Page 128 of His Virgin Romance Series

JARED

Iwoke up twice in the middle of the night. The first time, I stirred and hit something soft and curved next to me. I tried to turn, but my ankle was killing me. Then I heard a sigh that made my cock stiffen, and I felt Rachel’s arm curl around my body. Slowly, so that I didn’t disturb her, I turned. She was lying next to me on her side; her breathing was quiet and peaceful.

I was sorely tempted to kiss her full, luscious lips, but that would be wrong of me. I was the one who had asked for time. I had asked for time so that I could make a decision about us. I didn’t have the right to kiss her now…especially since I hadn’t given her any indication of where we stood. I stared at her until I fell back asleep. The second time I woke up, she had turned away from me, so I couldn’t see her face.

I stared at her back, imagining how lovely it would be to just call out her name and have her to turn towards me with a smile on her face. I wondered how I would feel tomorrow when she was no longer sleeping by my side. The thought itself depressed me, and I wondered if that was my answer in a nutshell and I was just too damn proud to admit it.

When I woke up the next morning, feeling a little pain and discomfort in my leg, the left side of the bed was empty. I sat up slowly and looked around. I could see Rachel’s things lying around, so I knew she was still in the apartment.

“Rachel?” I called.

A couple of seconds later, she rushed into my room. “Hey,” she said. “Are you all right? How do you feel?”

“Uh… I feel…”

“Pain?” she offered.

“A little,” I nodded.

“Painkillers,” she said immediately. “But first, you need to eat something.”

She helped me out of bed and into the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth while Rachel stood next to me. Then we went into the kitchen through the living room where breakfast was already laid out on the table. My eyes went wide as I realized how much trouble she had gone to. There were pancakes, waffles, chicken, cream cheese, salmon, orange juice, and an assortment of different kinds of fruits.

“Whoa,” I breathed.

“I didn’t you what you’d be in the mood for,” Rachel said. “And I figured…breakfast buffet!”

“This is insane,” I said, as she helped me into a chair.

“No, it’s not…”

“Salmon and cream cheese,” I said, pointing out all the food. “Strawberries and kiwi…you’ve blown a chunk of your paycheck on this breakfast.”

“Hey, I’m not being totally altruistic. I’m planning on stuffing my face, too.”

I smiled. “You really shouldn’t have done all this.”

“I wanted to,” Rachel insisted. “Now come on… what can I get you? Waffles or pancakes?”

“Why are there two plates of pancakes?” I asked.

“The pancakes on the blue plate are chocolate almond pancakes,” Rachel explained. “And the ones on the white plate are potato pancakes… savory and sweet. I have maple syrup, too, by the way.”

“You are amazing,” I said, shaking my head at her.

“Making pancakes is easy…and therapeutic as it turns out.”

“Really?” I asked. “Maybe I should mix up a batch then.”

“I highly recommend it.”

We locked eyes over the table, and I felt a burn of electricity pass between us. Suddenly, my appetite disappeared, and I realized I had things I needed to say. And there was no time like the present.

“Rachel?”

“Savory?” she asked, as she tried to pass me the plate of pancakes.

“Uh, no…not right now.”

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