Recipe for Romance: A Bucky Barnes Story

18: Missed You

A/N:

SMUT!

This is another one of the chapters I took some of for my imagines: the smut scene! This feels like it's leading up to only smut but there is fluff after it's done that wasn't included in my imagines. I promise this is the last chapter that is a repeat from the other book! Thanks for reading!

-Winnie

"Miss independent... miss self-sufficient..."

I hum at the back of my head to the Kelly Clarkson song that plays over the speakers of the kitchen. My hands work thoughtlessly to braid the uncooked crust of the first of many pies to come. My thoughts are mainly directed to the man who I've yet to see in nearly four days now. I haven't even heard from Bucky since he and Steve got called on a mission. I'm not even allowed to know where they've gone.

"So, by keeping her heart protected, she'd never ever feel rejected. Little miss apprehensive, said ooh, she fell in love..."

Laurie's voice echoes at the back of my mind. I recall our conversation that late night after the first date with eerie accuracy.

"SADIE! What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Leave me alone about it, Laurie. You know how I feel about him. You should be happy for me."

"I am... I am..."

"Then why the hell don't you sound like it?"

"Because I want what's best for you. I want you to be safe."

"Bucky wants the same thing. There's nothing to worry about, Laurie. I'm going to be fine."

"...Okay, Sade. As long as you're happy."

"I am."

"Good. Hold onto that feeling. Just remember the sort of lifestyle he leads. It might not be easy..."

"I understand. But it's going to be fine. I trust him."

"I hope you do."

With a sigh I push away the first pie—a rhubarb one. Then I grab the next empty shell and start to fill it with the next filling I've prepared. This one is peach-raspberry: the two favorite fruits of the Maximoff twins. Rhubarb is Nat's preferred pie.

Oh, how Nat had killed me with the reaction with Bucky's and my relationship. That smug little smirk she'd shot at me when she first noticed the shift in the air when Bucky and I were in the same room. Then the wink that came from her when Bucky's hand moved to the small of my back—tugging me softly into his side. It didn't take long after that moment in the kitchen the next morning for Sam to notice; who promptly dashed off to alert Steve of the good news. But Bucky had already told Steve, apparently, the night before. I was pretty proud to know that Bucky was excited enough to gossip to his bestie Captain America about me.

"What happened to Miss Independent? No more the need to be defensive. Goodbye, old you when love is true."

With ease I lattice stack the dough trimmings of the top of the second pie. Then I'm onto the third. Clint's granny smith apples were a pain in my ass to peel, but I dealt with it because I adore the jerk.

The plopping noise of the filling into the shell is missing as the Kelly Clarkson song is over and replaced by Neil Diamond. Sweet Caroline plays aloud and a small smile dances on my lips. I take a quick taste of this filling, finding that it's damn delicious, before once again submerging in daydream thoughts.

It's been less than a month since that night at the theater and then the diner where everything changed... I sigh softly to remember how he'd held my hand all the way home and given me his coat even though I already had mine. Since that night it's been dates whenever we can—everything from walks in Central Park, matinee movies, or dinners at random restaurants that neither of us knows anything about. The funniest thing I've ever seen was watching Bucky try to work a pair of chopsticks at that dingy Japanese place that one time. That was a few hours before I'd lost my wallet and we had to spend the rest of the evening retracing my steps just to go back home to find it on the communal kitchen counter.