Chapter Thirteen
Caden
Standing in the doorway, I can’t help but stare. She’s without a doubt the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. And not just because I’ve seen her naked and know how she comes. Nor because she’s wearing an oversized T-shirt and panties, her hair in a pile of curls on top of her head. No, my attraction to her runs deeper than the superficial. It’s her witty, spunky attitude and the way she makes me laugh.
I’m drawn to her.
It’s just after three in the morning, and even though I’m exhausted, I do what needs to be done and step inside her room. Kneeling beside her bed, much like I did just after midnight, I gently rouse her from sleep. “Adrienne, time to wake up.”
She grumbles and burrows deeper into her bedding. “Don’t wanna.”
Smiling, I run my hand across her shoulder. “But you have to. I need to make sure you don’t suffer from a major head injury.”
She sighs, her warm breath tickling my cheek. “I’m fine. And need sleep.”
“Man, you’re grumpy when you wake up,” I tease.
“I am when I’ve only gotten a little sleep because someone keeps waking me up,” she mumbles, cracking open her eyes.
“Well, this someone is trying to make sure you don’t die in your sleep.” It’s an exaggeration, I know, but not too far from the truth. The fact remains I care about what happens to her, especially with the potential of a head injury. Watching her fall and hit the floor is something I keep replaying over and over in my mind, and even though I’m tired myself, I can’t stop thinking about it.
She carefully sits up and focuses on my face. “I’m all right, Caden.”
I give her a crooked smile. “Happy to hear. Do you need anything?” I ask, noting her bottle of water is almost empty.
“No, I’m good. If I drink any more, I’ll have to pee a dozen times, and then I’ll be super cranky because I’m tired.”
“Well, we don’t want super cranky,” I reply. “Just regular cranky is all I can handle before my coffee.”
She smiles before lying back down and getting comfortable again. “Thank you. I don’t think it’s necessary to worry, but I do appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply, slowly getting back up and straightening my spine. Her couch isn’t the most comfortable place I’ve slept, that’s for sure, but I’m not going to bitch. I’d take the somewhat lumpy space if it meant I was close enough to check on her and help if needed throughout the night.
As I turn and head for the doorway, I hear, “Why don’t you join me? I know my couch isn’t the most comfortable to sleep on. I’ve woken up many times down there after falling asleep watching a movie with a bad kink in my neck and a stiff back.”
I face her once more, a war playing in my head. On one hand, I’d love to spread out on her soft bed, letting her curl up against my side as we drift off to sleep. On the other hand, my hands might not get the memo she’s in need of rest and want to touch every inch of her delectable body.
“Don’t worry, cowboy. I can keep my hands to myself for a few hours,” she murmurs softly.
I can’t help but snort as I step closer to her bed. “You might be able to, but I’m not sure I can.”
She doesn’t reply with words, just reaches behind her and pulls open the blankets. Knowing I shouldn’t, I climb into the bed anyway and settle in beside her. Compared to sleeping on her couch, this is like floating on clouds. I don’t remember her bed being this comfortable, but I also know we weren’t in it for sleep.
Suddenly, she moves closer, curling her body against mine. I somehow slip my arm beneath her neck, drawing her near. Her head rests on my upper arm, her hand settled on my chest. This is…nice. Much more comfortable than I anticipated, mostly because I detest snuggling. Dawn was a cuddler, needing to be all up in my business the moment we climbed into bed. I was forever choking on her hair and having my arm go numb, and if I asked for a little space, she turned it into a fight.
But with Adrienne in bed beside me, I want to pull her closer, to feel her hair against my cheek, to revel in the heat of her body against me. Any tingle in my arm is ignored so I can draw out the contact just a little longer.
I hear her sigh and feel her body relax as her breathing evens out. I’m not sure how long I lie here with her, but eventually, my own eyes grow heavy. Even though I know I should get up, I don’t. I continue to rest beside her until sleep pulls me under.
I sleep better than I ever have.
***
“What are your plans for the day?” I ask as I’m lacing up my boots and preparing to leave.
“I’m just hanging out here.”
Standing up, I meet her sleepy gaze. She’s positively adorable first thing in the morning, hair all wild with no makeup on. “It’s probably a good idea for you just to rest.”
“I know, Dad. Thank you for the concern,” she sasses, rolling her light-brown eyes.
Stepping to her, I rest my hand against her hip and gently draw her closer. “I should bend you over my knee and paddle your sweet ass for the sass.”
Her irises darken as her fingers flex against my chest. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, sugar, I most certainly would.” Leaning forward, I press a closed-mouth kiss to her lips. “But not today. You need to rest.” I take a step back, putting a little needed space between us. Otherwise, I’m liable to throw her over my shoulder and take her right back upstairs, potential injuries from her fall be damned. “This weekend though,” I start, holding her gaze. “You’re mine.”
She licks her lips, the gesture going straight to my cock. “Promises, promises.”
“Damn right, it’s a promise. You can come back to my place after the wedding if you’d like.”
She swallows. “All right. What time should I be ready?”
“Wedding’s at four, so I’ll pick you up around three thirty.”
“Sounds good. I assume dress code is cocktail?”
I shrug, trying not to latch on to the fact she used the word cock . “Wear whatever in the hell you’d like. I couldn’t care less what they deem appropriate for their wedding.”
She grins. “Okay. See you Saturday at three thirty.”
I step forward once more and place another kiss on her lips. This time, I let them linger there just a few seconds longer than the last. “Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll see me before then.”
“What if I have other plans?” she asks, a teasing tone in her question.
“Do you?” I ask, not at all liking the fact my gut twists at the thought.
She shrugs. “Not this week, cowboy.”
“Good. We’ll have dinner. Then I’ll eat you.”
She nibbles on her bottom lip, her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink. “I have to work Thursday during the lunch shift, but I’m free after four.”
I nod. “See you Thursday, Adrienne.” I move to the door, release the lock, and step outside. “Lock up.”
She nods, taking the door and closing it tightly once I hit the sidewalk. I climb into my SUV and start the vehicle, smiling as I gaze up at her townhouse.
What is it about this woman?
I wish I knew, but something tells me I’m not ready for that answer, so no point in dwelling on it.
Instead, I focus on today, and today is a workday. Driving home, I’ll jump in the shower, head to work, and then hit the gym afterward. Maybe I’ll check on Adrienne later. You know, just to see how she’s feeling after last night. This morning when I slipped from her bed to head home, she looked good, refreshed. She said she didn’t have a headache, and even though she was a little tight in her back and neck from the fall, she wasn’t in any pain.
When I return home, I go about my morning routine, making a pot of coffee and jumping in the shower. Dressing in a basic T-shirt with our business logo on the front and jeans, I lace up my boots and fill a travel mug of black coffee before climbing into my work truck. Just as I fire it up, my phone rings.
Glancing at the name on the screen, I almost let it go to voicemail, but I know my dad. He’ll just keep calling until I finally answer.
“Hey, Dad,” I greet as I start to back out of my driveway, making sure my device is connected to the Bluetooth.
“Morning, Caden. How’s it going?”
“Not too bad. On my way to work, so I only have a few minutes,” I tell him.
“You’re the boss,” he states with a chuckle.
I don’t comment, even though I want to. Instead, I wait him out to find the reason for his call. Finally, he continues, “Talked to Scar last night. She mentioned you’re going to the wedding.”
Ahhh, there it is.
“Gram asked me to.”
“That ol’ woman,” he mutters. “I guess I’ll see you there,” he adds. “I’m bringing Mel.”
Mel? Who the hell is Mel?
“What happened to Veronica?” I ask, hoping that’s the last woman he was dating, but to be honest, there’ve been so many, Veronica could have been one from a few years ago for all I know.
“She was husband hunting,” Dad informs me. “Not my thing.”
At least now I know where I get it from.
“Talk to your mom lately?” he asks. At some point, he always asks me about mom.
“A week or two ago,” I reply casually, hoping that’s the end of the conversation.
“I was thinking of giving her a call when I’m in town.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I find myself straightening in my seat. “Dad,” I warn, hoping he drops it right now.
“I just want to say hello,” he replies.
The truth is Dad will probably always love my mom. Too bad for him, she hates his guts after the hell he put her through. He cheated on her repeatedly and treated her like absolute crap, pointing his finger at her to keep from manning up to his own shortcomings. Their divorce was rough, neither side wanted to yield for a single second. When it was all said and done, Mom ended up moving closer to her younger sister and family about thirty minutes away, and Dad has been all over the place.
“Let it go, Dad,” I state, praying he takes the advice and doesn’t reach out.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. I’m bringing Mel to the wedding. You’ll like her. She’s the manager at Victoria’s Secret at the mall.”
I almost groan out loud but reel it in before I let it fly. “Great.”
“Scar says Warner’s not comin’ to the wedding with her.”
“Good.”
“He’s a decent guy,” Dad says, causing me to roll my eyes. I can’t believe he’d defend the guy who repeatedly hurt his daughter, but then again, Dad repeatedly hurt our mother.
“He’s a fucking tool,” I seethe, pulling into the parking lot of Premier and shutting off the ignition.
“Mistakes happen, Son.”
My blood starts to heat up. Typical Dad. Never taking responsibility for his actions and always defending those who don’t deserve it. “Yeah, well, his mistakes make my sister cry, so fuck him.”
Dad sighs. “Anyway, you all right if Mel and I crash at your place?”
And there it is…
My answer should be no. The last time my dad came to town with one of his girlfriends in tow, she ended up trying to sneak into my bed during the night. And while I’m not one for relationships and whatnot, there’s no way in hell I’m sharing a woman with my dad. The confrontation caused them to leave early and an uncomfortable rift between father and son for a short period.
“I’m not sure I’ll be there,” I find myself replying, thinking about Adrienne. I know I invited her back to my place, but there’s no way I’d do that with houseguests.
“Well, then you won’t mind me crashing there. I mean, if you’re not gonna be there, no sense in not letting me use the guest room.”
I take a deep, calming breath, knowing I should tell him no. He can stay with one of his siblings or his mom. It’s not my responsibility to put him up when he’s in town. It’s not like the guy can’t afford a hotel room for the night. But I can’t help but still feel like I’m supposed to help him out when he’s here, which pisses me off.
“I guess,” I mutter.
“Great, I’ll get a key from you at the wedding. Tell me about your date.”
“Who said anything about a date?”
“Well, a man doesn’t not go home unless he’s going home with someone else,” he states with a chuckle.
Suddenly, talking to my dad about Adrienne is the last thing I want to do. It’s bad enough she’s going to see the dysfunction of my family in its entirety this Saturday, but sitting around, shooting the shit with him now as he probes into my personal life doesn’t sit right with me. What Adrienne and I have is…personal. Casual, yes, but personal nonetheless, and I’m not going to talk about her with him now.
“I’m at work, Dad. I need to get inside.”
“All right. Well, we’ll catch up on Saturday. Can’t wait to see you, Son.”
“Sounds good. Bye, Dad.”
I hang up and exhale, staring straight ahead at the building. Jack is already there, his truck in the parking spot beside mine, and even though I need to get inside, I think I need to sit and collect my thoughts more.
My parents had a volatile marriage. His constant affairs sparked anger, embarrassment, and everything in between. They fought like crazy, mostly because my dad didn’t see anything wrong with his behavior, and when it got bad, he’d apologize and move on. But my mom never truly moved forward. She felt stuck, with two kids in high school and a husband who traveled for his job. I’m not sure exactly when the trust was broken, probably well before I realized it, but once it was, we all just tried to make it through the day. When Dad was gone, everything was fine, but the moment he came home, it seemed to spark the embers that laid bare on the ground, waiting.
I remember feeling relief when they announced their divorce. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the breakup of a family would be positive, but it was. Until it wasn’t anymore. Immediately, the fighting got worse. They argued over everything, including who was getting what. I stayed away from home as much as I could, spending as much time on the basketball court as possible. Not just the gym either. I was at the park, shooting hoops until I couldn’t see anymore, and even then I worked on dribbling and footwork.
My dad still travels for his job. He always has a new girlfriend, each one younger than the previous. He seems to be floating through life, happy in his own right, and I suppose that’s a good thing. I don’t want him to be miserable. But we’ve never really had a tight relationship, mostly because he was gone so much when I was a kid, and then I did everything I could to avoid home as a teenager.
Mom seems content. I talk to her every few weeks to catch up. Once my sister and I were out of high school, she moved out of town to get away from the constant rumors and whispering that always seemed to follow her, despite having gone through a divorce. She’s been dating a man with two sons of his own for a little while now, and even though she seems happy, she swears she’ll never get married again.
Maybe that’s where I get it from.
Once you feel the burn of betrayal, you avoid any chance of hurt ever again.
When I look up and find Jack standing in front of the door, a worried look on his face, I climb out of my truck. “Hey,” I greet the moment I step through the door.
“Everything all right?” he asks.
“Yeah. Dad called.”
“Ahh,” he replies, giving me a knowing look.
I set my coffee on my desk and grab today’s clipboard with job info. Jack and I are starting a new home construction install, so the next couple of days will be busy for us, and that’s perfect. Then I don’t have to dwell on the upcoming wedding or my dad coming to town. I can work, keeping my mind and my hands occupied. It’s the best way to get through the next few days, until I see Adrienne again Thursday night and take her to the wedding on Saturday.