Page 281 of Steamy Ever After

Peyton followed him down the hallway. When they were near her bedroom door, she stopped.

“Trust me,” Brodie whispered.

She followed him into her bathroom, where he turned the shower on. “You’re going first. I’ll keep an ear out for Finn, and I’ll make breakfast. We’ll eat. I’ll take a shower, and then, sweetheart, one of two things is going to happen. Either you get in bed while I hang out with Finn. Or, if you’re up to it, we’ll talk until Finn wakes up, and then we’ll both hang with him. Now, scoot.” Brodie tapped her bottom, turned around, and closed the door behind him.

Peyton let the warm water rain over her. Every part of her hurt from first sleeping in a chair at the hospital, and then falling asleep on the sofa with Brodie. On top of that, she was exhausted—mentally, physically, and emotionally. The best thing would be if Brodie went home and she slept.

She wasn’t the whiny complainer that cried on Brodie’s shoulder. She’d weathered far worse in the last ten years and was a strong, independent woman in the aftermath of her divorce and Kade’s death.

There were times, though, when it was nice to chuck it out the window and let someone else take care of her, for a change. It didn’t make her weak—Kade used to tell her it made her human.

The aroma of bacon wafted into the bathroom, and Peyton shut off the water in the shower. Now that she was clean, she was more hungry than tired.

When she came out, Finn was on the sofa, watching cartoons, chowing down his breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs, and Brodie had tossed chopped vegetables in the skillet for an omelet.

“Hungry?” he asked.

“Starving. I see Finn is a happy camper. Hey, buddy, how are you this morning?” Peyton sat down on the floor next to where Finn was stretched out.

“Brodie made me breakfast.”

“I see that. Whatcha’ watchin’?”

“Teen Titans.”

Peyton sneaked a piece of bacon from Finn’s plate.

“Hey!” he said but then laughed. “It’s okay, Mom. You’re probably more starving than me.”

“Sure am, but it looks like my breakfast may be ready. Need anything before I eat?”

“No, Mom. Jeez. How long are you gonna be like this? Brodie helped me get out of bed, but I made it to the bathroom and out here on my own.” He pointed to his crutches.

“Okay, tough guy. You’re officially on your own.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Brodie set two plates on the kitchen island and pulled out a stool for her. “Feel better?”

“Immensely. Thank you for making breakfast, although I wish you would’ve let me cook for you this morning. You’ve done so much for me.”

“Dinner.”

“When?”

“Tonight.”

“Any requests?”

Brodie glanced at Finn, who was engrossed in cartoons. He leaned forward, kissed right under her ear, and inhaled. “God, you smell good.”

“Brodie, we were talking about dinner tonight.” She smiled and kissed his cheek.

“I can’t think when you’re this close and smell this good.”

“Okay, never mind. I’ll figure it out on my own. Anything I should stay away from? Food allergies? Hate green beans? Anything like that?”

“I’m not that picky. Except lima beans. I hate them,” Brodie told her.

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