Page 69 of Use Me

“Whatcha doin’ down there?” I asked, a towel wrapped around my waist as I walked into the bedroom. Ashtyn was sitting on the floor, her T-shirt, bra, and one pant leg removed.

“I was coming to join you.”

“It’s almost time for breakfast.”

“What time is it?”

I chuckled. “It’s time for breakfast, and then we’re going to bed. When we wake up, you’re going to show me how you lick icing.”

“Are you making pancakes?”

“Yep.” I reached out with my hand for her to stand. I helped her out of her sweatpants and put her T-shirt back on. If she were topless as I cooked, I’d definitely burn the bacon. “Come on. The bacon should almost be ready.”

We walked hand in hand down the hall, and when we got to the kitchen, I directed her to sit on a stool. I kissed the side of her head then moved to the oven to check the bacon.

“Do you always cook naked?”

I looked down at my bare chest and the towel wrapped around my hips. “I’m not much of a chef actually.”

“But you’re cooking now.”

“It’s not hard to screw up bacon in the oven as long as you set a timer. And pancakes are easy when the batter is already made and you just need to add water.”

“You’re the best,” she gushed again. This time she rested her head on the cool granite.

“No sleeping, baby. You need to soak up some of that whiskey.”

“But I’m tired.”

“Tell me about your day.”

She rested her head in her hand while I hurried and made the pancake batter. “So, I got promoted today.”

I stopped shaking the bottle of the pre-made batter. “You did?”

Ashtyn smiled. “I’m gonna be on the five o’clock news starting next year.”

“Holy shit, Cupcake.” I pulled her up to hug me, and then I kissed her hard with a smack of my lips. She tasted faintly of whiskey. “I’m so proud of you.”

“It’s always been my hope to be in that time slot.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

She shrugged. “I forgot. Fireball helps you forget.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, it does.”

The timer on the oven went off, and I checked the bacon. It needed a few more minutes, so I turned my attention back to the pancakes.

“You think I’ll get a new stalker once I’m on that broadcast?”

I stopped pouring the batter onto the buttered griddle. “I hope not. You better tell me if you start getting flowers from a secret admirer again or some guy hits on you. The position is filled.”

“You’re my boss now?”

I smiled as I looked over my shoulder at her. “Yeah, baby, I am.” I wasn’t going to be controlling and shit, but she needed to know I wasn’t going anywhere. If I had to make her bacon and pancakes every night at one in the morning, I would. I like what we had going now. Sure it started with sex and using each other to forget our exes, but now I couldn’t imagine a night without falling asleep with her in my arms.

Things seemed to return back to normal. Or what Ashtyn and I thought normal was. She still didn’t want to stay at her place, but I didn’t mind. We’d gone to her condo and gotten more of her things.