Deconstructing Bridges

Chapter Seventeen

A loud buzz sounded on the intercom and Matthew almost wept with relief. After a night in which he had not slept a wink, and having eaten practically nothing over the past twenty-four hours, he was feeling like complete and utter crap, and that buzz heralded his salvation.

"What is that noise?" Rose's voice travelled from the bedroom door and he turned to see her rubbing her eyes, her loose, ebony hair tousled temptingly. So he'd held her naked body against his in the shower yesterday, but this sight of her in tartan pyjamas was his undoing.

Shaking the thought from his mind, he winked.

"That, my dear, is manna from heaven."

"Huh?"

"Go get dressed and get your ass out here in five."

She was back out in two, having dressed in jeans and a loose jersey, and he gestured to the table.

"Delivery with the downstairs shift change. Breakfast burritos. Aaaaaaaand...."

"Coffee? Hot coffee?" she exclaimed, her eyes fixing on the takeaway cups. 

He smirked.

"You might think so. It's actually tabasco sauce warmed up."

Her unimpressed glare caused him to grin as he held the cup out to her.

"I figure, after yesterday if you decided you wanted to tip your scalding beverage over me I probably deserve it, but I was willing to bet you'd prefer to consume it."

She sniffed at the cup suspiciously before taking a cautious sip. At the taste of her favourite soy latte, her eyes closed and she savoured it, licking her full lips slowly.

He gulped silently.

"Food," he blurted, grabbing one of the wrapped burritos from the bag and ripping the paper open.

"If you think I like you now, because I didn't slap you across the face when you climbed into a shower with me, you're sorely mistaken," she retorted as she sat across from him, sipping her coffee once more.

God, he loved her snarky attitude.

"I wish you'd shown me your nasty side earlier," he chuckled.

"I always made fun of you. You're easy to make fun of."

"But it was always with that lovey-dovey look in your eyes. This is way better."

Her expression fell slightly, almost undetectable but he put his food down and reached for her hand.

"You want me to apologise, Matt?"

He studied her carefully before slowly shaking her head. No, he didn't need an apology from her right now.

"Good. I wasn't planning on it."

She downed the rest of her coffee before reaching for her own burrito.

"I don't suppose you'd leave me in peace to enjoy my food?"

He shook his head, his hand still clutching hers.

“I'm not going anywhere. I meant it last night, and I mean it today.”

“I wish you would just leave me alone," she muttered. 

“I can’t.”

Her eyes followed him, the lower half of her face hidden behind the large paper cup. 

"You say you don't trust us. Or that nothing matters now that she's gone. Is that true?"

He gestured to the file he had loosely packed together which sat on the opposite end of the table to where they sat.