I had to intentionally form a sentence in my mind before I spoke, or I’d look like an idiot with the jumble of words that I would most likely vomit out. “Pie! There’s pie!” I blurted.
Crisis not averted.
Graham blinked at me. “You okay there, cupcake?”
“Linda. She’s got pie.” I covered my face in embarrassment. “No. I mean…” I sighed. “She said there’s something for you in the fridge at the restaurant. I assumed it was a pie.”
“I love that you still get flustered when you see me.”
My cheeks flared.
He stepped close and leaned in so his lips were millimeters from my ear. “Just wait until the next time I make you come… pretty sure you won’t remember your own name.”
Heat flushed my entire body.
Oh, god.
Instantly wet.
Graham pecked my neck, smoothly moving past me to the scoutmaster.
I nearly passed out. Tingles danced on my skin, flashes of our night together flooded my vision. The air seemed unbearably thin. And if I didn’t have any restraint, I would have floated right over to him and fucked him on the tree shaker.
“Easy there, girl. You good?” Katie put her arm around me.
“Y-yeah…”
“Mm-hmm… pretty sure I need to get you a chair. Your knees are lookin’ a little weak there, girl.”
“Maybe.” I exhaled and fanned myself with the wreath in my hands.
When I looked back over to Graham, he was already staring at me, smiling.
Damn, that cocky grin. Why did he do that? Look at me like I was a piece of meat. Make my knees weak at just the thought of his touch. The fact that I knew exactly what was under that uniform did not help my situation. I wanted him. I wanted him by myself. Not with Hunter’s approval. Hell, not even with Graham’s approval. I wanted to take him. Do the things that kept me up at night, dreaming of the times we had together a few months ago… the things I thought about when I’d touch myself for the camera. He was always what I’d return to. He was always what got me there. Fuck! I needed to stop thinking altogether, or I’d have to explain why the parking lot was suddenly a flash flood zone.
When Katie and I made it to the checkout, I purposely avoided eye contact with him. That little show at his car the other night did nothing to help my relationship with Hunter. All it did was make me want out that much more. I knew what I had with Graham. I knew he was dangerous—he’d already hurt me once—but for some ridiculous reason, it made me want him more.
It wasn’t like with Mark. He didn’t cheat… he left because he thought it’d be better for me. Like somehow him being gone was protecting me, when in reality it was just another form of running away.
“Five eighty-four, Maggie,” Nathan said, proudly holding a little white paper with the handwritten total on it.
“O-okay—” I inhaled a deep breath, the scent of the fresh-cut pines and spiced cider swirling in my nose, ever-so-slightly softening the blow of yet another overpriced purchase in Port Grey. Thank God for my open-legged side-gig. “Did you get the wreath?” I asked, rummaging through my purse for my wallet, my mind still foggy withthoughts of Graham and his perfect abs, that V,oh god,and that perfect in every way dick of his.
“Yep.”
“Thanks, Nathan.” I pulled out an extra ten and handed it to him.
His eyes lit up like I’d given him a bag of magic. “Split that with your brother. That’s for being such great salesmen.”
“Thanks, Maggie!” he said and ran off to show Jake.
“Where to next, girl?” Katie asked.
“Over here.” I approached Graham, who was now leaning against the pallets, sipping cider from the to-go cup, observing the surroundings.
“Are you on duty already?” I asked. “Usually you work nights, right?”
“Yeah. I’ve actually been on your case all day, but Nettles asked me to be the face of the precinct at the pop-ups for an hour or so.”
