Stone In Love

Chapter 40

Vincent's phone rang, and he had to reach over me to grab his cell off the nightstand. The fact that I was startled meant we had dozed off. Or at least I did, and now that I was awake, I wanted to savor the moment. As I snuggled closer to his chest, he looked at the screen of his cell and sighed, silencing the ring before abandoning it on the bed.

"I'm afraid we won't be alone for long. That was Charleton." His breath warmed my still damp head where he spoke against it, and I stretched for his mouth to press a kiss to it.

"We can always lock the bedroom door and pretend we're asleep."

"It won't work with him. He only calls when it's important, and if he knows I'm here, he won't think twice about waking us."

The door to the apartment opened and the dogs jumped off the bed, their nails clicking on the wood floor as they hurried to investigate.

"Vincent?" Charleton called out.

"What did I tell you." Vincent kissed my forehead as he sat up. "Stay right where you are. If we're lucky, I can delegate this supposed emergency to someone else." Dragging his hand though his hair, he strode out the room. "Good morning, Charleton."

Vincent's voice carried down the hall, and I slowed my breathing so I could focus on listening.

"Is Reese asleep?" Charleton asked.

"No."

"Oh. Maybe we should talk on the balcony."

"Why?"

"I have something to share that's of a personal nature."

"Reese is one of us. She needs to be included in everything."

"Well, you may not want her to hear what I have to say. A message just arrived from Cecile."

A few seconds passed before I heard the sliding glass door open and close. Damn. What did Charleston have to say that I wasn't supposed to hear? Who was this Cecile person? Was she a person? I snagged Vincent's pillow and curled up with it, breathing in his exotic scent, and ten minutes later Vincent returned and made straight for his bathroom without a single glance in my direction.

"I'm going to shower," he offered curtly before closing the door.

A shower? We showered not four hours ago. My heart took a nosedive. Whatever Charleton told Vincent had been serious enough to shut him down. Now what? Should I risk pissing him off by insisting he tell me what Charleton said? I didn't want to argue with him, not after our amazing sexual escapades.

The thought of being in the same room with a moody Vincent thrilled me about as much as having a cavity filled, so I left him to brood and walked to my room to get dressed. Sylvie had clearly not returned, and I figured she and Colin had themselves a lovely evening not watching Pacific Rim. The clock on my cell read six forty-two. Perfect time for coffee, and I took a chance that Sylvie was awake, popping off a text as I brushed my teeth.

Going for coffee. You want to join me?

Her response came back almost immediately.

On my way to you now.

As I walked to the door, Sylvie opened it, and Bonnie and Clyde blew past me to welcome her, their nails clicking on the tile as they pranced around her legs.

"I didn't expect you to be awake yet," I said to her. "I hope you had fun with Colin last night."

Sylvie grinned like a maniac as she offered the dogs a friendly greeting. "Holy shit, did I ever. I'll be walking bowlegged for at least two days."