“Oh, you’re awake. Yeah, Sunday all day.”
He heard her milling around the room, saw the shadow of her in the dark. “Why are you out of bed?”
“I’ve got this alarm in me. Sometimes I can shut it back off again, sometimes I can’t. I gotta have coffee. Go ahead and go back to sleep awhile. I know you’re working today, but you’ve got a couple hours. I’m just going to borrow your shirt here until I get some coffee in me.”
When she walked out, he stared up at the ceiling. How was a man supposed to sleep after some romantic dream—even if it sat in a corner? Especially when a woman stepped out of a shower making the air smell of honey?
When he imagined her wearing nothing but his shirt?
The weaker sex, his ass. Women had all the damn power just being women.
He got up, walked naked into the bathroom to grab a shower of his own, and found a boxed toothbrush and a travel-size tube of toothpaste on the counter.
She didn’t miss a trick.
By the time he came out, coffee scented the air. She’d lit a fire, and stood by the big front window, drinking her coffee.
Wearing nothing but his shirt.
“The elk are calling,” she said. “Coming down to graze. Sunrise is close. We’ll see it from here, and it’s a hell of a show.”
She turned back, long legs bare, his shirt hanging on her, just a couple of the middle buttons fastened. Her hair hung wet, sleek, dark as midnight.
All the power, he thought again.
“We’ve got some Greek yogurt and granola, if you want some.”
“Why would anybody?”
“I know.” Laughing, she walked back to the open kitchen, opened the fridge. “I tell myself I’ll learn to like it, but I’m losing faith in that. I got some chips there. Picked them up in case we got hungry last night.”
He glanced at them, thought what the hell, and opened the bag. He just needed a few minutes for his system to settle again. Leaning back on the counter, he watched her mix a blob of yogurt with a scoop of granola.
“I just need to change up the sheets and towels, give the bathroom a cleaning, wash up the dishes.”
“I’ll give you a hand with that.”
“It won’t take long. I can ride into the BAC with you, then walk to the office. I’m not getting in my workout otherwise.” She ate a spoonful, winced. “It never gets any better.”
Callen held out the bag of chips.
She struggled, lost. “Just this once.” She reached into the bag. “Why is everything that tastes so good bad for you?” She frowned at the yogurt. “Maybe if I crumbled up chips in it.”
Callen took the bowl from her, set it aside. “I’ve got something to say.”
Her eyes went from amused to wary. “All right.”
“I don’t know where this is heading, where we’re heading, but as long as we’re on the road— Are we still on the road?”
“We’re standing here after rolling around naked half the night, having coffee and barbecue potato chips. It looks like the road to me.”
“Okay then. As long as we are, it’s just us. We don’t have any other traveling companions.”
Studying his face, she ate another chip. “I’m taking that to mean neither of us sleeps with anyone else.”
“That’s the meaning.”
Still studying him, she drank some coffee. “I think you’re probably aware at this point that I like sex just fine.”
“Yeah, I got that. You’re good at it, too.”
“I like to think so.” Enjoying the casual sin of it, she crunched into another chip. “But liking sex doesn’t mean I play fast and loose.”
“I never thought you did, and I’m not just talking about you. There are two of us here.”
She pursed her lips, nodded. “All right. So, a reasonable bargain. No hitchikers, for either of us.”
After setting her mug down, she dusted the salt off her fingers. “Do you want a spit oath?”
It was that damn sly smile again. “Nope.”
He tossed aside the bag of chips, shoved her back against the refrigerator. “I’ve got something else in mind.”
He took her then and there, more fiercely than he’d intended, while the rising sun burned red against the windows.
*
While Bodine didn’t absolutely have to go into the office, she’d already scheduled it into her Sunday. Just an hour or ninety minutes, to clear up some paperwork. She considered pulling out her gym bag—always packed—and taking another hour in the fitness center.
But she figured she’d had plenty of exercise during the last twenty-four hours. Enough that she hadn’t balked when Callen insisted on dropping her off right at the door rather than letting her walk from the BAC.
She left him the tote of wine, beer, and coffee—told him to keep it on hand, then surprised herself, and him, by leaning over and giving him a memorable see-you-later kiss.
To her mind, if you slept with a man and intended to keep right on doing it, you shouldn’t be ashamed if people knew it.
She strolled into her office, humming a little, and decided to continue the screw-it state of mind that had started the day with potato chips.
She grabbed a Coke rather than the water she’d been trying to drink more of.
She’d barely settled at her desk when Jessica clipped by, backtracked. “I didn’t know you were coming in today.”
“Just for an hour or so,” Bodine told her. “You’re on the post-wedding brunch.”
“I gave Chelsea lead, but I’m standing by. So far, so good. The theme continues with Western omelettes, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, huckleberry mimosas, and so on.”
Brows lifted, Jessica angled her head. “You must really like the dress.”
“I do, and I consider it a sign that I’m doing the Walk of I’m Not a Bit Shamed.”
“Good. He’s pretty terrific. I really enjoyed having the time to get to know him, and everyone, better. God.” She stepped in, shut the door, leaned back on it. “I slept with your brother.”
“Rory or Chase? Joking,” Bodine said with a laugh as Jessica’s mouth dropped open. “He’s also pretty terrific.”
“I initiated it.”
“I’ve known him all my life.” Bodine tapped her own cheek. “This is not my surprised face.”
“You’re okay with it.” On a kind of whew, Jessica ran a hand over her smooth twist of hair. “I know we’d talked about it in the theoretical sense, but now it’s reality. I’m relieved you’re okay with it.”
“I’m assuming you’re okay with it, too.”
“I … I’m exhausted,” Jessica said with her own laugh. “I don’t want this to be weird, so I’ll just say: Once Chase gets off the mark, he has a lot of stamina. And that is weird to say to his sister.”
“On the contrary, it makes me proud. I love him, Jessie. There’s nothing weird about knowing he’s interested in someone I like and respect, and she’s interested right back.”
“You make friends easily.” A touch of wistfulness ghosted around the smile. “I’ve seen it. You make them, and you keep them. I’ve made acquaintances easily, and they come and go. I want to tell you how much I value you as a friend. Now I’m going to let you get to work, go hover around Chelsea for an hour or so, then I’m going home. I need a nap.”