Cupcake Explosion (Cupcakes 4)

“They are here and all settled into the cabin. Elin and Elena are staying with them, along with Rufus and CB. And, just a head’s up, Alani wants to move here with us and go to school . . . stay in your cabin on her own. Your parents are none too happy about that.”

“What about Chris, Jun, and Ripper?”

“They come in tomorrow.”

“Ah, I guess I lost track of the days,” Cade said. “How many days until the wedding?”

“Five,” I replied, then looked at the time. “Well, I guess technically four now.”

Cade tilted his head in acknowledgement.

“Do you have more work to do, or will you be with us the rest of this week?” I asked.

“I’ll have to go to the compound tomorrow, tell them what I learned, but I can do that after I pick up the guys from the airport. We can take Pops with us, get him his pig.”

“Sounds good. Do you want to sleep at my place tonight, or head to the cabin and stay there, so you can see everyone in the morning?”

Cade shot me a heated look and replied, “How about we sleep in our bed tonight, then head over early and be there when they wake up . . . have breakfast.”

“Okay,” I said, then noting that heated look, added, “But don’t get any ideas. Like I said, pretend I’m wearing an out of order sign. You’re in the dog house.”

“Like I said, we’ll see.”

“Oh, to be a fly on the wall tonight,” Carmen said excitedly from behind me.

“Carmen,” Bran warned, but I couldn’t help it, I grinned.

“I DON’T KNOW what I want first, a shower, or a big fucking sandwich,” Cade said as we walked into the house.

Bran and Carmen had gone home. Bran had convinced her to give us some alone time, even though I could tell Carmen wanted to stay.

“How about you go shower and I’ll make you food,” I suggested, taking pity on him because he was still rubbing the raw skin on his wrists.

Sure, he was in the dog house, and even though his imprisonment was self-imposed, I knew he must be extremely hungry. Who knows what they fed him in that place.

“Thanks, babe,” Cade said, dropping a quick kiss on my lips before heading upstairs.

I pressed my fingers to my tingling lips, thinking, damn, it’s been too long since those lips have been on me, then shook it off and went into the kitchen. I needed to try and remain strong, stick to my guns about not having sex until our wedding night.

I pulled out a hoagie bun, turkey, ham, salami, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, mustard, and pickles, and made Cade the mother of all sandwiches.

I’d cut the sandwich in half, put it on a plate, and was pouring a cold beer to go with it, when Cade walked in. He had on a pair of low-slung Nike shorts and nothing else, and was toweling his hair dry, the beard still intact.

Shit, he’s fighting dirty, I grumbled internally, as my gaze slid greedily over his chest.

“Fuck, Lila, that looks perfect,” Cade said, and I swear, I heard his stomach grumble.

Maybe I should?

??ve made two sandwiches.

I crossed to the pantry and grabbed a bag of chips, then set it down next to the half of his sandwich that was still on the plate. The other was currently being devoured.

“Easy, don’t make yourself sick,” I said worriedly. “What did they feed you?”

“Mostly oatmeal and boiled eggs,” Cade replied with a grimace. “I’ll be happy if I never have either one ever again.”

“Noted,” I said softly, thinking I’d like to give that Cueball a swift kick in the dick.