Beautifully Broken

- 40 -

I wake up to the warm kisses of a familiar pair of lips. I smile by instinct, kissing back.

"Good morning," I hum against his lips.

"Buenos dias, Princesa,"
(Good morning, princess)

I shift my back against the headboard.

"How are you feeling?" 

To anybody else, it would seem like an innocent question. Yet, I still heard the underlying brashness of his words. I shoot him a sharp look, ignoring it. I swing my legs from under the covers and attempt to walk to the bathroom.  

A hot shower always helps with any type of soreness

Cole's chuckle is cut off by his phone ringing. The quick shift of his mood tells me just to go ahead and shower. Whatever it is, he needs to answer the phone first. 

I make it a point to keep the door unlocked.

You know

Just in case

While securing the towel around my body I open up the door connected to the bedroom. It's empty, Cole no longer laying on his side of the bed. 

"Cole?" I walk further into the room.

His closet door was wide open. I check there, still no Cole. However, a large leather bag rests in the middle of the floor. The bag was packed messily with his clothes. 

Why is he packing?

I decided to check the kitchen, knowing his stomach all too well.  The smell of bacon and biscuits fill my nose. Also, the fogginess of the hallway tells me he's cooking or at least trying to. 

"Cole?" I cough a little from the smoke trying to invade my lungs.

I turn to the corner and I'm met by quite the scene. Cole stands in the middle of the kitchen: Shirtless. Burnt bacon still sizzling in the pan and runny eggs on a plate in front of him. Last but definitely not least; Cole's shy smile beaming down on me. 

"What is this?" Smiling back at him, I remove the spatula from his hand and try to save the bacon that was in the pan. 

"I tried to cook you breakfast, but it obviously didn't turn out well," He chuckles, looking around.

I giggle into my arm, "No, cariño, this is perfect." 
(Darling)

I turn off the stove, deciding that enough cooking has been done today. Cole's eyes make me very aware of the damp towel covering me. I tighten it slightly, making sure it doesn't slip. 

"You don't need that towel," Cole smirks, "I don't mind if you take it off."

I stick my tongue out at him.

"Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't," I retort, trying to figure out how to eat the eggs in front of me. 

"Come on, first bite." I smile positioning the fork in front of my mouth, Cole following my actions.

The eggs taste damp. That doesn't even make any sense, but there's no other way to explain it. It's like hot, damp, toe water. I will never understand how he can think something that is still liquid, is done. 

The bacon just taste like the pan. Only if the pan has been sitting in charcoal all day. 

I guess they don't have a cooking class at Gangleader school. Cole's face contorts in disgust, spitting out his own eggs and bacon in the trash.