Chapter 29
Aspen
It’d beentwo weeks since I’d been released from the hospital. The pain was bearable on most days, unless I didn’t stay on top of my meds, which was usually when Cade was working. Then again, even when he wasn’t around, someone usually was. My man had an issue with leaving me to the dogs, or so he would joke.
Rex had stopped by almost on the daily up until a few days ago, but I knew he was out chasing one of his skips a few states over. In the time I’ve been back home, I’d been introduced to Emberlyn, Shane’s fiancée, and his adorable ten-year-old daughter. I swear Ember almost needed an oxygen tank the first time she laid eyes on me. She looked as if she was going to have a coronary, with how much she hyperventilated in her excitement. I’d been freaked out that she’d go into premature labor what with the swollen belly she sported. Lana Rose had been the one to get her to calm down with a zinger way beyond her years. Truly, I loved that little girl immediately. Devolin had been around more often than everyone else though. She’d brought over baby Lucas along with her a few times, and my heart about burst out of my chest when, because I hurt so bad from my broken ribs, and thus couldn’t hold him, she’d laid him in the crook of my arm with his head on my shoulder, our bodies touching. I’d about cried in that moment: the sweet smell of lotion and soap mixed with baby. God, the beautiful innocence of it all.
Upon waking this morning, Molly had been acting weird, and I knew that the clock was ticking on her pregnancy and pups were imminent any day now. Even Renegade was giving her a wide berth and had chosen to hang with Cade, who was working on one of the spare rooms, as the mom-to-be was busy pacing the main floor of the house, panting on and off.
I couldn’t ask for a better man than Albert Caden Summers. He’d been with me every step of the way so far, ensuring I didn’t want for anything. As much as I missed the sexual intimacy we shared before that fateful day, I lived for those moments we both found ourselves in bed and discovered a new kind of intimacy—the emotional kind.
I never thought I’d find a man who would be so open with me, nor that he would accept my faults, doubts, worries, and assorted quirks. Hell, I never thought I’d be that open with anyone, but the man just made it so easy.
This morning though, I was sick of being in bed. Feeling lonely, if I were being honest, I opted to try and walk around. I felt good, and I had a hankering for a tea. Then, maybe I’d check up on what Cade was up to.
Over the last few days, I’d heard the shuffling of furniture, which must have been new as that bedroom only had a small stack of boxes the last time I’d been in it. There’d been a lot of electrical tools going off on the regular and hammering. But for the last hour or so, things had grown quiet, and that piqued my curiosity.
After doctoring myself a cup of tea, I shuffled my feet back upstairs. Pausing at my soon-to-be office door, I pressed my ear to the surface and listened in.
“What are you doing?” Cade’s voice made me jump, which caused me to jar my ribs, and I sloshed scalding tea over my hands and down the front of my shirt. “Fuck! Pen, are you okay? Shit. Hold on, let me go get a cold washcloth.” He ran off for the extra bathroom, mumbling other expletives and chastising himself along the way.
Returning, he took my mug from me, handed me the cloth, then put the remainder of my drink on the floor at our feet.
“Lift your arms slowly,” he directed.
Next thing I knew, my shirt was well over my head and thrown to the floor and Cade was on his knees in front of me. With my less than flattering white cotton bra on display, he dabbed at the angry red marks on my stomach.
“Fuck, baby, I’m so sorry.” He punctuated his remorse with kisses, his hand cupping my ass which kept me firmly in place.
My hands braced themselves on his shoulders to anchor my swirling head.
“Fucking Christ, Aspen, I can smell you,” he groaned, then licked around my belly button. “You’re turned on.”
Because his mouth on me had me distracted, my usual sarcasm never came out. Instead of a “no shit, Sherlock,” a loud mewl pushed past my lips.
“My cock misses that sweet pussy of yours, baby.”
Damn I’d missed that filthy mouth of his. “We need to stop, honey,” I sputtered. “I can’t yet.”
Cade pulled away, his eyes full of hunger. “We can’t do that, but I can think of a rather enjoyable way to give my woman what she needs right now.”
With no fanfare, he got to his feet, grabbed my hand, and gently tugged me toward our bedroom.
Cade
The last thing I wanted was to cause Aspen any pain, but as hungry as I was for her, I knew she was suffering just as much and there was no way I’d let her handle it herself. She’d probably jar her ribs some more. No, this was my job.
Guiding her backward until her knees met the edge of the mattress, I savored her mouth like it had been months instead of mere hours since I’d last tasted her kiss.
“Cade,” she whispered against my lips before I proceeded to kiss down her front, crouching enough to be able to pull her pajama pants down and let gravity do the rest of the work.
“Well now,” I smirked at the sight.
“Underwear is just another thing I need to fight with when I go to the bathroom. It’s more comfortable this way, anyway,” she explained, her cheeks red, her eyes looking everywhere but at me.
“Look at me, Pen,” I commanded, and enjoyed the resulting reaction of her pupils dilating. “The fact that you’re comfortable enough to go commando is hot. The fact that there’s one less item of clothing for me to remove is fantastic. Now, sit, then lie down, baby, and let me make you feel good.”
The moment she was in position, I removed my shirt, my work boots, socks, and jeans, then I carefully positioned myself between her legs, her pussy bared to me in its glistening glory.
Running my index the length of the crease of her sex, watching the digit begin to sheen with her essence had me almost bursting my load in my underwear.
“Don’t move an inch, sweetheart. I don’t want you to hurt,” I warned before kissing her thigh.
“Fuck, Cade, I think I could come just from you breathing on me. You could never hurt me,” she urged.
Nipping her thigh, I contained her body’s jolt with a smirk. “Oh, but I could make you hurt so good, baby.” Before she could respond, I spread her pussy, then licked her from bottom to top, ensuring I flicked her clit before giving it a gentle suck.
“Oh, fuck!” She went entirely liquid, her hands fisting the sheets at her side.
“Don’t hold back, just let it roll over you,” I said before inserting two fingers inside her and latching on to her nub.
Making a come-hither motion, toying with the secret spot of hers that always made her go wild for me, it wasn’t long before she gave me what I wanted—what I needed.
Dizzy with the taste of Aspen, I took my time crawling up the bed to snuggle her side, but she shocked me when her hand snuck into my briefs and circled my cock. Hooking the back of my neck with her other hand, she pulled my head to her face, close enough for her to capture my mouth, licking my lips before begging me for entry, which I gave freely.
Pulling away breathless, her eyes gleamed with so much want. “Let me take care of you, Cade.”
I closed my eyes and groaned, letting my forehead meet hers. “Don’t have to.”
“Do you honestly think I’d leave you hanging?” she snapped, causing me to open my eyes and study hers. “I need this as much as you want it. I can’t have you in my mouth?—”
“Fuck me,” I croaked.
“I can’t take you in my pussy,” she added.
“You’re killing me, baby.”
“But I sure can jerk you off. Don’t?—”
I couldn’t hear any more from her, so I shut her up and thrust my hips into her hand to let her know she could have me any way she needed me. She would forever have me.
Aspen
Heated velvet over steel.
Cade’s cock throbbed in my hand, and I reveled in the small amount of power I wielded over him. It never ceased to amaze me how well we could play each other.
“Fuck, baby,” he growled.
“Give it to me, honey,” I whispered on his lips then took his mouth, fucking it like I wished I could fuck him properly in that moment.
Sliding my thumb over the tip of his shaft, I used the precum as added lubricant, squeezing his girth, massaging, sliding up and down to the root of him, offering a bit of a twist in my manipulation.
I swallowed every groan, growl, and moan, offering him some of my own until he spilled himself, at which point I soothed him with light kisses.
“I love you,” I whispered.
Cade’s eyes opened and his gaze had softened. “I swear I’ll marry you one day,” he whispered back, causing me to smile and give him a small peck.
Had I been left to my own devices and Cade not snuck up on me earlier, I would have been pretty quick to find out the damn man had been clever. He’d locked the bedroom door to keep me out.
Needless to say, the fact my surprise remained as such for however long it was going to take him to finish it, I ended up with much more on my plate an hour later, when Molly yelped while we were finishing up with eating a late lunch.
“Shit!” Cade muttered from the large mudroom at the back of the house where he’d set up the whelping pen. Seconds later, he ran into the kitchen where I was rinsing our plates, a large grin on his face. “Looks like today’s the day, sweetheart.”
A burst of excitement and trepidation took hold of me. “Really?”
“Hell yeah. She’s panting more than earlier this morning, and she’s now lying down as though she’s going to start pushing.” He walked up and wrapped me gently in his arms. “I suppose this is as good a time as any to possibly beg you to keep them all, right?”
With a harrumph, I smacked Cade’s chest. “Are you insane? Seven puppies?”
He nodded. “Shane mentioned the JPD is looking to add to their K-9 unit because some of their roster are getting up in age and are due to retire in the next couple of years. I’ve trained for them before.”
My brows furrowed. “That only takes care of two, maybe three of them, honey. What about?—”
“Shane, Dalton, Rex, Bryce…” he listed. “They all said they wanted one. Granted, I’m not sure if Babyface could cut it being a doggy daddy since he can barely keep himself fed,” he said about Brycen, then added, “It’s why he’s always gorging himself on someone else’s food.”
I giggled at that truth. Brycen Matthews was definitely a special character, but one whom I was endeared to as though he was my little brother. “Okay.” A few more seconds rolled by, and excitement took over the small level of trepidation I’d been feeling. “It would be great to keep the babies in the family,” I said. “It’s sad that we’d be losing a couple of them to the force though. With the police K-9 unit taking some, I’d been hoping to keep one or two here with us, but realistically, it’s just not feasible.”
“We’ll figure out what to do with our grandpups, but just know that we have options, sweetheart.” He grabbed the back of my head and pressed his lips to the top of my head as I hugged him to me. “Right now, let’s go see how she’s doing.” Letting me go, he latched on to my hand and gently towed me alongside him.
“Grandpups?” I snorted, looking at him from the corner of my eye.
Cade shrugged his shoulders in deference, smirking. “Come on, Grandma.”