The next few days were a flurry of activity. They picked up more groceries, including additional pancake supplies. Double Pancake Day was only a special treat that happened maybe twice a year, so Emma’s mind was sufficiently blown by that happening during their vacation. The extra pancake supplies seemed like a conspiracy to keep her at the griddle all summer until her arms fell off.

Some other items he ordered before they arrived were delivered, including a riding-on car for Emma. She would have to talk to him about completely spoiling Emma. While she knew that he could buy the world, it seemed, she wanted to ensure that Emma had as close to a normal childhood as she could.

Then their little bubble was burst and it came time for the production staff to make their appearance. He tried to keep the meetings to a minimum, but there were always a couple of people stopping by every day to drop off scripts or packages, or to do fittings and makeup testing. He was using his clout to have as much done in the house as he could. But inevitably, it was time to start filming and that meant less time with Gabe. The filming schedule was intense.

Although it meant less time with him, Alex and Emma were excited to explore more of Edinburgh. They visited museums and the zoo. That was Emma’s favorite; they’d become members after their second trip there, when she realized it wouldn’t be their last, and it worked out cheaper that way. On the second visit, Emma got to be a mini zookeeper. She was dressed in her sweatshirt, jeans, and galoshes, ready to head into their animal enclosures to learn more about the animals and even touch a few.

“Mommy, can we bring the armadillo with us?” she implored, peering up at Alex with her eyes big and round.

“I don’t think it’s allowed, sweetie.” She turned to the zookeeper for a little help.

“The armadillo would miss all her other friends if she went home with you,” the zookeeper said. Emma’s little shoulders hunched.

“You’re right,” she moped.

Alex perked her up with an ice cream and letting her know that they would be seeing him once they got back to the house. They hadn’t seen much of him over the past few days. He’d been doing a few night shoots and sleeping during the day. She’d tried to stay out of the house during the day to give him a chance to rest.

But the night before had been the end of night shoots for a while, so he would get to hang out with them this afternoon. Not being around him, other than for breakfasts and passing hellos and goodbyes for the past two weeks, showed Alex how much she’d grown accustomed to having him around. Getting in a little work at night brought her back to the many nights over the years when she was on her own with Emma. Sitting up and talking to him or watching a movie had been a part of her life over the past month and she hadn’t realized how much she liked it until he wasn’t there.

Emma ran up the front walk of the house, not even letting the driver turn off the car before she jumped out and took off running. Alex was in no way prepared to take on driving on the wrong side of the road in additional to corralling a six-year-old. Thankfully, getting someone to drive them around hadn’t been as weird as she thought it might be. It also allowed her to give Emma her undivided attention for the three hundred questions she asked every hour.

Gabe threw the front door open as Emma launched herself into his arms. He was wearing jeans and a dark green t-shirt and had never looked more mouthwatering. He put Emma back down and she scampered off into the house. He took the bags out of Alex’s hands, then pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her head.

“How was your day?”

“It was great! We saw the pandas. Emma was a mini zookeeper and she didn’t try to smuggle any animals out of the zoo, so all in all, a good time.”

“I’m glad. It sounds like she should be pretty tired tonight.” He breathed against the back of her neck, raising the hairs there and causing her to shiver.

They hadn’t had a chance to talk much in the past couple of days, but she was looking forward to doing more than talking tonight. She squeezed her thighs together in anticipation, catching his eye as he walked into the kitchen with Emma. His smoldering glance carried the promise of things to come that night. She could barely wait.

* * *

The night shooting schedule had been a brutal few days, not only because of the stunts that Gabe was doing, but because it meant that he didn’t get to spend much time with Alex or Emma. He usually rolled in from the set completely disheveled and smelling like roadkill at 7a.m. He could have showered on-set, but that would have taken even more time away from the little he had with them in the mornings. Running upstairs for a quick shower, he’d sit down for breakfast before heading upstairs to sleep.

Alex was staying out during the days to give him a chance to sleep and he appreciated it, but it also sucked because it usually meant his girls weren’t around when he woke up and left for the set again. Every so often, it would be an even later shooting day and he could squeeze in dinner and a bedtime story for Emma.

What he hadn’t been able to get was any time alone with Alex and it was driving him insane. The thought of her was enough to give him wood, which wasn’t exactly the best when filming in frigid water night after night. The glance she gave him as he walked into the kitchen with Emma—naked sexual desire—was almost enough for him to close all the windows and blinds and declare an early bedtime for everyone. She followed them in and started opening and closing cabinets. Turning around, she rested her hip against the counter and seemed to be thinking something over, tapping her chin.

“In celebration of your daddy’s last day of night shoots for a while, what do you say we have breakfast for dinner? Pancakes anyone?” He wasn’t sure who shouted louder, him or Emma.

She laughed and went back to the cabinets to pull out the dry ingredients. He and Emma raced to the fridge to get all the wet ingredients out in record time.

“Chocolate chips, Mommy!” Emma shouted.

“Done!”

“And strawberries,” Gabe called out. “But I’ll be sure to save some for later. For dessert.”

His tone was suggestive and she stumbled and banged the griddle against the stove top. She shot a glance over her shoulder telling him that he had better follow through with that promise later. He was more than happy to oblige and couldn’t wait.

The pancakes were a welcome distraction from the humming tension that was passing between them as they attempted to hide their glances and touches from Emma. Sitting on the couch with her between them was their own form of torture. With the Edinburgh sun stretching sunset out to nearly 9 p.m., Emma didn’t fall asleep until nearly 9:30. He hadn’t wanted to shuffle her off to bed early, since he’d spent so little time with her, but envisioning his mouth all over Alex’s body had him readjusting himself throughout the night.

After two books and a kiss on the forehead, Emma finally passed out clutching her new favorite stuffed armadillo. He nearly sprinted back down to the kitchen where Alex was cleaning up their pancake extravaganza.

He walked up behind her and ran his tongue over her ear.

“I hope you didn’t finish all of those strawberries,” he whispered and she shuddered.

* * *

Alex shivered all over at his hot breath on her ear. She’d had to tamp down her desire for him all evening and was happy to be able to show it to him nakedly now. He wrapped his arms around her waist and his cock was pressed against her ass. She rocked back and drew a moan from him.

Abruptly breaking his hold on her, Gabe moved to the fridge.

“Go into the living room and take off your clothes; I’ll meet you in there,” he said, standing in the open fridge.

“What?” she said, stunned.

“If you want your surprise, you need to follow instructions. Head into the living room and take off your clothes. If you’re not naked by the time I get there, no treats for you.” He gave her a look that pushed her into motion. She walked into the living room and peeled her shirt off over her head, not one hundred percent sure what he had in mind. She’d just kicked off her pants when he stepped into the living room with a bowl of strawberries and a can of whipped cream that she hadn’t even known was in the kitchen.

He crowded her until she was backed up against the couch and had no choice but to sit. He pushed her back against the couch and parted her legs, settling himself between them. She held her breath as he uncapped the whipped cream and placed a dollop of the cream on the top of her mound. Parting her lips, he dove into her pussy, making her cry out. He teased her clit with his tongue and sucked on the small nub before giving attention to her whole pussy. She gripped his hair and rode his face as he ate her like a man starved.

Her climax caught her off guard and she had to cover her mouth with her arm as she cried out.

“I love it when you’re wet for me,” he said, kissing his way up from her mound to her chest. Taking one nipple in his mouth and then the other, they were both at attention before he reached for the can of whipped cream again. He sprayed two dollops on each nipple before sucking them off. He repeated it again, but this time he added a strawberry on top and gave each nipple a little nibble as he ate off the berries and cream.

“I thought I was supposed to be getting a treat,” Alex panted. He peered up at her.

“My body is yours to explore,” he said holding out his arms. She nudged him forward, so she could stand and pushed him back so he was sitting on the couch. She took the can of whipped cream out of his hand and peeked up at him. The look he was giving her promised her that this was not going to be an early night for either of them. A bit bolder and more confident, she took his cock in her hand and brought her mouth down to it while keeping her eyes on him. He followed her mouth the whole way and held his breath when she was less than an inch from his head.

She stuck out her tongue and whirled it around his head. He groaned and she got a bit bolder. Breaking eye contact, she took him fully into her mouth; his length hitting the back of her throat. She pulled back and popped him out of her mouth. Taking the can of whipped cream, she sprayed a bit on the tip of his cock and he sucked in his breath.

She licking it off like a lollipop, and Gabe threaded his fingers through her hair and held her head as she worked herself up and down his cock. He moaned, his legs straightening and toes curling as she ran her tongue over his length and took him into her mouth. Still wet from her orgasm, she was getting even wetter at how she could drive him wild.

She repeated that treatment three more times before he pulled her back by her hair and growled, “Enough.”

In one motion, he picked her up and flipped her onto her back on the couch.

“I have to fuck you now,” he growled. He pushed her knees up and thrust himself into her.

“Yes, please, fuck me now!” she said and he thrust himself into her, bringing his hand between them to pinch her clit, which sent her over the edge in record time. Her vision winked in and out and the sound of the world seemed to be turned off for a few seconds as her climax raced through her. He pumped into her a couple more times, grinding against her clit, which drew out her climax even longer, before he roared out his release into the cushions beside her head.

“Wow,” she said, letting out a deep breath.

“Yeah, wow,” he said, chuckling above her. “Next time, I’ll make love to you, but I didn’t think I could be gentle this time,” he said, brushing a stray hair off her face.

“You don’t hear me complaining,” she said, chuckling.