Sweetly & Home Economically ✔

Bacon & Sleep-Stripping

~ Bacon & Sleep-Stripping ~

~¤°*°*°*°¤~

There was nothing better than waking up to the smell of bacon.

Breakfast on Saturdays typically involved fending for ourselves. In most cases, that meant cereal or oatmeal. My mom was always gone by the time I got out of bed because of the bakery, so I found it odd that I smelled bacon on a Saturday.

And, I sniffed, French toast too.

I opened my eyes, deeply inhaling the mouthwatering scent of homemade breakfast. Eli was the only other one awake and--judging from the chatter in the kitchen--he was with my parents.

Theo was sleeping on the floor below me, with one pink dino leg under his blanket and the other on top of it. Jarod slept on the opposite side with his mouth hanging open. Yvette's arm hung off the couch and her hand was smothering Jarod's face. I was both disgusted and concerned for her finger that was dangling in his mouth, but not quite enough to wake her up.

Instead of disturbing their sleep, I quietly maneuvered over the arm of the couch and made my way to the kitchen for a slice or five of bacon.

"Good morning, gorgeous. I must say bedhead is quite fetching on you," Eli brightly complimented me the second I stepped into the room. He was leaning over the counter, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. The boy was clearly a morning person.

I scowled at him, throwing my panda hood up to hide the mess. I couldn't stop my cheeks from reddening the slightest bit, recalling how Theo's fingers weaved through my hair during our kiss. It was his own personal contribution to the messy state of my hair.

"Aw, she's blushing," my mom pointed out when she glanced back from the stove. "You are such a charmer, A.F."

My eyes widened at Eli, who winked at me and had the biggest smile on his face when he bit into a piece of bacon.

"Mom. You know his name is Eli, right?"

"Oh, she knows," my dad answered from his place beside her. He was cooking the scrambled eggs while my mom finished the French toast. With a forlorn sigh, he said, "You bring more boys like these around and I'll have to up my game."

Eli snickered, "My level is hard to reach, sir."

"Maybe for a toddler," Theo remarked from right behind me.

With a startled gasp, I covered my racing heart with my hand when he spoke. I didn't even hear him come into the kitchen or feel his presence so close to me. Now that I knew he was there, it was impossible to slow the rapid beating in my chest. When Eli brushed off the gibe and went over to take more bacon from the baking sheet, everyone in the room had their backs to us.

Theo took the opportunity to lean closer and whisper in my ear an intimate, "Good morning."

"I'd say it's pretty good so far," I breathed as I felt his hand slip around my waist.

He chuckled softly at my words, moving my hair behind my shoulder. My eyes remained on my family and Eli in fear of getting caught, but my lashes fluttered when Theo's lips grazed my neck.

I was startled for a second time when I heard Yvette's sharp scream. Theo and I jumped apart, ending the stolen moment all too soon. It was probably for the best though, considering what would have happened to Theo if my dad had seen us. I wasn't worried about my mom or Eli, because she would have giggled and he would just look downright smug.