Caden: Ride with Me

17. 17

Caden didn’t bother changing out of his work clothes. Instead, he grabbed both clean regular clothes and a clean uniform, shoved them in a small duffle bag and took off. He couldn’t believe she actually wanted to see him again, but that last message about no clothes had lit a fire under his ass and left him half hard.

By the time he knocked on her door, there was no half hard to it. The door opened, but she was nowhere in sight. He frowned but stepped inside. As soon as he’d cleared the door it swung shut, revealing her where she’d stood beside it, not a stitch on.

He was barely aware of his bag hitting the floor as he snaked an arm around her middle, pulled her close and covered her mouth with a kiss. He poured everything he felt into that kiss, all the want, all the need, all the fire he felt for her.

She seemed to respond with just as much heat as he felt. Her hands tugged and pulled at his clothes, wanting as free of access to his body as he had to hers. But he didn’t give in and strip for her, not yet. Instead, he swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He had a few things in mind, ideas that had been tormenting his mind and body all day long, and now was the perfect time to see what she thought of them.

“So I guess you were interested in coming over after all,” Olivia said still lying boneless and relaxed on the bed next to where Caden lay.

He couldn’t help the chuckle that rolled through him. He hadn’t thought he could move, at least not yet. It appeared he was wrong.

“Yeah, I can’t say there will ever be a time I’d say no to an offer like that one. Especially after you threw in the bit about not bothering with clothes. Do you know how hard it is to ride a motorcycle with an erection?”

“Not at all. But it sounds like an interesting thing to try.”

He could hear the amusement in her tone.

“Not if we want to survive the ride. However, if you’re wanting to try sex on the bike, that can be arranged…. Just not while it’s moving.”

“Hmm... I’ll have to think about that. I’m not sure parked in a garage somewhere would be nearly as fun.”

“Who said anything about a garage? I’d find some secluded place, maybe out a dirt road, and then we can have some fun.”

“Day or night?”

Caden drew his brows together at her question. What was she thinking? “Which sounds like more fun to you?”

“Daytime. Definitely daytime.”

There was mischief in her tone that was hard to miss.

“Someone seems to like adventure and maybe the risk of getting caught?” He wasn’t sure he was ready to get up yet, but he wanted to see her face. Caden rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand so he could watch her. “Does the idea of getting caught having sex excite you?” He ran the tip of one finger along her collar bone and down her chest.

“Maybe?” Her voice squeaked as she spoke, and a pretty pink color seemed to rise up her body from her toes to the top of her head.

He slowly trailed his fingers up to her chin where he used one finger to turn her head until she looked at him.

“Honesty, sweetheart. Tell me what intrigues you, what turns you on. I can’t promise we’ll do it, but I won’t make fun of you, and I won’t belittle you. If it’s something I can arrange safely, we might do it. But I won’t compromise your safety. Ever. Okay?”

“Okay.” Her gaze never flickered from his.

Caden didn’t know if it would make a difference, but he wanted her to trust him, with everything. He’d dated, a lot, and he’d had more than his share of wild sex, but he’d never had anyone he wanted to show every experience they wanted, as long as he could be sure she would be safe. It was a new instinct to him, this protective bit, but it felt right. He just hoped he didn’t make her feel like her brothers did in their over protection.

Should he try again? Would he get a more honest answer? He wouldn’t know until he tried.

“So does the idea of getting caught having sex turn you on?”

She met his gaze, but remained silent for a moment as if battling with herself, whether or not she would admit what she really felt. He hoped she would trust him with that but knew he couldn’t force her.

“Yeah,” color rose on her face as she continued, “I’m not sure I would like it to actually happen, but the idea it might is hot.”

“Okay, I can work with that. That doesn’t mean I’m trying to get us caught just make it seem that way sometimes. You good with that?”

“I think so.”

“Anything else you want to tell me about?”

She was quiet at first, but then, slowly began to talk. They talked about things they liked and ideas that did nothing for them. After a while she rolled onto her side to face him. They lay facing each other, talking until Caden couldn’t hold back a yawn any longer.

“We should get some sleep,” Olivia said. She glanced at the clock on the night stand behind him. “It’s nearly two a.m. and we both have to work tomorrow.”

“That would be smart.” He leaned close to give her a quick kiss on the lips, then sat up. “Let me use the restroom then we can get into bed instead of laying on top of it.”

The bedroom door smacking the dresser and bouncing back toward the framework. Caden’s arm tightened around Olivia as he prepared to jump over her and defend her from whoever had just burst into the room.

“What is this your brother is telling me about you dating one of those damned Kings of Destruction?” a woman stood in the doorway her hands on her hips as she glared at Olivia.

It took Caden a moment to recognize her as the mother of the bride from the wedding a few days earlier. Instead of a dress, she wore a city police department uniform, her hair was pulled up into a ponytail behind her head and while she wore makeup, it was far different from the last time he’d seen her.

Olivia groaned and leaned up.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

“Trying to get some answers. Get up and come talk to me. Put some clothes on first.” Her gaze flicked to Caden, then narrowed. “I met you, didn’t I?”

“Yes, ma’am. A couple of nights ago.”

“You were her date to the wedding.”

“I was.”

“And you’re one of those damned Kings?”

“Yes ma’am, but I think if you’ll let me explain—“

“You get dressed too. I’ll be in the kitchen.” She turned and didn’t bother to close the door behind her as she disappeared down the short hall.

“If we ignore her, will she go away?” Caden asked, his voice soft.

“No, I won’t,” came a voice from the other room. “If you’re not in here in five minutes, I’m bringing my coffee in there to have this talk.”

Olivia groaned and let her head fall face first back into her pillow.

“She will too, better off just to go face her,” she said as she pushed herself out of bed and flung the blanket back. She headed first for the bathroom, pushing the bedroom door closed on her way past, then stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

Caden didn’t see any point in delaying. They were going to have to deal with her, might as well do it now. He got up and started searching for his clothes. He’d found his jeans, but had not yet found his shirt when the bathroom door opened, and Olivia stepped out.

“I knew this was coming, but didn’t think she’d do it while you were here. Sorry about that.” She stepped past him and went to the dresser where she pulled out panties and stepped into them.

When he finished in the bathroom, he had no trouble finding his shirt. Olivia was wearing it.

“As much as I like seeing you in my shirt, will it bother your mom?”

She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “If it does, then maybe she shouldn’t burst in and demand explanations. She can wait until a decent hour or call ahead like a civilized person.” She didn’t wait for him, but opened the door and headed for the kitchen, still barefoot.

Caden wasn’t looking forward to this confrontation, but he wasn’t willing to back down either. He didn’t bother hunting down his boots or going for clean clothes, which he thought was still out in his saddle bags, instead he made sure his jeans were buttoned then padded barefoot into the kitchen to deal with what was probably an irate mother. She wouldn’t be his first but probably the first with a gun on her hip.

When he reached the kitchen, Olivia met him with a cup of coffee.

“Here, this one’s for you.” She pressed the mug into his hands.

“Thanks.” He took the cup and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, wondering what she was thinking. She blinked and yawned, then dropped her head against his shoulder. He wrapped one arm around her as he took a sip of the coffee and closed his eyes as the flavor did as much to wake his brain as the caffeine.

A throat clearing brought his mind back to why they were up, and in the kitchen just now. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten, only that he’d been distracted by the coffee and Olivia.

Olivia didn’t move away from him, just groaned. He tightened his arm around her, letting her know he wasn’t going anywhere as he turned to face her mother.

“How can we help you, ma’am?” He might as well start with polite manners. It couldn’t hurt and might help.

“I don’t want you or any of that club anywhere near my family.” Her voice was hard, as if she would brook no argument about this.

A knot formed in Caden’s stomach. Would this mean Olivia didn’t want anything to do with him?

“Mama, that’s not your decision to make.”

“They’re nothing but thugs and criminals,” Mrs. Duncan insisted.

“I understand why you might think so, ma’am. Especially after that trouble last year. But if you’ll look into it a bit more, you’ll find that other than the incident last year, no member of the club has gotten more than a speeding ticket. Not even a domestic call on any of us. And the ones involved in the trouble last year are no longer brothers.”

She didn’t respond, just lifted one brow in his direction as she continued to sip her coffee.

“The men involved in the trouble last year are not like the rest of us and when we found out what they were up to, they were stripped of their patches. We have a new president, and things are different.”

“I still don’t like it. I’ve had too much trouble with that club.”

Caden took a deep breath and tried to see things from her perspective. She had only encountered the worst of the brothers, not the best. And she was worried for her family. Her little girl. He was worried for her too, but for different reasons. Caden didn’t want Olivia to feel like she had to choose between her mother and him, and he didn’t want to lose her.

“How did you find out he’s part of the club anyway, Mama?” Olivia spoke to her mother for the first time that he’d heard.

“One of your brothers told me.”

“Did they tell you or did they let it slip?”

Caden glanced at where Olivia still stood against his chest and found her watching her mother with narrowed eyes. His gaze went back to where her mother sat at the small table. She lifted one shoulder and let it drop in a dismissive gesture.

“Does it matter? I know now. And now we’ve got to decide what we’re going to do about it.”

“What we’re going to do?“ Olivia asked as if she hadn’t heard her mother clearly. But then she continued, “WE are going to do nothing. YOU are going to go back to work and mind your own business. I’m an adult, Mama. I get to make my own decisions and choose who I date. That might have been a decision you could have made when I lived at home, but no longer. I like Caden. His friends are nice.”

“You’ve met them? Spent time at his club?” The horror in Mrs. Duncan’s voice was clear. As if she couldn’t stand the idea that her daughter would spend time with people like that.

“I have.” Olivia seemed to stand taller. She squared her shoulders and stood ready to defend him and his friends to her mother. “Members of his club and their wives and girlfriends. I’m sure I haven’t met them all but those I have are nice. They invited me to another gathering in a couple weeks and I’m going to that too.”

A look of stubborn dissatisfaction crossed Mrs. Duncan’s face. “I can see you’ve set your mind to this. There never was any budging you when you were set on something.” She stood. “I just hope that this doesn’t turn out to be something you, and the whole family, comes to regret.” She took her empty cup to the sink and set it inside before heading for the door. In the doorway she stopped and turned back. “Give your father a call. He said something about needing to talk to you.” Her voice was gentler than any of their previous discussion. With that she turned back and left.

Olivia didn’t move until after they heard the click of the front door closing. Then she took a deep breath and let it out in a rush.

“I’m sorry. I knew she wouldn’t be happy, but didn’t think she’d do this with you here.”

“No problem, sweetheart. I’m not upset. I knew it was a possibility. And it’s not like you hid it from me, you told me in the very beginning who your mother is.” He tugged her close and brushed the tip of her nose back and forth with his several times. “I knew about the King’s history. I was around when it happened, but not part of it. I had an idea she might not be happy to have one of her kids involved with part of the Kings. I was prepared for it. Kind of. I wasn’t ready to be woken from a dead sleep, caught naked in your bed. But even then, I wouldn’t change it if it meant missing even a moment with you.” He watched her face for a moment, trying to judge what she was thinking. When he couldn’t figure it out, but felt her softening against him, he lowered his head to kiss her, gently at first then with more heat and passion.

Blindly, he extended the arm with his coffee cup, until he found the edge of the counter. He set the cup down and pushed it away from the edge, then took her cup and did the same, before sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her back to the bedroom.

He wanted to show her how much she meant to him before they had to go their own directions, off to work for the day and other business.