Chapter Thirteen – Kian
Kian
“What is with the sore look on your face?” Sally asked as she entered the kitchen.
I held up the piece of paper I had just been looking at. “It’s the estimate for the new heating unit for the guest house.”
“That bad, huh?” she asked as she made a terrified look.
“It’s not cheap, but the part that has me scowling is how long it’s going to take to get it in.”
Sally walked to the pantry, took items out, and set them on the counter. “How long?”
“At least two weeks.”
“Why so long?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. I hate to be that person and call and ask them why. I’m sure they’re busy.”
“I know they lost a few guys this past winter. One moved to Atlanta, and the other to Texas. Maybe it’s because they’re a few men down.”
Nodding, I replied, “That could be it.”
“Why are you rushing to get back down there?”
I gave her a look that silently asked if she was being serious. “It will be any day now that Judith Turner finds out that Cadie is staying here at the house along with me. Worse yet, what if Betty Lou finds out? She’ll have us engaged and getting married by this summer.”
Sally laughed. “They won’t find out unless they follow one of you. As far as anyone knows, Cadie is still staying at the inn in town.”
“You know how folks talk in this town. Plus, Cadie is such a mystery to everyone, I’m sure they’re keeping tabs on her. I wouldn’t be surprised if Betty Lou had Luke tell her if Cadie leaves.”
Luke Banks was the owner of Moose Village Inn. “I know Luke, and he doesn’t fall into that pattern of gossip. Besides, Cadie told him she was renting the cabin when she informed him she wouldn’t be staying at the inn any longer; he thinks she moved there.”
I looked at Sally. “How do you know that?”
She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Saw him at the grocery store in town the other day. He might have mentioned that the mystery woman moved out and took up residence in your cabin.”
My mouth fell open. “You just said he wasn’t the type to fall for gossip.”
“The kind of gossip that is Betty Lou and Judith. Now, with a friend like me, he’ll gossip until the sun goes down.”
Rolling my eyes, I let out a moan.
“Kian, why are you so worried about what people will think? Who cares what you or Cadie do in your private time.”
“I’m not worried about it, but I get the feeling Cadie doesn’t want to attract attention.”
Sally leaned in and lowered her voice. “Why do you think that is? ”
I found myself leaning toward her and had to stop myself. Christ, I was about to fall right into the pattern of gossip myself. Instead, I shrugged. “She likes her privacy is what I’m guessing.”
Looking thoughtful, Sally went back to measuring out flour.
“What are you making?”
“Homemade pasta.” She looked at her watch. “Speaking of, Cadie should be here any minute. She asked if she could help me make the pasta for tonight’s dinner. The girl can bake, but when it comes to cooking, she needs some help.”
“Is that even possible? That someone can bake but not cook?”
“I didn’t say she couldn’t cook; I said she needs some help. She’s never made homemade pasta. When I saw her putting store-bought pasta sauce in a pan, I almost had a heart attack. So tonight, I’m teaching her how to make pasta and homemade sauce.”
“That sounds good,” I said as my stomach picked that moment to growl. Sally looked up and winked.
“There are some lemon bars in the refrigerator that Cadie made.”
I jumped and quickly made my way over to get one.
“I’m home!” Cadie called out as she made her way through the house and into the kitchen. She smiled as she walked in and saw me eating a lemon bar.
“Like them?” she asked.
“You can tell this is not from a box.”
Laughing, she removed her scarf and set it on the back of one of the chairs. “No, sir, it is not.”
Her gaze went to Sally. “I didn’t miss anything, did I? ”
“Not at all. I’m just measuring everything out. How was work?”
A wider smile grew on Cadie’s face. It was abundantly clear she loved her job. “It was wonderful. We were busy, though, trying to get things made up for tomorrow and make orders for the dance tonight.”
Sally stopped measuring out the flour. “That’s right. The Spring Fling dance is tonight. Are you kids going?”
Cadie and I exchanged a look before we both said in unison, “No.”
With her hands on her hips, Sally glared at me. “You should go, you know. It would be a nice thing for Cadie to see. Maybe even meet some more people.”
When I said nothing, she tilted her head and sharpened her glare. “Wouldn’t it be nice for Cadie to go?”
“Um, I guess so if she wants to go.”
When I turned my attention to Cadie, she was biting back a smile. “Am I missing something?”
“Well,” Cadie cleared her throat. “I think Sally is saying I should go to the dance.”
When I glanced back at Sally, she nodded.
“Yeah, you should totally go to the dance if you want.”
Sally tossed her hands up and let them fall to her sides as Cadie lost her battle and started to laugh.
“It’s okay, Sally. I really didn’t want to go.”
“Dim-witted boy.”
I drew back. “What do you mean, dim-witted? Are you talking in code or something, Sally?”
Before Sally could reply, Cadie clapped her hands. “I am ready to make pasta!”
I stared at my computer as I tapped my foot. I’d written one chapter. One. And I wasn’t even sure it was a good chapter. For the last thirty minutes, I had been staring at the screen, willing something to come to me, but my mind was blank.
That wasn’t true. It was far from blank. It was filled with thoughts of Cadie. Watching her and Sally earlier as they made fresh pasta and sauce filled me with a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Watching her laugh, seeing her facial expressions as she sampled the sauce or the meat that Sally had cooked, was like watching a movie. It was clear that Cadie was passionate about cooking, not just baking. And she was a sponge, soaking up everything Sally had to teach her.
The number of times I focused on her mouth or the way she laughed made my heart feel like it was tripping over itself. Cadie was more than beautiful. She was kind-hearted; that much was evident when she interacted with people. She was smart. And she was…a mystery to me still. I had gotten out bits and pieces about her life, but I wanted to know more. What were her dreams when she was younger? What made her move to Moose Village, of all places? Why was she so eager to leave her past behind?
I sighed and pushed away from the desk. Standing, I stretched my arms over my head and yawned.
“I need snacks,” I mumbled before turning and heading out of my temporary bedroom for the kitchen. Once I was downstairs, I heard a light humming. Deciding to forgo my snacks for a moment, I followed the sound. Cadie was in the nook in the main living room, her feet tucked up, a blanket over her and a book in her hand. Her hair was down, and I realized it was my first time seeing it that way. She usually had it up in a ponytail or some other fancy style. Her brown hair was slightly below her shoulders and had a wave to it.
Fuck, if she wasn’t beautiful. I leaned against the doorjamb where the dining room met the living room and watched her. When she smiled at something she read, my stomach dipped as if I was on a rollercoaster and racing down a hill. Then she laughed, and a strange sensation hit my chest. Lifting my hand, I rubbed at it.
What are you doing to me, Cadie Waterford?
She shouldn’t be sitting here hiding in a nook. She should be at the dance, having fun and meeting new people.
Then it hit me…what Sally had been trying to do earlier. She had wanted me to ask Cadie to the dance.
“You idiot,” I whispered. Pushing off, I walked into the living room. Cadie hadn’t noticed me yet.
“What are you reading?”
She sat up and closed her book when she saw me. The smile that crossed her face made something inside of me warmas if that smile was only for me.
“A romantic comedy.”
I stopped and looked down at her. She looked so comfortable, and I had to fight the urge to tell her to move over and let me get under the blanket with her. The things we could do in this little nook.
“How is the book coming along?”
Her question caused me to shake away the sudden naughty thoughts flooding my brain. I shrugged. “I probably have set a world record for someone who can stare at a computer screen. ”
She scrunched up her nose and gave me an adorable look. “Writer’s block?”
“Something like that. I’ve only written one chapter.”
Pushing off the blanket, she swung her feet and motioned for me to sit beside her. “Hey, one chapter is better than no chapter at all.”
I sat. “That’s true. I think I need to get out of the house and do something.”
She didn’t say anything, just nodded. “Maybe the fresh air would help.”
Turning to look at her, I asked, “What about you? Want to get out and get some air? Maybe dance a little?”
Cadie’s cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. “Why, are you asking me to the Spring Fling dance, Mr. Carter?”
I chuckled. “I believe I am. You down for it?”
Her smile slipped slightly before it was back again. “Why not!”
“That’s my girl.”
Cadie paused from where she was gathering up her things and looked at me.
“I mean, not that you’re my girl or anything. That’s not what I meant, not that I wouldn’t want you to be my girl because I would, but I mean not that I think you should be owned or anything like that.”
Cadie placed her hand over my mouth as she laughed. “Oh my gosh, stop digging yourself in deeper!”
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
She dropped her hand, but I caught it. Lifting it, I turned her hand and looked at the delicate skin on her wrist. Everything in me wanted to run my tongue along her skin. See what she tasted like. Instead, I ran my thumb over the area .
A soft moan followed by my name slipped from her lips.
Looking into her eyes, I said, “I want to kiss you…here.”
Her tongue darted out and licked her lips. I took that as a yes, so I lifted her arm and softly kissed her wrist. When she didn’t pull her hand away, I ran my tongue softly over the skin.
I could hear her breathing picking up over the sound of my heart beating in my chest.
Looking back at her eyes, I swore I could see a million stars. She had such beautiful green eyes.
“Is that the only place you want to kiss me?”
Holy. Fucking. Shit .
The woman was going to have me dropping to my knees. I slowly shook my head.
Moving her hand, I took her index finger deep into my mouth and sucked lightly. Cadie swayed slightly and reached for the wall behind her to steady herself. The way she was looking at me had me so hard in my pants it hurt.
“Cadie, you have to stop looking at me like that.”
She blinked. “Like what?”
“Like you’re ready to devour me.”
Swallowing hard, she whispered, “We should probably go get ready for the, um…for the dance.”
“Probably.”
She gently drew her hand from mine and chewed on her lower lip. It was driving me insane. But was Cadie looking for a relationship? Was I looking for one? I returned home to start a new life, write a book, andenjoy a slower life. That didn’t mean I couldn’t be involved with someone to have those things. But what exactly—if anything—was Cadie looking for ?
My eyes searched her face, looking for clues as to what this woman wanted from me. When her gaze fell to my mouth, I lost the ability to maintain any sense of self-control.
“Fuck it,” I whispered as I cupped her face and pressed my mouth to hers. The kiss started slow, with both of us learning each other. When Cadie opened more to me, I lost the battle. I sucked, nipped, and tasted. Cadie gave as much as she took, and I was soon moving her body and lowering her to the bench in the nook.
My mouth moved down her neck as my hand cupped her breast. We both moaned, and I tore my mouth from hers.
“I want to see you.”
She nodded.
Lifting her shirt over her head, Cadie laid back on the bench. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. Her bra was a simple cotton bra, and for some reason, that turned me on even more. I lowered my head and sucked on her nipple through the soft fabric.
“Holy shit, Kian.” She gasped.
Her nipple was tight, and I flicked it through her bra once again, causing her to let out a low moan. I needed more, though, so I pushed her bra up and over her breasts, exposing them to me.
“You’re perfect.”
My mouth covered her nipple as her hands pushed into my hair. She held me where she wanted me while I sucked and nibbled on the hard peak.
I lifted my head, and her dazed eyes looked at me.
“I want to touch you.”
She jerked her head in what I thought was a nod.
“May I?” I asked as my hand moved down to the waistband of her sweats .
“Yes. Please,” she said in a raspy voice.
Sliding my hand into her panties, Cadie dug her nails into my back and arched. She was so fucking wet I wanted to strip her naked and sink inside of her.
“Fucking hell, Cadie. You’re soaking.”
“Kian, please.”
I slid two fingers inside of her, and she sucked in a breath. Pressing my mouth to hers, I worked my tongue at the same speed as my fingers as she squirmed underneath me. Needing more, I moved to her breasts.
“Yes, oh God, yes, Kian.”
The sounds she made nearly had me coming in my pants, but I pushed my pleasure away so I could focus on making Cadie come.
Moving my thumb to her clit, I rubbed circles around it and knew Cadie was close. Her whimpers and sighs grew louder, and I had to move from her breasts to her mouth to cover the sounds of pleasure she was making.
She arched, and I ripped my mouth from hers. I needed to see her when she finally came. “Kian. Oh, God, yes, don’t stop. Don’t. Stop.”
“That’s it, baby. I want to hear you when you come on my fingers. Next time, it will be my tongue.”
That was her undoing. She exploded and cried out my name; her eyes squeezed shut while her body clenched my fingers. I had found my new favorite thing. Watching Cadie have an orgasm.
When she finally relaxed, I pulled my fingers from her body and resisted the urge to put them into my mouth. Cadie’s eyes fluttered open and her gaze met mine.
“Wow,” she said as she brought her fingers up to her lips. “You kissed me. ”
I fought the urge to laugh. “I think that was more than a kiss.”
A brilliant smile broke out across her face.
“Are you okay? Is this…is this okay?” I asked as I leaned down and kissed along her jaw and neck.
“Oh…yes…this is…this is okay. This is amazing…it’s…don’t stop.”
I chuckled. “The dance?”
Her hands moved up and under my shirt, and the feel of her touch caused my entire body to tremble.
“We should…stop…” I softly spoke as my mouth moved down to her neck.
“Yes…we should, but what about you?” Her hand moved down to my jeans, and I sucked in a breath when she squeezed my erection through my pants.
“Fuck,” I moaned as she started to undo my jeans.
“Let me do the same to you and…”
Cadie froze underneath me, causing me to do the same. She put her hands on my chest and pushed me so hard thatI nearly tumbled back and fell to the floor.
“Why did you do that?”
She threw something at me, adjusted her bra, jumped up, grabbed the blanket and her book, and started to walk away.
“I’ll just go and get ready then. Meet you back down here?”
Confused, I said, “What?”
It was then I saw Sally walk into the living room. She looked at Cadie andthen at me. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing!” Cadie quickly said as she passed by. “I was reading, and Kian suggested we check out the dance, so…I’m off to change into something warmer. ”
Sally turned from a retreating Cadie and raised one arched brow. “What was going on in here?”
I cleared my throat. “Nothing.”
Her eyes moved to what I was holding against my chest. When I looked down, I noticed I was holding the pullover sweater I had been wearing. When in the hell had I taken that off?
Glancing back up at Sally, I shrugged. “What? I got hot. Would you like to join me and Cadie at the dance?”
I wasn’t sure why I had asked Sally. It wasn’t like I was afraid to be with Cadie, but I wasn’t sure I wanted Sally to think it was a date. Was it? We had just been making out like two high school teenagers and I had made her come with my fingers…all while Sally had been in the house. She could have walked in on us at any moment. I silently wondered if she heard the sounds Cadie made as she came undone.
“Thank you for asking, but my days of spring flings are long over. You two enjoy yourself. The temperature is dropping, so be sure to dress warmly.”
I bit back a smile and simply nodded my head. No matter how old we got, Sally would always mother us. When I was sure my erection was down, which it pretty much did the moment Sally stepped into the room, I walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “I will. Enjoy your evening.”
As I approached the steps, Sally cackled and said, “You keep enjoying yours as well.”
I stopped and looked back. Then I looked up and realized she had probably seen the make-out session from the upstairs balcony area. Feeling my cheeks heat, I took the steps two at a time. I had a dance to get ready for.