Page 20 of Tattoos and Tiaras
“When did you learn the word détente? Can you even spell it?” I sniped back as I slid into the booth seat across from them. I winced slightly, my arse still feeling the effects of the previous night’s spanking.
“Yup, it's spelled f-u-c-k y-o-u.” Mouse responded with a devilish smile crossing his face.
“Oh, look at you spelling out your words, such a clever lad.” I picked up the menu and ignored Mouse’s shocked gasp.
“Oh, you are not hiding behind that menu.” This time, Rhys’s voice was the one raised slightly with the tone he used when I ate the last Hobnob or forgot to fill the kettle.
For such a sweet angelic-looking man, he could be rather scary. It was hard to think that he thought I was the scary one when we’d first met.
Both my friends had gone through a lot in the last year and a half, and I was proud of them, proud of how they had not let others' hatefulness change them.
“Not hiding. I'm trying to decide what I want for breakfast.” I dropped the menu and looked at them. “I take it you have both ordered.”
“Pancake extravaganza,” Rhys answered, looking pleased with himself.
“Full English with black pudding.” Mouse cackled at Rhys's pained expression.
“Why are we friends?” Rhys shook his head, then focused back on me, his bright blue eyes inquisitive. “So, you and Perry huh?”
“There’s no me and Perry. I did the man a favour.”
Mouse leant forward, smirking. “Was getting your arse spanked a favour then?”
Before I could answer, one of the waitresses was at our table ready to take my order. “Can I grab a waffle stack with butter and honey and a few slices of bacon?” She smiled while jotting down my order.
“Coffee?”
“Yes, please. In a mug. What about you two?” Mouse and Rhys both gave their drink orders since their breakfast order had already been placed. The café’s waffle stacks were a thing of beauty. I would eat them every day if I could, but sadly, the fear of my belly becoming more than a slight pot kept me at least limiting it to once…okay, maybe three times a week.
With our orders done, Rhys zeroed his attention back on me. “Okay, spill. How was it with Master Peregrine?”
“It was good.” I stopped when our coffees and Rhys’s hot chocolate were laid out on the table.
“Good as in you want to spend more time on your knees for Master P?” Mouse asked, blunt as ever. He clapped his hands as our plates were slid in front of us. How either of them could eat as much as they did astounded me, but then I looked at my own plate of buttery waffle goodness. At least Mouse and Rhys still had years before they had to worry about middle age spread. Oh, fuck it. I was not worrying about my waist right then. I wanted to enjoy my brunch with my best friends.
I let out a happy moan when I tasted the first forkful of waffle and bacon. I was pretty sure there was butter dripping down my chin, but I didn’t care, I was close to a foodgasm.
“Are you ignoring me, Cullen?” Rhys pouted while Mouse, on the other hand, cackled like an evil chipmunk.
“You know the only thing he’s thinking about right now is that food. Let him have his breakfast, then we can grill him about Perry.” Mouse shot me a grin, then started to devour his own breakfast.
I was given a reprieve, but as soon as their plates were empty, I was going to be bombarded with questions. My phone made a sound, Perry’s name lit up with a text under it.
Perry:
Morning kitten, hope you slept well. Six-thirty at La’ Masson too early for dinner?
Me:
Did we say dinner? I thought we were just having coffee.
I kept my eyes on my phone, ignoring the looks from Mouse and Rhys.
I smiled at Perry’s answering text.
Perry:
We did, but I feel like taking you somewhere special.
