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Robert was still getting used to it, waking to the sound of Giselle singing, and now happily bustling around the kitchen, cooking breakfast. It didn’t take her long to figure out how to operate the oven, as well as the stove, and if she wasn’t making a new dress, she was in there preparing some wonderful meal or baked good.
Entering the kitchen, he offered her a tired smile and lazily dragged his hand across her lower back as he passed behind her, muttering out a quiet ‘morning’ as he did so.
“Good morning, my love.”
That was new, too, her terms of endearment, and despite never caring much for pet names in the past, he found himself really enjoying them when they came out of Giselle’s mouth. That one in particular was his favorite, though he’d certainly never admit it out loud. He couldn’t figure out why, but hearing it always sent a shock down his spine.
“The coffee is ready, and,” Giselle turned the flame on the stove off, and held the pan up with a grin. “I made eggs! Would you like some?”
Robert shook his head as he began preparing his coffee. “I overslept, so I don’t really have time,” he said. “But thanks. It smells really good.”
A quiet huff came from behind them, and it was then followed by three taps on his shoulder. Raising a brow, he turned, and found Giselle frowning up at him, a fork full of eggs in hand.
“At least eat some, please.” Robert opened his mouth to decline again, but she pushed the fork closer with another huff. “It’s not good to skip breakfast, Robert.”
They stared at one another for a moment, then he finally accepted defeat with a sigh, and leaned forward, taking the bite.
“Thank you!” Giselle gave him a satisfied grin in return and quickly kissed his nose. “You know,” she said, stepping back over to the table. “Your refusal to eat breakfast is why you always have such a bad headache around lunchtime. It is probably why you are so exhausted all the time, too. You really should start eating with Morgan and I.”
His brows furrowed. “I eat with you guys.”
Turning, she gave him a knowing smile and placed a hand on her hip.
“On the weekends, yes, but not any other day of the week.” Robert frowned. “You ignore your alarm, and sleep in much too long, which leaves you rushing to get ready, and in your rushing, you only manage to make one cup of coffee for yourself.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she continued. “And you do not even finish that full cup!” Giselle laughed quietly, shaking her head. “You give your body nothing but caffeine for hours, it is no wonder you are so stressed out all the time.”
“I’m not stressed out all the time. And I don’t… rush myself.” He crossed his arms. “I just don’t like breakfast.”
Humming, Giselle inched closer. “You did not like singing before we met, either,” she said, stepping closer again. “Or dancing. Or cuddling.” She placed her hands on his forearms and slowly pulled them apart. “If I could change your mind about all that, I can certainly change your mind about breakfast.”
The corner of his mouth curved into a small, amused half-smile. “I suppose if anyone can, it’s you.”
Grinning, she leaned in, and kissed him once, then twice. Her hands then moved around to his back, and suddenly he was being pushed, and forced into a chair. A plate of eggs then slid in front of him, followed by a mug full of coffee, and a small container of honey to help sweeten it just the way he liked. Wrapping her fingers around his wrist, she slipped a fork into his palm and closed his fist around it.
“I really don’t have time to eat today, Giselle.” He tried to look over her shoulder at the small clock located on their oven. “Maybe you can start forcing me to like breakfast tomorrow—”
Her hand gently caressed his cheek, effectively silencing his protests. “Eat, my love.”
The words caused warmth to burst through his chest, and he gripped his fork tighter, his cheeks turning pink. Her thumb ran along his skin as they gazed at one another, turning his brain to mush, and he swallowed, nodding his head. Slowly, he began picking at the food in front of him, and as he did so, Giselle started to giggle beside him. Curious, he looked up, his brow raised.
“I cannot believe that actually worked.” He blinked as she continued to laugh, her eyes sparkling with delight. “I was experimenting. See, a few days ago, I was begging you to stop working and come to bed because it was much too late for all your lawyerly things, and you refused. But then, I called you ‘my love’, and you shot up out of your chair, and wasted no time following me to our room!”
Robert felt his face grow hotter.
“Had I known I could get you to do anything I want just by calling you that, I would have started calling you that much sooner!”
Shaking his head, he turned away from her. “That’s not why I came to bed.”
“Oh, no?”
“No. I followed you because I was tired.”
Giselle laughed harder in disbelief. “Your level of exhaustion has never pulled you away from those silly reports of yours.”
He sighed dramatically, setting his fork down, and tried to stand up, but her arms quickly wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.
“Admit it,” she grinned, kissing his cheek. “You have a weakness—”
“I do not.”
“And it is being called my love.”
Her words danced across his skin as she kissed just below his ear, and he felt his heart skip several beats. Her lips lingered on his neck, no doubt she was focusing on the now fast rhythm of his heart, and his eyelids slowly started to fall.
“Hmm…” Giselle’s hand moved slowly up the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his thick curls. “I wonder what would happen if I called you that while playing with your hair.” Robert exhaled, heat bubbling inside the pit of his stomach. “That is another weakness of yours, you know—”
“Stop it,” he huffed.
“No.” She kissed him one last time, then pulled away. “You use my weaknesses to your advantage, why should I not do the same?”
“I never—”
“You know that kissing my shoulders will stop me from sewing,” she interrupted, placing her hands on her hips. “And now I know that calling you ‘my love’ will get you to come to bed, and also to eat. It is a winner-winner.”
Giselle wiggled her finger, gesturing between the two of them, and a soft chuckle escaped his throat, a smile forming on his face.
“Win-win.”
“Right.” She nodded. “That.”
Sighing dramatically, he leaned into her touch as her hands cupped his cheeks once more. “Please don’t call me that at work,” he murmured as she brought their lips together.
“Why? Are you afraid Sam is going to laugh at you?”
“Yes.”
Giselle laughed lightly, bumping her nose against his, and slid her fingers through his hair as she kissed him again, and again.