Then she definitely wasn’t motivated by revenge or any darker things last night. I knew that in my gut, and this just confirms it. No matter what else is true of Monroe, she’s fiercely loyal when she decides she cares about someone.

When she cares about someone. “Monroe—” I don’t have to find the courage to finish that sentence because the bedroom door opens and Broderick comes through. He’s found a little serving tray somewhere, and there are three mugs on it and two little cups.

Monroe sits ups too fast, almost as if she’s running, and yanks the blankets into some semblance of order so Broderick can set down the tray without spilling. Once he does, I realize the two containers have cream and sugar in them, respectively. He catches me looking and shrugs. “Easier this way.” Without another word, he doses one mug heavily with both cream and sugar and passes it to me. I take a sip and, no surprise, it’s perfect.

Broderick glances at Monroe. “Cream? Sugar?”

“I can make my own coffee.” She’s got that same strange look on her face, and the sentence comes out almost like a question.

“No one is arguing that you’re not capable of doing it. Now answer the damn question.”

“Sugar,” she murmurs.

We both watch Broderick dose her coffee with sugar and pass it to her. Monroe stares into her cup for a long moment. “Did you poison it?”

“No, Monroe, I didn’t poison it.” He’s got that fond little smile curving his lips again. This is the Broderick I know, the steady friend who cares about everyone around him. I’ve never seen him look at Monroe like that, though.

The warmth in my chest gets stronger. There’s nowhere for it to go, though. I sip my coffee and try to pretend my heart isn’t beating too hard with things unsaid. There are no words I can utter to change our situation and, more importantly, right now, in this moment, things are working.

These two people are more than tolerating each other. It might be the sex, it might be me, it might be a million other reasons, but I’m not about to question it or do something to cause them to go for each other’s throats again. Especially if it’s just to prove the point that they seem to actually like each other right now.

They’re both stubborn enough to start a fight for the pure principle of it. I refuse to be the one to light that match.

Still, this peace won’t hold if outside forces get their way. I stare hard at Monroe until she sighs and lowers her coffee mug. “My mother somehow learned that Abel intends to kill me if I don’t stop embarrassing you publicly.”