Reena slowly opened her eyes, blinked at the bright sunlight, then stretched, and smiled at the sound of the waves crashing against the beach. She turned, the greeting of a good morning dying on her lips. She was alone, only a faint indent in the pillow beside her still showed where Steve had lain.

She sat up, looked around the room, spotted his discarded T-shirt at the foot of the bed, and pulled it on, before venturing in search of her lover.

She found him in the kitchen, barefoot and wearing only a pair of sweatpants riding low on his lean hips. She smiled at his wide back, tiptoeing closer, but, of course, the man heard her and turned just as she reached him.

Steve grinned at her slightly miffed expression, curved an arm around her waist, lifted her off the floor, and captured her lips in a quick, open-mouthed kiss. “Good morning, beautiful.”

She caught her balance by placing her palms onto his shoulders. “Good morning, handsome. You taste good. What are you making?”

“Blueberry pancakes.”

Her favorite. God, she loved him. “Pity, I’m not hungry.” At least not for pancakes.

“Well, you’re going to eat anyway.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “You’ll need the strength.”

She giggled. “You’re so bad.”

“Bad to the bone, baby.” He grinned, dropped her lightly onto a chair, and placed a serving of blueberry pancakes in front of her. “Milk or coffee? I’d go with coffee myself, wouldn’t want you to fall asleep in the middle of something.”

“Cocoa?” She smiled sweetly up at him.

“I think I have some. Let me check.” He rummaged in his cupboard, pulled out a packet. “Cocoa coming right up.”

With Sabrina happily munching on her pancakes and slurping her cocoa, Steve sat on the chair opposite her, placed an elbow on the table, leaned his chin onto his palm, and watched her.

She looked up, saw the goofy little smile on his face, and swallowed. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like—” She wiggled her fork in front of his face. “—that.”

“I just like watching you.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re cute stuffing your face like that.”

She rolled her eyes, took a swallow of cocoa. “The sooner I finish, the sooner you can go back to convincing me about becoming a part of your task force.”

He was serious in an instant. “True. So stop talking and eat. I’m not getting any younger.”

She deliberately slowed, taking her sweet time with each morsel, grinned as he started fidgeting in his chair. “These are really good pancakes. You have to give me the recipe.”

“I’ll make them each morning for the rest of your life, just eat,” he groaned and growled at the sound of the doorbell. “Don’t move,” he ordered and went into the living room.

But of course she wouldn’t listen. He glared at her. “I told you not to move. You’re not dressed.”

Reena looked down her body. “I’m perfectly covered.”

He rolled his eyes, praying for help, but no one seemed to listen. So he pulled her behind him and opened the door.

“Good morning.” The delivery man didn’t even blink at Steve’s state of undress. “I’m looking for a—” He checked his pad. “Sabrina Logan.”

Reena waltzed out from behind Steve. “That’s me.”

This time the delivery man did blink. After doing a double-take. And Steve ground his teeth.

“I have a delivery for you, Ms. Logan. If you could just sign here.”

She scrawled her signature on the electronic pad—how had he known where to find her?—and watched as the delivery man placed her computer case and the large duffel bag, she’d meticulously packed the previous day, in front of her.

“Here you go.” He gave her a envelope. “And this. Have a nice day.”

As Steve pulled her bags inside and closed the door, she opened the envelope. And laughed.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Read it.”

I thought you might need your bag. You can’t very well walk around in a ball gown or McGarrett’s shirt, can you? I’ll make sure your ticket’s refunded, but unfortunately the house’s already been leased. I’m sure you won’t have any problems finding accommodation. :) He has your badge, welcome back to the task force, and the bike will be waiting at HQ on monday. Consider it an early christmas present.
Love, Marc
P.s. Tell McGarrett not to be stupid. Actually, that goes for you, too.

Steve laughed, pulled her to him, and kissed her. “Your brother’s a pain, but God love him.”

She smiled up at him, circled his neck with her arms. “He is a pain isn’t he? Sending me my clothes, when I like yours so much better.”

“You do look good in my shirts,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

She closed her eyes, sighed. “But I can’t wear them to work, now, can I?”

He lifted his head, searched her eyes. “Does that mean you’re staying?”

She pulled his hair. “We’ve already established the fact I’m staying.”

“Does that mean you’ll come work on the task force, then?”

She pretended to think, nibbled on her lower lip. “Well, I just might need a little more convincing on that front.” She smiled invitingly up at him.

“Gotcha.” He lifted her, hefted her over his shoulder and ran upstairs. “More convincing coming up.”

The End