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“I’ll never be far away,” he told her, “and I’ll check on you throughout the night to make sure you’re okay.”
“This is a lot of fuss for little old me,” she said.
“I thought you were a queen,” he replied. “I’m giving you the royal treatment.”
She snorted again. “I’m not much of a queen right now,” she said. “More like a little lost girl.”
“It’s alright, honey,” he said. “I found you. You’re not lost anymore.”
CHAPTER 8
Pancakes, done the right way. Over a campfire, golden brown, served with maple syrup.
Plus, a morning campfire was always welcome. Drying out the damp from the night, keeping the bugs away, warming the cockles.
Most of all, making pancakes for someone special was a real treat. And Mabelwasspecial. Rip had been sure of that the second he saw her wandering around aimlessly, scratched and exhausted but still fighting.
Seeing her like that, struggling but determined, he had felt an overwhelming urge to look after. Clearly, she could have gotten by on her own. She would have found her own shelter and water and rest in the end. He didn’t doubt her for a second. But he had the means to help her, and she accepted it.
It felt so good to be able to build her a fire, to give her his tent, and feed her. It felt, strangely, as thoughshewas the one helping him. Allowing him to find his nurturing side. To discover that he wasn’t just the self-serving asshole everyone probably thought he was.
Sure, he’d been in the Marines. That meant he’d served hiscountry. But that didn’t give him a free pass to suit himself for the rest of his time on this planet. Mabel had reminded him of that.
He’d been genuinely worried about her when he found her, too. Although she was a survivalist, she had pushed herself too hard, with way too little equipment. Her heart rate had been fast from the dehydration and her temperature was slightly high. He’d checked on her hourly in the night to keep an eye on her vitals, and thankfully, everything had settled down. He’d been pleased to see her sleeping like a baby. In the light of the fire, her expression completely relaxed, she looked so small and sweet. And more than a little sexy. It had been a while since he’d thought about anyone inthatway, either.
He took the griddle off the campfire and set it down on a rock. They were cooked to perfection.
“What’s all this?” came a small, sleepy voice behind him. “You’re making breakfast?”
“Yup,” said Rip proudly. “Pancakes. And you’re right on time.”
Mabel grinned. “Pancakes are my favorite. Though, last time I had them, they had pill bugs in them.”
Wait, what?She didn’t look like she was joking.
“You serious, girl?” Rip asked. “You ate pill bugs?”
Mabel shrugged. “Sure. They’re tasty. Land shrimp.”
Rip shook his head. “I know you’re all about living in the wild, but I draw the line at pill bugs, young lady.”
“You draw the line?” Mabel asked with a smirk. “You my Daddy or something?”
Rip swallowed. Of course he wasn’t her Daddy. He wasn’t anyone’s Daddy. Because Littles were silly and irritating and infuriating. “Nope,” he said. “Just a concerned friend.”
“A friend who makes me pancakes,” said Mabel, sitting on the log beside him. “And spanks my ass.”
The words seemed to vibrate between them. She had said the thing that they’d both been thinking about. The thing that had begun to feel like a dream, like it never really happened. But it did. She was acknowledging it. Did that mean she wanted it to happen again?
“You be careful with that cheek,” Rip said his throat suddenly dry, “or I’ll spank you again right now.”
“No you won’t,” said Mabel, staring at him defiantly.
Shit. Had he messed up? Taken things too far? It had been hard to tell whether this was just banter or the real deal. The tightening he felt in his crotch right now told him that forhim, at least, it was real as hell.
“You wouldn’t dare to spank me before I get my pancakes,” said Mabel, a wicked grin spreading across her face.
Oh, it wason. Rip grinned right back at her. “Want a bet, babygirl?”
