Page 149 of Old Habits

Chapter 39

Jovie

Jovie.

Wake up, Jovie.

While I usually don’t take too kindly to those who dare wake me up from pleasant dreams, I’ll make an exception for Will Myers.

Once or twice.

“Hmm?” I murmur with eyes closed.

I feel his hand on my shoulder, fingers soft and warm as they caress down to my wrist.

“Wake up, please.”

I force my eyes open to see him sitting on the edge of the bed beside me. He smiles at me with a steaming mug in his other hand.

“Good morning,” he says.

I push up onto my elbows and wipe the sleep from my eyelids. “Morning,” I say, yawning and glancing around. “What time is it?”

He offers me the mug. “Just after eight.”

I fidget with annoyance. “I told you I don’t have to work today.”

He nods. “I know.”

“Then why must you disturb my slumber before the realm of double digit time stamps?”

Will holds his smirk and offers me the mug again. “I want to take a walk.”

My gaze falls downward to his clothes. He’s fully dressed in a pair of black pants and a white, button-down shirt. Nice, slicked back hair. Handsome as ever.

I roll up my nose in suspicion. “A walk?”

“Yes. A walk,” he says.

“A walk where?”

“Okay, Jovie. I’m gonna put it this way.” He abandons the mug on the bedside table. “Get up. Get dressed. Drink all the coffee you need. We are ready for a walk and out the door in twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes?”

“Twenty minutes.”

I open my mouth to argue but he’s already gone by the time I can get a word out. My nerves twist as I sit up and throw my feet onto the floor.

“Uh-oh,” I say to myself.

I reach for the coffee mug, unable to ignore the pleasant temptation despite the obvious strings attached to it.

With my eyes closed, I enjoy the warm bliss for several quiet sips while I focus my hearing on Will’s scuttling feet as he wanders throughout the house.

“Nineteen minutes!” he shouts.

I flinch but I can’t help but laugh a little. One more big gulp and I’m refreshed enough to stand and make my way into the bathroom down the hall.