“Breakfast?”
“Yep, I woke up early to get supplies.”
“So that’s where you were. I was looking for you.”
“I’m sorry, babygirl. I didn’t think you’d wake before I got back.” He boops my nose and heads to the kitchen, where a new crop of bags has appeared. Groceries. The supplies he went to fetch. For me? “Next time, I’ll leave a note.”
Next time? I wrap my arms around myself in a butterfly hug and angle my head to hide my smile.
Teddy pads around the kitchen, unloading eggs and milk and setting out a huge cast iron griddle that covers half the stove top.
I wander closer, enjoying this sight of a big Viking being domestic. “Can I help?”
“Naw, I got this.”
I walk to the door and hover on the stoop. I’m not very fast, but if I’m very quiet, maybe I can sneak away…
It's a test. I don't really want to leave but am curious about how far my Viking will take his threat to keep me here.
My foot hits a creaky floorboard.
“Don’t even think about it,” Teddy says without looking up.
I whirl and prop my hands on my hips. “So that's it? I’m just your prisoner?”
“Yep.” He smirks. He’s enjoying this way too much.
I narrow my eyes at him. He doesn’t want me to leave, and he’s not telling me why. He didn’t try anything last night, much to my disappointment.
Although I admit, it probably wouldn’t have gone well with my achy head.
“Sit,” he orders, and I obey, returning to the couch. Even if I could’ve snuck away, Teddy is insanely fast. He would catch me before I crossed the meadow.
Teddy bangs pots and pans in the kitchen. “I’m making you pancakes. Do you like pancakes?”
“Everyone likes pancakes.”
“And bacon.” He pulls out brown paper packages wrapped in butcher twine. “I got five pounds of bacon.”
“That’s a lot of bacon.”
“Everyone loves bacon.”
I touch the bandage on my head. “I should be making plans to go, though. At least find somewhere I can fix my phone. Or charge it.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because the doctor said you needed rest.”
Hmmmm. He could be worried about my head injury. Or he could be keeping me here because of something else. Something besides what’s sizzling between us.
That’s okay. I’ll just wear out my welcome. Time for Operation Annoy Teddy to commence. “Well, now’s a good time to tell you that I’m vegan.”
Teddy raises his head from the counter where he’s unwrapping the bacon. “Seriously?”
“Oh yes. No exceptions.”
“Not even bacon?”
My stomach gurgles. In a minute, he’s going to be frying bacon, and I’m not going to be able to resist. “Except for bacon,” I amend and think hard about the ingredients of pancakes, since I said I’d eat them. “And milk. And butter. And baking soda.” Is baking soda an animal product? “And the occasional rib-eye,” I add, just to be safe. If Teddy makes steaks, I’m not passing my portion up.
“So what you’re saying is, you’re a bad vegan.”
I spread my hands in an idk gesture. “See how annoying it will be to have me around?”
“You say annoying. I say cute.”
“Cute?” I prop my fists on my hips, but inside I’m squeeing.
“Mhmm.” He goes back to prepping breakfast.
“Well maybe, I’ll think up a way to be a bad house guest. The bears will have nothing on me.”
He points a spatula my way. “You keep it up, and I’ll spank you before tying you to the bed.”
All the air leaves the room. I wheeze and finally find enough oxygen to squeak. “Promise?”
“You know it, babygirl.” He shoots a look across the room that makes my toes curl. All the water in my body is heading between my legs to make my panties damp.
I collapse back on the couch and pull a pillow over my face. I’ll hide here until I get my composure.
Teddy smirks as he bustles about the kitchen. He thinks he’s won. Seems like being an annoying house guest isn’t going to work.
Holy crap, am I seriously being abducted by some hot guy? Is he just being nice and seducing me, and then I’m going to wake up tied to the bed, and he’s going to go all Kathy Bates Misery on me? If this fine ass man is just going to woo me and keep me hostage so he can kill me and eat me later, I’m going to be so pissed.
Hopefully he’s just kind of bossy and concerned?
I nibble my lip and ponder the situation. Nothing about him feels off. In fact, everything about him feels completely safe.
Maybe I can wait another day. Rest up and recover and then fix my phone and find Bentley.
I mean, I wouldn’t mind another shot at getting horizontal with my sexy Viking. My libido agrees with this plan. After breakfast, Operation Jump Teddy’s Bones will officially begin.
5
Teddy
A sharp rap on the door makes me whirl, but it’s only Matthias.