Chapter 34
Kade
The drive from the office to my house is quick but relaxed. Conversation flows easily between us, and in the quieter moments, with the radio humming low in the background, I catch her watching me, and it makes me smile every damn time.
It wasn’t that long ago that the woman sitting next to me was all nerves, shoulders tight, voice soft, like she wasn’t sure she belonged here. The first time she climbed into this truck, she barely looked me in the eye, and our conversation was… careful. Reserved.
But now? Now there’s this ease to her. She’s more sure of herself, more open, like she’s finally comfortable in her own skin, and seeing that change feels like watching the sun break through clouds.
Truth is, it doesn’t matter which version of her I get. Nervous, confident, quiet—any and every version of Liv has a way of knocking the breath out of me.
I open the front door and rest my hand lightly on her lower back, guiding her inside. She glances around as she steps over the threshold, curiosity flickering in her eyes as she takes everything in.
“Did you want to have a shower or anything before dinner?” I ask, leading her through the hallway and into the kitchen.
She shoots me a look, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “I don’t have anything to change into. Why? Do I look like I need a shower?”
I chuckle, leaning against the counter as she steps into the kitchen. “Well… I didn’t want to say anything, but now you mention it…”
She gasps in mock offense, swatting lightly at my arm as she laughs. The sound fills the space, warm and easy, and I can’t stop the grin tugging at my lips.
Before she can pull away, I catch her arm and tug her closer, wrapping my arms around her. She fits against me like she’s always belonged there. My nose brushes the crook of her neck, and I take in that soft, familiar scent of her—something sweet that has nothing to do with perfume.
“The offer stands,” I whisper, my voice low as I press my lips gently to the side of her neck. “You can wear something of mine if you want.”
She shivers just slightly, and I feel it against my chest. Her hand comes up to rest on my arm, not pushing me away, just lingering there, and for a second, I let myself hold her tighter than I probably should.
“Alright,” she says softly, her voice warm with amusement. “How can I pass up the offer when you offered it so nicely?”
I grin against her skin, pressing one last kiss to the side of her neck before pulling back just enough to look at her.
Reluctantly, I let my arms fall away, though my hand drifts down her arm before I finally step back. “Come on. I’ll show you where the bathroom is and grab you a towel and some clothes.”
She follows me down the hall, and I can’t help glancing over my shoulder at her, already imagining how she’ll look in one of my old shirts. The thought makes my chest tighten in a way I don’t even try to shake off.
Liv doesn’t take long in the shower, and when she steps back into the kitchen just as I’m plating the chicken Alfredo, I almost forget what I’m doing. She’s wearing the old T-shirt I left out for her—and only the T-shirt, no sweats in sight.
I sit through dinner, barely able to focus on anything but her. The shirt hangs loose on her shoulders, riding just high enough on her thighs to keep my imagination working overtime. And God help me, I can’t stop wondering what she’s wearing underneath… or if she’s wearing anything at all.
That thought, paired with the way she smells faintly like my soap, leaves me lightheaded. I glance up at her, trying—and failing—to look casual, and she’s watching me with a knowing smirk, like she’s already won.
Once dinner’s finished, Liv insists on cleaning up.
I don’t argue, mostly because it gives me an excuse to lean back against the counter and just…
watch her. She moves around my kitchen like she’s done it a hundred times before, easy and natural, and something about that hits me harder than I expect.
She stretches up onto her toes to put the plates away, the hem of my shirt riding up with the movement—just high enough to reveal the curve of her ass.
My shirt.
On her.
She has to know what she’s doing to me.
I push off the counter before I can talk myself out of it, stepping forward slowly, deliberately, until my chest is pressed against her back. She stills for only a second before melting against me, like she was waiting for this.
My arms slide around her waist, pulling her flush against me, and I dip my head close to her ear, my voice low and rough.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me right now?”
I press my hips forward, letting her feel exactly what she’s doing to me.
A soft gasp escapes her, and then she pushes her ass back against me with deliberate slowness. “Got some idea.”
“Jesus, Liv…” My grip on her tightens, and I bury my face against her neck, my breath coming out harsher than I mean it to. “You’re so fucking beautiful. Fuck—just seeing you in my shirt has me hard as fucking steel.”
I press my lips to her neck, feathering kisses along her skin, unable to stop myself from tasting her, from breathing her in. She tilts her head slightly, giving me better access, and it feels like an invitation I can’t refuse.
“Kade…” she whispers, soft and breathless, and I force myself to pull back.
“Sorry, baby,” I rasp, stepping back just enough to give her space, even though every part of me protests. “I got carried away.” This isn’t why I brought her here, and the last thing I want is to push her further than she’s ready to go.
But before I can retreat any further, she turns, her hand shooting out to grab the front of my shirt, tugging me back toward her.
“I don’t want you to stop.” Her voice trembles slightly, but her eyes—God, those beautiful emerald green eyes—are steady and full of confidence.
I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing her cheeks, and she wraps her arms around my waist, holding me to her. “I don’t want to push you, baby,” I say, needing her to hear it, needing her to be sure.
She exhales a soft sigh, her shoulders slumping as if she thinks I’m still pulling away. “You’re not pushing. This is exactly what I want.” Her gaze locks with mine, unwavering. “I want you. I trust you.”
That’s all I need.
I crash my mouth to hers, kissing her like I’ve been starving for it, my tongue sliding against hers, tasting her, devouring her. My hands roam, sliding down the curve of her body, gripping her ass before moving lower, my fingers curling around her thighs.
She gasps against my mouth as I lift her, her legs wrapping around my waist instinctively. She grinds against me, and the friction makes my head spin.
“Fuck, Kade,” she moans, breath hot against my ear. “Please… take me to bed.”
I don’t even think—my feet are already moving, carrying her down the hall, my mouth doesn’t leave hers, even though every muscle in me is screaming to just take. Liv’s arms are looped tight around my neck, her fingers digging into me like she’s just as desperate to keep me close.
When we reach my room, I nudge the door shut with my foot, pressing her back against it with a soft thud. She’s pinned between me and the solid wood, and I grip her thighs tighter, holding her up as my hips press firmly into hers, grinding my cock against her.
The sound she makes, soft and needy, fuck— it nearly unravels me. I force myself to pull back just enough to rest my forehead against hers, my breathing rough, my chest heaving as I search her face.
“Liv…” Her name comes out like a question, like one last chance for her to tell me to stop.
But she slides her hands into my hair, tugging me back down to her, her voice breathless, pleading. “Don’t stop. Please, don't stop.”
And that’s it, whatever restraint I had left snaps clean in two as I move her from the door and lower her onto the bed.