Page 52 of My Salvation

“After coffee,” she countered.

“You have ten minutes, or your eggs will get cold,” he said and headed for the door.

“Meanie.”

“But of course,” he admitted, shutting the door behind him.

She took another sip and began doing mental math. If he was saying the eggs would be cold in ten minutes, that meant the rest of breakfast was already made, and he only had the eggs to cook, which he would start the second he got to the kitchen. If she only did powder for makeup, she could be dressed and downstairs in five minutes.

She sat back and held her coffee to her chest. “I still fucking hate mornings,” she said to the portrait of her parents.

Sighing, she placed her coffee on the nightstand and swung her feet out of bed.

All in all, she was downstairs with a minute to spare and carrying an empty coffee cup.

“Eggs scrambled with sharp cheddar. Biscuits or croissants?” Eion asked, setting a plate down on the table.

She sat down and eyed the perfectly cooked eggs. “Biscuits.”

“Juice or more coffee?”

“Juice with breakfast, coffee afterward.”

“The small bowl to your left is your favorite fruit parfait, and the platter to the right is the meat platter. We have bacon and sausage this morning. I put it between you and Priest so he can eat when he returns.”

“Eion, you’re amazing. I haven’t had a breakfast this good in decades.”

He harrumphed. “I see that you have lost weight living amongst the humans. We will have to make sure you get proper nutrition from now on.”

She lifted her fork and had just taken a bite when she heard the front door open and close. Moments later, Priest appeared in the doorway. He saw her and looked relieved. “You’re awake. Good.”

He set a box and a to-go cup next to her. “For you, my heart.”

“Coffee?”

He nodded emphatically. “Peter got his first espresso machine recently. He actually mixed his own syrups.” He pointed to the cup. “He said that one will be his best-seller. It’s his dark chocolate truffle brownie taste in a mocha.”

She licked her lips, then Eion cleared his throat.

Right. Real food first. “Eion can you ensure this stays hot?” she asked, holding up her cup.

“Of course,” he said before placing it in a warming box.

She eyed the box. “And those?”

“Something lighter. A fae raspberry cheese danish drizzled in dark chocolate. I remembered you haven’t had fae fruit in a while. I hope this helps your morning start with a smile.”

“Priest, when you’re changing diapers, just know it was your own doing,” she warned, then attacked her eggs with gusto.

Her poor mate looked confused as he sat down at the table. “Whose else doing would it be?” he demanded.

“Yours.”

“Why are you threatening me with diapers?” he asked, grabbing nearly all the bacon.

“No reason,” she answered sweetly.

Behind them, Eion laughed, then coughed quickly. “Will the two of you be coming back here for lunch?”