setting them down. "You're awake."
"Yes. Thank you for the shirt." I smoothed it down.
"It was purely selfish," he admitted, getting to his feet and coming over to me so he could pull me into his arms.
"You're going to have to enlighten me on that one," I responded, leaning into him.
"For one, I get to see you in my clothes."
"Mmm, and that's a good thing?"
"Oh yes," he murmured, the expression on his face full of adoration.
"What's your second reason?"
"If you're wearing my clothes, then you're going to have to get naked again before putting your own back on."
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I don't think you need to try so hard for that," I assured him.
"Maybe not." He closed the gap between us and kissed me. It was slow and full of emotion and care. It was different from the kisses we'd shared in bed last night, but not in a bad way.
"Hi," I whispered as he pulled back, unable to really find any other words.
"Hey," he responded. "Do you want some breakfast?"
"Breakfast sounds good."
"All right, coming right up." He gestured for me to take a seat.
"Dinner and breakfast? You really are treating me well."
He laughed and got out a frying pan. "I am trying to impress you."
"Impress away, I could get used to this. Though I'm going to have to do well when you come to stay at my flat." It took me a moment for what I'd said to sink in. "Erm, what I mean to say..."
"It's okay, I don't think either of us thought last night was a one-time occurrence, did we?" he asked as he poured a mixture into the pan and it sizzled. I had no idea what he was making, but it already smelled good.
"I certainly hope not. It was a lot of fun. Though I will say your flat has some perks that mine doesn't."
"It's closer to work?" he suggested.
I let out an amused snort. "That hadn't even crossed my mind," I admitted. "I was mostly thinking about the fact yours doesn't come with a roommate. Unless you're about to tell me that Pieter lives here too."
"Absolutely not," Nick assured me. "He used to own the flat across the hall, but he sold it a few years ago to buy himself a house instead."
"See, no interruptions, that's definitely an advantage."
He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Though I suspect your friend might worry about you if you're never home." He frowned. "Is she going to be worried about you not coming home last night?"
I shook my head. "I messaged her before we had dinner last night."
"Really?" Amusement shone through his voice. He pulled two plates out of the cupboard and set them on the side, emptying the contents of his pan onto them.
"You knew as well as I did that I was going to stay the night as soon as I agreed to come here with you," I said. "I'd have insisted on dinner somewhere else if I hadn't wanted to."
"I didn't assume anything," he promised, finishing off the plates and bringing them over to the table.
He set one down in front of me.
"Homemade pancakes? You know I already slept with you, right?"
"I'm not trying to convince you to sleep with me," he responded. "I'm trying to convince you to date me."
"Consider me already convinced. Didn't we agree to that last night?"
"In a roundabout way." There was an intensity in his eyes that I didn't expect to be there. "I don't date casually, Ivy. If I want to date someone, then it's because I see something with them."
I swallowed hard. "I don't want this to be casual. Just a secret from my boss. At least for now."
"I'm not going to tell her," he promised.
"Thank you." Though his agreement wasn't a surprise, it didn't exactly benefit him if he said he was going to tell her, especially when it would mean that he had to betray my trust to do it.
I ate some of my pancakes, letting out a delighted hum.
"Good, right?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I never used to be able to make pancakes, but then I found this recipe, and it's never failed me since," he said. "That's why I wanted to make them this morning. The batter needs time in the fridge anyway, so I figured I could have everything prepped before you woke up."
"I'm surprised you didn't wake me up when you left the bed. Or in the bed."
He chuckled. "You were fast asleep, I didn't want to ruin that."
"That's sweet." I was still a little surprised I'd slept through it while in someone else's house, but maybe that was just something about him and how comfortable I was around him. We'd been working together for a couple of weeks, and that had involved interacting almost daily in that time.
"Do you have any plans for today?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Usually I spend my Sundays watching rubbish TV and not getting dressed." I ate some more of my pancakes, marvelling at just how perfect they were. He really had made them well. "What about you?"
"Normally I go down to my workshop."
"Don't you do that every other day too?"
He nodded. "I've not really got much else to do. But if you're not in a rush to go home, perhaps you could watch rubbish TV and not get dressed here?"
"Only if you'll do that with me."
"I was counting on it," he responded with a grin.
"Then that sounds perfect." I smiled at him, enjoying the simplicity of sitting in his kitchen and eating breakfast while he was across from me.
Deep within, I knew that this was only the first of many meals the two of us were going to share, and I couldn't wait for each and every one of them.