“Baking,” Gabi muttered. “She got up at the ass crack of dawn and went for a four-mile run, then decided to make pancakes for the slut in her bed.”
I was already out of the bed before Gabi could yell about my nakedness again. I dressed in record time, then launched myself down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Pancakes?”
Blake was facing the stove, her hair pulled into a wet knot on her head while she hummed and flipped a pancake into the air. “Only if you save some for Lex. I told him he could have one after he called Gabi this morning freaking out about you missing your normal meeting at the bench.”
“Shit!” I glanced at the clock on the microwave. “I didn’t mean to sleep in.”
Blake turned, her face flushed. “Sorry, you just looked exhausted.”
“Sweet cheeks.” In two steps, she was in my arms. “I am exhausted, but in the best possible you-should-probably-take-a-week-off-from-school way.”
“Why would I take a week off school?”
“Think of the possibilities—spending your days and nights in bed. It might change your life.”
“Hah,” Blake wrapped her arms around my middle. “Maybe it already has.”
I smiled down at her. It was a new feeling. Not waking up in a panic to leave, but in a panic to see her, to make sure she was okay, to kiss her again and again.
“I could get very addicted to your taste.” I kissed her lightly on the mouth. Blake moved her arms so she could wrap them around my neck and pull me closer.
“Not in the kitchen, guys,” Gabi said from the doorway. “We have to eat here.”
“I love eating,” I murmured against Blake’s lips. “And pancakes? You know that’s how Gabs kept me around, right? She fed me. That’s what you do when you want to keep a man. If you give him food, he’s yours for life.”
“Why else do you think I went to the store and bought sausage to go along with the pancakes?”
I groaned and kissed her again.
“I will seriously grab the pillow from upstairs.” Gabi’s irritated voice pierced my good mood. “Now break apart.” She clapped. “For once, I’m not cooking, so I want to sit and have my coffee without watching real-life porn.”
“Who has porn?” Lex waltzed into the kitchen, his grin lazy as he eyed Gabi. “Looking good, Gabs. Run out of makeup this morning, or are you trying to look twelve so you can pay less for a movie ticket?”
Gabi glared, continuing to sip her coffee. The glare had me stepping out of the way just in case she’d somehow discovered a way to kill people with a look.
Lex didn’t seem the least bit affected. If anything, he seemed to enjoy her hate.
“So who got laid last night?” Lex asked once he’d grabbed a cup of coffee and was sitting at the breakfast table.
Gabi pointed at me, while I pointed at Blake, who pointed back at me.
Lex frowned. “So you either both got laid or you hooked up. Which is it?”
“Uh . . . hooked up,” Blake announced, casting a shy glance my way and then winking. “And it was everything the girls write about on the bathroom stalls.”
“Ha ha.” I smacked her ass and started pulling out plates.
“Um . . .” Lex coughed. “You do realize you can’t hook up with clients.”
“Oh, that.” I nodded. “I’m pretty sure our contract was terminated the minute she screamed my name.”
“So”—Gabi eyed both of us—“no David?”
“No,” I said while Blake said, “Yes.”
All talking ceased.
I whipped around so fast I nearly collided with the open fridge door. “What the hell do you mean, ‘yes’?”
“He’s still a friend!” Blake laughed nervously. “I need to at least meet with him for dinner. Like I said, he’s a friend.”
“Um, I was a friend and we ended up screwing four times last night. Sorry if I’m not exactly confident in your ability to keep friends at arm’s length!”
Blake gasped.
Lex muttered an “oh shit.” And looked like he wanted to high-five me, or bow down to me, or maybe just challenge me to an endurance run.
Gabi cackled behind her coffee cup.
“Is that all it was to you? Blake crossed her arms. A quick hookup?”
“Hell no,” I yelled, stalking toward her. “Which is another reason the last thing I want is for you to hang out with Douchepants!”
“He has a name!”
“Yeah, it’s Douchepants!”
Blake rolled her eyes. “I’ve known him my whole life. It would be rude to suddenly cancel. Tell you what. If it makes you feel better, you can drop me off and pick me up.”
“Oooo, rent a minivan like a soccer mom!” This from Lex.
“Lex, not helping,” I said quickly. “Ask Gabs about getting fired.”
“How do you even know that?” Gabi yelled while Lex turned on her with venom in his eyes.
“Sleep with the boss?” Lex said in a harsh voice.
“Ah! I hate you guys!” Gabi smacked Lex on the arm while I turned back to Blake.
“Ian.” She said my name like she was disappointed in the fact that I was jealous. “I promise it will be fine, okay?”
She reached for my arms.