Page 37 of Puppy Love & Snowflake Kisses
She didn’t respond.
He tried again. “Belle, breakfast is ready.”
Her eyes fluttered open. At first, she looked at him with a blank stare. It made him think of his mother’s old saying: the lights are on, but no one’s home. It definitely described Belle in that moment.
She blinked a couple of times and yawned. It was then that he realized he’d forgotten something.
“I’ll be right back.” He straightened and went into the kitchen. He grabbed a mug and filled it with some fresh-brewed coffee. He added some creamer and sweetener, just like he’d seen her do. Then he returned to the living room to find that Belle hadn’t moved.
He held the cup out to her. “You might want this.”
A smile lifted her rosy lips. “Thank you.”
When she reached out to take the mug, their fingers touched. It was as though static electricity entered his fingertips and worked its way up his arm. The sensation settled in his chest and set his heart pounding.
His gaze met and held hers. She was so beautiful and not just on the outside. Any man would be lucky to have a woman like her in their life, but that man wasn’t him. They’d always been opposites. And that hadn’t changed over the years.
He knew all about opposites. His last relationship had ended because his fiancée said he was too stuck in his ways. She needed someone who wanted some adventure in his life.
Parker got enough adventure just doing his job. From dealing with wildlife that ended up in wrong places to pulling over a car for a moving violation. He always wondered what sort of person he was going to face. Overwhelmingly, the people were reasonable, but you just never knew.
His gaze moved to where his fingertips were still touching hers. It felt like time had stood still, and yet it had only been a mere couple of seconds. His heart was still hammering in his chest. He pulled his hand back, breaking the connection.
Without a word, he straightened. He strode into the kitchen, where he at last was able to take a deep breath. What was wrong with him? He was acting like he was back in high school when he’d had the biggest crush on her. But that was ages ago.
He moved to the fridge and grabbed the butter. He placed it on the table along with the syrup. While he stayed busy, he forced his thoughts to the case—the whole reason they were near inseparable. If he could solve this case, he could go back to his solitary life and forget about the way she felt in his arms or how he could so easily lose himself in those mesmerizing blue eyes of hers.
Just then he heard the shuffling of feet. He glanced up to find a sleepy Belle headed toward him. She looked so adorable with a rosy hue in her cheeks and her hair mussed up. She looked much more relatable than her usual polished appearance.
When she took a seat at the table, he asked, “Would you like some pancakes?”
Her eyes widened. “You made pancakes?” When he nodded, she asked, “But how? I’m out of pancake mix.”
He grinned. “I made it from scratch.”
She shrugged. “I never knew a guy who was such a good cook.”
“Then you’ve been hanging out with the wrong guys.” And in that moment, he knew he meant it. He wanted her to continue to hang out with him, but how long would that work before she made an exit like his ex?
She turned the plate around and gaped when she looked at the pancake. “You made a Santa hat pancake?” She continued to stare at it. “You even made his hat red.”
“Uh-huh. Thought you needed some holiday cheer. I would have put whipped cream on the tassel and the rim, but you didn’t have any. Maybe next time.” He couldn’t believe he’d added that last part. It wasn’t like he was going to have an opportunity to make her pancakes again.
He remembered how much it had hurt when Lori dumped him. Of course, if he’d paid attention to his relationship, he would have seen the signs. But they’d been together almost two years by then, and he’d let himself get comfortable in the relationship—obviously too comfortable. He’d just taken it for granted that they’d get married and grow old together. He’d never been more wrong.
It took him a couple of tries to find the correct cabinet to retrieve a plate. And then he served himself a pancake. He sat down beside her at the table.
After taking her first bite, he noticed she didn’t eat anymore. He tasted his pancake to make sure he hadn’t mixed up the sugar and salt.Nope.It wasn’t that. Then again, maybe she just didn’t like pancakes.
“Can I make you something else?” he asked.
She looked at him with a blank expression on her face, as though she had been lost in her thoughts and hadn’t heard him.
He tried again. “Do you want something else to eat? Just name it, and I’ll get it for you.”
Her eyes widened, as though she were surprised by the offer. “What if I want a breakfast burrito?”
“Do you?”
