Chapter 24
Kade
Fuck, she looks good.
I watch as she laughs with my family, completely at ease. She fits in so naturally, it’s hard to believe she was nervous about tonight, though she never actually said it, I knew.
Judging by the way my dad lights up and how my mom is already cackling beside her, she had nothing to worry about.
Karaoke night’s a once-a-month tradition in my family, though we’re missing a few usual suspects.
Brandon stayed in with Avery, and Conrad wanted a quiet night with Lucy at our parents’ place.
Apparently, they had things to talk through, probably a follow-up to when he showed up at my place a few weeks back.
So far, my parents stuck to their classic— 'Especially for You.' Trent… well, Trent traumatized us all with a full-throttle, hip-thrusting rendition of 'I’m Too Sexy.'
Now it’s Aubrey’s turn, and Liv’s going with her. They hop on stage, mics in hand, giggling like conspirators. The second the lyrics flash up, the crowd roars, and I can’t help but grin.
The unmistakable opening of 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' blasts through the speakers, and my sister, along with the girl I can’t stop staring at, completely destroy it.
They sing every word, terribly, but with full commitment. They shake their asses like no one’s watching, and the whole bar starts riding their energy. By the end, they stumble back to the table, breathless and laughing, cheeks flushed with joy.
Liv drops into the seat beside me, eyes bright. “So?” she asks, grinning. “How’d I do?”
I laugh. “I can’t believe how much you sound like Shania Twain. Dead ringer.”
“Shut up,” she says, swatting my arm.
I tug her into my side, lowering my voice just for her. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”
Her eyes spark, cheeks flushing. Fuck, I love when she blushes like that.
Before I can get too caught up in her, I stand, grinning as I toss her a wink and call to the table, “You ready for this?”
Cheers erupt as I head for the stage. This is my role—closing out karaoke before the real party kicks in.
'Livin’ on a Prayer' blares through the speakers, and I go all in. The bar joins me like always, but tonight feels different.
I glance over and there she is, hands in the air, moving with the crowd, lit up like I’ve never seen her. And I know: I want her here for every karaoke night, every chaotic, beautiful minute of it.
Back at the table, the music shifts and the dance floor fills. Aubrey’s already out there, dragging half the town with her.
My mom stands, slipping on her jacket. “That’s our cue,” she says, smiling.
Dad joins her, kissing her cheek. “We’ll leave the partying to the professionals.”
“Have fun, you two,” Mom adds, winking at us before they head out.
Liv turns to me with a soft, almost wistful smile. “Your family is amazing,” she says quietly. “The way you are with each other… You’re lucky.”
Her words hit harder than I expected. I remember her telling me she doesn’t speak to her parents. Mine aren’t perfect—but they’re mine. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Without thinking, I reach out and cup her face. My thumb brushes her cheek, and she leans into it. No flinching this time. Just warmth.
That sad smile fades, replaced by something quieter. Happier.
“You’re stuck with us now,” I say gently. “Might as well get used to it.”
She smiles, something soft passing between us.
I shift in my seat, drawn toward the dance floor, and ask—more tentative than I mean to be—“Wanna dance?”
“I’d love to dance with you,” she says, voice soft. And the way she says with you makes my chest tighten.
I reach for her hand, and she gives it freely. A spark shoots up my arm. I don’t let myself overthink it, I just lead her into the crowd.
Aubrey spots us immediately, bumping hips with Liv before disappearing into the music.
The tempo slows. The beat dips. Liv closes the space between us, arms sliding around my neck. I hesitate for half a second, hands hovering at her sides, but then I give in, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her in close.
We move together, slow, in sync, like nothing else matters.
Liv spins in my arms, her back now pressing flush against my chest as her hips begin to sway, slow and deliberate, grinding gently against me. I can feel every inch of her—soft and warm, and it feels fucking incredible. The way her body fits against mine, perfectly, makes it hard to breathe.
I let her set the pace, doing everything not to let my hands wander.
But my thoughts are slipping, my mind is racing with every possibility her body is offering up without a single word.
The desire coils tight, deep, and heavy in my chest, and my body reacts.
Every inch of me hardening against her. She has to feel it. I know she does.
I grit my teeth, trying to play it cool, but when she rolls her ass slowly back into me, grinding it on my dick, it punches the air from my lungs.
“You’re killing me, Liv,” I breathe against her ear, my voice rough, strained. I give in for a second, grinding back against her with a desperate need I can't disguise.
I feel her body still for half a second when I press into her, like she’s deciding how to respond. Then she turns her head just enough for her lips to brush my jaw, her voice barely above the music.
“Good,” she teases, a wicked smile on her face. “Now both of us are suffering.”
She leans back into me again, slower this time, her body pressing even closer, like she wants to make damn sure I feel it. And fuck—if she asked me to right now, I’d throw her over my shoulder and walk straight out of here without a second thought, just to give us what we both clearly want.