I tossed the washcloth over the faucet and dried my face off. I slung my hair up in a messy ponytail and walked out of thebedroom.
The soundof quiet breathing stopped me in my tracks. I froze like a deer in the headlights and frantically looked around for a bat. But I couldn't stop the panicked whistle of breath as I repeatedly whispered, "Shit, shit shit," over and over again. I settled for a rolling pin I kept on a hook right inside the kitchen, and crept into the living room with it raised over myhead.
There was someone on my couch. Someone big by the looks of it, but I couldn't see who it was because their face wascovered.
No one should behere.
"Aaaaagh!" I screamed as I ran over and was about to swing the pindown.
The stranger jerked upright just as the pin was about to make contact. "WHAT THE FUCK?" screamedMartin.
His quick reflexes were the only thing that saved him from scrambled brains because I was already too committed to pull back. One powerful arm reached up to stop the pin, the other caught me as I stumbled forward and fell ontohim.
"Ooof," he grunted as he bore the full weight ofme.
"Martin! What the hell are you doinghere?"
His dark gaze caught mine and I immediately realized my awkward positioning. "What the hell am I doing here? What the hell are you doing with a rolling pin acting like a crazy woman? You were hammered last night! I put you to bed and didn't feel comfortable leaving until you wokeup!"
Every inch of me felt Martin's lean body. I licked my lips, closed my eyes, and tried to scoot my way off of him. His gaze darkened with something that wasn't anger but made me feel all squirmy inside. "So sorry," I muttered. "Sosorry."
Amusement lit his face. "Perhaps if you let go of the rolling pin, you'd be able to getoff?"
My hand immediately let go and I felt my cheeks darken with humiliation. "I'm such an idiot," I whispered as I clambered off ofhim.
Martin lay there rumpled and gorgeous as all get out, dark stubble caressing his cheeks making him look like a roguish pirate. "Well, I guess this makes me feel a little better knowing you aren't prone to allowing strangers to sleep on yourcouch."
His cheeks reddened as he saidit.
Martin sounded...possessive. Part of me recoiled, but the other part I refused to acknowledge melted like warm butter. "Not usually," I admitted. "I rarely stayed here untilrecently."
At that, Martin's expression shut down and I cursed myself for referring to Jeff. "Right," he said as he kicked off the blanket. He was still wearing yesterday's clothing. "Sorry, Katie. I'll let myself out. I was just worried about you." He shook his head. "Stupid, Iknow."
I opened my mouth, shut it, and let out an embarrassed groan. "No. Please. Don't apologize. At all. What you did was very kind. Please." I held out a hand, beseeching him to stay. "Let me make youbreakfast."
He stilled with his shoes in one hand. "Really?"
I gave him a hopeful smile. "Really. Also, please allow me to apologize for my behavior lastnight."
He snorted. "No apologies necessary. The fact that was all that you did is a testament to your strength. If I'd gone through what you have, I don't think just a bottle of wine would do for my subsequent self-destruction."
A small smile peeked out of the corner of my mouth, though my heart wasn't in it. "I really am gettingbetter."
Martin’s look was doubtful, but he gave me a short nod. "My plan was to get started right away, but I really need a shower and to grab some additional stuff from the shop. Mind if I come back around lunchtime?"
I shook my head. "Not if you let me feed youfirst."
"Deal."
Having a sexy,rumpled Martin in my kitchen before 9am did funny things to my insides, but I gave myself a mental pep talk as I started the process to make him cheese blintzes. It was a fancy breakfast for sure, but I had no desire to go to work, nor did I desire to go outside. Not even a little bit. The second I left this house was the second my normal life would be over. Being inside, with Martin strangely enough, felt like a cocoon or an oasis. Even though most of the house was in shambles, right now it was a sanctuary. Nothing inside could harm me. Going outside was a different story. Here I was just Katie. And Martin was justMartin.
He sat on one of my new barstools and watched me as I worked. "How long have you been cooking?" he asked, breaking the comfortable silence betweenus.
I shrugged one shoulder as I loaded the blender with eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla and the other batter ingredients. "I was in the kitchen with my mother as long as I can remember." I smiled as I remembered. "She had the patience of a saint. None of the control issues. She allowed me to help whenever I asked her and my father dutifully swallowed down some of my worst experiences. But she continued to teach me, but she also allowed me to experiment. This -" I pointed at the blender, "is the result of her efforts. I can make whatever I want usually by memory now. So Mom makes me cook when I come over. She says I'm better at it now and that I owe her for eating all of my earlier culinaryexperiments."
Martin's deep laughter disturbed the deep recesses of my brokenheart.
"Your mom sounds like a wonderfullady."
