The bedroom smelt delicious.
Bacon, eggs, bacon, fresh toast, and bacon.
Elisa’s stomach rumbled and opening her eyes, she smiled, stretching out in the tumble of sheets.
The morning sun streamed through the window, bathing her in warm light. Outside, the sound of the breaking waves joined the soft sound of seagulls and even softer sounds of people enjoying the beach.
Elisa stretched some more and smiled wider. She could truly get used to waking up like this.
Waking up like this means living in Australia. It means Christmas in Summer. It means no country-wide July 4thcelebrations. It means starting all over with your work: new business, new clients, new everything.
The thought should have turned her stomach to a churning maelstrom of anxiety. It didn’t.
Bria was already living in Australia. She loved it here. The only things she said she missed about no longer living in San Diego was not living with Elisa and Zeta, and not being able to see their mom and dad whenever she wanted.
If Elisa lived in Australia with Angus… What about Zeta? How could Elisa move away from Zeta? They were the twins of the triplets. Zeta was almost a part of her. How could she not be where Zeta was?
What if Angus moves to San Diego?
She scrunched up her face and pressed her palms to her face, chuckling into her hands. She really needed to slow her head down. Take some breaths. Live in the moment, not…whatever lay beyond Angus’s front door. Now, now the only thing that mattered was breakfast.
And making love to Angus again after breakfast.
But first, breakfast.
Her stomach rumbled again, agreeing wholeheartedly with the plan.
Breakfast. Eggs. Bacon. Bacon.
Hmmm…bacon.
She climbed out of bed, slipped her arms into the shirt Angus had given her last night, and headed into the en suite. She cleaned her teeth with the toothbrush he’d given her somewhere around two in the morning, brushed her hair with her fingers, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and made her way to the kitchen.
Like yesterday when she’d left his bedroom, the delicious aroma pulled her along. Quickened her pace. Her mouth filled with saliva and her stomach growled again.
At the sight of him working in the kitchen, shirtless, black boxer briefs covering his gorgeous ass, and what looked like a garland of bright-red tinsel wrapped around his head, her pulse quickened.
Yes, she coulddefinitelyget used to waking up to this.
She made her way over to him, slid her hands around his waist, and kissed the spot between his shoulder blades. “I am starving.”
He chuckled, twisted a little, and gave her a smile. “Admit it, you’re only my fiancée for my amazing cooking.”
Going up on tiptoe, she stole a quick kiss from his lips. “You’ve found out my secret.”
He chuckled again. “I’m not complaining. Table is set. Ready for the best fried eggs and bacon you’ll ever have?”
“Ready.”
Making her way to the table, a wave of happy warmth rolled over her. The table was indeed set. And wow, talk about impressive. There was a stack of freshly made toast, what looked like a glass pitcher of fresh OJ, a fruit platter that looked like it came from a tropical island resort’s website, a bowl of what she guessed was some kind of yogurt, two steaming mugs of coffee…oh Dio, coffee, yes, she needed a coffee…and their plates.
She froze, her heart slamming up into her throat as she stared at the plate set at the chair she’d sat at last night. “Is that a key?”
“It is.” His voice was steady, low. “It’s symbolic really, because Kara has my spare, but…well… I thought it could be an early Christmas present. From me. To you.”
She feathered her fingers over the key on the plate.
Oh boy. Oh boy, this is happening. Is this happening? This is happening.