Page 44 of Beastly Mountain Man

“I’m observing.”

I set the plate in front of her.

She picked up her fork, then stopped.

“Are you eating too?”

“As soon as the next one’s done. You don’t have to wait.”

“I know. I want to.”

I finished mine faster.

When I sat beside her, she lifted her mug.

“To breakfast with no measurable outcome.”

“That sounds risky.”

“It does.”

She cut into the waffle.

Her first bite included berry, syrup, and enough whipped cream to settle the argument.

Her eyes closed for half a second.

I kept eating.

Caprice opened them again and pointed her fork at me.

“I can feel you deliberately not commenting.”

“I’m having breakfast.”

“You’re enjoying restraint.”

“I’ve been told I’m good at it.”

She took another bite.

“The whipped cream is excessive.”

“You could stop eating it.”

“I need you to quit offering solutions when I’m clearly complimenting your work.”

“I thought you liked solutions.”

“I contain contradictions.”

“I’m learning.”

Her smile lingered as she kept eating.

Bear appeared halfway through the meal, having decided his breakfast at home no longer counted.

He went directly to Caprice.