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Coffee.
Focus on the coffee.
It’s about the only thing that can distract me right now. My tastebuds do a little dance as I cross the living room, sidestep a handful of boards propped against the wall, and then reach for the doorknob.
Roman stands on the porch, a bag tucked under one arm like a football. The rich aroma wafting up from the carton of paper cups makes my mouth water.
“Delivery,” he says. It’s obvious by his tone of voice that he doesn’t appreciate being a gopher, and I don’t blame him. Part of the plan for this house included a top-of-the-line coffee maker. Some people want Italian marble. I need my favorite Italian roast.
“You’re the best!” I take the cardboard tray, burying my nose between the three cups and taking a deep inhale. “You got one for yourself?”
“Yeah.” He hands over the bag and takes a step back. “Everything good?”
He glances past me, no doubt looking for Katherine. Heat creeps up the back of my neck. Does he know what we did last night? What I’m counting the minutes to do again?
Roman meets my gaze, and I give a quick nod. So what if he knows. He’s bound to confidentiality, and what happens in the privacy of my bedroom is just that. Private.
“Katherine’s out back.”
The words are barely out of my lips before he’s striding down the stairs and around the side of the house.
“Thank you!” I call after him and bump the door closed with my foot. And because I don’t want to hear it from Alex, I wrestle with the lock while trying not to drop my precious parcels.
I leave the loot in the kitchen. With my coffee in one hand and a cream cheese Danish in the other, I return to the window. The puff pastry melts on my tongue and I bite back a moan. Just like that, a little piece of my soul returns.
The universe must sense my bliss because, exactly three seconds later, my phone buzzes in my pocket, the outside world pressing in. I close my eyes and count to five.
Another sip of coffee.
I pay my staff well, but I’ve never gone off the radar before. They can handle it. Right? Right.
I bought this place to be a haven, I remind myself. To let myself breathe. To take time away from the office and all my projects.
So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Ignore my phone, stand here, enjoy my black-as-night elixir. The company’s not going to burn down just because the CEO steps out for some personal time. And if it does, we did a shit job of building it.
Deeper in the house, a bag rustles, but I’m pretty sure the mouse helping himself to breakfast is none other than my six foot five, two hundred and seventy-five pound best friend. A moment later, Alex joins me at the window, freshly showered, coffee and muffin in hand. Called it.
He might try to act like he doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but the man can eat. Always.
“Where is she?” He practically grunts the question, then takes a long sip from his cup.
I jut my chin toward the beach. “Out there with her ass in the sand,” I murmur.
He crosses behind me to get a better vantage point.
“And before you ask, yes, I’ve been watching her.” Like a hawk, but I keep that tidbit to myself. “And Roman’s back on duty now.”
Another grunt as he leans against the window trim. Not even a trace of a smile.
Something’s going on with my best friend.
I’ve known him long enough that I can read his moods with ease. Except now. He’s wound tight as a bongo drum, giving shorter answers than usual. Which is saying something because he’s Mister Five Word Answers on a good day.
The only thing I can figure is that he didn’t enjoy sharing her, even though he’d been into it at the time. I’ve never known him to be jealous, mostly because he’s never had a steady partner. Or wanted one, for that matter.
“We gonna talk about it?” I finally ask because I can’t stand the tension any longer.
