The Driving Force to Love (MXM) ✔

Chapter 22

Dean Axle Lance

I woke before the sun. I was on my side turned towards Tonio. He was on his back, but his head was turned slightly towards me. My arm was draped over his stomach. It gently rose and fell with each deep breath he took. I liked the feeling underneath my arm. It was comforting. I scooted a little closer and leaned my forehead near his ear. I stayed that way for several moments. I reveled in his presence, in the fact that he was there beside me.

The sky was beginning to lighten when I carefully scooted away from him and out of bed. He shifted slightly but didn't wake. There was a smile on my lips as I looked down at him.

I went through my morning routine before I went into the kitchen. I made pancake batter but didn't want to cook them until Tonio was awake. I took out two frying pans and set them on the stove top without turning on the stove.

"Good morning," Tonio said in a tired scratchy voice.

"Good morning," I greeted.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he came over.

"I'm going to make pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast. How do you want your fried egg?"

"Over easy," he said.

I smiled. "My type of man," I replied, drawing a handsome smile on his face. "Have a seat." I indicated the table.

"I can help," he offered.

"Do you cook often?" I ask.

"No. Pretty much never," he said.

Everything he said or did made me smile. "Go sit," I said. "I've got this."

He sat at the table and watched me as I turned on the burners with the frying pans. I started the bacon in one and the pancakes in the other.

"There is actually something you can do for me," I said as I took out the cooked bacon and put it on a plate.

"What?" he asked.

"Get the maple syrup and the butter and put them on the table. You can also set the table if you want."

"Okay," he got up and immediately started with his tasks. I broke eggs into the frying pan that I had just removed the bacon from. I flipped over the pancakes and watched them and the eggs being careful not to let them cook for too long. I put a little bit of salt and pepper over the eggs as they cooked.

"What crime is an egg most afraid of?" Tonio asked as I took the eggs out of the frying pan and set them on the plate next to the bacon.

"What?" I asked.

"Poaching."

I laughed but there was also that now familiar spike of attraction I had for Tonio whenever he told jokes. No one else had ever affected me like that before.

"What day of the week do eggs hate?"

"What?" I asked as I put the last of the pancakes on the plate already piled with pancakes.

"Fryday."

And the attraction shot through me again and I had to will myself not to rush him and kiss him all over. It was such a strange reaction. But Tonio was attractive anyway with his handsome, smart eyes and his black hair and the stubble along his jaw. Even before the growing beard he was handsome.

I took the two plates of food over and set them between us on the table. There were two empty additional plates on the table. One in front of me and one in front of Tonio.