Chapter 11
KADE
Today might have been a mistake. It was fun getting to play Chloe’s doting boyfriend. Now I want her in the most intimate kind of way, but given the way her family have been toward her, I don’t want to add to her stress.
Right now, it’s hard to tell the difference between reality and our lie. The line is so blurred from how we’ve been playing our parts to perfection. I think I’m overdue for a long, very cold, shower.
The buggy is quiet, the slight squeak of the suspension mingling with the music still blasting from the party behind us.
The summer nights always have a slight chill to the air once the sun has dipped below the horizon, so Chloe is snuggled into my side with a blanket the driver handed her wrapped around her shoulders.
I tip the driver when we arrive at the cabin before offering Chloe a hand as she climbs from the vehicle.
We’re left with the sound of nature surrounding us as the driver leaves us standing in the light from the front porch.
It gives off enough of a glow—along with the moon and stars—to light our path to the cabin.
When we reach the top of the steps, I look out at the view of the main house as Chloe unlocks the front door. It’s lit up like a Christmas tree.
I hear the door open behind me and turn to face Chloe, stuffing my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her. There’s nobody here to see us, nobody to put on a show for. “I had fun tonight.”
Standing half inside the cabin, she leans against the door, a dreamy look on her face. “Me too. Thank you for coming and for pretending with me.”
The corner of my mouth kicks up, and I look down at my feet before returning my attention to her. “Anytime.”
We fall quiet, and I half expect her to say goodnight and give me my cue to leave. I’ve fulfilled my purpose after all, and just because I don’t want to leave, doesn’t mean she doesn’t want me gone.
Chloe opens her mouth to speak at the same time as I do before snapping it shut. “Ladies first,” I say, indicating to her with one hand.
“I was just going to ask if you wanted to come in.” She tucks the strand of hair that came loose earlier in the evening behind her ear before adding, “For a nightcap.”
I grin, before schooling my features into something a little less elated. “I’d love that.”
She steps back, holding the door open wider and allowing me to enter before shutting it.
The cabin is open plan, with the kitchen at the back of the space and the living room at the front.
I move to the couch, standing in front of it as I watch Chloe walk to the kitchen area, picking up our glasses from earlier as she does before rinsing them out.
Kicking off her heels, she sighs contentedly when her bare feet hit the tiled floor. “I cannot tell you how good that feels,” she calls over her shoulder as she pours out two generous servings of whiskey.
Shrugging out of my jacket, I throw it over the arm of the couch that I’m standing next to, the bolo tie I put on this morning long gone.
Chloe shoves the bottle under her arm and picks up the two glasses before heading in my direction. “It’s not the best whiskey I’ve ever had, but it does the job.”
I think back to earlier in the night when I offered her the champagne or whiskey. “But you still chose the champagne?” I ask, taking the glass of amber liquid when she hands it to me.
Chloe dips her chin, taking a seat on the couch and patting the space next to her.
Our legs touch when I sit, the heat of her body adding fuel to my fire.
It would be so easy to reach out and place my hand on her thigh to increase that connection, but I hold myself back.
It would be fine if we were playing the part for an audience, but I don’t want to assume that she wants it now that we’re alone.
She takes a sip of her drink, shifting in her seat to face me. “I did. I didn’t want to cloud my judgment and thought it was best if I kept a clear head.”
A groove forms between my brows as I read between the lines. “I wouldn’t ever take advantage of you, Chlo. I know you don’t know me that well, but that’s not the type of man I am.”
She laughs, the sound almost musical. “It wasn’t you I was worried about, handsome.”
I tilt my head, confused. “No?”
“Nope.”
I see she’s going to make me drag it out of her. “Okay, so who were you worried about?”
She tips back her glass before sliding it onto the table and slapping her hands onto her thighs as she blows out a long, exaggerated breath. When she reaches for my glass, I hand it over willingly, even though I haven’t touched it.
“Kade?” Her voice is laced with something that I want to call arousal, but I don’t want to be wrong about it.
“Yes?”
I watch her throat work as she swallows before saying, “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to climb onto your lap and kiss you.”
All I can do is nod as I roll my lips together, afraid that if I speak, I’ll sound too enthusiastic and scare her away.
I watch her as she stands, moving between my legs before pulling her dress up to reveal her long, toned legs.
She does exactly what she said she would: she climbs into my lap, one leg on either side of me.
The heat of her pussy hovers just over my cock.
It twitches in the confines of my suit pants, excited at the idea of being so close to her warmth.
When she’s settled, she tentatively rests her hands on my chest before slowly smoothing them up and into the hair at the back of my neck. My pulse stutters, a heat settling low in my gut as I try to keep my breathing even. I’m so turned on.
“Is this okay?” she whispers.
I rest my hands on her hips, praying she can’t feel how hard I am. “Yeah, this is perfect.”
“I’m going to kiss you now.” Her gaze holds mine and she waits a beat before leaning forward.
When we’re inches apart, my eyes drift closed, and I wait for her to make the move. She needs to know just how in control of this moment she is, and if that means she leads the way and we take things slow, then so be it. I’m just grateful that she’s giving me this much.
Chloe dusts her lips over mine. It’s the barest touch, but enough to set my entire body on fire. Once, twice, three times, she teases me. I tighten my grip on her hips before forcing my fingers to loosen and my body to relax. Slow and steady, Kade.
All too soon, she leans back, dragging her hands down my chest.
I open my eyes and, without thinking, blurt, “Why did you stop?”
I see the uncertainty in her gaze, and a sharp pain twists in my chest before she looks down, fiddling with the button on my shirt. “God, I feel like a teenager with insecurities. I didn’t know if you liked it, and I didn’t want to keep forcing you to kiss me.”
“But I liked it.” The words come out rougher than I intend, a hint of my neediness threaded between them. “I like you.” More than I should considering how long you’re in town for.
Chloe sits back. “Then why aren’t you kissing me back?”
How do I tell her that if I take control, I don’t know that it will be slow and tender like she deserves?
Blowing out a breath, I look out of the wall of glass on the other side of the room, greeted by darkness but able to picture the mountains that always soothe me. “I don’t want it to feel like I’m taking advantage of you, but I’m also not sure I can take it as slow as you deserve.”
Pressing a hand against my cheek, Chloe forces my attention back to her. “Kade, I need you to devour me.”
Fuck if I’m not the luckiest guy on the planet.
I wait a beat before moving, placing one hand on her thigh and banding an arm around her torso. Within seconds, Chloe is on her back and I’m hovering above her, her chest rising and falling in a heaving rhythm from the swiftness of my moves. “At any time, you say the word, and we stop.”
“I won’t,” she breathes.
Dammit, Chloe. She’s the woman of my fucking dreams. “But just know that you can.”
I settle my body on top of hers when she nods.
“Is this okay?”
She shifts her hips, my hard cock pressing against the thin barrier of her panties and jerking at the warmth emanating from her warm pussy. “Yeah, it feels so good.”
A muscle ticks in my jaw from the control I’m barely holding on to. It’s only when I think I can speak without my voice coming out strained that I say, “I’m going to kiss you now.”
Chloe cups my face and replies, “Please do.”
Dusting my thumb over her bottom lip, I move the same hand to rest under her head, angling her just right as I capture her mouth with mine.
I give us both a moment to adjust to the firmer kiss before opening my mouth and coaxing hers to follow. Chloe’s tongue meets mine, and she brings her legs up around my hips, as if she’s trying to deepen the connection between us even more.
She moans, the sound primal and needy, calling to the parts of me that crave her.
To every inch of me that needs her. I feel like I’m drowning, and I have zero problems with that.
My life could be ripped from me, and because I got to experience the taste of her kiss on my tongue, I’d be okay with it.
This will be enough. It has to be, because I won’t put my desire for more onto her.
Breaking the kiss, I gasp, my gaze darting around her face and down to her chest, where it brushes against mine as she sucks in air. If I thought I was turned on before, I was wrong. This is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
I should slow down. Breathe. But fuck, it’s already too much.
Chloe rests her hand on my cheek, drawing my focus back to her. “Why did you stop?”
I clear my throat and shake my head before smoothing my hands over her hair. “I just need a second.”
Her mouth forms a perfect “O” shape as she blinks up at me. “We could go upstairs and get more comfortable?”
Upstairs… where I assume the bed is. And here I was just thinking about how I shouldn’t put more pressure on her.
“Maybe I should get going.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, and I want to take the words back as soon as I utter them into existence. Not just because I don’t mean them, but because she looks hurt.
Chloe pushes at my chest, and I instantly sit up, removing my body from hers.
She climbs off the couch, and I avert my eyes as she straightens her dress.
It’s only when I’m certain that she’s decent that I look up at her as she stands above me, her arms wrapped around her body, hurt filling her features.
“If that’s what you want.” She moves across the room, putting both physical and emotional distance between us.
“It’s not,” I rush out.
Her arms fall to her side, and she sighs heavily. “Then why say it? Why would you stop?”
Standing, I pace in the space between the coffee table and couch.
“Because I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything.
And I stopped so I didn’t fucking cum in my boxers.
” I wave my hands in front of my crotch, drawing her attention to the bulge that’s only grown as the day has gone on.
“I’ve been in a constant state of arousal all fucking day because of you. ”
Even in the dim lighting of the room, I can see the pinkness filling her cheeks. “Oh.”
“Yeah, ‘oh’,” I reply, running my fingers through my hair and tugging on the strands.
My chest tightens. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.