Divorced, Desperate, and Delicious

Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two

Lacy swung around and felt her face flush at the sight of Chase standing at the bathroom doorway, wearing only his jeans and a proud smile. He reminded her of a model in a jean commercial, a bare-chested man looking too sexy in his jeans and knowing it.

He stepped closer and started to kiss her, but she pulled back and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Morning breath,” she mumbled.

He kissed her forehead. “After all we did last night, I’d thought we were past the fear-of-morning-breath stage.”

The heat in her face grew more intense and he chuckled. “Brush your teeth and I’ll trade you a kiss for breakfast.”

She nodded, and he disappeared out the door.

* * *

Chase stepped into the kitchen just as the phone rang. He’d tried Jason four times this morning, praying to hear good news about Stokes. His fingers itched to pick up the phone, but he held his breath and waited to hear the machine.

“Chase?” Jason’s voice filled the room.

Chase snatched up the phone. “Tell me some good news.”

“He pulled through,” Jason said, a lightness in his voice that sounded like relief. “He’s still not completely out of danger yet, but he’s a fighter.”

“Yes!” Chase raised a fist in the air. “That’s great news. Now you keep him alive. Don’t let Zeke get close.”

“I’m not. Oh, I’ll catch you later.”

The phone clicked off. The abruptness told Chase that someone must have walked up, but the important message had been given—Stokes had pulled through.

Chase took a deep gulp of morning air. A few flashbacks from the previous night tiptoed through his mind. He smiled, as appreciation for simply being alive struck him. It was a damn good day.

* * *

When Lacy walked into the kitchen, Chase looked extra cheery. He kissed her and, with his mouth melted against hers and his hands on her hips, two-stepped her across the room.

“Hungry?” he asked when they finally came up for air. “I hope you like omelettes.”

She nodded. His hand moved up and down her back as he guided her to the table where a hot cup of coffee waited, figure eights of steam rising from the top. As she dropped into a chair, feeling all tingly, he went to the stove. The phone rang again.

“Your mom called last night.” He lifted a lid off a skillet and grabbed a spatula from her silverware drawer.

“You didn’t talk to her, did you?” she asked, noting how comfortably the man moved in her kitchen. How comfortable it felt for him to be here. He fit into her life like a soft nightgown fit against her body on a cool night. Perfectly. He even liked her animals.

“I didn’t answer.” He glanced up after placing a beautiful half-moon-shaped omelette on the plate. “But she left a very long message.” Chase grinned. “You know, she’s a strange one. But she’s not really that hard to take.”

“You haven’t gotten to know her yet.” Lacy sipped her coffee.

Chase picked up another skillet and scooped what looked like fried potatoes onto her plate. Then he raised his gaze. Concern filled his eyes. “How bad was she?”