With Crayons and Love (Romantic Suspense) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 27 - Worst

So very sorry for the wait. Hope you forgive me and that you enjoy this chapter. Oh, it's a sexy one so don't say I didn't warn you. Love, Jas.

_______________________

The next morning when I woke, I found I had not slipped away from his hold throughout the night. I had dreamt again, but of things I couldn't decipher. Just a restless sleep with shifting colors, a pallet moving until it became a blur.

I softly removed his hand from my back and laid it beside him. It was five o'clock in the morning and I was wide awake, so I rolled to my side and kept my body close to his for security. All the while I faced the wall and willed myself to remain motionless as I waited.

He would awaken at some time near eight to use the restroom and leave for his apartment, where he'd likely dress for a run, and later return to work on his paintings. During that same hour Stella and I would be getting ready to leave for my mother's and the Tribune.

But today it wouldn't be so. I was not going to work and Stella wouldn't be away from me. Not after that dream.

Yes, it was as if I were shutting down, keeping myself in the apartment. And yes, one could say I was letting him win by changing the course of my day because of him. But I didn't want to step out of my apartment today. I wanted to stay where everything was familiar, and I didn't care if it made me weak.

I wanted to have Stella nearby and Grant just a phone call away. And I wanted to lock myself in my studio and let my hands do as they pleased. So much had been taking place lately that I had neglected my pottery work and craft, and now all I could think of doing was taking another day off to throw myself in it; to let everything inside of me go.

To hell with employment.

I was taking another sick day and the Tribune would be unable to do a damn thing. When my sick days were spent, then I would worry. For now I was creating, and I would create enough that the store wouldn't have to ask for stock for a good while, and heaven knew they had been nagging for nearly a week now.

I had been of a mind to wait for Grant to awaken beside him, but I stood from the bed and went to the kitchen at around seven. I took a few eggs and beat them in a hollow bowl, then added vanilla extract and cinnamon to the mixture. Afterward I took eight slices of bread and coated them each evenly, proceeding to cook them individually over the skillet.

I knew they would both like the warm breakfast of French toast, and continued to put a pot of coffee to brew.

I was placing the slices of toast onto a large plate when I heard my bedroom door open, followed by the opening of another door.

He appeared a moment later, his hair smoothed back with water just the way I loved it, and his body fully dressed in the slacks and shirt he had kept removed ever since entering my room last night. Grant appeared just as inhumanly sexy and polished as he had been at the Gallery, and I couldn't help but to feel an almost darkened need inside of me. Expertly, I kept it from my face and continued to work.

"You're up early," he commented, walking to me. He stopped behind me and slid his arms around my waist, standing above my head.

"Couldn't sleep too much, but I slept well enough," I murmured.

"I'm glad. I'm going to go to the apartment to get ready for the Gallery after breakfast. I need to make sure everything is in place after having left earlier than I expected to last night. Shouldn't be much more than a briefing on what I missed."

I bit my lip worriedly. "You don't think you missed a lot, do you?"

"No, Red. Nothing that mattered."