I stop dead in my tracks, a shiver running up my spine at the deep voice.
What in the…
I whirl around, pulling my robe tighter against my body, trying to hide the fact that I’m wearing skimpy pajamas andnobra.
“What the hell are you doing here, Shep? And how do you know where I live?”
“It’s weird—your morning security isn’t nearly as worried about your safety as Captain America was. All it took was a grin and he let me right through the gate.”
“How’d you know which door was mine?”
“That one was a little harder to figure out. I had a general idea because of last night, though I wasn’t quite sure about the number.” He points to my door. “The big D hanging on the door kind of gave it away.”
I grumble at the décor.
That giant D was Monty’s idea.
Dammit, Monty.
“Good morning, Denver.”
“Go to hell, Shep.”
“I’ll take that as you’re happy to see me.”
“Is that what that means to you?” I snort as I continue my quest for caffeine. Shep pushes the front door closed and follows me. “Your dates must be an interesting bunch if you find that welcoming.”
“You’re so cheery in the mornings. I forgot that about you.”
I move around the kitchen, pulling the canister of coffee from the cabinet and dumping a few scoops into the basket. I don’t mess around with those one-cup machines. Those are for sissies who quit at one cup.
Ha. One-cup coffee. Like that’s athingor something.
“What are you doing here, Shep?” I ask once I set the machine to begin brewing.
“I assume you’ve already spoken to Allie.”
“I have.”
“And?”
I raise a brow. “And I called that shit. I told you they’d last forever.”
He grins, and in the bright morning light filtering through the windows, he looks nice…normal.
Not the asshole heartbreaker I know he really is.
I pluck a mug from the cabinet above the coffee machine and pour a healthy dose of joe in it before padding over to the fridge to grab my favorite vanilla caramel creamer. I dispense just enough to make my coffee a shade lighter, cap it, and return it to its spot.
“Just cream, no sugar.”
I hate that he still remembers my coffee order, and I hate that he knows it despite never even being with me while ordering coffee.
Attentive bastard.
I rest my back against the counter and face him.
Shep’s eyes fall to my hands, which are currently curled around the mug I’m holding. He squints, studying them. I think nothing of it until his full lips drop open and his hazel eyes find mine.
