23. Allie
Allie
I woke up to a light throb in my cheek and blazing heat along my front.
Opening my eyes, I saw a glorious sight.
Caden lying beside me, in my bed, asleep.
Slumber didn’t make him look relaxed. He was still rugged and tough, but there was maybe something a little softer about him.
I nuzzled into him. God, I loved him right there. How would it feel to wake up with him every day?
Swallowing, I shut that thought down. He wouldn’t be mine forever. He was a man who liked moving around, and now knowing the things he’d done and seen, the people he’d lost, I knew that maybe he needed it.
Suddenly, his eyes opened. Instantly, he was awake and alert.
“Hey.” His voice was like gravel.
“Morning.”
He glanced at the windows and blinked. “I slept.”
He’d slept soundly wrapped around me. I smiled.
His dark gaze snagged on my eye and his face darkened.
I winced. “How bad is it?”
“It’s bruised.” His thumb touched the corner of my eye. “It could’ve been worse.”
“It wasn’t.” I let my hands explore his chest and felt his muscles flex.
“I’m okay.” Then I glanced at the clock on my nightstand.
I sat bolt upright. “Crap, I need to get Ollie. I promised I’d collect him from Emily’s and we’d have breakfast together before school and work.
” I scrambled out of bed. “I need to shower, dress, then hide the worst of this bruising.”
I’d barely gone two steps when strong arms closed around me from behind. Caden rested his chin on my shoulder. Then I was distracted by a hard, naked body pressed against mine.
“Relax. You aren’t working today.”
“What?”
“Strict orders. You’re to rest and recover.”
“I’m fine?—”
“And Tessa sent instructions to rest up, and be ready for the Spooktacular tonight.” He smoothed my hair back. “She wanted to come and see you this morning, but I assured her that I was taking care of you.”
My heart melted. “Caden…”
“I’ll take you to get Ollie, then make breakfast for all of us, then we can drop him to school.”
I tilted my head up. “You cook?”
“Not often, but I can.”
I licked my lips. “You’re staying with me today?”
“Yeah.”
“Playing bodyguard?”
“Yes, I’m not leaving you alone today.” He paused. “You also need to talk with the police. Tell them what happened.”
I swallowed. “It was the ESG who did this, wasn’t it?”
“Pretty damn sure, but we have no proof. You need to be careful. What those men did to you…it was a warning.”
I looked into his face. “You’re going to stop them.”
“I am.” He brushed his lips over mine. “But today, you’re my priority. And your nephew. Now, shower, and I’ll make coffee.”
I kind of floated through my shower. It was nice knowing someone else was here, someone helping out.
I quickly dried off and dressed in my favorite jeans and red sweater. Then I did the best I could with some makeup. I poked my tongue out at myself. My eye was still obviously bruised, but it didn’t look quite as bad now. I really didn’t want Ollie to worry.
When I walked out into the living room, Caden was leaning against the island, sipping a mug of coffee.
“What should I tell Ollie about this bruise?” Somehow, Caden made my compact kitchen look tiny.
“Tell him the truth.”
“Caden, he’s five.”
He cupped my shoulder. “You can’t shield him from everything. I’m not saying give him all the details, especially about these assholes, but tell him a bad guy hit you, but you’re fine.”
She sighed. “I want to shield him.”
“I know, but it’s better to teach him resilience.”
“He’s already had to learn that lesson.”
Caden handed me a mug of coffee, which I took with a grateful smile.
He ran a hand over my hair. “Drink that, then we’ll get Ollie.” Then he pulled something out of his pocket. “For you.”
I stared at the brand-new iPhone.
“Your data and photos from your old phone have been copied over.”
A lump lodged in my throat. This man. I took the phone. “Caden…you’re spoiling me.”
“Just say thank you, Allie.”
I went up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Then he grabbed my hand and frowned at the grazes on my palm. “These could get infected. You have a first aid kit?”
“Under the sink. There’s not much in it. I have a huge collection of Band-Aids. I learned pretty quickly that Band-Aids fix a lot of things when you’re five.”
He came back with the kit. I sat on the stool while he bent over my hand, cleaning my grazes with antiseptic wipes.
“You want a Band-Aid?” he asked.
My lips twitched, all kinds of flutters in my stomach. “No. A kiss will do.”
Then badass Caden Castro leaned down and kissed my grazed palm.
Everything inside me quivered. Oh, God.
I was falling in love with Caden.
My chest tightened. All kinds of thoughts flew at me, the biggest one being that he’s not going to hang around forever.
Just one day at a time, Allie.
He took my uninjured hand in his, his fingers entwining with mine. “Let’s go get your nephew.”
“Anything I want?” Ollie asked from the backseat.
“Anything,” Caden assured him. He expertly drove the SUV back toward my condo.
“Can you make French toast?” Ollie asked.
“Pretty sure we can work it out, buddy.”
I smiled. They were so cute together. Ollie had been thrilled to see Caden and learn that he was having breakfast with us.
We pulled up at my condo. I climbed out, then opened the back door. Ollie was already scrambling out of his booster seat.
“I’m glad you had fun with Caleb, Haley, and Emily.”
He nodded, then paused and reached up. I bent down and he gently touched my bruised eye.
“It doesn’t hurt, Ol-ster.”
“I don’t like the bad guy who did this.” His gray gaze shifted to Caden. “You’ll catch him?”
“Yeah, I will.”
God, they were both killing me.
Ollie’s fingers brushed mine, and my chest hitched. For a second, I thought he was going to take my hand. Instead, he patted it, then headed toward our building.
Before I knew it, we were all in my kitchen, which quickly turned into a sugar-dusted mess. But I was grinning. I was happy.
Ollie was giggling as he helped Caden. Caden was smiling. Not a full-blown smile, but it was definitely a smile.
God. Careful, Allie. Don’t like this too much. Don’t get used to it.
I knew he’d leave eventually. I was prepared.
But for now, I was going to enjoy it.
Soon, we were seated around the island, eating syrup-soaked French toast. Ollie was eating enthusiastically.
“So, the Halloween Spooktacular is tonight at the hotel,” I said. “You have to decide on a costume, Ollie.”
He finished chewing and licked his lips. “I decided. I want to be Peter Pan.”
It was a story I often read to him. “Good choice.”
“I picked it because you like fairies, Allie.” He smiled. “You can be Tinkerbell.”
Oh . Tinkerbell was tiny and blonde, I was tall and brunette. But staring at his little face, all I could do was nod. “Sure thing. That’ll be fun.”
Large gray eyes settled on Caden. “Are you going to the Spooktacular, Caden?”
“I am, but I’ll be working.”
“Will you wear a costume?”
I leaned back in my chair. “He will. It’s the rule. All the hotel workers will be in costume.”
Caden’s gaze narrowed on me, and I gave him an amused smile.
Ollie bounced in his chair. “You could match with us. You could be Captain Hook!”
Biting back my laugh was hard. A small sound escaped me. “I think he’d make an excellent pirate captain, Ol-ster.”
Caden’s look promised retribution. “I’ll talk with Tessa. She ordered a bunch of costumes.”
With the happiness bubbling inside me, my abduction and the ESG were the furthest things from my mind.
Clearing this throat, Caden started stacking plates. “What time does school start?”
I glanced at the clock and let out a squeak. I leaped up. “Ollie, we need to move.”
Ollie got a stubborn look on his face. “I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay with you and Caden.”
“You have to go to school, little man.”
“No!”
“Ollie—”
“You’re staying home.” He crossed his little arms. “I want to stay as well.”
It was very rare for him to throw a tantrum. Actually, a part of me was happy to see it. His therapist had said once he felt safe, he’d test boundaries like any well-adjusted child.
I crouched in front of him. “School’s important, Ollie. You need to learn, play, spend time with your friends. And I’m in charge, so you need to listen when I ask you to do something.”
His militant look wavered.
“You shouldn’t speak like that to your aunt, buddy,” Caden said quietly.
Ollie’s bottom lip wobbled. He sighed. “Sorry, Allie.”
I ruffled his hair. “It’s okay. Let’s get ready, okay?”
He nodded, then cast a glance sideways. “Are you dropping me at school, Caden?”
“You want that?”
The little boy nodded.
“Then let’s get you to school.”