Soft Hands, Hard Edges [Bucky Barnes]
19 parts Complete MatureSoft Hands, Hard Edges
Emmy Dawson came to New York chasing a dream-a cozy little bakery filled with warmth, the scent of caramel and vanilla in the air, and a life finally free of the shadows that haunted her. But what she doesn't say, what she can't say, is that she's running-from an ex-husband who refuses to let go, a past she's desperate to leave behind.
Bucky Barnes has spent years keeping the world at arm's length, his past too heavy to share, his regrets too deep to heal. In Brooklyn, he's just another man trying to live quietly, keeping to himself, drowning in routine-until he walks into Emmy's bakery. Until her soft smiles and flour-dusted hands begin to shake something loose in him.
What starts as small, cautious moments-a cup of coffee left on the counter for him, a quiet walk home on a cold night-quickly turns into something more. Their connection is magnetic, their stolen glances burning, their touches lingering just a little too long. But when the past comes clawing its way back-**hers in the form of a relentless ex, his in the form of headlines and nightmares-**Emmy begins to question if she's truly safe with the man she's fallen for.
When a violent reminder of her past puts her in danger, Bucky is forced to stop hiding. The Winter Soldier may be buried deep, but Emmy's safety is something he's willing to fight for.
As secrets unravel and trust is put to the test, Emmy must decide: Can she love the man who has killed? And can Bucky believe he's worthy of the kind of love that softens even the hardest edges?