Page 100 of Never To Be Mine

Juno made a small noise and burrowed closer, her hand sliding across my stomach. My whole body stiffened, including one part in particular.

But she looked so cozy. I didn’t want to wake her. I carefully eased my arm out from under her. I rolled away and moved just a touch faster than a snail to keep from jostling her. I pulled on my sweats and padded into the kitchen.

Coffee first. I started a pot and scooped protein powder into both mugs. It was one of the few things I consumed that had earned Juno’s official seal of approval, which was saying something. If there was one thing I’d learned about her in these past few blissful weeks, it was that she hated processed food with the fire of a thousand suns. The dietitian in her never took a day off. She read labels. Scoffed at most of the so-called health food on the market.

So breakfast needed to be the real deal.

I pulled eggs from the fridge, separated the whites, and chopped bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes while the pan heated. Goat cheese went in last, crumbled over the top just before the fold. It smelled amazing. I tossed in some fresh basil because I knew she liked it.

I was sliding the second omelet onto a plate when I heard her behind me. I turned around and nearly dropped the pan.

She stood in the doorway wearing one of my T-shirts and absolutely nothing else. It hit her mid-thigh, the neck slipping off one shoulder, her hair wild, her face still soft with sleep. She looked rumpled and gorgeous and like every fantasy I’d ever had.

I’d rather eat her for breakfast. Screw the omelets.

“Good morning,” she said, voice husky with sleep. She wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her face into my chest.

“It is now.” I set the pan down and kissed the top of her head, breathing her in. “Sleep okay?”

“Mmm.” She tipped her face up to me. “Somebody wore me out last night.”

I kissed her and briefly considered abandoning breakfast entirely in favor of carrying her back to bed. She must have read my mind because she pulled back with a grin.

“Food first. I smelled tomatoes, and I need to confirm it’s real.”

“It’s real.” I handed her a mug. “Egg white omelet, fresh veggies with goat cheese.”

She took a sip of the coffee. “It smells amazing.”

We took our plates out to the deck. The ocean was calm with a few people already on the beach. Juno sat in the lounge chair, balanced her plate, and took her first bite. Her eyes closed.

“So good.”

I could get used to mornings with her in my shirt, on my deck, eating my cooking with the ocean as the backdrop. A picture-perfect start to a lazy Sunday. No plans, no phones, nowhere to be.

Which reminded me.

“So, slight change to the lazy part of our Sunday.” I set my fork down. “I have to meet with your dad this afternoon to hammer out the details for the burger launch. Marketing timelines, production schedules, the whole thing.”

She looked up from her plate. “On a Sunday?”

“His idea. He wants to move fast. The sooner we get it to market, the sooner we own the space before somebody else cracks it.”

“I know, I know.” She sighed dramatically, stabbing a piece of tomato. “The one day I finally get you all to myself, my own father steals you.”

I laughed. “You’re jealous of your dad.”

“A little bit, yeah.” She pointed her fork at me. “He gets you all afternoon and I get you for breakfast. The math is not in my favor.”

“Hey.” I reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers trail down her jaw. “For what it’s worth, he doesn’t look nearly as good bottomless in one of my shirts.”

She burst out laughing, nearly choking on her coffee. “Oh my God. He better not.” She shook her head, still laughing, and shoved my shoulder. “You’re naughty. Finish your omelet.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I picked up my fork and watched her settle back into her chair, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, my shirt slipping off her shoulder again. My mind ran through a list of excuses I could use to get out of the meeting. Unfortunately, it had to get done.

Eventually she gathered her plate and followed me inside. I took the dishes from her and set them in the sink, then pulled her back against my chest.