Chapter Twenty-Six: Next To Your Heart 

Thane’s POV

“Coffee?”

I look up to find Avery standing next to me.

It's past 1 AM and as usual, I'm immersed in work until I drift asleep on my laptop. It's a pretty routine for me, pretty sucks, but it's

But why is she still up? My face darkens with a frown.

“Did I say something wrong?” She looks concerned, her pretty kitten eyes widening like watermelons.

“Not at all,” I say quickly, trying to comfort her. “Orion?”

Like I struck a cord, she bats her lids nonstop and looks down at my workstation. I can bet on it that she's avoiding this conversation. How long does she intend to?

“You always work,” she says instead, entirely shifting the focus.

I try to follow her lead and make her as comfortable as she can be. But for Orion, it's certainly not over yet.

“Why do you keep working into the night?”

She's one inquisitive soul. I wonder what becomes of my child. I'll surely dump him with Aunt Lena, I can't handle a smart mouth.

“Working.”

I give a sarcastic response. Even though we're close, I still have boundaries.

“Still…”

She leans closer, her hand gently leans on my shoulder and I flinch before I can get myself.

Unexpected touches drive me wild, it's like a trigger.

“I'm sorry I startled you.” She withdraws and soon returns her gaze to my system. “I think you should rest a bit.”

“I'll remember that.” I try to dismiss her.

“Coffee?” She returns to her initial question.

Jeez! Avery!

Can you just go back to your room?!

I swallow, not wanting to scare her, guess she had another episode of that silly nightmare. Instead, I arch my brows.

“You can't make my coffee.” I tap on my keys.

“And I'd love to learn…”

“Avery, are you this much of a bug?”

She pouts.

“I need coffee, but I can't have one while you don't.”

“And I'm not thirsty…”

I pause, watching her rub her baby bump like it’s her ticket to mess with me.

Huff!

“Okay?” I run the tip of my tongue along my upper teeth. “What can you do about it?”

She rolls her eyes like she thinks with them.

“Fine, just make me anything you have.” I succumb.

“Nah, I won't have you waste it if you don't like it. And if it turns out horrible, you'll drink it still.”

I chuckle. Is that supposed to be a threat?

“Better still, join me in the kitchen, you can talk about your day.”

“Thanks, but I'll pass…”

“Please, Thane… Please.” She beckons.

Thane? Just wow.

“You’re restless, you know that right?”

“I'm only trying to get acquainted with you.” She defends herself.

I wasn't expecting any better.

“You know that I love my space, so why do you keep doing what you do?”

“It's boring and I can't pass a day without a friend.”

“You sure are a bag of trouble.” I sigh, standing up from the chair.

“I'm not that bad.” She protests again.

We get into the kitchen a few minutes later and she assembles the coffee mug and blended bean needed. For someone who has just gotten into my house, she knows too much.

Without asking me for directions, she pulls out the tin of sugar from the exact cupboard and the keg of milk from the refrigerator.

“You want whipped cream?”

“You know where that is too?”

I'm taken aback in all honesty.

She only pouts her lips and tries to avoid my gaze, but Avery being herself, goes ahead to bring out the whipped cream from storage.

Wow.

“No, uhm… Just plain.” I tell her.

“Plain?” She stops to look at me. “No milk, no sugar…”

“Yup, you’re right.”

“That's black and hard.”

“Life's hard.” I shrug and lean on the table.

She smears the hot fluid over the coffee bean on a strain, milking out the brown tea into our mugs, respectively.

I watch her with keen interest, from delicately handling the mugs to making the coffee to the other things she's doing.

She is beautiful.

I know my genes are strong, but I'm wondering how it would feel like to have a child that looks like her… Not her personality though, she drives me crazy to want that.

A sheepish smile lurks at the corner of my lips. It won't be a bad idea, her pretty eyes, full lips…

Thane!

I stop myself right on time. Unexpectedly, she turns to look at me and catches me gawking at her.

“Is anything wrong?”

Shit.

“Nah, I'm just watching you… What you're doing.” I correct swiftly.

“Oh,” she looks at the coffee table and brings my mug to me. “Did I get it wrong?”

“Not yet.”

I smile and put the hot coffee to my lips, blowing cool air on it before taking a sip.

“Okay.”

I just say and shrug.

“So long as you’re not throwing it away, it's a good thing.”

I smile.

“Thanks, Thane.”

Her pure smile and pretty eyes are on me.

“Earlier, I had fun devouring them.”

I chuckle. “Of course.” I pause to think through my words.

“Do you usually eat that much?”

“No,” she rubs on her bump. “Your baby is driving me crazy.” She rolls her eyes and modifies her tone in a hilarious way.

“You deserve it.”

“Wharrr?”

I chuckle. My baby is just fighting for me.

“Never mind.”

My hands twitch, in need to touch her bump and rub my hands around it.

“You want to?”

Seeing she may have an idea, I clutch my big mug, distracting myself.

“You should cut down on your eating though.”

I change the topic instead.

“Are you saying I'm fat?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, my god.” She sighs and sets her mug down in protest.

Not again.

Have I done something wrong?!

“Avery?”

“Why did you call me fat?”

“I-I said the truth…”

“You don't tell a woman that.” She scolds me.

Oh… Really? Okay.

“Besides, I'm carrying your child, so you're saying he's fat!”

I open my mouth in my defense, but no word comes out. I've not been with ladies long enough to know that.

“Pardon me.”

She picks up her mug and brings it closer.

“Cheers…” I clink mine with hers. “To wisdom.”

“What?”

It's too late.

She's bitten me back in a brutal way, as she chuckles and sips her coffee, the mix of milk and whipped cream from her mug, sticking to the top of her lips.

The desire to clean it off her lips… Licking the damn thing off, drains my sanity.

Instead, I fake a smile and bury myself in my hard coffee, having a change of night routine.