Fuck. She was sexy as sin in the morning, especially after a 6 a.m. quickie.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Past seven. Scooch over.” He prompted her with his chin because she sat on his side of the bed. She cocked a brow, amusement lifting the corner of her lip, but she slid her butt over without comment, plumping pillows against the headboard as she went.
Once she settled, he handed her a cup of coffee. She took it two handed, closed her eyes, smelled the bitter scent, and groaned. “My God. You. Are.Perfect.”
“Well, I try hard.” He sat on the edge of the bed facing her.
She opened her eyes and smiled at him over the rim of her cup. “I was talking to the coffee, but you’re not too bad either.”
He snorted, and her sweet smile turned into a cheeky grin. He leaned over and kissed her good morning, careful not to spill any of the hot liquid into her lap. She rocked toward him, pressing her mouth against his, and he loved how much she wanted his kiss. “How’d you sleep?” he asked, nipping at her plump bottom lip before sitting back and taking a sip of his coffee.
“Like the de—” Her eyes widened, and she dropped her gaze as a blush crept into her cheeks.
“None of that, Eve.” He brushed his finger along the side of her jaw, lifting her chin. “Look at me.” She did, and he continued, “You express yourself however you want, whenever you want. Whatever you feel right now is normal. Whatever you feel in an hour from now. Also normal. Joy, anger, relief, guilt, fear. Doesn’t matter. You escaped a terrifying situation. The women the Matthews abducted before you didn’t. Survivor’s guilt is a common response to a traumatic event and a symptom of PTSD. There’s no right or wrong reaction to what you went through. So say whatever pops into your head and feel whatever you need to feel. But don’t hide it, because no one here will judge you, and we all want to help. Okay?”
Tears welled, making her eyes shimmer, but she took a deep breath, and nodded. “How did you get to be so smart?”
He brushed his thumb over her lips. “I survived a lot of shit I shouldn’t have. Everyone here has.”
“Even Davis?”
Adam dropped his hand and frowned, a hit of guilt challenging his own advice. “He’s seen some things I wish he hadn’t.”
She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her cup on the makeshift table. “He’s lucky to have you.”
He disagreed. Davis needed a stable home with a good family. A place where he could grow into adulthood without the threat of violence hovering over his head. But he was here, and if he wanted to stay, Adam would do everything in his power to keep him alive and in one piece.
“Adam?”
“Yeah?”
“Look at me.”
He shifted his gaze from the wall to Eve and found her watching him intently. She leaned toward him, tilted her head, and brushed her lips against his. “He worships you, and I meant what I said. He’s lucky to have you. They all are.”
He kissed her back. “And you?”
She nodded. “Me too.”
He kissed her again. “Even when I’m being bossy?”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Well, get used to it, princess. Now finish your coffee and get your sassy ass out of bed. We’ve got work to do.”
“Ugh, it’s too early in the morning for Mr. Bossy Pants.”
He stood, grinned, and waved his mug toward the bathroom. “Go have a shower, and I’ll make you breakfast. We can watch CNN together while we eat. Deal?”
“Pancakes and bacon?”
“Sure.”
“With lots of butter and real maple syrup?”
“Only the best for you, baby.”
