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His hold on me tightened.
I inhaled and closed my eyes, savoring his warmth and letting go of my own insecurities. Nero was here. He didn’t leave, and he wasn’t going to. I opened my eyes and plucked the spatula out of his hand. “You’re going to burn the eggs.”
“That was cruel,” he laughed and followed behind me.
“Payback.” I winked then focused on the eggs.
A low whistle came from him, and I spun around. His eyebrows raised, and he nodded, his lips curving upward. “You look good in my shirt.”
“You might need to cut me out of it later,” I admitted.
“I’ll be happy to.”
I went to the stove, turned the heat down on the eggs, and gave them a good mix so they didn’t burn to the bottom of the pan. Nero wrapped his arms around my stomach, chin resting on my shoulder.
“I’m supposed to be making you breakfast,” he said before trailing kisses across my neck.
“I have control issues in the kitchen.”
“I’m quite enjoying myself,” he said, taking a playful bite from my shoulder. “I could just have you for breakfast. I do owe you the best orgasm of your life.”
My thighs quivered, remnants of his touch zinging through me from last night. After the shower, we’d dried off and cuddled in bed. My eyes had shut the minute my head had landed on his chest.
His hand glided across my stomach, his finger dipping beneath the top of my underwear. I smacked his hand. “While that is very true, and I’d very much like for you to make good on that promise, I need sustenance first.”
He nibbled my neck, then pulled away. “I guess it can wait.” He plucked the spatula out of my hand. “Go sit.”
“But—”
“Lanes, I am making you breakfast. Now take that sexy ass of yours and go sit.”
I pouted, but he was having none of it.
“As cute as that is, it’s not getting you anywhere.”
“Fine.” I turned toward the table. “But the eggs are pretty much done. You don’t want to overcook—”
“Lanes.”
I pressed my lips together and sat my ass down. He brought over a mug filled with coffee, and I happily accepted. I took a sip and smiled. It was made exactly how I liked it. “So, where were you last night?” Chris had said he’d gone to help out a friend.
He ran a hand over his hair. “Ron Noah was missing, so a few of the guys from the VFW went to look for him. We found him. Your dad took him home.”
My eyebrows drew together. “You were with my dad?”
He turned the burner off, grabbed the pan, and moved toward the kitchen island. “And Albert and Teddy.”
“How’d you get roped into that?”
He shrugged. “They’re my friends.”
“How does that happen? Don’t get me wrong. I love my dad and think he’s the best, but… he’s old and Albert is ancient.”
Nero placed a plate of cheesy scrambled eggs, sliced avocado, and bacon in front of me. He sat down with his own plate. “They were all friends with Gramps, and after I lost him, I showed up there. I’m not really sure why. Maybe because being near the people who loved him not because he was family, but because of who he was to them, made me feel closer to him. It took me all of twenty minutes to realize they were his family, too. After that, I just kept showing up. I had never been in uniform or been to war, but I understood them in a way I hadn’t expected. See, when they all came home from war or left the military, they felt lost. Unsure of what they were going to do next. It’s kind of how I felt at the time. How I still feel sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want greater purpose in my life, Lanes. I want to feel accomplished and not just Vine Valley Vineyards glorified bartender.”
