Chapter 36

Hangover.

That was my first thought. Rylee's knockout drink had done a number on me.

My second thought was there was a very warm, soft body nestled up to mine. The throbbing in my head was barely noticeable. The cotton mouth, not so bad. All I could focus on was the silky skin pressed against my chest and legs.

I smiled slowly before opening my eyes. It had been a long time since I woke up with a woman.

My eyes popped open, momentarily blinded by the sun streaming through the window. I was in bed with Mary Ellen. Last night we had talked until late, and it felt like our bond had deepened.

I lifted my head and looked down at her sleeping form. I couldn't resist pushing a strand of hair away from her face. Her lashes were naturally long. Her skin was smooth and smelled like lavender. This was about as close to heaven as I had ever been.

I wasn't going to leave willingly. I closed my eyes and lay back down beside her. I threw my arm around her and hugged her close. My nose was buried in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her hair and skin. This was bliss. This was the kind of thing that could turn the worst man around. I felt myself drifting back to sleep, perfectly content to snooze the day away.

It felt like two minutes later that I was roused from sleep once again. The sound of banging from downstairs confused me. I blinked away the remnants of sleep and looked over to find Mary Ellen beside me, rubbing her eyes and grumbling about the noise.

"What's going on?" I muttered, my voice thick with sleep.

Mary Ellen shrugged. "No idea. Someone is in the kitchen. I'm going to take a frying pan and whack them upside the head."

"No, no. Let me." I pulled myself out of the bed with ragged determination. My legs were wobbly and my head throbbed more intensely with each movement, but I managed to find my discarded jeans and shirt from the night before.

"I'll come with you," she said with a groan. "Ow. My head."

"Yeah, we drank a bit last night."

"This is what happens when Rylee makes drinks," she complained. "Every damn time."

She pulled on some sweats, leaving her oversized shirt on. Together, we headed downstairs. The banging grew louder.

We walked into the kitchen and found Rylee and Jenny amidst a flurry of activity, covered in flour and wielding kitchen utensils like weapons of mass destruction.

"Morning." Rylee grinned.

"We're making pancakes," Jenny added. "Did we wake you?"

"I'd be surprised if you didn't wake the neighbors," I replied.

Mary Ellen surveyed the chaotic scene. "Do you even have any of the ingredients in the bowl?"

The girls looked at each other, then down at the bowl. A cloud of flour, butter, and egg sat like a lump of regret in the middle of a pool of milk.

"Mostly," Rylee said with a laugh. There was a white smear from the flour on her forehead.

"We all need a good breakfast after last night," Jenny said.

"I need coffee," Mary Ellen groaned. "Archer?"

I nodded. "Please."

She poured two cups from the pot, draining the last of it before starting a fresh one.

"Do you need help?" she asked.

I didn't think there was any help that could make this situation successful. There was bacon frying in a pan that looked downright dangerous. Grease was splattering everywhere.

"Maybe," Jenny admitted as she flipped a pancake.

It landed with a splat, half in the pan and half out, causing another splash of batter to hit the burner. It immediately sizzled and burned. Mary Ellen winced sympathetically.

"No, go." Rylee shooed us away. "We'll be done in like fifteen minutes."

"You'll be done or the house will be burnt to the ground?" Mary Ellen told her. "Just so I know if I should get my shoes on."

"Very funny." Rylee scowled. "Too many cooks in the kitchen. Scoot, go."

I took Mary Ellen's hand and led her back upstairs, casting one more wary glance at the kitchen.

"Are they always like this?" I asked her as we settled back into the warm comfort of the bed.

"Only when they're hungover," she replied, stifling a yawn. "They turn into rabid beasts."

We lay there for a while, listening to the sounds of her friends trying to navigate their way through breakfast prep. The smell of burnt toast wafted up toward the bedroom, making Mary Ellen sigh and groan at the same time.

"Breakfast is ready!"

The shout from downstairs was enough to rock the house. I had been dozing off, but not anymore.

"Are you ready for this?" Mary Ellen asked.

"I think so."

I took a moment to splash some water on my face while Mary Ellen pulled her hair up in a messy bun. Then we made our way back downstairs. My stomach growled when I caught the familiar, comforting scent of breakfast food. The acrid burnt toast smell was gone, replaced by the warm aromas of coffee, freshly cooked bacon, and pancakes.

Jenny and Rylee were beaming as they brought the bowl of fluffy scrambled eggs to the table. A mile-high stack of pancakes and a platter of bacon and sausage links were already set out.

"Wow," I said in disbelief.

"Yep," Rylee said, crossing her arms across her chest proudly. "Told you we had it under control."

We all gathered around the table for a hearty meal. No one was looking all that beautiful, but I still kept stealing glances at Mary Ellen. Even hungover and half asleep, I couldn't get enough of her.

Breakfast was relatively quiet. "This is really good," I said. "Thank you."

Rylee nodded, sipping her coffee.

"We all need a good breakfast after last night," Lauren said. "I haven't done that in a while."

"Me neither." Karen took a slice of bacon and popped it into her mouth. "It was a good night."

"Definitely," Jenny agreed, smearing butter onto her pancake. "I think I'll need another month to recover."

We broke into laughter, the fatigue from last night's partying still lingering but eased by the comfort of food and conversation. It was clear we had all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was the most fun I had in a long time. They had made me feel comfortable and welcome.

After stuffing our faces, it was time to get back to our normal lives. Jenny and Ward announced their departure soon after breakfast was over.

"We have a final walkthrough at the wedding venue," Jenny said. "Thank you guys for the food and fun."

Lauren and Jameson exchanged a look and quickly got to their feet. "We cleaned up after dinner. Good luck."

I could see the writing on the wall. Rylee had cooked, so it wouldn't be fair for her to clean. Karen looked at the clock. "Sorry, but we have to go," she said. "We have nonrefundable yoga class reservations, right, Rylee?"

Rylee blinked, clearly taken aback by the question but quickly nodding. "Yeah, that's right. We do have that."

They were up and out of the dining room in a flash. I chuckled as I surveyed the scene. The table was littered with dishes and leftovers. The kitchen still looked like a bomb had gone off. "Wow," I said. "I think we just got played."

"It's going to take forever to clean this up." Mary Ellen sighed. "We need a fire hose."

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned over to give her a kiss. "Don't worry, we'll tackle it together."

She returned my smile with a playful roll of her eyes. "They totally set us up. I'm sorry. You're a guest. You don't need to clean up. I'll take care of it."

"No way," I said. "I'm not leaving you this mess. Besides, I got to eat and drink without lifting a finger. The least I can do is help clean up."

We got to work on clearing the dishes from the table. The aftermath of the breakfast extravaganza was pretty extreme.

"There is no way all of these are fitting in the dishwasher," she said, sighing.

"We can do them by hand," I offered.

"I think they seriously used every single dish in this kitchen," she said with exasperation.

I laughed and shook my head. "I have to admit, I've never seen this many dishes used. But hey, we'll divide and conquer."

After loading the dishwasher as full as it would go, she washed dishes while I dried and put them away. Our movements were synchronized as if we had been doing this for years. It felt strangely domestic, but in a comforting way that made my heart flutter with warmth.

She dropped a fork into the soapy water, causing bubbles to splash up onto her face and my arm. I chuckled and reached out to wipe the suds off her cheek. Our eyes met in a silent understanding that sparked a rush of electricity between us. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and my pulse quickened. I dried the dishes with a newfound urgency.

Mary Ellen scrubbed the last stubborn pan, causing a holdup in our process. I couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her. Moving in behind her, I caged her against the counter with my hands on either side of her, relishing the warmth of her body pressed against mine.

Leaning in, I planted a soft kiss on her neck. The intoxicating scent of her had me thinking about doing things other than washing dishes. "How often do you have the big house to yourself?" I whispered, my lips brushing against her skin.

Her laughter bubbled up in response. Pressing her backside against me, she playfully teased, "Never."

Her response sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. I couldn't resist the urge to hold her closer, my hands trailing along the curves of her waist.

"Really?" I asked as I continued to nuzzle her neck, peppering it with light kisses.

Mary Ellen giggled and squirmed in my embrace. She turned in my arms, her eyes dancing with mischief, and playfully pushed me away. "Stop distracting me," she scolded, but the smile on her face told me she was enjoying every moment of it.

I grinned back at her, feeling an unexpected surge of boldness. "Or what?" I challenged, pulling her close once again.

Before Mary Ellen could respond, I captured her lips with mine in a soft, lingering kiss. The warmth of her mouth against mine sent a wave of desire through me, igniting a fire that had been smoldering between us.

When we finally pulled apart, our breathing ragged, I couldn't tear my gaze away from hers. Mary Ellen's eyes were filled with a mix of surprise and something deeper, something that mirrored the emotions swirling within me. This was not something I had ever done before. Staying overnight with a woman and then doing dishes with her was surreal. It felt very grounded. Very normal. I liked it. I wanted more of it.

"I have to finish this before they come back," she said with a laugh. "You're distracting me."

"Let's finish and then I think we should take advantage of our time alone."

Her eyes flashed with excitement. "I like the sound of that."

We continued to work through the dishes at a quicker pace, fueled by the anticipation of what was to come after. The playful banter kept going, but there was an added tension in the air. I didn't think either of us was going to need much foreplay. After sleeping beside her all night, it felt like eight hours of foreplay. I was ready to explode.

As we finished the last of the dishes and wiped down the counters, the energy between us crackled with intensity. Mary Ellen turned to me, her eyes filled with a mix of desire and nervousness.

"This is good enough," she said.