Four times in one night have to be a new record, Alyssa thought, curling her fingers around a mug of fresh coffee. Ethan had woken her twice more in the middle of the night. Once soft and gentle, the other—hard and breathless with his mouth hot on her body and fingers stirring deep inside her, as if he knew exactly where to touch to drive her crazy.

She couldn't recall the last time she'd had a man at her all night long. So eager to have her over and over and over again, as if he couldn't get enough.

They'd tumbled headlong into sleep somewhere around the ridiculous wee morning hours before the cresting of dawn. At some point Ethan had crawled out of bed, kissing her before he left. Muttering something about breakfast.

Seconds after he'd left, the bedroom door winged open and Cleo—not at all pleased that her side of the bed had been usurped last night—made a point of letting Alyssa know it by flopping unceremoniously across Alyssa's head. Giving her no choice but to get up or suffocate between feline and pillow.

It had taken her another five minutes to drag herself out of sleep, but when she did, Alyssa was surprised by how relaxed she felt. How...refreshed. The coffee helped though, banishing the lingering vestiges of sleep and lethargy. At seven in the morning, she was already behind her usual schedule and should have been finished at the gym by now, but figured last night had certainly earned her to privilege of a late start.

Smiling to herself in thought and memory, Alyssa toyed with her phone, combing through emails—and was constantly jolted by how sluggish her account was of late. Once upon a time, not so long ago, she couldn't go an hour without coming back to find dozens of incoming correspondence. She'd managed several projects at once, and there was always a fire somewhere she'd had to stomp out to keep things on schedule.

Now...aside from junk mail and the occasional message lobbed her way in error, nothing.

Why wasn't that as depressing as it sounded? Or maybe it was only she was too blissfully sated to care at present. Sex with a handsome man who delivered orgasms like they were pizzas kinda made everything else seem inconsequential. Less.

And always a woman for timing, her phone chimed with an incoming message from Indy.

Alyssa smiled at the message, tears she couldn't explain searing the back of her eyes as she typed out her response:

She hit send as her front door whisked open and Ethan popped in, wearing a thick sweater and ball cap he removed soon as he entered. A white paper takeout bag hooked under his arm and cheeks reddened from the brisk chill that pushed inside with him.

"Thought you'd still be asleep," he said, toeing off his shoes.

Alyssa held up her mug. "Figured if you were out for breakfast, least I could do was make the coffee."

Ethan joined her in the kitchen and set the bag down on the counter.

He'd planned on making it when he got back, and surprising her in bed with it. What woman wouldn't appreciate breakfast delivered and fresh coffee, had been his thought process, imaging her the way he'd left—draped across one side, hair tousled and face dreamy. Sheets twined around her waist and down her legs. A pretty and tempting little picture.

Now she stood in the kitchen, hair tied back into a stumpy little ponytail, a lock of purple streaked hair skimming the right side of her face. Wearing comfy sweats and an oversized t-shirt and still every bit as sexy as she'd been last night in that excuse of a dress and heels. He wanted to pick her up and cart her back into the bedroom, eager as a teenager after his first hit of sex, getting Alyssa naked again seemed to be all he could think about.

But the rational part of him was alert and knew that last night they'd crossed a line, one that needed to be cleared out a bit if things were—god willing—going to continue along this course. If they were to maintain equitable footing.

So, instead of reaching for the woman, Ethan went for the coffee and poured some out into the mug she'd had waiting for him on the counter.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I did." She set down her coffee, slid her hands on the counter, stretched on either side of her. "You've got that look on your face," she commented, mirroring his pose. They stood there, facing each other; almost exactly as they had that night he'd brought her home. Only this time, he had no intentions of keeping his hands to himself. At least...not for long.

"Thinking," he said, angling his mug and he looked down at that dark, black brew as if the answer to his thoughts would rise to the surface. Like the little in a Magic 8 ball. He set that cup down, dusted his hands. "Just wanna know we're on the same page."

"What page is that?"

"The honest one." Ethan was moving for her before he realized he'd had a thought to. His hands tugged that band out of her hair so he could twine his fingers in it, admiring the soft and cool strands against the warmth of his skin, and angled her face up so he could see her. So she could see him. "I'm not one for games. Or playing loose and casual. I don't think you are either, but if that's your preference I should know now. No hard feelings, we draw it here and call it a day." 

A glimmer in her eyes, maybe a trick of the morning light, he thought, and quickly reasoned away, but the hitch in her breath was unmistakable. It did something inside of him, made his own chest tighten and expand all at the same time.

"Don't worry, Sheriff." Alyssa looped her arms around his neck. "I'm greedy when I see something I like. And I happen to like what I'm looking at."

"Glad to hear it." he sidled in closer, nibbling his way up to her mouth for a quick, teasing kiss in between a smile. And that little taste alone was almost enough to make him forget all about food. Almost. "Hungry?"

"Famished."

"Good." Releasing her, Ethan reached for the crumpled paper bag he'd brought in. White with green print that read Fresh to Go. "I've got breakfast bagels, twelve grain made in house topped with a four egg omelet and cheese. Good for you?"

Alyssa wiggled her fingers. "Gimme." Ethan handed over hers then carted the bag, and their coffee, over to the table pushed under the length of window that overlooked the beach. The water was rough against the short. Dark water shadowed by the bluffs behind them and the overcast of a grey morning. But the weather hadn't been too bad when he'd stepped out and doubted they'd see any snow for at least another couple of weeks which he imagined had the local kids more than a little bummed.

He remembered being young and waking up on those rare morning when a storm had blown in overnight, leaving three foot deep drifts that brought the island to a standstill. No school. No work. Nothing but sliding down hills and snowball fights. He remembered his mom whipping up hot chocolate in a flask and the troop of his brothers and sisters racing outside to join the frolicking children and their parents.

And why was he thinking about snow days and childhood memories? Shaking it aside, he set the items he carried down on the edge of the obstructed table top.

"What's this?" he asked, gathering up an open notebook and scattered sheets with penciled drawing of what he interpreted to be Eva's gallery. Copies of expansion floor plans riddled with post-it notes and the words 'Eva's Initiative Program' scrawled across the top in blocked letters.

"Nothing," Alyssa said, taking them from him and dumping the pile on the couch. "Just something I was messing around with. Burning up time."

Ethan tucked his tongue into his cheek, flickering his gaze to and from Alyssa. That hadn't looked like what he'd consider playful burning of time, but something important and meaningful. But if she didn't want to talk about it, he wasn't going to pry. At least, not obviously. There were ways to lead into all kinds of interrogations, and Ethan considered himself well versed in them all. One of the perks to his quiet and patient personality—observation and attention to detail came second nature to him. 

Dragging out his chair, he sat at one corner so they were angled towards each other. Alyssa was already unwrapping her breakfast, eyes pinned to her meal.

He pulled his own out of the bag. The parchment paper was warm and steam rose as he parted the folds. He didn't eat out often, aside from his 'cheat' meals, it made more sense to cook at home and pack up for the day. And while Alyssa had a decently stocked fridge, he thought rooting around in her own kitchen a tad presumptuous even if they were officially sleeping together.

Fresh to Go at least catered to the healthy conscientious, which he was sure Alyssa would appreciate given a quick sweep of her fridge confirmed what he'd already suspected—that she treated her body with as much reverence and respect as he did his own. Indulging on occasion, but understanding the importance of a balanced diet.

He'd have been shocked if she didn't, given last night's explorations of her body also confirmed his observations of her in the gym. Alyssa Sloane's body was female perfection, sculpted, toned but still soft where it mattered. He'd never been so turned on by a naked female form in his life. Or so eager get a woman naked again. And again. And again.

Jesus, Ethan shifted in his seat.

"This is so good," she mumbled around a mouthful, fingers covering her lips.

"There's some avocado in the bag, and steamed edamame." Alyssa groaned, unknowingly adding fuel to the already raging fire between his legs, and reached for it, digging out both containers and plastic forks.

"What are your plans for the day?" he asked in an attempt to steer his thoughts away from hauling her back into bed where he could do something about this sudden erection. Snagging an edamame, he bit into the steamed, green pod. Little hard beans popping in his mouth.

"I was thinking of taking Eva and the girls out for dinner when they get home from school," she said. "A beachside seafood grill Eva told me about."

"I know the one," he said. "Great spot. You'll love it."

"That's what Eva said. But as for my day in general," she shrugged absently. "The gallery is closed for at least another week. So I thought I would check in and see if Eva and Jenelle want any help going over a few plan details for the re-opening next month."

Ethan's thoughts drifted with his gaze over to the couch were papers and floor plans and notebooks were heaped. "Is that what that's all about?" He wiggled a finger towards the mess. "Eva's Initiative or whatever?"

Colour flashed in her cheeks before she shook her head, stuffing her mouth with the bagel. "Told you, that was just messing around. Eva asked for my thoughts on a couple of things and then I got a bit carried away. Ordinarily I wouldn't have bothered but...didn't have much else to do sitting around here so..."

"So what is it?" he asked, reclining casually. "This 'Initiative Program'?"

Alyssa's knee bounced under the table, uncertain. "Just something I was playing with. An idea. Everyone talks about how Eva's artwork is more than art, so I followed that angle. Expanded on it."

He nodded slowly, gauging, and then decided he'd pressed her about as far as he was willing to chance. Finishing the last bite of his cheese and egg bagel, Ethan balled up his napkin, lobbed it at the trash bin. It went in with a clean arc—a solid three pointer he'd perfected in his senior year on the high school team.

"Whatever it is, you should show it to Eva."

"I don't think...I mean, it's her business."

"And you're her sister." Reaching between them, he took Alyssa's hand, linked their fingers. His kind and perceptive gaze trained on hers. His phoned chirped and he pulled it out, frowned at the screen.

"Problem?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Sighing, he tucked it away. Rose from the table. "I've got to head to court for nine and, hopefully, shut the door on this case." Leaning over, he brushed his lips over hers, and lingered the second time around. "Miss me?"

Alyssa smirked. "You wish." But pulled him in for a third, more thorough kiss. "See you tonight? Same time?"

"It's a date."

***

I'm so sorry for the delay in updating. Three major essays combined with a killer week at the office (12 hour work days - let that soak in) left me with no time to think, let alone write. But the office is quiet again (for now at least), and I'm back in the saddle.

It took me a bit longer then usually to get back into the momentum after such a long break between segments, I usually write every day but haven't touched anything in almost seven, which is unheard of in my world.

I'm finding my groove again, so the next update hopefully won't require an ENTIRE day for me to draft. Usually I bang out a rough chapter in a couple of hours, this one took me almost eight.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy and thanks for being so patient :)