22. Caden
Caden
I held Allie tight. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to let go.
She yawned and I could tell she was tired. She needed some sleep.
She nuzzled against my shoulder. “I know it’s the middle of the night, but I’m starving . I need a snack.”
I rose, then grabbed the blanket thrown over the back of the couch. I tucked it around her naked body, then hitched my jeans up.
“Let me make a quick trip to the bathroom, then I’ll feed you.”
“Mmm,” she said sleepily. “I like having you around, Broody.”
My chest filled with warmth. After dealing with the condom and washing my hands, I strode into the kitchen. “What have you got to eat?”
“Not much. But I know there’s a bag of corn chips in there and there’s my Dandelion chocolate.” She smiled. “Courtesy of a scowly hot guy.”
I had no idea how she stayed so slim eating like that. I opened the cupboards and found the snacks. When I came back to the couch, she was wearing my discarded shirt. My shirt.
Damn . I felt a punch of heat to the gut. I liked seeing her in something of mine.
When I settled beside her, she snatched the chips away. Soon she was munching away on them.
“It didn’t end up being such a bad day, after all,” she said.
“Because it ended with orgasms and corn chips?”
She laughed. “No, although those are good things. It ended up with you here. With me.”
I cupped her jaw. “Yes, it did.”
She reached out and grabbed the chocolate. She broke off a piece and popped it in her mouth. Her quiet moan had my gut clenching. “Want some?”
I shook my head. Then she snuggled into me. I slid my arm around her. I had to admit, there was something to be said for cuddling. I pressed my lips to her temple.
That’s when I noticed the framed photo sitting on the shelf. It was of Allie and a man who had to be her brother. They looked so much like.
She followed my gaze. “That’s Sean.”
“You can tell you’re siblings.”
“Yeah. Ollie looks just like Sean did at the same age. God, I miss him.”
“The missing never goes away.”
She stroked a hand over my chest. “Tell me. Tell me who you lost. Not the gory details or the classified details, just… I’m here. I want to listen.”
I was silent for a while. I wanted to open up, but it was so damn hard. “His name was Wells. Maxwell, but he never liked Max for short.”
“Wells is a great name.”
“He was a damn fine soldier. Brave, but so open and friendly.” I shook my head.
“Even before the military, I wasn’t the loudest or friendliest person.
Wells decided we’d be friends and wouldn’t be deterred.
” I paused, remembering. “He made me laugh.” The pain was a solid ball in my chest. “Our whole team was tight.”
“I guess you have to be when you depend on each other for your lives,” she said quietly.
I pressed my hand to her thigh and gripped. “We were on a mission.” A chill raced over me, and the memory sank sharp teeth deep.
Swallowing, I forged on. I wanted to prove I could…open up to her.
She stroked my arm, not saying anything, just listening.
“It was dangerous. We were well in enemy territory. Our commander had gotten hit and was bleeding badly. I knew he needed medical attention, or he’d die.”
She pressed into me even harder. That steadied me.
“With our CO down, I was in charge. We ran. We covered so many miles of dense, suffocating jungle, and we carried him. We ran and ran, and I thought we were almost in the clear. The bullets came from nowhere.” In my head, I heard the grunts, the screams, and smelled the blood.
“We fought back. Wells was yelling at me, covering my ass. He took a bullet to the head. He died instantly, right in front of me.”
Allie let out a small gasp.
“There one second, gone the next. Drew took two rounds next. He was alive, but in agony. I caught some shrapnel. We had to keep moving. I carried Wells’ body. I couldn’t leave him behind.”
“You made it out.”
“Yeah.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Pat, our commander, lost his arm, but survived. Drew is paralyzed and, in a wheelchair, and Wells is buried at Arlington. I still remember his pregnant widow standing at the funeral, sobbing.”
“Caden.” Allie kissed the underside of my jaw. “You brought them home.”
“I missed the signs of the rebel soldiers creeping up on us.”
“You aren’t superhuman. Everyone on your team knew the risks. And you’re all heroes for fighting, anyway. Honor Wells’ memory. His bravery. From the sounds of it, he wouldn’t want you to feel guilty. He’d be pissed you aren’t living your best life.”
I pressed my face to her hair. “Why did I survive, and he didn’t?”
“That’s above our pay grade.” She rose up on her knees. “I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you made it.”
Her words ripped through me, loosening things inside.
She looked at me, her face open and honest. Then she got to her feet, looking cute and thoroughly sexy in my shirt. She held her hand out. “I want you in my bed, Broody.”
My gut clenched. I felt so much. All of it for her. All of it for Allie.
I glanced at the photo of her and her brother. We both knew that life could change in an instant. The things you loved most could be ripped away at any time.
I needed her. She’d almost been taken from me tonight, and I could have lost her.
With a low noise, I pushed to my feet and scooped her off hers.
She gasped, holding me tight. “I have to confess, I like when you carry me.”
“Good.” I strode into her bedroom. It smelled like her. Intoxicating. I’d been so focused on her when I was in here last time, I hadn’t paid much attention to the room.
My gaze fell on her dresser and my eyebrows rose.
Allie cleared her throat. “Um, I have little thing about collecting fairy statues.”
“You don’t say.” There were dozens of them sitting on the dresser. All long, elegant creatures with wings. All of them in a dazzling array of iridescent colors.
Color filled her cheeks. “Sean bought me my first one when I was ten and I got hooked. He told me that in the old myths about fairies, they weren’t all cute and sweet, that they were dangerous and powerful.
” She shrugged a shoulder. “I liked the idea of a powerful creature that could also be beautiful.”
“They suit you.”
The color in her cheeks deepened. Damn, I wanted my mouth on her skin.
“Don’t tell anyone.”
“I promise. It’s our secret.” Laying her down on the bed, I pushed the shirt up. “I think you’re beautiful and powerful.” I kissed her breasts, her collarbone.
She arched up. “Caden.”
I let my lips travel down her flat belly, over her hip bones, lower…
“ No .” She grabbed my head. “I want…”
“Anything.” I nipped her belly. I’d give her anything she wanted. “Just tell me.” I nibbled the skin of her lower belly, smelling her arousal.
She sucked in a breath. “This time, I want you in my mouth.”
Goddamn . Every muscle in my body was rigid. “You want to suck me off, baby?”
Her lips parted and she moved restlessly on the bed. “Yes.” She held her hands out to me.
Quickly, I unfastened my jeans and shoved them down. Her gaze was all over me—and it was clear she liked what she saw.
“I have to confess. Your thighs have driven me crazy from the day I met you.”
“My thighs?” I straddled her body, and her face filled with hectic color. She pressed her hands to my thighs, her fingers digging into the muscle.
“They’re so strong and muscular.” Her voice was husky.
I moved forward on my knees. Intense hunger clawed at me. She owned me. This woman owned every part of me.
“But I might have a new favorite body part,” she whispered, her gaze on my erect cock.
Her lips brushed the swollen head, and I hissed at the touch.
She licked me. That delicate, pink tongue lapped at the weeping head and the sound I made didn’t sound human.
“I’m yours, Allie.”
Her hand curled around the base of my cock, her eyes wide and hungry. She wasn’t shy, my Allie. Then she sucked my cock into her warm mouth.
I cursed. With a moan, she found a rhythm, stroking me, her cheeks hollowing as she sucked.
I fell forward, slapping my hands to the mattress. Growling, I thrust my hips forward. Allie took me deeper until I felt resistance. I pulled back and thrust again.
Damn, I wasn’t going to last.
Mindlessly, I pulled free of the temptation of her warm mouth.
Moving back down her body, I pushed her thighs wide. I fell on her, need throbbing through me. A second later, I thrust inside her.
“ Caden .” Her scream echoed off the walls.
“This is where I need to be.” My thrusts were savage, but she took me, gripping me hard. Her hands dug into my biceps, her knees pressed into my sides. “You need it, too. My cock between your thighs.”
“Yes, Caden. Don’t stop.”
All I could do was feel. All I could do was drown in her. She felt so good. So tight and wet.
A thought popped into my head. Fuck . On the next thrust, I stayed lodged deep inside her.
She moaned. “Keep moving.”
“Hell, Allie. I forgot a condom.”
When I tried to pull out, her legs clamped onto me hard. “It’s okay, Caden.”
“No. I have to protect you.” I gritted my teeth. “Baby, stay still or I’ll come.”
“I have an IUD. Please, don’t leave me.”
“Allie—”
“I’m clean. Before you, I haven’t had sex in a really long time.”
“I’m clean, too. And it’s been a long time for me, as well.”
She kissed me, then bit my bottom lip. “So move.”
I started thrusting. This time harder, faster. “Allie. Mine . All fucking mine.”
“ Caden .” Her nails scored my back.
We weren’t Allie and Caden. We weren’t separate. We were one.
With a cry, she started coming and I was a goner.
Her name was a harsh groan as I came. It felt ripped out of me. I felt her pussy gripping me, milking me. I shuddered through the pleasure until I was totally drained.
When I collapsed, I remembered to roll so I didn’t crush her. But I didn’t let her go. Her legs were tangled with mine, my softening cock still inside her.
She let out a happy, gusty breath. “I haven’t felt this good in…maybe ever.”
Something in me spasmed. I really liked knowing I made her feel good. I pulled her closer, my face buried in her hair. We were sweaty and sticky, but I didn’t care.
“I like having you in my bed, Broody.”
“I like your bed.” My throat tightened. “I like you better.”
She sent me a lazy smile, then she yawned. “Good. Think I need some sleep now.”
I kissed her temple. “Sleep.” I’d watch over her.
“Don’t leave me.” Her voice was already slurred by sleep.
“I won’t.”
And a few minutes after she’d fallen asleep in my arms, surprisingly, I felt myself drift off.