Page 30 of Bad Boy Bakers, Vol. 2

“I don’t have to like it. It’s a roof and all the basics.

More than the basics. I’ve certainly survived in a lot worse, and I was prepared to live in a trailer for a while, if I had to.

What do you think?” He hadn’t come out here intending to look at this place as a potential future home with her, but walking through with her by his side made it impossible not to think about it.

“I mean, it’s big. The views are probably gorgeous at least part of the year.

It’s super modern, but it could be warmed up with paint and softer furnishings.

It just needs someone to turn it into a home.

It feels like it never was one, you know?

” As she met his gaze, a flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by a clap of thunder so loud it shook the house.

“And I think that’s our cue.” Even as he said it, the telltale ping of sleet began to pound a staccato rhythm on the glass. “That is… not good.” He tried pulling up the radar but didn’t have enough signal. “Nothing. Do you have any bars?”

“Just one. Enough to get out a text, but probably not even enough for a phone call.” She bit her lip as she looked out at the falling dark. “I know it’s a little late to be asking this, but is it even safe for us to try to get down that mountain again in the dark and ice?”

“I’m inclined to say no. The temperatures have been below freezing for days. That ground is primed to freeze.”

“What are we gonna do?”

“For now, we’re gonna stay here. There’s no electricity, but it’s at least out of the wind and will provide more shelter than the Jeep. I don’t think this storm is gonna let up any time soon.”

“Is that going to be okay?”

“Well, we’ll explain when we get back to civilization that we had to hang out. If the guy gets pissed about it, we can offer him some kind of compensation.”

“So we’re just going to hang out here in the dark?”

“It’s better than sliding off the mountain on black ice.

But I can do better than the dark. I’m gonna run out to the Jeep to grab some supplies, and I’m pretty sure I saw some wood stacked by the door when we came in.

Meanwhile, see if you can get a text out to Jonah, so he knows not to worry. We may be stuck here for the night.”

“I’m pretty sure the flue is open. I’m gonna risk building a fire. Hold the light for me, will you?”

Rebecca took the flashlight Grey offered and trained the beam on the fireplace as he began to arrange the wood he’d brought inside.

The weather was getting worse. The mix of rain and sleet had shifted to sleet and snow.

She could just barely make out the swirl of white beyond the glass.

Lovely. Because, of course, in Tennessee they couldn’t just get the pretty, fluffy snow.

They had to get ice storms. Rebecca knew from lifelong experience that those could last for quite a while.

Often days. While she wasn’t opposed to being away from civilization for that long, she preferred such a getaway to be planned, with electricity and food more along the lines of s’mores and hot chocolate than the MREs Grey had in his emergency kit.

Not that she was complaining about the bounty of supplies he’d brought in.

They’d be fed, dry, and warm, which was a whole lot better than the alternative.

She turned her attention to the man himself as he gently coaxed a flame from the tinder he’d laid in. Because of course he had tinder in all those supplies, too.

“You’re very prepared.”

“It’s a side effect of my former occupation. Be ready for anything. Technically, you could drop me in the middle of the wilderness with nothing but a knife, and I can survive just fine, but I prefer to be a bit more kitted out than that.”

“This is all a far cry from when we all used to go up to Watauga Lake with nothing more than sleeping bags, hot dogs, and pilfered beer.” The three of them and a handful of others had loaded up in a couple of pickups and driven out to camp under the stars.

There’d been laughter and tipsy singing and ghost stories around the fire.

“Those were good summers.” He fed a little more wood to the infant flame and glanced back with a grin. “Especially since you more or less lived in that blue bikini.”

“You remember my bikini?”

“With vivid clarity. That summer you were sixteen was when I realized you were not simply one of my best friends. You were my best friend with breasts. I think it was inevitable that things would change after that. It was just a matter of time.”

“Took you long enough.”

He arranged the wood over the small flame, and they both watched it smoke.

“Would you have been open to something sooner?”

“Why do you think I paraded around in that bikini?”

Grey sat back on his heels. “The torture was on purpose?”

“Entirely.”

They were a long way from summer and bikini weather now. Even in her coat, the chill of the house was soaking into her bones. She wrapped her arms around herself, careful to keep the light where he needed it.

“Cold?”

“Yeah.”

Rising, he closed the distance between them, pulling her close and briskly rubbing her arms. In the fireplace beyond, she saw the wood begin to catch, heard it start to crackle.

“Looks like we have success. Good on you, Prometheus.”

“I’ve built a fire or two in my day.”

This wasn’t what she’d expected when she’d come out here with him.

She’d thought they’d have a quick adventure and come back to town, maybe go to dinner before returning to her house or his.

But it wasn’t all bad. They were alone out here, with no chance of interruption.

No distractions. And he’d built her a fire.

There was something weirdly primitive in the gesture.

Caretaking at the most basic level. As the flame began to catch, she thought it would be a shame to let that go to waste.

Apparently mistaking her silence for concern, Grey gave her a squeeze. “Once it’s daylight, I’ll be able to see what we’re working with for getting down the mountain. We’ll be okay.”

She flattened her palm against his chest. “No, I know we’ll be fine. I’m here with you. In this big, empty house, where no one’s going to find us or interrupt us.”

The hands that had been rubbing warmth back into her arms slowed. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Her lips twitched. “The fire will help eventually, but it’s a big space. I think we’ll probably have to share body heat.”

“That is an option.” His eyes glinted in the faint light from the growing fire.

“I mean, it’s practically mandated in the handbook.”

“Which handbook would that be?”

“Literally any romance novel involving the protagonists being snowed in.” Of which she’d read dozens. It was one of her favorite tropes.

He tightened his hold, sliding his arms around to her back. “What else is in this handbook?”

“Well, there’s the necessity of stripping off wet clothes. So you don’t get hypothermia.” Tossing the flashlight toward the rug, she unbuttoned his coat, sliding her hands inside and over his shoulders to shove it off.

“Definitely can’t have that.” His own fingers made quick work of her buttons and the knot on the belt of her coat. Then it joined his on the bamboo floor.

Pressing closer, she skimmed her hands up his chest, into the hair that was damp from the rain.

They’d both been wet from the lake that first time.

He’d followed her when she dove in, and she’d wrapped around him, daring to take the kiss she’d yearned for.

She could see the memory of that day in his eyes as he stared down at her.

There’d been hesitance and wonder in the boy as they’d fumbled their way into being lovers under a bower of branches on the grassy bank.

Now she saw only hunger and certainty in the man as he lowered his mouth to hers.

A contented sigh rose from her toes at the contact, and she melted into him as he took her in a long, drugging kiss. She’d never get tired of this. Didn’t think she could ever make up for all those missed years without it. But she absolutely wanted to try.

When he pulled back, she whimpered in protest.

“Wait just a minute.”

She swayed as he stepped away. With quick, practiced moves, he’d opened the sleeping bag, spreading it out over the rug.

When he offered his hand, she took it without hesitation, following him over to the nest he’d made.

The heart beating slow and thick in her chest stumbled a little as he knelt at her feet, carefully removing her ankle boots.

He slipped off his own shoes, and they stepped onto the sleeping bag.

As a rule, she was pretty comfortable in her own skin. She appreciated her body for everything it did for her, but she was still grateful this first time would happen by firelight. Flattering and romantic.

His callused palms slid beneath her sweater, skimming the skin at her waist as he drew her close again.

She shivered at the touch, needing so much more.

He pressed a kiss to her brow. Soft. Fleeting.

Her eyes drifted shut as he continued to her temple, her cheek, and on down to her throat.

Tipping her head back for him, she held on and basked in sensation.

“I want to kiss you everywhere.”

At the confession, she shuddered. “Yes, please.” She wanted that. Wanted him. But the trembling didn’t stop.

“You okay?” he murmured, nuzzling her ear.

“Yes.”

“If any of this gets to be too much, tell me to stop.”

“Don’t stop.” No matter what else happened between them, she needed this.

They lost themselves in the deliberate dance of exploration, stripping away far more than mere clothing.

The fire cast a warm glow over each inch of newly exposed skin.

His chest was a thing of beauty. Hardened and honed over years.

She ran her hands over it before leaning forward to close her lips over one round nipple.

Grey made some inarticulate noise. “I’m gonna need you to table that for a bit.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve waited more than thirty years for this, and I’m not going to rush it.”

So chastened, she didn’t fight as he laid her back on the sleeping bag, following her down.

He took his mouth on a lazy journey down her bare torso, his hands and mouth exploring.

Rebecca’s nerve endings sang with each new sensation.

She was no stranger to pleasure. Over the years, she’d gotten very comfortable and acquainted with taking care of herself in that department.

But it was a very, very different thing to have a partner.

Particularly one she wanted as much as he wanted her.

As his tongue circled one nipple, her hips bowed up.

She felt his smile against her skin as he did it again, pulling that tight peak into his mouth.

When the hand at her waist didn’t move, she took the initiative herself, boldly dragging his hand between her thighs and cupping it there.

At the warmth and pressure, she moaned, all but ready to vibrate out of her skin.

“What do you need?”

She hesitated only a moment. What good was all that intimate knowledge of what aroused her if she didn’t share it?

“Stroke me.”

One finger drew through her folds, spreading the moisture there.

Grey gave a low curse, pressing his hips against hers so she could feel his erection behind his fly. “You’re so wet.”

“Give me your finger.”

Obediently, he slipped one inside.

She gasped at the sensation. Oh, that was glorious.

But it could be even better. With one hand, she reached to position him, guiding his thumb to circle her clit.

Her head fell back as he began to pump his fingers, finding a rhythm with her hips, even as his mouth continued to do wonderful, wicked things to her breasts.

“Another,” she moaned.

He added a second finger, and oh, the fullness was too much and not enough. Her body quaked and bucked, seeking that last little push over the edge. Shifting, he bore down, giving her some of his weight as she rode his hand.

The orgasm detonated on a scream, spiraling out from her center and shattering every piece of her with what felt like endless shockwaves.

Sometime later, she managed to drag in more than a gasping breath and opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, his head propped on his hand.

“I’d be happy watching you do that for the rest of my life.”

The heart that had begun to slow kicked up speed again. He looked absolutely, deadly serious. But she wasn’t prepared for everything that meant. Not with her defenses laid to waste.

She worked up a coquettish smile, hoping to distract him. “Well, I really hope you plan to do more than watch.”

“Oh, I absolutely do.”

Rolling toward him, she reached for his zipper. “Then let me help you with that.”

It was his turn to gasp and moan as she freed him from his jeans, taking him in her hand. With an appreciative caress, she circled her thumb around his crown, soaking up the sensation of velvet skin over all that hardness. She’d almost forgotten what the real thing was like.

“Rebel, if you don’t want this over before it starts, you’ll stop that right now.”

He solved the matter by flipping her onto her back. She welcomed the weight and warmth of him, tipping her mouth up to his for another long, greedy kiss. Hooking one leg around his, she pressed her hips into his, seeking that hardness.

“Wait just… a…” Grey groped for where his pants had landed, fishing out a condom.

He ripped it open, rolled it on, then he was back in the cradle of her hips, his cock nudging her entrance. Pausing there, he framed her face in his hands, just staring down at her. “This.”

“What?”

“This is everything I’ve been missing. You’re everything I’ve been missing.”

On that pronouncement, he pressed inside. She cried out, as much in response to the sudden fullness of her body as her heart.

He froze. “Did I hurt you?”

“No.” Because the tears gathering in her eyes called her a liar, she framed his face in return. “No. Don’t stop.”

As he began to move, she kissed him again, feeling the tremor start so much deeper than her core.

With every stroke, she simultaneously coiled tighter and opened wider.

Here was completion. The rightness she’d never felt with anyone but him.

They barreled toward the edge of bliss together, and she wrapped tight around him.

He’d been her first. And as they tipped into mutual insanity, she hoped to God he’d be her last.