“False.” He tosses his towel to the bed and grabs a pair of boxers from the drawers on his side of the room. “Before you, I’m quite certain I was deathly allergic to marriage. But here we are anyway, and I’m kinda digging the idea of doing this every single morning.”
“Doing this?” I shrug into his hoodie and loathe the way it hugs me and holds me close. Like a certain man’s arms. “Annoying me?”
“You’re not annoyed. You’re insecure, because you love me too.” Snapping his boxers into place, Archer glances to the bedroom door just half a beat before the sound of a lock snicking across the apartment echoes back to us.
Like he was somehow expecting it.
Searching his drawers, Archer takes out a fresh pair of jeans, and snaps them free of the sharp folds they were stored in. “I’ll be out in a sec, Fletch!”
“No problem,” Fletcher calls back. “Doctor Delicious here?”
“Yeah.” He pulls his jeans up and works the button into place. Damn the fact his abdomen ripples with muscle, and his pecs bounce with his movements. “She’s not decent yet, so stay over there.”
“Got it. I’m making coffee.”
“I’ll take you back to your apartment so you can dress.” Archer moves to the next drawer down and selects a plain white shirt. Shrugging it on and pulling it over his wet hair, he crosses the room and comes to rifle through the hangers in his closet till he finds a dark gray button-up. “I’ll take you wherever you wanna go. Or you can stay here till the sun comes up. It’s your choice.”
I consider that for a moment and look down at my outfit: a too-short dress, and a too-long hoodie. My sneakers sit in the corner of the room—better than heels, I suppose—and my hair is too wet to go outside unless I want to risk freezing.
“I’ll stay here for a bit and dry off properly,” I decide. “Then I’ll head home.”
I step closer when Archer shrugs his shirt on and finishes with the buttons. Wrapping my arms around his hips, I rest my cheek on his chest for just a moment and know, no matter how much I want to fight him on this, I’m alreadyin.
I’m in love.
I’m past the point of no return. And with or without a contract of marriage, if he screws up on the job and dies anyway, I’ll be destroyed until there’s nothing left of the old me to recognize.
“I’m not saying no to this.” I press a kiss to his heart and draw a deep breath. “I’m not even saying I hate the idea of commitment and living together and all that crap.”
He chuckles under his breath. “All that crap.”
“I’m saying give me a minute to adapt. We’ll come around and meet up somewhere on this soon. Somewhere we’re both comfortable.”
“Deal.” Cupping my face and pushing me back, Archer’s eyes search mine and dance with approval. “I love you too. I have to run, but—”
“It’s cool. Come on.”
I step back and take his hand in mine, then I lead us into the hall and emerge into the living room to find Fletcher sitting on the arm of Archer’s couch, his feet on the cushions, his elbows on his knees, and perched right beneath his nose is a steaming cup of coffee… and a filthy smirk.
“Mornin’, Delicious.” His voice is throaty and sexy, like he was the one who got laid this morning, when everyone knows he probably wasn’t. “You look fresh and pretty.”
“Mind your manners,” Archer grumbles.
“Thanks, Detective.” I cross the kitchen and go to the cupboard to find a sleeve of to-go cups and lids. Grabbing two sets, I go to work making the police something warm to take with them. “Where’s Mia this early?”
Fletch lifts his phone and shows off a black-and-white image of what must be a messy bed and a little girl tangled in the blankets. “My neighbor and her daughter are hanging in my apartment till she wakes. Then they’ll get her to the station daycare for me.”
“It’s hard work being a single dad.” I pour one coffee, then a second, and cap them both. “You’re doing great.”
“I’m pretty fucking shit at it all, actually. I’m foisting her onto anyone I can. I’m out working half the damn night. And I won’t be there when she wakes this morning.”
“But you were there when she went to sleep.” Crossing the room with a coffee in each hand, I pass one off to Archer, then I go the rest of the way and switch out what Fletch holds. “You said goodnight. You were the last person she saw, the last voice she heard, and now she’s still asleep. She has no clue you’ve been gone. And when she wakes, she gets to play with toys and other kids.” I bring his half-consumed coffee up and sip with a smile. “You’re doing fantastic, Charlie Fletcher, and things will only get easier from here.”
“You give a hell of a pep talk, Dimples.” He looks across to Archer. “Can I keep her?”
“No.” Archer crosses the room and snags my hand till I crash against his chest. “Get your own and leave mine alone.”
“You know what could be fun?” I push off Archer again and head back to the counter to find my phone. My clutch. My keys. “Notlaying claim to human beings like we’re property to put on a shelf.” Smiling for the men, I look down at my phone and quickly scan the notifications on my screen.