Never Standing Still (The Never Duet #1)(50)

“Maybe not, but I’m more than willing to try,” he responded, his voice mirroring my own, full of warmth. He sat up suddenly and pulled the comforter down beneath us, then lay back, arms open wide, splayed against the crisp sheets. “Come here,” he whispered.

There was absolutely nothing I could do except go to him. My head naturally found its way to the crook of his shoulder and my arm draped across his chest. Lined up like that it became painfully obvious I was much shorter than him, as my feet only reached his shins.

I smiled because I liked feeling small next to him. It brought unfamiliar feelings of security, and instead of pushing those feelings away, for once, I decided to let them stay and keep me company as I fell asleep wrapped around the only man who I’d ever let in that deep.





Chapter Fourteen


Make it Official


I woke the next morning to the smell of bacon and the sound of Riot softly saying my name.

“Kalli, baby, wake up. Time to eat.”

My eyes fluttered open and I focused on Riot’s handsome face hovering just above mine, his boyish grin turning up the corners of his lips. I stretched under the covers, noticing my body ached, but not uncomfortably so. It was a good ache.

“Hey,” I garbled sleepily. Then my eyebrows furrowed and my mouth turned into a pout. “Did you make bacon?”

“I did, indeed,” he said, laughing and sitting back, holding a plate out for me. I sat up and brushed my hair back from my face, then leaned against the headboard. The plate he handed me was covered with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and hash browns. The sight of the food, coupled with the wonderful smell, kicked my hunger into overdrive and I realized I was starving.

Riot walked around the bed and picked up another plate from the table on his side and slid in next to me, careful not to spill his food. Then he picked up his fork and started eating as I watched in a state of shock.

We were going to eat breakfast in bed, yet another thing I’d never done with a man, and he was going to act like it was the most natural thing on the planet. He noticed my slack jaw and wide eyes.

“Do you not like your eggs scrambled?” he asked with a full mouth, which should have been repulsive but came across as adorable.

“Um, no. I mean, yes, I like my eggs scrambled. What….” I closed my eyes for just a moment to gather up my thoughts and get them in line. “Where did all this food come from? Ella and Porter haven’t been here in a while and they don’t usually keep food like this in the house.”

“I drove to the grocery store,” he said, shrugging, then piling another forkful of food into his mouth. I tried not to notice his lips as the fork was pulled back through them.

“How’d you know where the grocery store was? I’m not even sure I know where it is.”

“I saw it when we got into town, and again last night as I drove us home.”

“You drove my Rover to the grocery store? While I was sleeping?”

He had the audacity to laugh at my outrage.

“Chill out, babe. Your food’s getting cold.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, but couldn’t argue with the growls coming from my belly, so I picked up my fork and started eating. I managed to tamp down the groans that I wanted so badly to release at the taste of the food, not wanting to stroke Riot’s ego any more than necessary.

“So, what would you like to do today?” he asked between bites.

“Well,” I said just before swallowing. “We could stay in Lincoln City, go to the beach, or walk around the waterfront. Although, it’s really not being-outside-at-the-Oregon-Coast weather. We could drive back north and stop in Portland and do something there, or we could go all the way to Seattle and figure it out later.”

“Or…,” he said, a smile coming over his face. “We could stay here, naked, and watch movies between all the sex.”

“All the sex?” I asked, laughing. “You think this is like some sort of buffet?”

“That is a very interesting proposal.”

I scoffed. “It’s not a proposal.”

“I think you’d let me make you into a buffet if I really wanted to.” His voice dropped low and I tried to ignore the blush I felt creeping over my face.

“You’re being more than a little ridiculous.”

“So, what’ll it be? Driving all day, or movies and sex?”

“Are those my only options?”

“Those are the only good options.”

“I choose option B then,” I said, just before taking a bite of bacon.

“I’m sorry,” he teased, holding his hand up to his ear. “What was that?”

“Oh, my God! I choose movies and sex!”

“That’s my girl,” he said with a bright smile, leaning over and quickly placing a kiss on my lips.

“You’re incorrigible.”

“People have called me worse. You have, in fact.”

“Well, I meant every word.”

“Where was this mouth last night while I was inside of you?”

I choked on my bacon. “Excuse me?”

He shrugged. “You always have a lot to say, but last night you were noticeably quiet.” He wasn’t looking at me, but I could see his face was worried. He might have been using a playful tone, but he was being quite serious.