The Complete Crimson Forest series

Bryxx: Chapter 14

The next morning, I wake up to the sound of the cows bellowing and the birds chirping outside the window, Kade's bedroom window. I sit up quickly, the memories of the night before flooding back. I glance to my other side. Kade lies propped up on his elbow staring right at me, his hair tousled.

"What're you doing?" I demand, a little too harshly.

He smirks. "Waiting for you to wake up."

"You were watching me sleep?" I ask in horror.

His smirk grows. "Yeah, all night, couldn't get enough."

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I probably snored all night. Jane always used to complain about my snoring.

"Are you mad?" he asks, his smirk starting to fade now as he mistakes my embarrassment for anger.

I shake my head. "No," I comment. "I'm embarrassed."

"Why?" He asks, his face wrinkling.

I sigh and brush my tangled hair out of my face. "I snore."

He chuckles and his smirk returns. "Yeah, you do, but that's nothing compared to what you had to deal with last night and you're still here. You didn't run for the hills."

"Surprised I didn't leave in the middle of the night? You thought you'd scared me off, didn't you?" I shoot back.

His tongue lightly licks the corner of his mouth. "You wouldn't get far, super hearing, remember?"

"Right." I click my tongue.

He looks up into my eyes and my heart feels like it's jumped off a cliff. Part of me wishes that he wouldn't have stopped last night, that we would've gone further, but due to his superior self-control, which makes mine look like nothing, it didn't go any further than one damn hot makeout section on the floor if the barn and then that life changing feeling of ecstasy that he treated me to.

"You okay? Your heart is racing," he mocks, knowingly.

I grit my teeth. "I'm fine."

"You're thinking about last night," he states, grinning.

I swallow. "I thought you couldn't read minds!" I accuse.

He shrugs. "I can't but it's all over your face." He jumps up from the bed in a blur and faces me. "Let me make you breakfast."

Before I can protest and tell him that I am more than capable of making my own breakfast, he's gone from the room. "Show off," I mutter to myself.

"I heard that!" he calls from the kitchen. Of course, he did.

I think back to last night again. The fear, the hurt, the acceptance, the passion, the love, it all blends together in a mixture of emotion that I can't process although I need to.

We told each other that we love each other last night. Was it a spur of the moment exchange resulting from lust or did it come from the heart? I know the truth but I'm not sure I'm ready to admit it to myself yet. I recall him carrying me back to the house in his arms last night as I basked in the afterglow of the pleasure he shared with me. He laid me down in his bed and then I fell fast asleep in his arms, a feeling of safety and contentment washing over me.

I start to smell bacon cooking and I spring out of bed, running my fingers through my hair quickly. I come out to the kitchen, feeling as if nothing can dampen my mood. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I am happy.

Kade stands in front of the stove, back to me, not acknowledging me. I know he's heard me come in, but he seems intent on his cooking.

I sit down at the table in my usual spot.