Chapter Five – Caden
Caden
Ensley woke up and tapped me lightly on the shoulder. “Where’s my truck?”
“Jack’s following us back to the ranch.”
She sighed and leaned back.
“Let me know if you need to throw up.”
Laughing, she replied, “Please. I’ve never thrown up while out drinking, and I’m not about to start now.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know where Moreen lives.”
“Just bring them both to my place. We’ll sort it out tomorrow…”
Her voice slowly drifted off, and she was asleep once again. I glanced over to look at Lilibeth. She had her head leaning against the passenger window and was, for now, also sleeping. The faster I got us back to the ranch, the better.
After getting Moreen and Ensley into my sister’s place, I thanked Jack and Steve for driving the truck to the ranch. I insisted they take some gas money, then reminded them how to get back to the ranch’s main road.
Lilibeth was still asleep in my truck, and I had every intention of bringing her into my sister’s place…but the devil on my shoulder had other plans. I knew I’d regret it in the morning, but the thought of her being here with my equally drunk sister and Moreen didn’t sit right with me.
A light snow started falling as I pulled into my driveway, and I opted to park outside the garage so I could get Lilibeth out of the truck more easily. She didn’t even wake up when I lifted her and carried her into the house.
I took her to the guest bedroom on the second floor of my ranch-style house and placed her on the bed.
I pulled off her boots and covered her with the blanket folded at the foot of the bed.
I got a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin, leaving both on the bedside table.
Then…I just stood there and watched her sleep.
I should have been pissed that the three of them cost me a night I was looking forward to with Millie.
Or had I been looking forward to it?
I’d gone to the bar Thanksgiving night as well…and ended up leaving before Millie even got off work. I was pretty damn sure I would’ve left early tonight, as well.
Lilibeth let out a soft moan, and I held my breath as I waited to see if she was going to throw up again. She was even more beautiful asleep, even with puke on her clothes and, most likely, in her hair. I hadn’t been able to grab it fast enough before she started to hurl.
I took a step back and softly whispered, “Sweet dreams, Flower Child.”
Turning, I shut the door behind me. I paused for a moment, then went back in, heading straight to the bathroom attached to the bedroom.
Grabbing the small trash can, I left the light on and closed the door most of the way, leaving it cracked just a bit so some light would spill into the bedroom.
I didn’t want her to wake up and freak out in unknown surroundings.
I set the trash can next to the bed, then left again.
I could claim my plans for the night were ruined by the three drunk women, but the moment I saw Lilibeth in that bar—particularly, when I saw her with Mike—my plans had changed.
Instead of anticipating an easy night of no-strings sex, I sat at a table and watched them for a bit, until I could determine if one of them wasn’t drinking. At first, it seemed Ensley was the designated driver, and I felt sure she would remain responsible. My sister usually was.
A few guys I knew joined me, and I was glad for the distraction.
Because seeing Mike dance and fawn all over Lilibeth hadn’t left me in a great mood.
When Steve walked over a couple hours later, letting me know that Ensley was pretty drunk—and she was supposed to be the designated driver—I knew I had my excuse to head back to River Falls.
After showering, I poured myself a whiskey and took it to my room. I started a fire and sat down in front of it, slowly sipping my drink in an attempt to relax before getting into my own bed.
I watched the fire pop and tried to reason with myself about why I’d brought Lilibeth to my house instead of leaving her with Ensley, or even taking her to her own place. Yes, she’d been drunk and throwing up, but I know that she would have been perfectly fine in her own house.
Knowing she was in my house, in one of my beds, made my dick harden.
“Fuck,” I whispered, before tipping the glass back and finishing off my drink.
I stripped out of my boxers and T-shirt and crawled into bed.
It was nearly two in the morning now, and I needed to be up in a few hours.
I stared at the ceiling and tried not to think of Lilibeth.
I wasn’t going to get any sleep with the way my dick was throbbing.
Taking myself in my hand, I closed my eyes and pictured Lilibeth, standing before me in nothing but those damn bra and panties she opened the door wearing. It only took a few minutes, and I was coming into my hand with one of the strongest orgasms I’d had in a long time.
I cursed under my breath as I got up, cleaned myself off, and got back into bed. Rolling to my side, I pulled the covers up and prayed sleep would find me soon.
I felt her before I heard her.
Opening my eyes, I saw Lilibeth standing over me, a baseball bat poised over her head.
“What the fuck, Lilibeth!”
She jumped back and dropped the bat. “Caden?”
Throwing off the sheet and blanket, I jumped out of bed, grabbed the bat, and tossed it across the room. “What in the hell were you about to do?”
Her face was drained of all color. “I woke up in a strange house! I had no idea where I was or who was here! I found the bat in the bedroom I was in and then followed the sound of snoring.”
I drew my head back. “Excuse me? I do not snore.”
Her head tilted to the side, and the most adorable smile appeared on her face. “Um, yeah, you do. And you’re loud. That’s probably what woke me up. Thanks for the water and aspirin, though. It was a nice touch.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “You really thought some kidnapper would give you water and aspirin?”
She shrugged. “I woke up confused, and my head is pounding.”
It was then that her eyes slowly moved down my body, and her brows drew up.
I glanced down, remembering I was completely naked.
With what I could imagine was the cockiest smirk I’d ever possessed, I asked, “Like what you see, Flower Child?”
Her eyes jerked back up to meet my gaze. She screwed up her nose. “I’ve seen bigger.”
I wanted to laugh but kept my expression neutral.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many dicks she’d actually seen, since I knew she was a virgin, even though she didn’t know that I knew.
That really didn’t mean anything, though, did it?
She could’ve done plenty with men that didn’t include actual sex.
Turning, she walked out of my bedroom, shutting the door behind her. I glanced down at my dick and let out a low growl.
“For fuck’s sake,” I whispered, as I beelined to the bathroom and straight into a cold shower. Once I was dressed, I headed out to the kitchen, where the smell of coffee and bacon filled the air.
“Why, please, make yourself right at home, Lilibeth.”
She glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “I was starving, and I didn’t think you’d mind as long as I made extra. I also made coffee. I looked for tea but didn’t find any.”
“Tea? Like hot tea?”
With a slight chuckle, she replied, “Yes. I’ve given up coffee.”
I blinked a few times as I shook my head. “Why would anyone give up coffee?”
“The caffeine.”
“You’ve given it up since the last time I saw you at your house, two days ago, when you made a huge mug of it?”
She snarled her lip at me but didn’t say anything.
I stopped pouring my cup of coffee and cocked a brow at her. “Does this mean you won’t be so Tigger-ish anymore?”
“Tigger-ish? What does that mean?”
“All bouncy and happy all the time.”
She glared at me over her shoulder. “What’s your issue with being happy? Just because you hate life, doesn’t mean the rest of us have to.”
I drew my head back and scoffed. “I don’t hate life.”
With a disbelieving huff, she turned back to the bacon.
“Excuse me? I do not hate life, Lilibeth.”
“Gosh, you sure do have a funny way of showing it then.”
“You don’t know anything about me or my life. You have no fucking idea what I’ve been through.”
Her face softened. “You’re right. I don’t.”
She turned back to the pan and removed the bacon. “I was going to make scrambled eggs. Would you like some?”
I was torn between staying and walking out and leaving her ass sitting here in my kitchen to eat alone. I ended up letting my hunger decide.
“Do you need help?”
“Can you make some toast?”
“Wheat or rye bread?”
She looked up in thought. “Rye sounds yummy.”
After taking another drink of my coffee, I walked into the pantry and grabbed the rye bread my grandmother had just made and given me yesterday.
“Do you want to talk about anything?” she asked, as she cracked the eggs into a bowl. She really had made herself at home. She would have had to go through all my cabinets to find that particular bowl.
I paused putting the bread in the toaster. “Do I want to talk about anything?”
“Yeah. Talk. Or would you prefer to just be silent?”
Laughing, I asked, “Do you have a problem with silence?”
With a half shrug, she replied, “I live alone, so most of my days when I’m not at work are filled with quiet. That’s why I loved volunteering with the camps this past summer.”
My younger sister Emeline ran a few summer camps for kids who couldn’t afford the more expensive ones, and for those at the local orphanage in River Falls.
“And since you also live alone, I didn’t know if you preferred conversation or quiet.”
“I prefer quiet.”
She softly sighed before pouring the eggs into the pan.
I drank my coffee as I waited for the toast to finish, watching Lilibeth cook.
I ignored how much I enjoyed seeing her move about my kitchen, and the fact that she had invaded my laundry room and was wearing a pair of my sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt with the ranch logo. She looked fucking adorable.
The toast popped up, and I grabbed two plates and set them on the island.
“Butter and jelly?” I asked, opening the fridge.
“What kind of jelly?”
I looked at what I had. “I’ve got strawberry preserves that my mother made, or grape from the grocery store.”
She smiled. “The preserves, of course! I love anything homemade.”
“Why does that not surprise me?”
I buttered the toast while she put bacon and eggs on our plates.
“Your house is gorgeous, Caden. Did you have it built?”
“Thank you, and yes.” Pulling out the orange juice, I held it up in a silent question.
“I’d love some, thank you.”
She took our plates to the small table that was in the breakfast nook while I poured two glasses of orange juice.
We ate in silence…until it was clear Lilibeth was about to explode.
“Just say what you want to say, Flower Child.”
“Oh, thank God! I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. Do you not get lonely, living in this big house by yourself?”
“No.”
Her fork paused at her mouth. “Do you ever want to get married someday and have kids?”
“I did once.”
“And now you don’t?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have no desire to give my heart to someone like that again.”
Her brows went up. “Who hurt you and made you think you can’t be happy again?”
Her words felt like a knife to the heart. I dropped my fork to the plate and got up to empty the rest of my eggs into the trash. “You can keep the clothes if you want. I’ll be in my office. It’s across the hall from my bedroom. When you’re ready for me to take you home, just come and get me.”
Without bothering to look back at her, I added, “Oh, and I’ll clean up. The faster you’re out of my house, the better.”