At that exact minute, his phone rings.
He pulls it out of his pocket and answers it in a low tone.
His brows furrow and he takes a step away. He turns away, distractedly. I almost sag against the counter. I turn around to face the counter and take a breath.
It felt like electricity was flowing through my veins at his proximity. I pick up the insulated cups and walk over to the machine. Placing the cups back into the tray, I begin to tap on the screen, picking the choices I wanted. The tray retracts and the bottom section closes.
I stand before the machine as it brews almost silently. The air around me feels buzzed with energy.
Something tingles along my spine and I stiffen. I begin to count in my mind to refrain from turning and seeing what he was doing. Where he was standing.
The tray pushes out with the coffee brew and some milk like last time. I bring both back to the counter I was standing at. In my peripheral I can see Kri leaning against the counter to my left, watching me. He was still on the phone, his low voice occasionally murmuring something in return. But his attention was on me. The side of me he could see burns with awareness.
I reach out to open a drawer and see the only other mug in there. A wholly black one. I lift it out and set it on counter. Pushing the drawer closed with my hip, I pour some brew into the mug. All my movements are measured, slower. His gaze was raking up distractions inside me.
When I reach for the milk, I pause.
"Do we have cocoa powder?" I ask.
A drawer to my right opens slowly and I grin.
"Is this the not freaking me out protocol?" I chuckle at the house.
"Is it working, Mrs. Kri?" The house asks me.
"Once I get used to a talking house, sure." I say.
I'm smiling as I open the can of cocoa powder. I grabbed the spoon out of my mug. I had to give it a wash under the sink.
Which meant I had to walk over to Kri's side. My gaze finds his. His phone lay on the counter. He had one hand in his pocket and the other braced on the counter. My eyes are drawn to that hand... Specifically the wedding band that glints against the light. His gaze moves with mine as I walk over to his side.
The tap pours water on the spoon as soon as I come close enough. Ducts open up to dry the utensil.
My brows raise, but I refrain from saying anything. I walk back to the mug and estimate how much cocoa I should add.
I decide to eyeball it and add one spoon, then a pinch more. Closing the can, I replace it. Then I pour the milk. I find a bottle of natural sugar and add that instead of the one I had used, for only a subtle undercurrent of sweet.
I stir. Steam and the smell of coffee swirls out from the mug. I lift the spoon out, tapping it gently against the rim and stick the spoon in my mouth.
Bitter.
I nod. I walk over to my husband, pulling the spoon out of my mouth and offer the mug, handle facing him, with a smile.
"Try this." I tell him.
He takes the mug from me. I don't realize how intimate eye contact can be until I share it with my husband over his cup of coffee. He takes a sip.
I see a swirl in his eyes before he drops his gaze to look at the contents of his drink. I refrain from grinning.
His gaze lifts and I think he can tell I feel vindicated.
YOU ARE READING
TimeBound (Time Tells #1) (COMPLETED)
Romance"Who says your life ends only when your heart stops? It ends even when there's a celebration around you." A marriage. To a man who had saved my parents' life. Their respect, their businesses, their home ... But at a cost. The cost being me. I was...
