Evie sat up, her gaze locking onto the man sleeping beside her. An unexplainable flutter hit her chest—the proximity they shared was undeniable, and they needed to create some distance.
How the pillow that had divided them ended up tossed aside was a mystery, but now she found herself in his space.
She couldn't resist the undeniable allure of his stunning face. His hair fell gently over his features, framing dark eyebrows that were sculpted with precision, leading to impossibly long lashes, the kind that seemed almost unfair for a man. Her eyes traced the straight line of his nose to his sinful lips.
She took in every detail with intention, noting the strength of his neck before refocusing on his face as she observed the way his eyebrows furrowed in sleep.
The sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow across him, and without thinking, Evie raised her hand to block the rays from his face. It was an instinctive act, and it seemed effective, as his expression relaxed. But just when she thought she could retreat, his eyelashes fluttered, catching her off guard as he opened his eyes. His dark gray gaze met hers, compelling and direct, and her lips parted reflexively. She blinked, feeling as though she had been caught in the act of doing something wrong.
Ezra's eyebrows knitted together. It seemed as though he was questioning their closeness, despite the clear presence of a pillow between them last night.
She knew she had to say something, she didn't know she would find herself in his space. It just happened. "I... When I woke up... the pillow was gone, and we were on the same side," she explained, her words tumbling over.
Ezra closed his eyes, releasing a resigned sigh. "Good morning," he said, his tone steady.
"Good morning," Evie replied, although nervous.
"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked, catching her off guard. She nodded. "We'll be sharing a room for a few days now. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, just let me know," he asserted, his words direct as if he were giving a command.
"Understood," she conceded, appreciating his concern for her.
Ezra swung his legs over the edge of the bed and felt the warmth of the fluffy rug beneath his feet. He took a moment to scan the room before reaching for his phone to check the time; it was already 10 a.m. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten. With purpose, he got to his feet.
"Do you want to go get some pancakes?" he asked, glancing at Evie, who had shifted away from his side of the bed.
"Uhmm... Yeah. But shouldn't we brush our teeth first?" she responded, already on her way out of bed.
"You're right," he agreed, taking the lead as they headed to the bathroom. Everything in Ezra's home, including the bathroom, was impeccably designed, making it a pleasant space. The shelf was stocked with essentials, and there was a shower cubicle and a bathtub. Evie's attention was drawn to the holder holding their toothbrushes.
They reached for the toothpaste at the same moment, their hands brushing against one another. Evie quickly retracted her hand with a shy smile, but Ezra was undeterred.
He squeezed the toothpaste onto his brush and then looked at her. "Why not just squeeze from the top?" she asked pointedly.
"Does it really matter?" he replied, raising an eyebrow as he persisted in his method. He handed her the toothpaste, and she squeezed from the top before starting to brush her teeth. When she finished, she leaned over the sink to spit, but her hair fell over her face. Without hesitation, Ezra reached out and tucked it behind her ear decisively, ensuring she wouldn't make a mess.
Once they finished brushing, they made their way down the staircase, Ezra taking the lead. "Good morning, master," Sam greeted with a slight bow. "Good morning, Miss Evie," he added respectfully.
"Good morning," the two replied in unison. "We'll handle breakfast today, so don't worry about it," Ezra stated clearly to Sam, who nodded reluctantly before stepping away, leaving Ezra and Evie alone in the kitchen.
Ezra grabbed a pan, looking momentarily uncertain. "So how do we do this?" he asked, asserting his initiative.
Evie turned to him, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "You don't know how to make pancakes?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow. "I assumed you could do it since you suggested pancakes."
"It's the easiest thing I could think of, even if I haven't made them yet," Ezra replied, moving to the counter to gather bowls with confidence for someone who had never tried making it. "So... milk, eggs, sugar, flour?" he stated, laying out the essentials.
"Do you want me to make them?" she offered, ready to step into action.
Ezra shrugged. "If you're up for it," he responded.
Evie nodded and without hesitation began packing the ingredients, taking charge of the task with a sense of purpose.
"Seeing you whip up pasta like a pro that day, I could've sworn you were a chef in a past life," she teased him. "And now you can't even manage pancakes?"
"You know, not everyone can do everything," he reasoned.
"Fair point," she conceded, smirking. "But today, I'm in charge. Get the pan ready with some butter." Once the butter was perfectly melted, Evie poured her pancake mixture into the pan, skillfully monitoring it as it cooked. With a quick flick of her wrist, she used a scraper to flip it over.
"Look at that golden color—it's beautiful," Evie exclaimed, her smile radiant.
Ezra nodded, unable to argue. After the first batch of pancakes was a hit, Evie buttered the pan again and directed Ezra to pour his mixture. "Like this?" he asked, and she nodded, encouraging him to continue.
As they waited for Ezra's pancake to cook, Evie turned to him with a teasing grin. "What time does Shane usually wake up?"
"Honestly, I have no idea," Ezra replied with a shrug. "Should I flip it now?"
"Yes! Go for it," Evie urged, watching intently. Ezra flipped the pancake; it was decent, but it didn't quite match Evie's masterpiece.
"You did well," she said, raising her hand for a high five, which he returned with a proud smirk.
Ezra carried his pancake to a plate like it was a trophy, inspecting it before blowing on it. "Aren't you going to drizzle it with honey or something?" she asked.
"I'm hungry right now, so I'll save that for the next batch," he dismissed with a wave. Evie chuckled softly as he cut into the pancake and took a bite. "It's great," he declared, and Evie's smile only brightened.
Suddenly, the sound of a door closing upstairs snapped their attention. Evie's eyes widened at Ezra, who remained unfazed, concentrating on his pancake. "Shane's up," she whispered urgently. "We need to act fast."
"What do you mean?" Ezra asked, slightly confused.
"It's a beautiful day," Shane's booming voice rang out from upstairs, validating her concerns. As he stretched and made his way downstairs, the enticing smell wafted through the air. "Something smells amazing," he noted, sniffing the scent as he descended the staircase. Just as he reached the bottom, he caught sight of Evie and Ezra, positioned closely together, and caught them in the midst of a kiss. Evie swiftly rushed to Ezra, capturing the end of his pancake with her lips, their moment suspended for just a heartbeat.
"Oh great, it's love I'm smelling," Shane mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes. Who would have thought it would be Ezra and Evie sharing a morning kiss?
Ezra was taken aback when Evie suddenly leaned in and seized the end of the pancake with her mouth. He shot her a questioning look, and she quickly glanced towards Shane. It clicked in his mind: Shane had been suspicious yesterday, and they needed to keep him from discovering anything unusual.
He hadn't expected Evie to be so bold. Just then, Shane entered the kitchen, calling out something like "love..." Ezra's gaze locked onto Evie's, her eyes blinking back at him. Before she could process it, he pulled her closer, his hand resting on her lower back as he guided her into his embrace.
Her heart flew to her throat.
He cupped her cheek with his other hand, his thumb brushing against her cheek, and soon their lips met. He deepened the kiss, the sound echoing in the kitchen, much to Shane's annoyance.
"Will you two cut it out? It's too early for this mushy stuff," Shane chastised as he stepped forward, effectively breaking their moment. Evie's heart raced, and as Ezra leaned back, seeming unfazed, he cradled his pancake and continued eating.
Evie turned to him, asking, "Would you like to have some?"
"He can make some for himself," Ezra interjected bluntly.
Shane shrugged off Ezra's remark. "Yes, Evie, I'd like some too." He shot her a bright smile, and she nodded, starting to prepare his pancake.
"Ezra, that's really not fair," Shane said, his eyebrows knitting together as he shot Ezra a pointed look.
"You're the unfair one," Ezra countered, unwavering. "Asking my woman to make pancakes for you—make them yourself, or better yet, find your own woman."
"You're so cold," Shane feigned hurt, placing a hand over his chest dramatically.
"Thank you," Shane said, as he collected his pancake from Evie. "Do you two lovebirds have plans today?" Shane asked, glancing between them.
Evie shook her head, but Ezra shot back with, "Why?"
"Let's go out today, the three of us," Shane declared confidently, and both Ezra and Evie instantly regretted their earlier declaration of availability. Shane noticed their reluctance, his eyes narrowing as he read their worried expressions. "What? It'll be fun," he insisted.