Chapter Fifteen
Emma
The clink of glasses and the low hum of conversations fade into the background as I wipe down the bar, my mind replaying the kiss Kade and I had shared.
His lips, urgent and hot against mine. The way his hands sent shivers racing across my skin. The way he’d touched me, the excitement thumping in my very soul...
Even now, my heart pounds at the thought of what he’d done to me and heat wells up in my body.
“Another beer, sweetheart?” A new customer slides onto a stool, snapping me back to reality. His gaze crawls over me, and I resist the urge to run my hands from my elbows to my shoulders. I’ve dealt with worse, and I’ll no doubt deal with more in the course of my work. So I plaster on a flirtatious smile designed to get him to buy more booze, and he asks to buy me a shot.
“Sure thing,” I say, the pasted on, practiced smile never leaving my lips as I pour his drink. He reeks of cologne and entitlement. I know how to get a bitter tip, and I lean forward, whispering that I’m too young to drink.
“All right!” he says, lifting his beer as I fill a shot glass from a vodka bottle full of water. I’ll still charge him, but I’m not about to drink. Let him think whatever he wants. I make a face, cringing as if I’ve actually drunk alcohol.
“Nice moves earlier,” he slurs, his hand creeping toward mine. I pull back, trying to keep things as professional as possible. “How about you give me a private show after your shift?”
I stiffen, my smile surly and strained. “No, thanks,” I mutter, but he leans in, his intentions clear as he grabs my wrist. My pulse races, not with excitement, but with fear.
“Aw, come on—”
Before he can pull me in toward his sloppy lips, I see a blur of motion. Kade is suddenly there, his body a protective barrier between me and the drunk. “She said no,” Kade growls, his voice low and dangerous.
“What are you, her boyfriend?” the guy protests, but Kade”s fist connects with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor as I take a step back, terrified.
Alex jumps in, his protective instincts flaring as he and the bouncer give the creep a lasting reminder of the importance of consent. I”m frozen, the violence shocking yet oddly comforting. I meet Kade’s glance as he wipes his brow with a bloodied hand. He’d defended me without a second thought.
“Emma, let”s go,” Alex says, ushering me from the fight. His tone is firm and steady as he moves me away, his arm around my shoulders. I glance back, wishing it was Kade leading me to safety instead. I want his comfort, his warmth, not my brother’s.
But I can”t tell Alex that. I can”t confess how much I want Kade to be the one holding me, keeping me safe. So I let Alex guide me away, my body still tingling from the memory of Kade”s kiss and the rush of his sudden, fierce protection.
We”re standing in Kade’s office - don’t ask me why - a safe distance from the chaos still unraveling in the main area of the bar. Alex”s grip on my shoulder is tight, protective. His brow is knit with concern and something else I don’t like—suspicion.
“You like him, don”t you?” He sounds so sure. “And he likes you.”
“Who?” I feign ignorance, trying to keep my face neutral, hoping my racing heart isn”t as audible as it feels. “The guy at the bar, absolutely not.”
“No, Kade.” He doesn”t miss a beat, his eyes boring into mine as if he”s trying to read my thoughts. It”s unnerving how well he knows me.
My heart skips a beat, betraying me if he’s close enough - and perceptive enough - to notice. “Of course not,” I say, the lie smooth as it crosses my lips. At least I hope it”s smooth. My brother lets out a sigh that warns me he doesn”t believe me.
“Just... be careful, Em.” There”s an edge to his voice, a plea wrapped inside a warning I don’t understand.
I nod, not trusting my voice, as he leads me back toward the bar, his phone going wild with messages.
The atmosphere of the bar has shifted, and tension fills the place like smoke in a fire. Police officers are taking statements, their dark uniforms blending into the darkness of our usually vibrant club.
Across the room, Kade is standing and talking to one of the cops, his posture tense. Our eyes meet, and warmth floods my whole body. I lower my eyes as tingling heat sears my cheeks. How does he do that?
But I can’t stand looking away and I glance at him again. His gaze is laced with concern and something... else. Something I can’t name or place, but whatever it is, it’s gone so fast I wonder if I saw it at all. The intensity of his stare sends a shiver through my body.
The moment holds us captive until he”s pulled back into conversation by the officer. I”m left with overly warm cheeks, an excitement brewing within me, and a sense of something shifting, something undeniable that I can no longer ignore.
After the cops leave, I find myself wiping down the counter. We’re closed for the night, but there’s work to do.
The scent of bleach stings in my nose and Kade”s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Do you need a ride home?” His tone is casual, but his eyes burn with an intensity that makes my pulse jump and flutter. I tell myself it’s because he surprised me, but I know that’s a lie.
I hesitate, my mind racing with the possibilities of what being alone with him could mean, given this newfound rush of emotions I feel around him. But before I can answer, Alex appears by my side, his presence calming, yet also unwelcome at this moment. “Yeah, take her home,” he says without missing a beat, not even looking in our direction. “I would, but I”m... busy.” His voice trails off, and Kade and I look at one another, then back at him again. But he doesn”t seem to have any intention of explaining himself.
I want to ask questions, but I’m not sure I trust myself to speak. Today has been so weird. Now is not the time to be asking my brother questions about where he’s going and what he’s doing.
So I let it go and turn back to Kade while dropping the cloth in the cleaning bucket.
“Sure, thank you.” As I say the words, I grab my things from behind the bar and give my brother a quick hug. “Stay out of trouble,” I tell him, and he brushes away my concern.
Kade waits for me and together, we head out into the cool night.
The drive is quiet. The hum of the engine is the only sound as city lights blur past. His hands, firm on the wheel, leave my memory running wild—the pressure of his lips against mine, the way my body responded so eagerly to his touch. My heart hammers in my chest, and I find myself holding my breath.
As we pull up to my place, he parks his car. After a moment, he angles his body toward me and breaks the silence. “Emma, about earlier...” he says, his voice low, surely about to discuss the kiss we shared.
But I’m not ready for that conversation—not yet—so I cut him off. “It”s late, and you must be tired,” I say, quickly fumbling for the door handle in the dark. I find the handle and pull, eager to escape the confines of the car and the overwhelming tension that fills it.
“Emma,” he says again, but I”m already stepping out into the night, putting space between us.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say over my shoulder as he steps out of the car.
“I’m just going to walk you to your door so I can assure Alex that I got you home safely,” he says, but that explanation doesn’t do anything for the fire building low in my core. I want him to come home with me.
Mute, I nod in agreement as he falls into step beside me. There are so many things I want to say, but my throat won’t let any words escape.
Still, having him at my side like this is comforting as I reach into my bag and sift my fingers through things until I find my keys. When we stop at my door, I try to slide the key in the lock, but the keys fall from my fingers and hit the ground with a jingle.
Kade bends down, picks them up, and unlocks my door, his gaze meeting mine and sending a shiver dancing down my spine.
“Thanks,” I say, hating how much I’m shaking... and why.
“Emma,” he says again, and there”s a question in his voice, one that begs for honesty.
I turn to face him, my pulse racing. In the low light, his eyes search mine. “I”m not as experienced as you might think,” I blurt out, the words tumbling from me before I can stop them. My cheeks are on fire now, red-hot with mortification.
For a moment, he just looks at me, his surprise rearranging his features. Then, slowly, the corners of his mouth lift, not mocking, but kind. His hand finds mine, a reassuring weight. “That”s okay,” he says, and his voice soft. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m here, no matter what. If you need me, call me.”
I nod, feeling dumb for misunderstanding what he was wanting to talk about. He was thinking about punching a guy in the face, and I was thinking about our kiss.
“And as far as that,” he says, indicating he’s talking about my admission. “We”ll take things at your pace.”
But it”s not that simple, is it?
There are so many complications that lie ahead if we do decide to take things further. Did he forget he”s my brother”s best friend? That whatever this is between us is on the brink of disaster?
“I”ll be here for you, Emma. However that looks, whatever you need.” The promise in his voice insulates me against the coolness of the night and leaves me feeling cared for.
I believe him.
“Kade,” I whisper, reaching out to loop my arms around his neck. I pull him down to me, my lips finding his. He meets me, gentle and sweet, letting me lead.
When I finally let go, my heart hammers against my ribs like a caged bird, and he presses his forehead to mine.
I should tell him goodnight. I should tell him to go. But I don’t want to do either of those things.
The night is quiet, but inside me, everything is loud. My thoughts race, tumbling over one another in a chaotic whirlwind of what-ifs and maybes.
Maybe it”s time. Time to stop hiding behind the safety of my inexperience and fear of what might happen if my brother finds out. I mean, he clearly knows something, because he asked me if I like Kade. Maybe it’s time to take a leap into the unknown with Kade.
I open the door, my fingers lacing with his as I pull him over the threshold, my heart slamming and my body trembling. The floorboards creak under our weight and excitement floods me.
And there, in my kitchen, I pull him into a hug and kiss him again as my door closes out the rest of the world.
If Alex finds out? Well, he loves me. Loves us both, even if he”d throw a fit at first. He wants me to be happy.
The kiss deepens, even as I begin to guide him back toward my bedroom. “What are you doing?” he whispers, rooting in place and refusing to let me tug him along as he looks me in the eyes.
I’m not sure how to answer that, because I think it’s pretty obvious.
And clearly, he gets it, because his eyebrows raise, and he plants both hands on my shoulders. “You’ve had a long day-”
“I know what I want.” I’m not going to let him talk me out of this decision. Not now, not ever.
He doesn”t budge. “We have time. There’s no need to rush.”
Well, maybe I want to rush. But I understand he’s trying to be helpful and kind, and I appreciate him.
“Are you turning me down?” I ask, a playful smile on my lips.
He lets out a groan. “Yes and no. I want you. But I want to make sure things are right, first.”
I reach out and touch his lower lip, and he kisses my fingertip. “Aww, you’re one of those romantic types. I never would have guessed that.”
He shakes his head. “I wouldn”t say that. I just know adrenaline is a helluva drug, and you’ve been through the ringer tonight.”
He’s making sure I don’t make a decision I’ll regret.
So why am I disappointed?