Warrick rolled carefully to the side as we reached for each other, cuddling so close that our hearts were practically beating together. He pulled a blanket over us and tucked it around me.
His large palm drifted slowly up and down my back. "Every day I work on new connections. This one was different. Completely natural." His lips drifted across the top of my hair.
His low voice was barely a murmur. "Brooke, you mean so much to me."
I wanted to tell him that I felt the same, but waves of sleep were already pulling me under.
Even though I knew that nothing was ever perfect, just for a few moments, I believed that we really were going to fit into each other's lives completely.
12
WARRICK
Having never had a woman spend the night, I wasn't completely sure of the protocol the next morning. But since Brooke was still sound asleep, I slowly slipped out of bed, tucking the blanket around her.
After a quick shower, I went down to make coffee and see what my housekeeper had left in the way of food. I avoided carbs on Sundays to reset my system, but Brooke might want toast?
By the time she came downstairs wearing only one of my button-down shirts with the sleeves rolled up, I had a variety of options on the counter.
"You're so gorgeous." Pulling her against me, I kissed her softly, then laughed at the bright taste of mouthwash. "Minty fresh, too!"
She smiled. "When she doesn’t have a toothbrush handy, a girl has to improvise."
"As soon as possible, I'd love it if you brought whatever you needed over here. Toothbrush, extra clothes, whatever. Oh, and I'll set you up with a credit card for expenses."
Her smile faded. "I don't need that."
I shrugged. "And that’s fine. But good to have just in case, right? Now, what is your Sunday breakfast of choice?"
Brooke helped me create omelets with some leftover steamed broccoli, which were unexpectedly delicious, and low carb.
Over breakfast and a second cup of coffee, we chatted out on the back deck about everything from butterfly migration to debating the point of scaring the crap out of yourself by watching horror movies.
We were just taking the dishes back into the kitchen when my phone rang. I glanced at the screen. "It's your father. Brooke, I can't lie to him."
She nodded tensely. "I understand."
"Good morning, Frank, how are you?" I walked back outside, hoping that the fresh air would sharpen my mind so that I could figure out what he wanted to hear.
"Is Brooke with you?"
"Yes."
He cursed under his breath. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you two leaving together. What the hell are you doing with my daughter?"
Brooke was pacing in the kitchen as I lowered my voice. "To be honest, falling madly in love with her."
There was a pause, then Frank sputtered, "What the— You're way too old for her."
"Isn't that her decision?" I asked as mildly as possible.
"She's too young for you," he snapped. "Brooke needs to be concentrating on working to help pay for school. Maybe getting a second job. Not gallivanting around town with a guy your age."
"I have no idea how to gallivant," I said honestly. "She's into tech. She understands my inventions. She's seriously looking into robotics, did you know that?"
There was dead silence for several seconds. "Really?"
"Yes. We connect on a deep level, Frank. This is real."