Page 91 of Rebellion

“If it’s affecting your sleep and health, I will get between you and your coffee.”

Uh-uh.

“Those there are fighting words,” she told him. “As in, I will fight you to the death to get my coffee.”

“To the death?” he queried, his lips twitching.

Did he think she was joking?

Because she really wasn’t.

“It’s all right, baby,” she whispered to her coffee before taking another sip. “I’ll look after you.”

Lord, it was even prepared perfectly with just the right amount of creamer.

How did he know?

Hmm.

“Miller prepared your coffee,” he told her as though reading her mind. He sat on an armchair by the bed. Had that been there last night? “She told me you’re quite particular about how you take your coffee. Although I think you would have drunk it no matter how it came this morning.”

He wasn’t wrong.

But she preferred it this way.

“It’s my favorite thing. I don’t need chocolate or donuts or cupcakes. Just coffee.”

“And a good nutritional, well-balanced diet,” he told her.

“That sounds boring.”

“It’s your life now,” he warned her as he grabbed the plate of food off the tray. She glanced down to see it held an omelet.

Hmm. Not too bad.

A bowl of cut-up berries and some yogurt were also on the tray.

She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t eat yogurt.”

“No?”

“It’s so fake.”

“The yogurt is fake?” He looked confused.

“Yeah, it’s like it’s pretending to be healthy, but seriously, some of it has more calories and sugar and stuff than ice cream. And I’m just like... be who you are, yogurt. You know?”

“Not really,” he murmured, his gaze running over her face. “But I like you like this.”

She started to feel self-conscious. She probably looked like an absolute fright with crazy hair, plus she hadn’t properly removed her make-up last night, so no doubt that it was smudged all over her face.

She hid herself behind her mug.

But it seemed he wasn’t going to let her get away with that. Reaching out, he moved the cup away and tilted her face up with a finger under her chin.

“I like you like this,” he repeated in a firm tone. “Happy. Relaxed. It makes me realize that in all the time I’ve known you, you’ve always carried some stress. Which shames me.”

She frowned. “Why would that make you feel ashamed?”

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