Chapter 43
Olivia
Iwake to an empty bed, the sheets still warm beside me, the scent of coffee drifting up the stairs.
Stretching, I swing my legs over the edge and adjust the twisted hem of my tank top, tugging down the sleep shorts riding up my thighs.
Soft humming drifts through the air—low, familiar. Then the smell of bacon hits pulling me toward the kitchen.
I round the corner and stop in my tracks.
Kade stands at the stove, his back to me, bare except for the soft gray sweatpants slung low on his hips. The muscles in his shoulders shift as he moves, the rays of light over his skin making my breath catch.
God. He’s… beautiful. Every inch of him carved and strong, effortless in that way only he can be.
I don’t even try to look away. My gaze traces the curve of his back, down to where the fabric clings to his hips, and when he turns, I get the full view—his toned stomach, the sharp lines of his abs, the dusting of hair across his chest that leads lower, drawing my eyes to the outline of his impressive cock against his sweats.
Heat blooms in my cheeks, but I can’t seem to look anywhere else.
He clears his throat, and I jump slightly, my eyes snapping up to find him smirking, one brow raised in quiet amusement.
“See something you like?” He teases
“Maybe,” I manage, my voice barely steady as I try, and fail, to calm the pulse thrumming between my legs.
He flashes me a grin—cocky, effortless. “Only maybe? Guess I’ll have to work on that.”
He turns back to the stove, unhurried as he plates breakfast like he didn’t just catch me devouring him with my eyes.
“Do you not have work today?” I ask, sliding onto a stool at the counter.
Without missing a beat, he sets a plate in front of me, scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, and then a fresh mug of coffee.
“I took the day off,” he says, rounding the counter to press a slow, soft kiss to my cheek before dropping into the seat beside me, his thigh brushing mine. “I want to spend the day with you.”
My heart stumbles a little at his words. “You didn’t have to do that,” I say softly, though I can’t stop the smile pulling at my lips.
He shrugs, stealing a strip of bacon from my plate with a grin. “Yeah, well, I wanted to.” His eyes flick up to mine, something soft and unreadable there. “We could both use a day that’s just… ours.”
I tuck my legs up on the stool, the tension that’s been sitting in my chest for days easing a little. “What did you have in mind?”
He leans back, one arm draped along the back of my stool, casual and gorgeous in a way that makes my stomach flutter. “Thought I’d kidnap you for a bit. Drive out of town, spend the night under the stars. Just us. No noise. No one watching. What do you think?”
Something warm blooms in my chest, chasing away the lingering weight of the last few days. “Camping?” I ask, my voice catching on the word.
“Sort of,” he says, lips twitching into a crooked smile. “More like truck camping. I’ll set up the back, we’ll bring blankets, food… You can laugh at me trying to build a fire.”
A breath of laughter escapes me before I can stop it. “I think I’d like that.”
He bumps his shoulder against mine, his grin softening. “Good. Then finish your pancakes, baby. We’ve got a road trip to pack for.”
We linger over breakfast longer than we probably should, but eventually Kade pushes up from the stool with a soft groan, stretching his arms over his head. My eyes catch on the ripple of muscle, and he smirks like he knows exactly where my focus is.
He smiles and disappears back upstairs, leaving me glued to the spot in a daze. He returns a few minutes later, his shirt now on, much to my disappointment, and the clothes he used for work yesterday in his hand.
“I’m gonna head home, grab some gear, and pack up the truck,” he says, ruffling a hand through his hair. “I’ll be back in an hour, tops.”
A flicker of nerves twists low in my stomach, stupid and small but there. I nod, rising to walk him to the door.
“Lock up behind me, yeah?” he adds gently, his hand brushing my waist as he leans in. “I know we’ve got the cameras now, but just do it for me, okay?”
“I will,” I promise, leaning into the kiss he presses to my forehead.
His thumb grazes my jaw before he pulls back. “An hour,” he repeats with a wink. “Miss me.”
I laugh, shaking my head as he heads down the porch steps toward his truck. I watch until he pulls away, then quietly close the door and flip the lock behind him.
And for the first time in days, the thought of what comes next makes me smile.
I clear away breakfast, then head upstairs to take the fastest shower of my life. I pull on black shorts, a cropped tee, sneakers, and then toss a hoodie and sweats into a bag along with my favorite pajamas—just in case.
Downstairs, I raid the kitchen, stuffing a bag with Diet Cokes and whatever snacks I can find, then gather blankets from the living room, cradling them against my chest.
That’s when something catches in the corner of my eye.
I freeze.
Through the window, just beyond the hedges, there’s movement, dark clothing, a flash of motion, and then it’s gone.
The blankets fall from my arms.
My pulse hammers as I grab my phone, pulling up the camera feeds. I scan them, front porch, driveway, back yard, but there’s nothing. No movement. No figure.
I swallow hard, my breath shaky. It could’ve been anything. A trick of the light. My own nerves.
Still, I double-check the front lock. Then the back. My hands tremble slightly as I restack the blankets, forcing steady breaths.
The sound of tires crunching over gravel jolts through the quiet, and relief breaks through my chest when I see Kade’s truck pulling in.
I’m already opening the door as he steps onto the porch, and his brows draw together the moment he sees my face.
“Hey,” he says gently, eyes searching mine. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I, uh… thought…” I trail off, biting the inside of my cheek. The truth sticks on my tongue. I don’t even know what I saw, and if I tell him, it’ll ruin this. Kade’s been on edge since the party, and today is the first time he looks relaxed. I don’t want to take that away over a shadow.
He studies me a beat longer before his expression softens. “Is this too much? We can stay if you want.”
“No, I want to go,” I say quickly, adding a shaky laugh. “You were taking so long, I thought you’d forgotten me.” I try to keep it light, hoping he doesn’t hear the edge in my voice.
His mouth quirks. “I could never.”
There’s a pause—just long enough for my heart to trip—then he steps closer, his hands finding my waist.
And then he kisses me, slow and sure, his mouth claiming mine with deliberate heat. The weight of his body against me makes my knees go weak, the kiss deepening until my head spins.
I cling to him, every nerve in my body on fire. A soft sound slips from me when his tongue teases mine, my hips shifting instinctively, pressing closer without thought or hesitation.
When he finally pulls back, his breath is unsteady, his eyes dark and dangerous as they flick down the length of my body. He sees it, the need in my eyes, the desperation I don’t bother hiding.
His thumb grazes the edge of my jaw, the corner of his mouth tilting in wicked amusement. “Careful, Liv,” he rasps, his voice rough and strained. “I’m trying to be good.”
The way he says it—like it physically hurts him—makes me laugh, my pulse still hammering. I’m more than a little pleased to see him struggling just as much as I am.
“Shall we head out?” I ask, grinning as his hand drifts to his jeans, subtly adjusting himself with a muttered curse.
“Yeah,” he says, shaking his head with a crooked smile. “Before I change my mind and take you back upstairs.”
I laugh, the tension easing just enough for me to take a steady breath. “Come on, before you get us both into trouble,” I tease, tugging his hand as I grab my bag off the floor.
Kade bends to scoop up the blankets I dropped earlier, tossing me a smirk over his shoulder. “You say that like trouble’s a bad thing.”
I shake my head, still smiling as we head out to the porch. The sun’s higher now, warm on my skin as Kade throws everything into the bed of his truck, including the cooler he must’ve packed.
“Diet Cokes?” he asks, glancing at me as I load my bag into the passenger side.
“Obviously.” I grin.
His laugh is soft, easy, the way it used to be before everything went sideways. He rounds the truck, opening the driver’s side door, and I catch the way his eyes linger on me for a beat longer than necessary.
“Let’s get on the road, baby,” he says, voice low, filled with promise.
The door shuts with a solid click, the engine rumbles to life, and just like that—we’re gone.