Yours Completely (Billionaires and Brides 1)

“It didn't,” she mumbled. She closed her eyes and sighed.

“What happened?” I took her hand and started leading her toward the kitchen. She looked like she needed a cup of coffee and a hot bath.

“After you left, I was so nervous, I chugged my drink,” she explained. Her voice caught. “I puked all over him about thirty minutes later.”

“Oh no!” I exclaimed, feeling absolutely awful for her. That was not at all what I had hoped would happen.

She looked up at me, the morning light glinting off her pallid skin. “How is it that I can handle Bastian's incredibly complex scheduling needs and telling investors to go suck it, but the minute I see Leo, I turn into a mush-brain?” She paused and then sobbed. “And now I'm hung over, too.”

“Let's get you some coffee,” I coaxed, pulling her toward the kitchen. She collapsed at the wooden table and cradled her head in her hands as I looked around the kitchen for coffee.

It only took me a moment to find it, as everything was neatly organized. I could see Ba

stian's hand in the kitchen. It made sense to me now that the kitchen felt homey while the rest of the house didn't. This was where Bastian spent his time, and thus he had redecorated it to suit his tastes. I certainly liked his tastes better than the stuffy, overdone opulence of the rest of the house. There was such a thing as too much luxury.

I opened up the fridge and pantry, finding eggs and a coconut while the coffee brewed. I was going to make poor Charlotte something that would make her feel better.

“Thank you for the blanket last night,” I told her as I started the stove. “I can't believe I fell asleep on the couch.”

“What are you talking about?” Charlotte half raised her head from her beneath her arms to look at me, but her gaze was unfocused. “Leo brought me home and I passed out in the guest house. I'm surprised I'm even moving right now.”

“Leo brought you home?” Bastian repeated, striding into the kitchen. He was wearing a full suit again, this time in a beautiful gray charcoal that made the blue in his eyes pop. His hair was still wet from his morning swim and it made butterflies fill my stomach. “That explains why you didn't answer your phone this morning and why Elijah was such a grouch this morning.”

“Hangry,” I supplied, and Bastian nodded. Considering the way Elijah had wolfed down his sandwich the other morning, I could only imagine how grumpy the bodyguard would be without one. Especially after being out all night.

“Yeah, Leo brought me home, but only after I puked on him,” Charlotte groaned, putting her head back down. He sat down at the table next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. His face was creased with concern and brotherly love. It completely melted my heart and made me like him that much more because he so obviously cared for his little sister. Despite the initially cold exterior, he had a warm and caring heart.

I realized that he must have been the one to put the blanket over me last night, and I nearly turned into a puddle on the floor. Dad and Dr. Verner hadn't left the room all night, and Charlotte had been out puking on Leo. He was the only one who had been home.

To distract myself from turning into complete mush, I turned to start cooking up the eggs. I remembered that Bastian liked his scrambled and I stirred the yolks before I could stop myself. I hoped he was hungry, because scrambled eggs were one of the few things I actually knew how to cook well.

“Would you like some eggs, Bastian?” I asked, thrilling at his name. It was silly and I knew it. I was crushing hard, but I couldn't help it. At least I hadn't made out with my pillow, imagining it was him. Yet.

He held up two fingers. “Two please. I didn't get my sandwich this morning, either.” I added a couple more eggs into the pan, letting them melt into the butter while I added my seasonings. Then, it was just to keep stirring them until they were done.

I picked up the unopened coconut. “Do either of you know where a nail is?” I asked after a moment of searching. “The milk will make you feel better, Charlotte. It's one of the best re-hydrating liquids around.”

Charlotte groaned, burying her head further into her arms. Bastian gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before he stood up. “Here, I'll do it.”

He came around the center island, holding out his hand for the coconut. My own hand shook a little as I gave it to him, and I froze as he reached behind me, his hand going just past me, close enough to touch my hip but not quite. I could smell his shampoo, fresh and clean and I could barely stand it.

He pulled back, a wine corkscrew in his hand. I wondered if he knew just what his presence was doing to me, and he grinned. He knew. Those eyes seemed to always know. With practiced ease, he “uncorked” the coconut and poured the milk into a glass, setting the rest of the coconut on the counter for later.

Bastian set the glass of coconut milk in front of Charlotte. She raised her head just enough to look at it sideways, turning a little bit green in the process.

“Drink up,” Bastian said cheerfully. “You have work to do today.”

Charlotte pouted, but dutifully took a sip before putting her head back into her arms. Bastian winked at me, and I giggled as I finished cooking the eggs. He wasn't going to actually make her work, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

The silence as we waited for the eggs was comfortable, as if mornings like this were how things were supposed to be. I let out a happy sigh and just let myself enjoy it for a moment. If I closed my eyes, I wasn't working, or worrying about Dad, or rushing to meet a deadline. I was just making breakfast for people I cared about. I was where I was supposed to be.

The eggs finished and I scooped them onto the plates, leaving some in the pan. I had made far too many, but I figured I would just bring some up to Dad or eat them myself later. Bastian was sitting next to Charlotte, so I put my plate across from her and sat down to eat.

Charlotte peeked one eye up over her forearm and glared at the plate. “I hate food.”

“Eat it,” Bastian coaxed. “It will make you feel better.”

With a pained expression, she took a tiny bite of egg and then put her head back on the table. Bastian and I made eye contact and I couldn't help but giggle. Poor Charlotte. She was absolutely miserable.