Page 32 of Wolf Found

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Graham seemed more at home in the shop kitchen than any of their previous bakers. He mentioned that all the appliances were newer than he was familiar with, but he caught on quickly.

When they set him up with a smartphone, he almost immediately got the hang of that too, connected the thing to the shop’s ovens, and started using his phone to set timers and change the temperature in them. It sounded silly, but it was like watching a flower bloom.

He’d been lost and scared when he’d arrived—unsure if he was part of the pack’s warm welcome to Hannah and Paige and still trying to figure out his new normal after realizing the alpha wasn’t what he’d thought.

Not that things were perfect, but Graham was adapting faster than Ash, and even faster than Sawyer had.

Also, he perfected the maple-bacon muffins over the next week and always saved one for Ash. He really was the best.

They kept going out for meals, but now it was in earnest. They were dating. The mere thought of it never failed to make Ash smile. He’d never dated before. It was amazing. He got to take Graham out for dinner, talk about their days, share food, and he got to put his arm around his boyfriend, take him home, and kiss him good night.

Also, they’d been sleeping in the same bed for a week and hadn’t had sex, and Ash might be dying.

Okay, sure, blue balls weren’t a real thing; it was a thing assholes used to manipulate people into having sex with them. But that didn’t change the fact that Ash had to fall asleep with a hard-on every damn night, Graham pressed up against him, all warm and perfect.

An index finger flicked him on the nose. “A latte, sleepyhead,” Gavin said, holding out a paper cup in front of him.

Right. He was at work.

Fantasizing about falling asleep next to Graham probably wasn’t a great idea when he was supposed to be making coffee. He made quick work of the latte before checking the side. “Leann,” he called, just as Graham came out of the back with a tray of cinnamon rolls. The owner of the latte came up to claim it, but he was busy ogling his boyfriend.

His boyfriend.

Graham smiled at him, then at the counter past him. He slid the tray into place and stepped up to Ash, putting his arms around his waist and smiling at that spot past Ash.

Ash frowned and started to turn around, but Graham leaned up to give him a peck on the lips, and he forgot about whoever was back there. Latte person could find the only coffee cup on the counter, surely.

But Graham looked back there again. “Did you need something else, miss?”

There was a sigh, a “no thanks,” and then a blonde woman was hurrying out the front door with the drink in her hand.

“You’re a mean, mean man, Graham,” Gavin said, leaning in to whisper to them. “But I demand my chocolate-muffin tribute. There’s another in the back, right?”

Graham shot him a look. “I always save you one, you know that. Now both of you get back to work.” He turned to give Ash another kiss. “And no flirting.”

“Flirting?” Ash called after him. “Flirting with who?”

But he did as he’d been told, and got back to work.

* * *

That night,something was different with Graham.

He rushed through dinner, which he never did, more interested in snuggling up to Ash than his rigatoni. About halfway through dinner, Ash stopped and looked down at him, plastered against his side.

“You know I’m with you, right? Nobody else. You.”

Graham beamed at him and nodded without hesitation. “I know.”

“So...” It took Ash a moment to figure out how to word the rest without seeming silly. He decided to go as general as possible. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Graham answered easily. “You?”

“I’m fine. Is there anything I can do for you?” There went not being silly.

The smile Graham gave him at that was downright wicked, and it took Ash’s breath away. “Now that you mention it, there’s definitely something you can do for me,alpha.”

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