43. Claire: Breakfast

*CLAIRE*

I wake up in a soft pile of pillows, the morning sunlight streaming through the large windows, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. It's bright enough that for a moment, I panic, thinking I’ve overslept and missed my alarm. But when I check the time, I realize I’m up early for once.

It takes me a moment to remember where I am—*Nik’s house*. The events of last night flood back to me, and I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I slept better than I probably should have, all things considering. Something about being here in Nik’s space settled me enough that I was able to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The guest room’s walls are painted a calming shade of pale blue that gives the space a cozy, lived-in feel. A plush rug lies at the foot of the bed, its soft fibers tickling my bare feet as I swing them over the edge and stand. Crouching, I rummage through my duffel bag and find a dress that will be suitable for the library. I dress quickly, combing and smoothing my curls back into something presentable for work. *If I’m even allowed to go back into work today after what happened last night…*

The thought makes me grimace. After everything that happened at my apartment, it might take some convincing. Nik might have decided that it’s too dangerous now. *Nik*. My pulse quickens at the thought of seeing him again this morning. And my heart shouldn’t be doing that. It really really shouldn’t.

Leaving my room, I follow the hallway to the kitchen, where the scent of cooking eggs fills the air. In the morning light, the house is just as beautiful and natural as I remember it being last night. Dark wood and large windows offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain forest. There are touches of rustic charm everywhere, from the stone fireplace in the living room to the cozy furniture. The kitchen is bright and airy, with white cabinets and countertops that gleam in the morning light.

Nik stands at the stove, a spatula in hand. He’s shirtless, wearing only a pair of athletic shorts, his muscular chest and torso on display. My mouth goes dry at the sight. *Why, oh why, does he have to be so gorgeous?* And as good as that bare expanse of tan muscles look, I can’t help but remember how those muscles feel even better than they look. I’m sure those memories will be scalded into my brain for the rest of my life.

He glances up as I enter, and his eyes light up at the sight of me. I force my eyes away from his bare skin, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

“Good morning,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I cross the kitchen toward him.

“I hope you like eggs,” he says, his tone teasing. “They’re the only thing I know how to cook.”

I can’t help but grin at his comment, feeling a warmth spread through me. “Eggs sound perfect,” I reply.

Nik nods, turning back to the stove. “They’ll be done soon,” he says, his voice soft. “You can sit down.”

I watch him work, admiring the easy grace with which he moves around the kitchen. It’s a simple gesture, cooking breakfast, but it means more to me than he probably realizes. I can’t remember the last time someone took the time to make me breakfast like this.

As I sit at the table, Nik brings me a cup of coffee, and I’m shocked to see that it’s just how I like it. He must’ve remembered my coffee order the day we ran into each other at the cafe by the library. I take a sip, savoring the rich, earthy flavor, and my heart flutters at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. It’s a small thing, remembering someone’s coffee order, but it makes the center of my chest heat with pleasure.

“Thank you,” I say, meeting his gaze with a smile.

“Did you sleep okay?” He asks, turning back to scoop the eggs onto plates.

I nod around another sip of coffee, “ I slept great actually.”

Nik’s smile softens, and for a moment, there’s a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. “I’m glad. Did you have everything that you needed? I can pick up anything I forgot from your apartment while you’re at work.”

“Does that mean that I can go back to work again today?”

“Of course,” he looks back up with an amused smirk, “I learned my lesson in trying to keep you away from what you want. And as much as I hate to admit it, it turned out to be a good thing you weren’t in your apartment yesterday.” A dark shadow overtakes his eyes at the mention of yesterday. “But I’ll be the one picking you up and dropping you off. And I doubled the number of your guards.”

My eyes widen, lips falling open with my growing horror, “Wha—”

“With how easily he managed to break into your apartment, I’m not going to be taking any chances.”

I feel guilty that so many people are having their days revolve around *me*, but I comfort myself with the hope that it won’t have to be for much longer.

Nik brings over two plates of scrambled eggs, perfectly cooked and steaming hot. He sets one in front of me and the other across the table, then takes a seat. As we sit across from each other, eating breakfast, the tension that has been building between us fades away replaced by a quiet sense of ease.

I glance at Nik, wondering how to broach the subject, “About that…there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

He stills, eyebrows drawing together, “What is it?”

“Well, when Viv was walking me home from the library last night, she mentioned that it would be easier to track down Felix if we knew what forms he can Shift into.”

Nik nods, urging me on.

“I realized that I’ve put off contacting James for long enough. It’s way past time that I speak with him. And regardless of everything else that happened between us, he would be the best source of information that we need in regards to Felix and what he’s capable of.”

Nik is silent for a long moment, his dark eyes unreadable. Finally he says, “I don’t want you to feel pressured into doing anything you’re not ready for.”

I shake my head, “I’ve already put it off for much longer than I should have. And I’m sorry again for putting you into a position where you’ve had to hide information from your brother. You’ve been nothing but generous with me since I got here, going out of your way to look out for me. It was selfish of me to do that to you.”

His entire body stills, the golden muscles in his shoulders tensing. The expression that crosses his face looks *pained* for a moment until he blinks it away. “Claire, you don’t need to thank me for any of that. Despite what you may think, nothing I did was as selfless on my part as you're assuming. In fact, if anyone should apologize for being selfish, it’s me.”

I blink at him, confused, “I don’t understand.”

In a rough motion, he tugs one of his hands through his dark, tousled hair, “Never mind, it’s not important right now.” He throws a quick glance at the clock then suddenly stands from the table, “We should get going so you’re not late. We can make the decision on when to call James later tonight.”

All too quickly, he disappears out of the room and down the hall toward the bedrooms. I want to stop him, to ask him to explain what he meant again, but by the time I open my mouth to start, he’s already gone.

All I can do is stare after him in shock.