Chapter 70

Sunlight filtered through the windows, but I didn't want to wake up just yet. Mary Ellen was still asleep and I loved the way her body felt against mine. It was all soft and silky and smelled so good. We had been up until the early hours of the morning taking advantage of our time together. I lost count of the number of times she orgasmed. My little librarian had turned into quite the wildcat. With the energy we expended last night, I knew she would likely be famished when she finally awoke. I was.

I carefully extricated my arm from under her head and slid out of bed, doing my best not to disturb her. I pulled on some underwear and a pair of shorts and crept downstairs.

After an amazing night like that, she deserved breakfast. I started brewing coffee and got the breakfast going. Bacon sizzled in the air fryer, adding to the delicious coffee aroma. I poured the batter into the waffle maker and then went back to the fridge to grab the container of strawberries.

I washed and hulled them, then set them aside to dry before carefully slicing each one. I thought about our night together, the feel of her bare body against mine, her breathless sighs and sweet moans echoing in my mind. I smiled as I remembered the expressions of pleasure on her beautiful face.

The beep from the waffle maker brought me back to reality. I turned to remove the perfectly golden waffles, sliding them onto a plate, and then continued with making the rest. The scent of bacon mingled with the sweet aroma of waffles was divine.

It was such a simple thing to do—making breakfast. I wanted to do this with her every morning. This was the life I wanted for the rest of my days.

Once everything was ready, I set up the breakfast bar, arranging the plates, waffles, bacon, and cut strawberries in an appealing display. I added some butter and syrup on the side for her to choose from, along with the can of whipped cream. I looked at my handiwork with satisfaction before going to pour myself another cup of coffee. Just then, I heard soft footsteps from behind me.

Mary Ellen emerged in the doorway, her hair tousled and eyes sleepy. The oversized shirt she wore, one of mine, barely reached her mid-thighs. God, she was beautiful. I watched as she blinked at me in confusion, taking in the sight of breakfast laid out on the counter.

"What is all this?" she asked.

"Breakfast," I replied. "I'm guessing you're hungry. I know I am."

"I'm starving." She laughed.

"After last night, I thought you might be," I said with a wink. "I was thinking we could eat on the patio. It's a beautiful morning."

"I'd like that."

I poured her a cup of coffee and we both piled our plates high with food. We carried our plates outside and sat on the patio with an umbrella to block the sun.

As we ate, we chatted about everything and nothing. The sky was a brilliant blue overhead, and the birds were chirping in the trees that surrounded my house. I watched as Mary Ellen took a bite of her waffle, her eyes closing in pleasure as she tasted the sweet syrup and fresh strawberries.

"You did an amazing job on breakfast," she murmured after swallowing her bite. "You're not just a pretty face."

"I try my best," I said with a grin.

We continued to eat, enjoying the silence that fell over us. It was peaceful, perfect even. This is what it could be like every morning. Mary Ellen and I sharing food and laughter as the world woke up around us. It was a compelling vision of a future I found myself yearning for more than ever before.

"My feet are sore," Mary Ellen sighed.

"Mine too." I nodded. "But it was good."

She took a bite of the crunchy bacon and looked out at the backyard.

"Have you started considering your job options?" I asked gently.

"No. Not really. I spent all the time on the fundraiser and then it was all wedding prep. I guess I'm glad I wasn't working. I don't know how I would have had the time to take care of everything."

"Do you want to apply at other libraries, or do you want to explore a different path altogether?"

She sighed, her expression uncertain. "I'm not sure. I feel paralyzed by all of my options. I never expected to have to start over like this. I was so comfortable in my little library. Now I have no idea what to do with myself."

I nodded in understanding, reaching out to squeeze her hand in reassurance. "You have time to figure it out," I reminded her. "Give yourself some breathing room, and then approach it with a clear head."

She smiled at me, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thanks. Now that the fundraiser and the wedding are behind me, I have time to figure out what to do next."

"You can do anything you want," I told her.

She rubbed her temples. "Man, I hate drinking champagne. It just sticks with you for a week."

"You know what will help after all that champagne last night?" I teased.

She pointed her fork at me in mock admonition. "No," she replied firmly. "I don't think it's natural to have sex that many times."

I laughed. "Not that. If that was the cure, you wouldn't be hungover."

She laughed and moaned softly. "Good point."

I got up from my seat and pulled her up. "Come on. A little cool water is exactly what you need."

"No!" she shrieked and ran right where I was planning to take her.

I chased her around the pool, both of us laughing and breathless.

"Don't you dare!" She laughed and dodged around me.

"Oh, I dare," I said with a quick lunge. I caught her around the waist. Together we tumbled into the pool.

The water was a refreshing contrast to the warm morning sun. Mary Ellen spluttered as she surfaced, wiping water from her eyes with a laugh. "You'll pay for that," she threatened playfully.

I swam toward her, grinning widely. "Promise?"

Her reply was a splash of water to my face. We laughed and splashed about. I chased her and pulled her against me. The shirt floated up around her waist. The cool water washed away any lingering discomfort from the fun-filled activities of the previous night.

I kissed her as we bobbed up and down in the water. Just when she was getting into it, I pushed her underwater and swam away.

"You're so dead!" she shouted before bursting into laughter. "That was mean."

"You'll have to catch me first," I called over my shoulder, grinning.

She was a fast swimmer, but I was faster. Still, she was determined and managed to catch up to me at the deep end of the pool. Our laughter echoed around the backyard as we splashed one another, turning the serene pool into a battlefield.

"Truce!" Mary Ellen called out eventually, panting from exertion. "I need a break."

I swam over to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist to help keep her afloat. Looking into her eyes, I was reminded once more of the connection that we shared. It was something profound that I couldn't get enough of.

"Alright," I agreed. "Truce."

We sat at the edge of the pool, our feet dangling in the water as we dried off. "Thanks for hanging out with me," I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You don't need to thank me. I should thank you for letting me hang out with you. And for making me breakfast."

"I mean, it's been a while since I've just been able to chill. I don't have to worry about you judging me. You know me and you're still here."

She smiled and leaned her head against my shoulder. "It's been a while for me too. No expectations, no obligations, just being," she murmured, closing her eyes briefly.

We sat in comfortable silence. The only sound was the occasional splash from our feet stirring the water. The sun shone down on us, warming our skin and drying our soaked clothing. My mind wandered, replaying everything that had happened in the last few weeks. Waking up with Mary Ellen in my arms and spending time by the pool had left a sense of peace in my heart that I had not felt in a long time.

I vowed to give her nothing but the best. An idea began to form in my mind, and I was determined to make that vow a reality.

"I should probably get home," Mary Ellen said after a while. "Sunny is probably going to be ready to go to the park or the zoo or whatever one does with a kid."

"I'll go with you," I offered, standing up and offering her a hand. "Sunny likes me, remember? Besides, I think I owe you a zoo trip."

"Absolutely. After this morning's pool acrobatics, I believe you do owe me." She accepted my hand and let me pull her to her feet.

We went back inside to change into dry clothes which we had planned for earlier in the week. "You don't need to do this," Mary Ellen said.

"Do what?"

"I know the last thing you want to do is hang out at the zoo," she said.

"I want to go," I said. "Unless you would prefer I didn't?"

"I would love to spend the day with you," she assured me. "And like you said, Sunny likes you. It'll be a good chance for you guys to get to know each other. I imagine you'll be spending more time with her and all of us in the future."

I nodded. "I certainly hope so."

"Good," she replied softly.

I took the truck, thinking it might be a little better for a kid. When we got to the house, Sunny was sitting at the kitchen table and coloring. Rylee and Karen looked like zombies on the couch.

"You look rough," Mary Ellen teased them.

"Shut up," Rylee groaned. "You guys left early."

"Are you hungover?" she joked with them.

"Aren't you?" Karen asked.

Mary Ellen looked at me with a knowing smile. "Nope. Not anymore. Archer made me a big breakfast and then we went for a swim. I feel right as rain."

"Shut up," Rylee growled.

"We thought we would take Sunny to the zoo," I said.

Karen perked up. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Mary Ellen said. "You guys can go back to sleep."

Rylee gasped. "Thank you." She was up and off the couch in a flash. A second later, I heard her bedroom door slam shut and what sounded like snoring.

Karen dragged herself to her feet and patted my shoulder as she passed. "You're a lifesaver, Archer. Don't let Sunny eat too much candy. And watch out for grabby gorillas."

"Sure thing," I promised, watching as she retreated to her room.

Mary Ellen slipped her hand into mine and nodded toward Sunny, who was still coloring at the kitchen table, completely absorbed in her artwork. We walked over to her, and Mary Ellen gently cleared her throat to get her attention.

Sunny looked up and smiled. "Hi, Archer!" she greeted enthusiastically.

"Hey there, Sunshine," I replied with a grin, ruffling her hair. "Ready for a fun day at the zoo?"

Her face lit up. "Really?" she squealed, dropping her crayon and bouncing excitedly in her seat.

"Absolutely," Mary Ellen chimed in. "But first, we need to get you dressed appropriately. No one goes to the zoo in their pajamas."