"Thisis nice."
"Wakingup next to someone?"
Heknew exactly what I was thinking. I nodded.
"Yeah.Sleeping alone sucks."
"Coulddo without the snoring, but yes. It is nice."
"Don'tbe silly, Dot. You don't snore that loudly."
Ileaned over and bit him on the chest. "Care to take that back," Isaid with his flesh between my teeth.
Helaughed, put his hands under my arms, and pulled me up a little further on hischest. Close enough for him to kiss me. "Sorry about the chainsaws,"he said apologetically as he pulled away.
"Youweren't that loud. Kind of like thunder. ChiefRumblechest."
"Youfart."
"Donot."
"Andyou drool a little."
"Onlywhen you're sleeping naked," I answered.
"Andyou're awfully hot."
"Saysthe ceramic heater in my bed." It was no joke. Even in the summertime, Islept under the comforter most nights. I had a nagging suspicion that Chief waspowered by a thermonuclear reactor. When he was in the bed, the temperaturessweltered.
"Ididn't mean temperature. I mean I can't keep my eyes off of you."
"Youseemed to do okay. You were asleep as soon as we got into bed. Nor did youdream."
"Huh.I didn't. No night terrors, either. The only time that happens is when I drink."
"Youshould drink more."
"I'drather deal with night terrors."
Hewas right. Alcoholism was no joke. While it wouldn't kill a witch, our liverswere too tough for that, it could wreck the fucking hell out of your life.
"Lastnight…just sleeping next to you… Thank you. I needed that."
Smiling,I lay my head on his chest.
"Well,aren't you two just the cutest…"
Ilooked over my shoulder at Jimmy standing in my bedroom doorway. A door I hadsworn I'd closed when we went to bed last night.
"Morning,Jimmy. Everything okay?"
"Yeah.I was just checking on you two. Drove by Chief's house on the way to the hardwarestore and you weren't there."
"Yeah.Our night went to shit last night. We didn't get home here until three."
"Sorry.We good after that shit show of a dinner, though?" He laughed nervously.
Chiefspoke up. "Yeah. That was my bad. Sorry about that."
"Noworries, Bill. Just didn't want you to think I was mad at you."
"Where'sDennis?"
"Hehad a shift today."
"Ahh.Coffee?" I asked and got off Chief.
"I'mnot interrupting?" He motioned to a very naked Chief, lying on his backand not bothering to cover his nakedness.
"Ihave more pressing concerns at the moment. Guys have morning wood. Women haveto pee," I answered and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behindme.
WhenI got out of the bathroom, the boys were already in the kitchen, brewing upsome magic in the Keurig.
Jimmyhanded me a cup as I passed by him and ran my hand over his jean covered butt.Chief had slipped on some boxers and was waiting patiently for his turn. I waswoefully underdressed. "Be right back. Gonna put on a shirt."
"Noton our account, I hope." Jimmy grinned and stuffed another pod in themachine.
"No."I lifted myself up on my tippy toes, seeing who, if anyone, was sleeping on thecouch. I could hardly wait for the new year when Josie and Candace officiallytook possession of their new house next door. We were going to have so muchmore room. I was practically salivating in anticipation. I was going to have aguest room. They were going to have two. Josie had already offered the spacefor when, and if, I needed it.
"Don'tknow where Jaeren is, but Ellis is taking a shower before the girls get up,"Jimmy answered, knowing who I was looking for.
"Gotcha.Be right back," I said and set my coffee on the counter before dippinginto the bedroom and slipping into a T-shirt oneof the guys had left. Didn't know, didn't care. It was mine now.
"Hey,that's my shirt! I was wondering where I left it." Chief pointed at my chestwith his empty mug.
"Was.Was your shirt. Finders keepers."
"Thief."
"It'sa shirt. I'll buy you a new one."
"Imeant my heart." He smiled and put his mug in the machine when Jimmypulled my mug out and handed it to me.
"Forgetsloppy seconds, you get sloppy thirds." Jimmy chuckled and poured somemilk in his coffee.
"Notthe first time."
Istared in open-mouthed shock. He hadn't meant, or said, it maliciously, but Chiefwas acting…different than usual. His banter with Jimmy was proof of that. Aswas his lack of shyness in the bedroom when I got up. I liked it, but I was also a littleconcerned. Even dinner last night had been farout of the realm of his normal character. "What do you mean by that?"I cocked an eyebrow and shifted my weight to one foot, putting the hand notholding a coffee cup on my hip and giving Chief a questioning look.
Chiefgrinned and blushed while his coffee brewed.
"Tomorrow,you're getting sloppy fifths. If anything at all." I stuck my tongue outat him.
"Iwas kidding! Just keeping the conversation going."
"Jerk,"I said, but with a laugh. I was definitely going to have to keep an eye onChief. I wanted him to be happy, not pretending to be.
Jimmysat at the table, and when I went to join him, he patted his leg. Cocking aneyebrow at him, I sat down in his lap knowingfull well I should trust him about as far as I could chuck him.
"Goodgirl," he whispered in my ear and kissed my neck. I squirmed in his lap.He knew my most sensitive of sensitive spots. Well, the second most sensitive,but he knew the other one, too. Slipping an arm around me to steady me, hepulled away from my neck and whispered, "I love you."
"Loveyou, too. Don't trust you to behave, but I love you."
"Who'snot behaving?" Chief sat at the end of the table next to us.
"I'llgive you one guess."
"So,what happened last night?" Jimmy poked my side.
Ilooked at Chief, nodding for him to answer. Or not. It was up to him and not myproblem to share.
"Wewent to my house, as planned."
Jimmytensed under me, knowing something had gone wrong. Unfortunately, he had noclue as to how badly things had actually gone wrong. "Toomany memories?"
"Shewasn't a memory. She was a ghost."
"What?"
"Dotand I were watching a movie. We kissed. The lights blew. When we were trying tofigure out what the hell happened, Becca's ghost appeared."
"You'reshitting me," Jimmy said without thinking. Leaning to the side to see mefor confirmation.
Inodded.
"Wasshe
