Titus: Book Two of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Forty-Four

Titus shifted around in the bed, watching with lazy eyes as Anna came back from the bathroom yet again and crawled into the bed beside him. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his neck. He did the same, looping his own around her shoulders so that her growing stomach was touching his.

“Feeling any better?” he asked.

They hadn't even eaten breakfast yet, and she was already feeling sick. It had been like this for the past two weeks or so – Anna always having to use the bathroom, sleeping more than usual, and getting sick after every meal. He felt terribly sorry for his poor wife but was reassured in the fact that Dr. Cliveston would hopefully know how to clear it all up.

She nodded, lips barely brushing against his neck. “Yeah.”

“Here,” he said, placing a lingering kiss on her mouth. “You just stay in bed, and I'll come back with breakfast. Any special requests?”

“Surprise me.” Anna kissed him back, but Titus pulled away first, knowing that they couldn't do anything of that matter right before her obstetrician gynecologist appointment today.

“Sure thing, darlin',” he drawled before placing another peck on her lips and heading downstairs to where Anna's surprise breakfast awaited him.

Still thinking of something that would actually be surprising and not typical breakfast food, Titus grabbed the first food item he saw: a sack of apples. It didn't take long before he cored and cut them into perfect rings, an idea already formulated.

He took out the tub of flower, milk gallon, carton of eggs, baking powder, and butter, all going into the large mixing bowl until he had the perfect consistency for pancake batter. After heating up the pan and placing some butter on top the metal surface, he dipped the apple rings into the batter and threw them in one at a time.

A few minutes later, and he had nearly twenty pancake battered apple rings. He didn't know how hungry he or Anna would be, so Titus just sprinkled powdered sugar and syrup over all of them. With two heavy plates in hand, he made his way back up the stairs, careful not to allow the syrup to slosh over the sides and stick to the floors.

“Here ya go,” he said, sitting down and handing her the plate.

She held the apple pancake ring up for inspection with bare hands, squinting at it before taking a cautious nibble. Her eyes widened, and then more went into her mouth, powdered sugar getting stuck on her lips.

“This is so good,” she half said, half moaned, eating another quarter.

He looked down at his plate. The rings looked sweet, something a little too sweet for breakfast, but they had a long day ahead of them, so he was going to let himself indulge a little bit. Having forgotten about the forks earlier, Titus picked one up between his fingers. It was still hot to the touch, the syrup and powdered sugar already making a mess on his fingertips.

“They are?” he asked, already doubting his cooking.

She nodded. “Fantastic.”

Titus looked at the thing with uncertainty before taking a small bite. The flavors of cooked apple, sugar, and pancake danced on his tongue, the stickiness of powdered sugar and syrup doing magical things to his taste buds.

“You're right,” he said and ate the rest of his apple ring pancake. “I'm a fantastic cook.”

“You are. Tomorrow, I'll make you breakfast in bed, okay?”

He turned his head towards her, just wanting to look at his wife. He would never get tired of seeing her. Wild curls cast in a bright red glow from the sun and face devoid of all makeup, she looked more adorable than beautiful. Her naked body was covered by the brown quilt as she leaned up against the headboard, lifting a slim arm to nibble on another piece.