Page 137 of Risky Passion

What time is it?

I eased away from Tory, careful not to wake her, and stretching, I strolled to the window. Pulling back the curtain a crack, I froze. Pink and orange streaked the horizon.

Holy shit, I slept through the night.And not just slept, I’d stayed still, anchored in one place. No tossing, no turning, no nightmares about Charlotte. Just peace.

I glanced back at Tory. She’d rolled into the warm spot I’d left, and her features were still soft with sleep. Peaceful. Beautiful. Something inside me twisted, and I couldn’t help but think I could get used to this. Waking up to her like this every day.

The door creaked as I opened it. I stepped into the hallway and turned to shut it behind me, and came face to face with Parker.

He leaned casually against the wall, one hand holding a steaming mug of coffee, the other balancing a plate stacked with toast slathered in Vegemite.

His eyebrows shot up, and that familiar shit-eating grin spread across his face.

“Well, well. Look who finally decided to emerge,” he said. “Have a good night?”

“Yes, actually,” I muttered, unable to fully suppress the smile tugging at my lips. “Slept very well.”

“I bet you did.” Smirking, he thrust the plate toward me. “Breakfast? Or maybe you worked up an appetite for something a little more substantial?”

“Nothing happened,” I said, my voice flat but firm.

“Seriously?” His grin widened. “Jeez, bro. You must be losing your touch.”

“Ha ha.” Parker’s teasing wasn’t worth snapping over. If anything, it would only make him dig deeper. Instead, I exhaled slowly, letting the moment roll off me. “I need the bathroom,” I said, stepping past him.

“Get your ass into gear, bro,” he called after me, his tone light with mischief. “Everyone’s already in the gym sorting through those boxes. Except Yasmin. She’s in the kitchen making enough breakfast to feed a small country. You gonna be able to concentrate today, sleeping beauty?”

I flipped him off without turning around, and his laughter echoed down the hallway. But damn it, I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face, even if I would never hear the end of it.

When I emerged from the restroom, Onyx was waiting outside the door, her tail wagging lazily.

“Hey, girl.” I crouched to scratch behind her ears. “Where’d you sleep last night?”

Knowing her, she’d probably curled up on the sofa. I made a mental note to apologize for that later and headed toward the kitchen, with Onyx padding beside me.

When I stepped from the hallway, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and toasted bread made my stomach grumble.

Yasmin was busy pouring fresh beans into the biggest home coffee machine I’d ever seen. She glanced up and a warm smile cracked her lips.

“Hey, Jaxson. Didn’t expect to see you up for a few more hours,”she said, grabbing a steaming mug from the tray on the machine and handing it to me. “Milk and sugar are over there.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked, taking a grateful sip before glancing at the clock near the potbelly fireplace. “It looks like I slept for twelve hours. I’ve never done that in my life.”

“You must’ve needed it.” She plonked two fresh pieces of toast onto a plate. “Sorry, we weren’t exactly prepared for so many people here for breakfast. Otherwise, I’d have something better than Vegemite and toast to offer.”

“Vegemite is perfect. Thanks.” I grabbed a knife from the counter and slathered a thick layer of butter onto the toast before adding the spread. “Who stayed here?”

“You’ll see,” Yasmin said with a knowing smile. “And a few more came in early this morning to help. They’re all in the gymnasium. Oh, and Billie and Levi should be here soon with more food from Firefly Café.”

"Thanks, Yasmin. And thanks for letting me crash here. I needed it."

"Anytime," she said, turning her attention back to the toaster.

"I hope Onyx wasn't a nuisance?"

"Are you kidding? She slept in Jayden's room. Kept him company for the night. It was really sweet."

"Huh." I reached down to ruffle the fur between Onyx's ears. Onyx always knew when I was feeling under the weather, she obviously knew Jayden needed some doggy love. "Good girl."

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