I hadn’t budged an inch, but her focus snapped to the left as if I’d called her name. She smiled, cheeks flushing a dusky pink. “Spying on me?” she asked.

“Not spying. Just watching the woman I adore, being adorable.”

Darcy bit her lip and glanced down at her watering can. “Are you hungry? I can make you some breakfast. Anything you want.”

“Well… I thought I might make a breakfast of the sweet pussy I ate last night…” Her cheeks blushed even redder. “But, I guess your lemon ricotta pancakes will do.”

Darcy looked at me with a shy smile on her lips. “I can do that. You want bacon, too?”

“Yes, please.”

“Still so polite and respectful after what we did to each other last night,” she said with a wry laugh.

“Last night and early this morning,” I corrected, remembering how I’d woken up sometime just after dawn with her warm mouth on me and her muttering something about needing to know how I tasted before I left her, and even though I was exhausted and depleted, I gave her what she needed. And let’s be fucking real, I wanted it too. “Anyway…” I said, smirking at her still red cheeks. “Seems like I should be more polite and respectful than usual after last night.” I stood and made my way to the bottom of the stairs. I took the mug from her hands and sipped. “Hm. Bourbon? So early?”

“It’s not early. It’s damn near eleven, sleepyhead.”

“Fuck,” I cursed, pulling my phone out of my pocket to verify the time. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

“What time is your flight?” she asked, turning to make her way back to the kitchen.

“Six forty-five,” I answered, my tone somewhat accusatory as I followed her down the front hallway. Why did she let me sleep so fucking long?

“Which means you’ll have to be at the airport by four-thirty at the latest. Did you arrange for a car?”

“Yes, it’ll be here at four.” I clenched my teeth. Why was she acting so perfunctory? Maybe I was projecting, but something felt off about her tone. She’d asked about my flight time and how I was going to get to the airport like I hadn’t spent the night making her come and worshiping every inch of her.

“Good. Guess I better get started on breakfast, then!”

Darcy stepped out onto the back porch to empty the watering can. I thrust my hands in my pockets and watched her. Setting the watering can in a little storage closet near the door, she dusted off her hands, turned, and caught me staring again.

“What?” she asked, her smile anxious and hesitant now.