Chapter 11
Kade
The window was always a tight squeeze but it was worth the effort.
I knew which angle to twist my shoulders to gain entry.
I quietly stepped into her bathroom, my sneakers made me land much softer than my boots.
There was hair product and her make up bag lying in the bathroom counter.
I flashed my torch at the door way. Her apartment was dark and silent.
I edged my way towards her bedroom, turning the harsh light downwards.
It was reassuring to see her tucked up in bed sleeping peacefully. I’d read that being pregnant could be taxing and Juliette had a good routine. I brushed a curl away from her cheek, but she didn't move. She rarely did.
“You’re all mine, sweetheart,” I whispered, kissing her soft cheek.
I walked around to the other side of the bed, toeing my sneakers off before lying beside her.
Every night my cold and lonely bed seemed less appealing.
Her scent haunted me. The memories persisted.
I closed my eyes and placed my hand in its usual place, over her womb.
It was time show Juliette how serious I was.
?? ?? ??
Showered and shaved, I began my campaign: Secure the Uterus.
Step one—proximity and surveillance.
I adjusted the binoculars, zeroing in on the grocery store window. I’d had a clear visual, but she’d disappeared behind an aisle.
Not very thoughtful of her.
My phone rang.
Mom.
I answered and hit speaker.
“Hi, son. Are you coming for dinner tomorrow?”
“Hi, Mom. Yeah, I’ll be over after work. Did Grammy get in touch with you?”
She chuckled. “She sure did. And I’m dying to meet Juliette.”
“Excellent,” I said, just as Juliette reappeared in view.
“How’s Dad?”
She was testing oranges—squeezing each one with delicate concentration before placing them in her cart.
“He went fishing this weekend. Don’t you remember? I suppose you’ve been busy.”
Busy. Right.
“Do you want me to come over tonight?”
“No, Vera’s bringing Grace for a sleepover. It’ll be nice to have another baby in the family.”
I smiled as Juliette moved on to the bananas.
“It will, Mom,” I said, adjusting the zoom slightly.
“I’ll try my best.”
Vitamin C and potassium were covered, I hope she enjoyed her greens they were an exceptional source of folic acid.
“Kade, I’m glad you’re okay,” Mom said, her voice thick with emotion. “And moving on.”
I lowered the binoculars and stared at my phone.
“Aww, Mom, don’t cry,” I murmured with a frown.
“You were always the more sensitive one,” she sniffled. “Not like Caleb. I worry about you.”
“I’m fine,” I said gently. “Really.”
She cleared her throat, trying to sound brighter. “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You will,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Thanks, Mom. Love you.”
“I love you too,” she replied, her voice steadier now.
The call only strengthened my resolve.
Fortuitous timing.
Juliette was at the checkout.
I stepped out of my truck, ready to soften my target up.
I waited by the store doors, hands in my pockets. The second she emerged, I stepped forward and casually snagged the cart from her grip.
“Hey—” she started, then her eyes landed on me. “You.”
Without a word, I turned and strode off with her cart, leaving her to scurry after me.
“This is theft!” she shouted.
I stopped at her car and waited, casually leaning on the cart like I owned it—and her. A few shoppers glanced over. Perfect. Let the grapevine feast.
“I can’t let the mother of my child carry heavy groceries,” I said, projecting my voice just enough. “What will people say?”
She slapped a hand over my mouth with a gasp, eyes wide.
“Aww, baby,” I murmured against her palm. “If you wanted a smooch, you should’ve just said.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist and dipped her back, sealing my lips over hers.
Her gasp was muffled beneath my mouth, and I felt her body tense in my arms. The kiss had started as showmanship—a territorial display for the gawkers around us—but the second I tasted her, everything else slipped out of focus.
The press of her lips, soft and warm against mine. The way her fingers clutched at my shirt, unsure whether to push me away or pull me closer.
God, she tasted like sinful sweetness and trouble.
I deepened the kiss, slow and deliberate. Not rushed. Not teasing. Just a long, smouldering claim. Her breath hitched when I slid my hand from her waist up to her ribs, feeling the delicate thud of her heart under my palm.
She kissed me back. Not fully—not with surrender—but enough. Enough to say she was curious. Still angry. But not immune.
The sound around us faded. No more footsteps, no more carts clattering over concrete. No more whispers. Just her—her scent, her heat, the tiny whimper in her throat as I tilted my head and licked into her mouth like I owned it.
Which, let’s be honest, I would.
Eventually, she broke the kiss with a breathless shove to my chest, eyes wide, lips swollen, chest rising and falling beneath that thin cardigan like she’d just run a mile.
“You—” she started, but the words didn’t come.
I grinned. “Me. Only me.”
Stepping back, I took her keys, unlocked the boot of her car, and started loading up her groceries.
“You’re welcome, little mama.”
She still looked a little dazed when I closed the boot. Her cheeks were flushed, lips parted, and for a second, I thought she might say something worth hearing.
“Kade,” she began, but I handed her the keys and opened the door for her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll follow you.”
That snapped her out of it.
She snatched the keys from my hand and stomped around to the driver’s side, muttering something that was probably unkind.
“Don’t speed,” I called after her. “I hear the sheriff in this town’s a real hardass.”
I followed her to the diner, then the pharmacy, then back home.
She let me carry her bags up the stairs—and slammed the door in my face the second they hit the hallway floor.
I smiled.
That was fine.
There was always the bathroom window.
Which was a hop, skip, and a jump up the drainpipe.