Page 115 of Heart of Stone

I hadn’t planned on staying the entire night.

“Good morning, Krystina. Sleep well?”

I rolled over onto my back to see Alexander standing at the foot of the bed, completely in the buff, and utterly shameless. He had obviously just showered and was towel drying his wet hair. Droplets of water rained down from his head and glistened on his shoulders and chest. He was a magnificent sight and I sighed inwardly.

Does he have to look so flippin’ beautiful all the time?

I gazed at him for a moment before chastising myself for ogling.

Focus – you need to get home!

“Very well, actually. What time is it?” I asked, looking around the room in search of a clock. Allyson was probably worried sick. I never stayed out all night.

“It’s just after seven.”

“I have to go.”

“Oh, no you don’t. Not before you eat something. I’m generally not good in the kitchen, but I can make a killer omelet.”

“No, I really should. Ally is probably crazy with worry right about now. I don’t make a habit of not coming home.”

“You’re always in such a hurry to leave me. You have to stop doing that. Besides, you’re a grown woman, Krystina. I’m sure Allyson will understand,” he said, slipping into a pair of jeans. “Just text her and tell her where you are if it makes you feel better.”

“Fine. A quick breakfast then,” I conceded. Holding the sheet up to cover my chest, I sat up. Alexander may have been okay with parading around naked, but I wasn’t quite comfortable with the concept yet. “Would you mind grabbing my cloths from the bathroom? I left them there last night.”

“They aren’t there. I sent your clothes out with Vivian for laundering when she was here this morning to drop off groceries. Your cloths should be back in about an hour. Until then, you can just wear one of my T-shirts. Unless you’re ready to take another crack at the naked thing…” he trailed off, throwing me a suggestive smile.

I frowned at him.

“I’ll stick with the T-shirt if that’s alright with you.”

Alexander shook his head at me and moved over to his dresser.

“Have it your way,” he said, tossing me a shirt that he had pulled out from the top drawer. “But the next time you come over, bring some clothes that you can leave here.”

And with that, he left me alone in the room to contemplate his suggestion. He posed it very casually, but the idea sounded way too permanent for my tastes.

Deciding not to put too much thought into it, I pulled Alexander’s T-shirt over my head. I breathed in the scent of it as it slipped over my shoulders. A mix of laundry detergent and male, the shirt was all Alexander, and potent to my senses.

I rolled out of bed and made a quick pit stop to the bathroom to freshen up and take care of business. When I eventually sauntered my way into the kitchen, I found Alexander already working on our breakfast. Bacon sizzled in a frying pan, while he expertly cracked two eggs into a bowl.

“Do you want help?” I offered. I felt useless just watching him while he diced up ham and bell peppers for omelets.

“No, I’ve got this. Just have a seat. There’s coffee over there with your name on it,” he said. He interrupted the making of his egg creation to point to the small breakfast table at the far end of the kitchen. A cup of steaming hot coffee was waiting for me.

Drawn to the aroma of a dark roast, I made my way over to the table and took a seat. I shifted uncomfortably in the chair, realizing for the first time how sore my behind was from last night. I hadn’t realized he worked me so hard.

Ignoring the troublesome concern over that fact, I took a sip of coffee.

“You make one hell of a cup of coffee. Aren’t you going to have some?” I asked after seeing that only one mug had been poured.

Alexander looked over his shoulder at me and wrinkled his nose in distaste.

“I don’t drink the stuff.”

“That’s a crime in my books. It’s like sanity in a cup,” I said and took another drink, savoring the bittersweet taste on my tongue. “I can’t live without it.”

“My sister is the coffee-holic. I never acquired a taste for it,” he told me. Walking over to the table, he placed two plates of piping hot eggs and bacon on the table for each of us.

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