73 Breakfast in bed (1/2)
Arei let out a long yawn as he removed two mugs from the shelf and poured them both full of hot, fresh coffee. He took a large drink of his a smile curving the corners of his lips as he thought back over his sleepless night. He had laid awake on the sofa staring at his closed bedroom door their conversations playing back or repeat all night. She had openly admitted that she had realized a difference and that it had been him and not Ry that she had actually fallen in love with... but she had also said that realization doesn't change the present even if she is afraid of getting hurt again.
He flipped two perfectly sunny-side-up eggs onto a plate. Bacon sizzled to a satisfying crisp in the other pan as Arei flipped the switches of the stove off. He pushed down the lever on the toaster and arranged the bacon onto the plate while he waited for the toast. He grabbed a makeshift tray and placed the plate and mug on the tray just as the toast popped up. He quickly buttered it, cut it into even triangles then finished off his own coffee savoring its bitter taste. He glanced down at the tray arching a brow. {Does she drink coffee now?} He walked over toward the fruit bowl on his counter and grabbed an orange and another small glass. He quickly squeezed the orange juice into the glass before nodding his approval toward the tray then grabbing it, and heading for the bedroom.
A soft rap on the door woke Jos from what could have possibly been the best nights sleep she'd had in months, maybe even years. The smell of sandalwood and lavender with the smallest hint of vanilla wafted around her from the soft Egyptian cotton sheets. She snuggled her face into the fur of the fluffy throw pillow she'd fallen asleep cuddling last night as another soft rap sounded at the door.
”Come in.” She replied as she pushed herself up in bed, her back melted into the many soft pillows lining the large headboard and she giggled.
Arei carefully pushed the door open balancing the tray in one hand and working the knob with the other. ”What's so funny?”
She hugged the fluffy pillow to her chest another giggle squeaking out as he stepped fully into the room. He had gym shorts on an incredibly baggy tank top that looked like the armholes had been cut down the sides. She cleared her throat and looked away as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
He placed the tray to the side and arched a brow in her direction a smile playing across his lips. ”Do I have to tickle it out of you?” He asked knowing how much she used to hate being tickled.
Her cheeks heated fast as she quickly met his gaze. ”Please don't!”
He smiled, ”Then what is it, kitten?” He pushed the tray toward her and nodded in her direction.
She glanced down at the tray and smiled. ”It's just you and this apartment...” Her eyes twinkled as she met his gaze. ”It's so cute and you're sooo... MALE!”
He shrugged, ”Like I said last night it's what I like.” He leaned over and stretched his long body across the bed. ”What would you expect? A barn with hay... pictures of mustangs galloping across the walls?” Though his words sounded hurt, he continued to smile up into her eyes.
She rolled her eyes. ”Well no, but I would expect something... a little more... um...” She searched for the words but couldn't bring herself to say the one word that kept wanting to come out.
”Manly? Is that the word your searching for?” He asked his brow lifted as his smile widened. He laughed when her cheeks reddened more and she glanced away squeezing the fluffy pillow tightly against her. ”It's okay. I get it, trust me.” He laughed before saying in a more stern voice. ”Now eat. I wasn't sure if you'd taken up drinking coffee or not, but everything else is just how you used to like it.” He pushed to tray a little closer to her and nodded toward it again.
Jos tilted her head, ”You remember what I liked for breakfast and how I like it? After all these years?” Her eyes went from his to the perfect sunny-side-up eggs and the crispy bacon, the lightly buttered toast, and what was sure to be fresh-squeezed orange juice.
He nodded, ”Well you are the only person, other than myself, that I've ever fixed breakfast for...” He shrugged, ”It's not like it's too complicated of a breakfast anyways, it's pretty much the same as me.”
He pushed himself back into a sitting position. ”Eat up and we'll talk when you're finished.”
Jos stopped him as he slid toward the edge of the bed. ”We can talk now, while I eat. It's alright.”
”Alright...” His eyes trailed over her messy hair and a cotton tee. {My gods!} He thought as he cleared his throat and adjusted himself, watching her close her eyes in pleasure as she sipped the orange juice. He had to look away when she let out a small moan. He stood and walked toward the windows lining the sharply angular ceiling and focused his attention outside. ”You said last night that you're not in a huge hurry. If we can stay here long enough for me to lose out all my business here then I'll accompany you where ever you want to go... back to the Carolina's, home... where ever.” He glanced at her over his large shoulder, ”After last night, my position as been compromised.” He turned back toward the window. ”I figure by now DeMarco has a pretty good idea who I am and has probably told all his buddies.”
Jos frowned, ”I'm sorry.”
He turned fully around and smiled down at her. ”You have nothing to be sorry for, kitten. It was my choice to get involved.” He shrugged. ”And more or less, I got the information I was after.”
Jos tilted her head, ”What were you after?”
He shrugged again, ”Ry and I both were sent in roughly six months ago when the DeMarco brothers submitted change of address forms for the same area you guys where living. I was sent here to the main headquarters, Ry was sent to you.” He walked over to another hanging chair that matched the one in the living room and sat in it filling the full basket of the chair. He began slowly rocking back and forth. ”The council suspected they had moved there after somehow learning the twin's location.” His eyes met hers as he continued, ”It didn't take us long to work out the cause of all the 'mysterious' deaths in the area...” He looked away and ran his hand over his hair, ”I tried to talk Ry into changing locations with me then...” He shrugged. ”Anyways, in a nutshell- they hadn't found out the twin's identities or locations prior to moving there, it was strictly coincidental, as was your meeting. However, as soon as Shelly's identity was discovered, things seemed to take a sharp turn toward what the council had expected in the first place. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to Ry about all of it yet, but I know the things DeMarco was saying about his brother and the girl pup is entirely true. Ry is in India as we speak with both Russ and Shelly, and Shelly is with some Gen they both know.”