I sauntered closer. “Do you always cook breakfast for your one-night stands?”
Hatchet set the tongs down and yanked me to his chest. “I’ve never cooked for a woman.” His hands found my waist, lifting me effortlessly onto the counter like I weighed nothing. The cold granite bit into my bare thighs. “And you’re damn sure not a one-night stand.”
He kissed me, slow at first. His tongue swept in, tasting faintly of bacon and black coffee. His hand slid up under the T-shirt, callused fingers finding my nipple and rolling it between thumb and forefinger until it peaked hard under his touch. I moaned into his mouth and wrapped my legs around his waist. His erection was already thickening against me through his jeans.
He broke the kiss, breathing hard against my lips. “Now get out of the kitchen, Hellcat. You’re too fucking distracting. If you stay here, these pancakes’ll burn to shit.”
I pressed closer, nipping at his jaw. “Then I suggest you multitask.” I slid off the counter and dropped to my knees before him, the hardwood cool beneath my skin.
His breath hitched as I bit my lip and held his darkening gaze. I unbuttoned his jeans with deliberate slowness. They landed at his ankles with a soft thud. His hard cock bobbed free, that wicked titanium barbell glinting in the morning light. He sucked in a breath as I skimmed my hands up his thighs and leaned in. I licked my lips and ran my tongue up the underside of his length, slow and teasing as I savored the salty taste of him.
“Fuck,” he groaned as one hand white-knuckled the counter edge while the other blindly flipped a pancake as I wrapped my lips around him.
I bobbed my head, taking him deeper with each pass. I gripped his hip with one hand for leverage while my other stroked what my mouth couldn’t reach. I pulled back to peer up at his face. His head was tipped back, his jaw clenched tight. His breath caught sharply as I circled my tongue around the tip, flicking twice before swallowing him to the back of my throat.
He groaned as I enjoyed the heady sense of power. Of controlling his pleasure.
The smell of smoke hit, cutting through the haze of lust. Hatchet swore, yanking the burnt pancake into the sink. He shoved the pan off the burner and wove his fingers into my hair, grip tightening just enough to make my scalp tingle.
“You’re wrecking me, Hellcat. It’s never been this good. With anyone.”
I pulled off with a wet pop, smirking up at him. “Breakfast isn’t going to cook itself, you know.”
Hatchet raised a brow. “I can’t focus on anything right now. I’m a man. Now finish what you started.”
My stomach tightened at his command. The rough edge of his voice caused heat to pool low in my core despite the hardwood floors biting into my knees.
I held his gaze and took him faster, hollowing my cheeks until his thighs trembled under my hands. His hips jerked forward on instinct, uncontrolled as his groans turned guttural. His fingers flexed in my hair, anchoring me as I worked him relentlessly.
“Fuck, Hellcat,” he choked as hot pulses hit the back of my throat. I swallowed every drop, pulling back slow and deliberate, letting him watch as I swirled my tongue around him one last time and licked my lips clean.
Hatchet sagged against the counter, his chest heaving. I rose to my feet and grinned as I snagged a crispy slice of bacon from theplate beside the stove. I popped it into my mouth, the salty crunch grounding me as I chewed with exaggerated bliss.
“Not bad,” I said, smirking around the mouthful.
Hatchet barked a laugh, still catching his breath. He swiped his thumb across my bottom lip. “I love your smart mouth. In every goddamn way.”
His phone pinged sharply on the counter, shattering the moment. He swore under his breath as he snatched it up, scanning the screen. “I forgot I’m supposed to meet Everest today. We’re working out the details for the gym.”
“That’s fine. I have some errands to run.” I pulled a box of cereal from the cupboard. “You can have the cold, burnt pancakes. I’ll have this.”
He eyed the box. “That’s pure sugar.”
“Good,” I said. “I need something sweet to balance out the savory snack I already had this morning.”
Breakfast felt normal. Easy. Fun. Yet, a niggling thought at the back of my mind reminded me that this wasn’t the norm. For either of us. I cleaned up the kitchen while Hatchet quickly showered and dressed, hurrying to make his forgotten meeting with Everest. At the door, he paused to kiss me.
“Be good,” he murmured, thumb brushing my cheek.
“Me or the dog?”
He smirked. “Chaos isn’t the one I worry about when I leave.”
Then he was gone, leaving the house too quiet and my mind too loud. I hurried through my morning routine, needing something to distract me from the thoughts swirling in my mind.
I boosted Chaos into the front seat of my truck thirty minutes later. Our first stop was Bluebonnet Outdoors to pick up the new hiking boots I’d ordered. The cashier plied her with treats while I tried on the boots.
Afterward, we wandered the little downtown market, her leash loose as I browsed handmade soaps and candles. I picked up a bag of artisan popcorn, knowing I’d start another movie with Hatchet andmaybe the snack would keep us from jumping each other during the opening credits. After killing as much time as I could without spending my entire paycheck on homemade salsa and sourdough bagels, I decided to head to the park with Chaos to tire her out so I’d have more uninterrupted time with Hatchet later on.
