15. Allie
Allie
Nothing . Just a sad, teeth-rattling grind.
“Dammit.” I smacked the steering wheel. I needed to get back to the hotel for my double shift.
At least I wasn’t late to get Ollie. We’d made burgers for dinner, and I’d had the joy of listening to him prattle on about a new TV show he liked.
I’d even gotten a few giggles. He was now bathed and in his LEGO pajamas.
Mrs. Jenkins had already arrived, and I’d left the two of them reading his favorite book.
I knew he’d con her into two or three more.
Crap . I was going to be late for my shift. If I ran, I could still make it. I grabbed my backpack, locked my RAV4, then set off down the sidewalk.
As a kid, I’d loved running. I’d been a member of the cross-country team in high school. I broke into a steady pace, and soon my muscles warmed up and I lengthened my stride. I had no time to run anymore, and I couldn’t leave Ollie alone even if I did.
I was actually enjoying myself when I turned the corner and the Langston Windward came into view. Slowing to a walk, I took a few deep breaths and let myself into the staff entrance.
“Hi, Allie.” Justin, one of the evening crew, shot me a smile. I didn’t know this team as well as mine. “Haven’t seen you in ages.”
“Hi, Justin. I’m filling in. Jenn’s kids have the flu.”
I met the rest of the crew and assigned everyone their rooms for evening turn-down service. I rechecked the stock levels, then joined some of the team to clean windows in the lobby. We often saved some of the common area jobs for the night shift.
The hours moved by quickly. I wondered what the ESG were doing this evening. My nose wrinkled. Was Caden still listening to the bug?
Crossing the lobby after sweeping up the remnants of a broken vase, the back of my neck began to itch and I heard loud voices.
I swiveled. The ESG. They were loud as they entered, and they had guests with them. Surprise, surprise.
I leaned against my broom and watched them.
God, the girls with them looked young. I couldn’t blame them for wanting to have a good time. I assessed the girls to make sure no one was under the influence. They all seemed steady.
Then I realized Blake was looking at me. I couldn’t manage a smile. Not knowing what I knew now about him and his friends.
His charming smile dissolved, and there was a look on his face that I couldn’t decipher. Then he and the group disappeared into the Bluff Bar.
Shaking my head, I forced myself to get back to work.
Soon, my shift was finished. I took a quick shower in the locker room, and pulled on the long skirt, sweater, and boots I’d packed in my backpack. I pulled a face. Crap, I had no vehicle to get home, and this wasn’t exactly the right outfit to jog home in. I might have to get an Uber.
Something made me detour to the conference room. Sure enough, I found Caden sitting there.
“Hey.”
He looked up. “Shift okay?”
“Fine. No vomit to clean up, which is always a plus. The evening crew are all experienced. They could probably run the shift better than me.”
“I doubt that.”
“Nothing on the bug, I’m guessing? I just saw the ESG heading into the bar, and it looked like they’d been out.”
“They went out a couple of hours ago. We’ll keep monitoring. I have the bartenders watching all the drinks of any females in the bar.”
“Good.” I nodded. “I’d better go.”
Caden rose. “I’ll walk you to your car. It’s dark in the staff parking area. I have new security lights ordered.”
“Of course you do.” I tucked my hair back behind my ear. “It’s okay, I don’t have my car.”
He cocked his head. “Why?”
“It wouldn’t start earlier. I jogged over.”
His face hardened. “You getting a ride home?”
“Well, it isn’t far to walk or run.”
He stared at me, and I couldn’t miss the unhappy vibes.
“It’s fine, Broody. This is Windward. And I like running. I used to run in high school.”
“You’re not running home in the dark. It’s late.”
“Caden—”
“No.”
I rested my hands on my hips. “It isn’t far?—”
He snatched up his keys and jacket. “I’ll drop you home.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
“Let me get one of my team to monitor things in here.”
Before I knew it, he was leading me outside, a hand pressed to my lower back. I felt traitorous tingles everywhere.
He led me out to a big, black SUV parked in a VIP spot out front. He bleeped the locks, then opened the passenger door for me. Before I could move, he gripped my waist and lifted me in.
Again, I felt his touch everywhere and a gasp escaped my lips. I looked up.
Our gazes meshed. He stared at me, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
Then he stepped back and closed the door.
Okay, I could handle being alone with Caden in a vehicle. In the dark.
He climbed into the driver’s seat.
Then it was just the two of us. I nibbled on my lower lip. I had to get a handle on this out-of-control desire.
“So…” Really smooth, Allie.
He glanced my way. “Is your neighbor with Ollie tonight?”
I nodded. “He’ll be fast asleep by now. That kid can sleep. A tornado wouldn’t wake him. Mrs. Jenkins will be napping in front of the television. She loves spending time with him. All her grandkids are in Pennsylvania, and she doesn’t see them much.”
“It’s good you have help.”
“I’m grateful. I’m grateful he sleeps well, too. After Sean and Sylvie died—” I felt the sharp pinch of pain and breathed through it “—he slept in my bed for weeks. He had…not quite nightmares, but he’d wake up and cry out for them.” I shook my head, my heart hurting.
Caden reached across and grabbed my hand. “From what I can tell, you’re doing a great job with him. He has a home, love, you. Everything a kid needs.”
“I feel like I get it wrong a lot. I feel like I’m not in control. I’m doing my best, but I’m worried I’ll still screw him up.”
“Hey, give yourself a break. Even families with two parents and tons of support make mistakes. No one’s perfect, and mistakes are part of life.”
I looked at his profile, his strong jaw. “Did you…have a rough childhood? With your dad gone?”
He remained quiet.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t pry. Ignore?—”
“I didn’t. Mom’s a lot like you. She worked two jobs to make a good home for us. Dad was a piece of shit. I was five when he left, and my only memories are of him getting drunk and yelling.”
“You have sisters?”
He nodded, but seemed tense. “Sara and Clara.” He pulled into the parking lot in front of my condo.
It appeared the conversation was over.
When he opened the door, I touched his arm. “Don’t get out.”
His dark gaze leveled on me. “I’m walking you to your door.” His voice said he wasn’t going to argue about it.
I unbuckled my seat belt. “Okay, Broody. I’ll let you fight off any bad guys lurking in my condo stairwell.”
He shot me a look, then grabbed my backpack.
We walked up the stairs and I unlocked the front door to the building. I saw him look around.
“It’s not fancy, but it does the job. I really wish I could’ve kept my brother’s house. But Ollie doesn’t seem to mind.”
“Home isn’t really about the building.”
“Right.” We headed up the stairs and for a second, I stumbled and teetered.
He caught me, hands gripping my waist. I was pulled against a hard chest and I sucked in a breath. I glanced up and saw his face. Saw the fierce need.
“Caden.”
There was a flicker in his eyes and he released me. “Walk to your door, Allie.”
Suddenly I felt angry. “You’re just going to ignore this?”
“I should. You should.”
I set my hands on my hips. “Why?”
“Because you deserve better.” He nudged me forward.
I walked toward my front door, conscious of him behind me, my mind whirling. I deserved better? He didn’t think he was good enough?
That was crazy. He was Caden. Protective and brooding, a veteran.
What the hell had happened to him to make him believe that?
We reached my door, tucked away around the corner, and for a second, it was like it was just the two of us.
“I bet Mrs. Jenkins will have her hearing aid out. She never hears me come in.” I whirled, and our gazes locked.
As we stared at each other, my heart started to pound.
“ Fuck ,” he muttered, his hands clenching. “Why can’t I keep my hands off you?”
“I don’t want you to keep them off me.”
Then he was on me. He hauled me close, his mouth closing on mine.
I detonated. I touched him everywhere, my tongue stroking his.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he breathed.
My heart knocked in my chest. I’d always been the sporty girl, not the gorgeous one. My mom had always called me a tomboy. No curves, no style, no femininity.
He gripped my thigh and hooked it up on his hip. I moaned. Caden seemed to have a different idea.
“You drive me crazy, Broody.” I slid my hands in his dark hair. “I have no control around you. I’ve never felt like this before.”
“Same.” He bit my bottom lip.
Desire shivered through me. “Before the other night, I hadn’t had a non-self-induced orgasm for so long that I’d forgotten how it feels.”
There was a gleam in his eye. “You liked coming for me?”
“Yes.”
His mouth took mine again. Then I was pinned to my front door. His mouth travelled down my neck and I moaned, rubbing against his hard body.
His hands slid down my sides, caressing and molding.
Then he dropped to his knees.
Shock ran through me and my brain just blanked. My breasts throbbed, my nipples hard. My pulse pounded in my ears.
His hands gripped my skirt, and he pushed it up, slowly, so slowly.
My breath hitched. I looked down at the intense focus on his face. Then he pushed the skirt higher, and cool air swirled around my bare legs.
He made a low sound, then hooked my thigh over his shoulder.
Oh, God.
“Drives me crazy knowing you aren’t wearing panties. I think about it all day long.”
Desire exploded and my hips jerked. He made a low sound and buried his head between my thighs.
I cried out and bit my lip and then gripped his hair. I felt his warm breath on me.
He licked my throbbing pussy, pressing his tongue deep. I bit my lip, moans ripping free of me. He worked me, lapping and sucking, and I writhed on his mouth.