Page 68 of Falling Embers
His thumb found my clit. He circled and pressed down. It was the spark that lit a chain reaction of feeling. The world around me blurred as I lost myself in whatever this was that Calder and I had created. Our own little universe of sensation.
I cried out against his shoulder as I came apart. And I never wanted to be put back together. Not as I was before.
23
Calder
I hummedas I flipped the bacon in the pan. The eggs were on warm in Hadley’s toaster oven, and biscuits were almost done baking. I should’ve been dragging. The amount of sleep we’d gotten had been minimal. But once I’d finally given in to exhaustion, I’d slept better than I had…ever.
“You sound way too chipper,” Hadley grumbled from the entryway.
I turned as I took the bacon off the heat, fighting a chuckle. Hadley wasnota morning person, and she needed her full eight hours. An eight hours she hadn’t come close to last night.
I crossed to her, pulling her into my arms and kissing her soundly. When I released her, Hadley blinked a few times before her gaze refocused. The corner of my mouth kicked up. “Feel better?”
She smacked my chest. “You’re too cocky for your own good.”
“That might be true, but I’m also the cocky bastard who made you breakfast.”
Hadley sniffed the air. “Bacon?”
The timer went off, and I moved to the oven, grabbing the hot potholders off the counter. “Bacon, eggs, and biscuits.”
“I didn’t have stuff to make biscuits.”
“You had pancake mix. That can be used for biscuits.”
She eyed me skeptically. “You sure about that?”
“You taste them and tell me.”
Hadley moved in behind me, peering over my shoulder. “They look legit.”
“Grab us some juice, would you?”
We moved around the kitchen with practiced ease. That was the thing about being with someone you’d known for most of your life. You had each other’s rhythms down without even trying.
We settled at a small breakfast nook in the corner of Hadley’s kitchen. She broke off a piece of the biscuit and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened. “This is good.”
I sent her a droll look. “You don’t have to sound so shocked.”
Hadley’s lips pressed together as she tried to keep from laughing. “Sorry. I should never doubt your cooking prowess.”
“Damn straight.”
“You’re still not as good as Mac.”
“No one is as good as Mac.” I swore the guy could open a restaurant and put all the others in town out of business.
We were quiet for a bit as we ate and let the caffeine from the coffee I’d brewed settle in our systems. Hadley traced a design in the condensation on her glass. “So, what are you up to today?”
The early teasing was gone from her voice and expression. Uncertainty had taken its place. I hated it. “I was thinking about seeing if you wanted to take the girls for a bike ride. If your back isn’t bugging you too much.”
I hadn’t thought of that at all last night, and Hadley hadn’t seemed as if she were hurting, but now, I wondered.
“My back’s fine.”
“So, bike ride?”
