I leaned against the wall at the end of the hall, my arms crossed over my chest, watching Bambi in the kitchen. She was bumbling her way around like it was her first time ever inside a kitchen. I’d never seen someone look both scared and determined while making muffins. But she sure as shit looked good doing it.

She was in one of my t-shirts, the hem barely covering the pink lace panties beneath. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, flour dusting the loose strands around her face.

Bambi turned to grab something from the fridge, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut and press my lips together to keep from laughing. Her brows were scrunched, and she had batter smeared across her cheek. She looked like she’d gone to battle against muffins and was losing spectacularly.

When she turned back toward the counter, I moved into the kitchen and stepped up behind her. She was so absorbed in reading the recipe on her phone that she didn’t notice me.

I leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Morning.”

Bambi shrieked and whirled around, holding her spatula up in defense.

“Shit, Graham!”

I couldn’t help but laugh this time.

“That’s not funny,” she said nudging my chest.

“It kind of is.” I wiped the batter from her cheek and licked it off my thumb.

“It is not. I’m struggling here, Graham.”

“So, I noticed.” I glanced at the mess she’d made. “You really are helpless around a kitchen, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Bambi half laughed. “I am stressed, Graham.”

“They’re just muffins, Bambi.”

I took the spatula from her hands and dropped it into the batter bowl. I slid my arms around her waist and pulled her against my chest. “What if I told you that you looked damn good right now?”

She huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes.

“I mean it.” I lifted her onto the counter and a cloud of flour puffed from beneath her.

“Don’t tease,” she said, wrinkling her nose at me.

“I would never.”

She dipped her finger in the batter and wiped it on the tip of my nose. “Liar.”

I held her gaze as I slid my hands from her waist down her thighs. I stepped between her legs, dropped my head, and nipped at her bottom lip.

 “Never,” I said, my voice low.

Bambi’s breath faltered, her gaze going dark.

I gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, her dusty pink nipples hardening like they were begging for my attention.

I reached behind her and pulled the tie from her bun. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders, the dark waves framing her full breasts.

I cupped her breast, gently rubbing her nipple between my fingers as I captured the other between my lips. I flicked my tongue over the hard bud and she let out a breathy moan.

The batter on my nose smeared across her chest as I alternated between her breasts, the sweetness blooming across my tongue.

I dropped to my knees, dragged her panties down, and spread her legs wider.

“Fuck, Bambi.”

Her pussy was glistening with her arousal, and my mouth watered at the sight. It took every bit of restraint I had not to devour her right fucking there.

I kept my eyes on her as I slowly kissed up her inner thigh. With each kiss, Bambi’s breath became more ragged. I dragged my tongue through her wetness and she shuddered, sucking in a sharp breath.

“So fucking sweet, baby,” I said, my lips barely leaving her.

“Graham,” she moaned.

“Hmm?” 

“Don’t you… have… to leave?”

“I do.” I kissed the crease of her thigh. “But work can wait.” I kissed the other side.

“But Dane…”

I gave Bambi a serious look. “It’s not polite to say another man’s name while I’m kneeling between your legs, Bambi.”

She whimpered, and the sound shot straight to my cock.

“You’re going… to be late.”

I held her gaze. “You’re worth it.”

I ran my tongue through her folds again, and her head fell back against the cupboard.

With each pass of my tongue over her clit, her fingers curled tighter in my hair and her heels dug deeper into my back. She shifted her hips in time with my strokes, ensuring I hit just the right spot.

“Don’t—Don’t stop. Right there.”

Her breath caught and her thighs clamped tight around my head as she came.

When Bambi’s body went slack and her legs fell from my shoulders, I got to my feet.

Her eyes were glassy, her chest and neck flushed.

I leaned in and kissed her, and she moaned against my mouth. When I pulled back, her lips were wet, coated in her own arousal. She swiped her tongue across her them, tasting herself, and my cock twitched in my jeans.

Fuck.

I braced my palms on the counter, caging her in, and kissed her again. Rougher. Harder.

Her hands slid up my chest, and she wound her arms around my neck.

“Fuck it,” I said between kisses. “I’m canceling.”

I felt Bambi’s smile against my lips.

“As much as I would love that, you know you can’t do that.”

I grumbled. “There you go, being responsible again.”

“Someone clearly has to.”

 I glanced down at the hard bulge in my jeans. “I’m gonna need a minute.”

“I can help with that,” she said, palming my dick.

Bambi slid off the counter and knelt in front of me. She undid the button on my jeans and slid them and my boxers midway down my thighs. My cock sprang free and she dragged her tongue along the length of my shaft.

“God. Fuck.”

She swirled her tongue around my head, licking the pre-cum leaking from the tip.

“Shit, Bambi. You can’t tell me I can’t stay and then do that.”

She took all of me in her mouth until my head hit the back of her throat, making my knees fucking buckle as a jolt of pleasure racked through me. I braced my hands on her shoulder to keep myself steady.

Bambi looked up at me, smiling around my cock before taking all of me in again.

Her fingers dug into the backs of my thighs as she increased her pace, and lewd, wet sounds filled the kitchen.

A low, strangled groan rumbled in my chest. I wasn’t going to last much longer.

My toes curled in my boots and my balls drew up tight.

“I’m close, baby.”

Bambi wrapped her hand around the base of my shaft, stroking me in rhythm with her mouth.

My cock jerked, and with a grunt, I spilled myself inside of her mouth.

She swallowed every drop before releasing me with a wet pop.

“That was…” I shook my head, words lost to me, and Bambi laughed.

I helped her to her feet, then tucked myself back into my boxers and jeans.

She readjusted my shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles, and combed her fingers through my hair. “There,” she said. “Dane will never know a thing. Now, get outta here so I can continue my war with these freaking muffins.”

“Kicking me out after having your way with me? You’re a cruel woman, Bambi.”

“Hey, you started it.”

I took her by the waist and pulled her against me. “Yeah, and I’d do it again.”

“Graham,” she giggled.

“Alright, alright.” I pressed a firm kiss to her lips. “I’m going.”

I moved toward the door and grabbed my keys off the hook. Before stepping outside, I glanced back at Bambi.

I’d barely been gone twenty minutes, and I was already missing Bambi.

Fuck it.

I reached for my phone in the dash mount, pulled up FaceTime, and dialed Bambi.

She answered on the third ring, her flour and batter-streaked face filling my screen.

“It’s been twenty minutes, Graham,” she said.

“So? You can’t blame me for missing my girl. Twenty whole minutes without you, Bambi, is too many.”

“You are incorrigible, Graham Woods.”

“Maybe,” I said, shooting a quick smile at my phone. “I spent four years without you before, Bambi. I’m not going to apologize for wanting to make the most of every moment I have with you now.”

“Is that what this morning was? Making up for lost time or something?”

I grinned. “That was just because you looked hot.”

Bambi rolled her eyes, but I caught the faint smile on her lips before she angled her phone away.

“So how are the muffins coming along?” I asked.

“I really should just stick with painting. Baking is not for the weak.”

I chuckled. Bambi’s skills in the kitchen only went as far as making PB&J’s. No wonder she thought baking was so damn difficult.

Just as I went to speak, I heard the doorbell ring in the background.

I arched a brow. “Expecting someone?”

“My new canvases!” she squealed. “I told you yesterday, remember?”

The phone shook, her face blurring as she hurried to the door.

I smiled to myself. It was so fucking cute how excited she got over her art supplies.

“I cannot freaking wait to use them. You have no—Caroline?”

Caroline? My fucking mother?

My eyes snapped to my phone, but all I could see were Bambi’s bare feet.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Shes been missing for two fucking weeks and she shows up now? How the fuck did she even find the cottage?

“Bambi? Bambi, what’s going on?”

Bambi didn’t answer, but I could hear their muffled voices through the truck speakers.

I cranked up the volume as high as it would go but I still couldn’t make out a damn word.

I slammed my palm against steering wheel. “Shit!”

After a quick check of the oncoming lane, I hit the brakes and whipped a U-turn, the truck swinging onto the shoulder. Gravel kicked up from my tires as I pulled back onto the road.

My eyes kept flicking to the phone whenever I caught moment, but all I could see were glimpses of the cottage floor and the edges of furniture.

Then, clear as fuck, a short, clipped yelp.

My stomach fucking dropped.

I pushed the gas pedal damn near to the floorboard, and the engine roared.

The camera shifted, and Caroline’s blurred face came into view.

It was only a glimpse but I could tell she was fucked up.

My jaw clenched so tight it fucking hurt.

God dammit. I almost fucking stayed. I should have fucking stayed.

Chapter Twenty-One