When Darkness Ends (Moments in Boston #3) - Marni Mann Page 0,36

happy birthday, Pearl.”

“Thank you.” I poured some coffee for myself and for Ashe and set those mugs on the table, adding the creamer from the fridge and some sugar that I’d found next to the salt. “How are you feeling about our exam on Friday?” I flipped the bacon, the grease splashing onto the sides of the pan.

“I’m thinking one more study session with the group might do us some good. Can you meet this week?”

As I divided the bacon and eggs onto the three plates, I ran my schedule through my head. Now that the play was over and we were at the beginning stages of our next performance, I would have a lot more time. But that also meant I’d be spending almost every evening at the bar. The thought of that was a bit of a relief since I didn’t have nearly enough cash to cover rent.

My responsibilities had paused when I arrived here last night, but the real world was slamming into me again, a crack of thunder between my ears each time a new bill or an upcoming test or assignment popped into my head.

“I’ll figure out a way to swing it,” I told him, watching Ashe walk in.

“Holy shit,” he said as he stopped in the center of the kitchen. “It smells so fucking good in here.”

With him dressed in only a pair of gray sweatpants, I was glad I had taken the food off the stove, or it would have burned because I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His chest and stomach were all muscle with the lightest dusting of hair—a space that I wanted to cover with kisses. Even though I had touched him last night and up until I got out of his bed, seeing him in the light gave me a whole new appreciation.

Ashe wasn’t just nurturing and kind.

He was handsome.

And sexy as hell.

He took the plates out of my hands and brought them to the table, returning to give me his mouth. A subtle whiff of his leftover cologne made my chest tingle, and the taste of his toothpaste numbed my tongue.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

Now that my fingers were free, they went to his stomach, his abs tightening as I ran across them. “Mmm, morning.”

“I hated that you were gone when I woke up, but seeing how hot you look in my clothes”—his eyes dipped to my chest and then to my legs—“you’re forgiven.”

“I hope you don’t mind; they were just easy to slip on—”

“I wouldn’t want you in anything else.”

I smiled, my teeth immediately going to my lip as a moment passed between us that told me if Dylan wasn’t sitting at the table, I would probably be spread across it.

Naked.

“Go take a seat before all the food gets cold,” I said.

“I have a better plan.”

I giggled and steered him toward his chair.

When the three of us were seated, the boys exchanged a few words about Dylan’s night, sounding like he had spent it with mutual friends.

Within a few bites, Dylan had stopped talking and was staring at me, gnawing on his bacon. “Pearl, this is fucking awesome.”

“It’s excellent,” Ashe agreed, reaching for my thigh under the table. “You didn’t have to do all this.”

“But we’re glad you did,” Dylan replied.

We all laughed, and I lifted my black coffee, holding it to my lips.

“I’m happy you like it.” I set down the mug and picked up my fork to dig into the cake. “But admittedly, I’m most excited about the dessert.”

“Cake for breakfast,” Dylan said with eggs in his mouth. “I like this trend.”

“Wait until you try it,” I told him. The rich peanut butter exploded on my tongue, my mouth watering from the richness. “It’s the best thing ever.”

“Well, shit, I’m sold,” Dylan said, dropping his bacon to dig into the cake. “Damn, you weren’t kidding.” He moaned as he took another bite.

My eyes flitted between the two men, and I laughed to myself as I watched them.

This was certainly much different than sitting at the coffee table with Gran, where we shared all of our meals. She was the only person I’d eaten with in a very long time. But these guys made me feel so comfortable, and I hadn’t realized how much I would enjoy staying here.

“But these eggs,” Ashe said, shoving in another mouthful, “they’re so tasty and light.”

“They’re not peanut butter cake,” I replied.

“They’re better.” He winked at me, his fingers leaving my leg to search for my hand. When he found it,