CLOVE

twenty-two

☘︎ clover ☘︎

I opened my eyes to the delicious smell of something cooking coming from the kitchen. I inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma that teased my senses. I rolled over in bed, my muscles protesting a little – last night had definitely been a workout.

Memories of the previous night flashed through my mind, causing my cheeks to flush with warmth. I stretched my limbs, feeling a mix of soreness and satisfaction course through me.

I pushed myself up from the bed, my stomach rumbling as the smell of what I assumed to be breakfast lingered in the air. I grabbed a robe from the chair by the bed and wrapped it tightly around myself before padding out of the bedroom.

As I turned the corner into the kitchen, I was met with the sight of Brennen standing by the stove with a spatula in hand. His back was turned to me, so he didn't notice me just yet.

Brennan was shirtless, his muscular back on display. His sweatpants were slung low on his hips, the fabric hugging the curves of his muscular thighs and backside. His bare skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat, and his hair was tousled – he must have been cooking for a while.

I felt my mouth go dry at the sight of him, my heartrate increasing slightly. I took a moment to just appreciate the view before clearing my throat to get his attention. He turned around, a sly grin on his face as he noticed me standing there.

"Well, look who's finally up," he said, his voice low and amused. "I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to eat all this breakfast myself."

He gestured to the sizzling pan on the stove behind him, where I could see a pile of fluffy pancakes. "Pancakes are almost ready," he said. "And there's coffee brewing if you want some."

"I didn't know you could cook," I said, finally finding my voice. "I thought you just lived on takeout and energy drinks."

Brennan laughed at my comment, his eyes glimmering with amusement. "I'm full of surprises, Clover," he said. "You should know that by now."

His gaze roamed over me, taking in the sight of me in my robe. "And speaking of surprises," he added, his voice low and teasing, "you're looking pretty damn sexy in that robe."

I felt my cheeks flush with heat at his words, my heartrate quickening. "I just threw it on," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I didn't think you'd be standing here cooking breakfast shirtless."

Brennan chuckled and turned back to the stove to flip a pancake. "I figured you wouldn't mind," he said, his voice casual. "And besides, cooking shirtless is good for the ego. Boosts confidence, you know."

I rolled my eyes playfully at his comment, trying to hide the fact that I was actually quite enjoying the view. "Right," I said. "Because you need any more confidence than you already have."

Brennan chuckled again and shrugged. "What can I say?" he said. "I'm a charmer."

He looked down at the pancakes for a moment before turning to me with a smirk. "But enough about me," he said. "Come here."

I raised an eyebrow curiously at his words, but I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach. I walked over to him, my heartrate quickening with each step.

Brennan leaned against the counter and pulled me closer to him, his hand wrapping around my waist. He bent down to whisper in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. "You look delicious in that robe," he murmured.

I shivered at his words, my body responding to the low rumble of his voice. I could feel the heat radiating off his bare chest, and I resisted the urge to press myself against him.