Part 37
A cup of coffee awaited her when she came out of the bedroom, courtesy of the man standing at the stove making breakfast.
She smiled at the sight. She would have thought he'd call for room service but he'd apparently raided the cabinets. Oatmeal was on, she gathered, spying the canister next to him.
As she edged up to the tall, dining bar and slipped her fingers around the handle of the cup, she drank in the sight of him. He was rumpled from his t-shirt to his pajama pants that hung haphazardly from his hips, and his hair was sticking out in all directions. The latter was the result of sleep and her fault, well, partly. She couldn't keep her fingers out of his hair when he went down on her, which he'd done not too long ago. The man had an amazing appetite for sex. But then again, so did she.
"Good morning," she said, as she lifted the cup to her lips. Her breath disturbed the curls of steam languidly rising from the hot liquid.
He was smirking when he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "Again. Good morning again."
She hummed softly in amusement and sipped her coffee while he finished up. She loved watching him, even when he knew she was watching. Despite the injury to his leg, he still moved with an innate grace. She wondered if it was because of the years of sports or if it was his love of music, if the notes and bars had infused him physically.
Or maybe I'm just smitten this morning, she mused as he poured the oatmeal into two bowls.
She smiled at him when he brought them to the bar. He set one in front of her and the other beside, then retrieved spoons and his coffee. She set her cup aside and watched him come around to join her. No cane, he limped slowly, careful not to spill the hot drink.
He nodded to the stool beside her. "Sit."
She did as he instructed and he took up the one beside her, and they ate quietly until he asked her what she wanted to do for the day.
"I honestly have no idea."
She hadn't considered what they might actually do beyond eating and sleeping and sex. She blushed at the thought and he observed her with a rakish gleam in his eyes. Of course, he knew; it's probably the exact same thing he'd thought about.
"Jerk," she laughed softly and watched him grin before taking another bite of his oatmeal.
As she ate, she considered their options. It was a lake resort and the weather was still warm enough to go out and enjoy that, but some activities were out with his leg. Not that she wanted to do them but it bothered her that he might but couldn't.
Lunch at the lodge or someplace in the small town outside the resort area might be nice. She'd call the lodge and get information on that. In the meantime…
"We could go antiquing," she suggested and waited for the inevitable Housian response.
"Another cliche? In less than twelve hours. I'm surprised at you, Cuddy."
It was exactly what she'd expected. She glanced at him. "Would you prefer bear baiting?"
"You did that this morning," he said then gestured to himself and then her with his coffee cup. "Bear. Bait."
She snorted and would have elbowed him if he hadn't been holding hot liquid.
"Ass."
He leaned back and made of show of peering at her backside.
"Jackass," she expounded.
"Nice ass," he replied when he sat upright again.
She cocked her jaw and shook her head. "Nice save."
He winked at her then resumed eating. God, she loved him.
After breakfast, they dressed and made their way outside. The trails were rough, so they avoided them, but there was one smoother path that led down to the lake. They took that and it deposited them at a large deck on the water. There were chairs in groupings for socializing. They were largely empty, only a handful of folks scattered around drinking coffees and eating breakfast. A pair of the lodge wait staff was making the rounds for orders.
Upon seeing the chairs, her lover reached into his jacket and pulled out the morning newspaper, which he'd picked up at the lodge then tightly rolled and put away. "You can have the fashion section," he said and headed toward a pair of chairs. She followed him, amused at the playful expression he shot her.
He was happy. And that made her happiness happier, if there was such a thing.
She joined him, sinking down into the cushioned chair next to his. He handed her the fashion section, as promised, along with the business and society sections and everything else but entertainment and sports, which he kept for himself.
It was peaceful just sitting out in the crisp, clean air, no sounds of traffic or bustle of humanity. There was only the occasional disturbance of water by fish or birds, the breeze and rustling leaves, and soft murmurs of conversations floating around.
And the turning of paper pages.
Looking over at House, she noted he'd brought his reading glasses. He didn't wear them often and she thought they looked good on him. They also made him look more intelligent, impossible as that seemed even to her.
Intelligence is sexy, she mused, her eyes really taking him in.
He looked good, more relaxed than she'd seen him in ages. He had been that way for weeks now, each day seeming to ease more. She was so glad for him and that she was a part of it. He certainly played a part in her contentment. His opening up to her had made it possible for her to open up to him. She couldn't imagine that not having happened, not being with him here, now, in love and committed to being with him.
Last night, they hadn't covered everything, but they'd really talked, about them, and what was on the horizon. She'd come out the other side of the conversation strengthened, by and with him, and it was an interesting place to be for her.
She didn't have relationships — she had attempts at relationships that usually only lasted a few dates — but she was in one now, with the last person in the world anyone would expect. But they were together, and it was deeper and more fulfilling than she could have ever imagined it being. She was grateful and felt incredibly blessed and—
"Wanna take a train ride?"
The question made her smile. He hadn't looked up from the paper when he asked.
"What train?"
"There's a scenic rail line," he said, eyes continuing to skim the page in front of him.
As far as she knew, he'd never been here, just as she hadn't, so she wondered how he knew. "How do you know?"
"Brochures at the lodge." It was said almost absently. "The train runs between here and Utica through the wilderness. Makes stops in a few places."
She liked the idea of that. A nature "walk" that he could do, that they could do together in comfort, with chances to get out and look around.
"Let's do it," she said and he finally looked at her, amusement coloring his features.
"Okay."