Finn wiggled in Mel’s arms, and she sat him down on the floor. He scooted on his bottom to his blocks and began to make a tower, just like his daddy. Though he could crawl and pull himself up when he gripped the table, he seemed in no hurry to walk. He babbled away, a smile on his face.
Mel groaned and stretched her arms over her head. Her body ached from carrying Finn around all the time. She couldn’t wait for him to be able to walk, but then the thought of him walking and getting into more trouble than usual would enter her mind, and she’d dread it.
With Finn occupied with his blocks, she tidied the living room, picking up nursing cloths, stuffed animals, and other toys. Their home always looked like a tornado had blown through. Well, it had. The Finn tornado. She and Kade were constantly picking up after the little terror. But she loved the little guy. Even if he was sucking the life out of her.
The front door opened, and Kade walked in, a sensual smile on his face. Oh Lord, she loved that smile. She missed that smile. He prowled toward her, his eyes never leaving her face. She sighed and held the stuffed frog to her chest. Oh, how she loved this man.
He leaned over her and kissed her softly on the lips, lingering for a moment but not long enough for her. Kade pulled back.
“Hey, buddy.” He leaned down and picked up Finn, who stood by his daddy’s leg, pulling on the denim material.
Kade held Mel in one arm and Finn in the other. She leaned into him, and he kissed Finn’s chubby cheek. It was times like these that she could almost forget the mess of the house, the lack of sleep, and the fact that she hadn’t made love to her husband in months. Almost.
“Finn’s a big boy, isn’t he?” Kade asked.
And, yes, Finn was getting bigger every second it seemed.
“Just like his daddy,” Mel agreed.
Kade gave her a smoldering look and raised a brow.
She swatted him with the stuffed frog. “Stop it. You know that’s not what I meant. Keep your mind out of the gutter. You’re holding Finn.”
A sad expression passed over his face, but he quickly blanked it. “Come on, Finn, you wanna show me what you’ve been building?”
Finn smiled and wiggled down from Kade’s arms. Her little boy stood on wobbly legs and then walked—walked—toward his tower of blocks.
Mel gripped Kade’s arm. “Kade…”
“I see, Mel. Look at you go, buddy!” Kade beamed like a proud daddy and Mel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Look at our baby boy.”
Mel sniffed at her wolf’s voice. Yes, he was truly their little boy, but he wasn’t so little anymore. What was wrong with her? She’d just been thinking that she couldn’t wait for Finn to grow up so she’d have a moment to think and now she couldn’t bear the thought. Is this what all parents went through?
Finn waddled to his blocks and landed on his bottom with a thump before putting another block on his tower. He turned his head and smiled at his daddy, and Mel choked back a sob.
Kade held her close and kissed her temple. “Hey, are you okay, baby?”
He looked into her eyes, and she melted. She could just sit there for hours and gaze at his jade green eyes. His pupils dilated with lust, and a small rim of gold glowed around the iris. His brown hair fell around his face and brushed his shoulders. She used to love running her fingers through it when he slept and trailing her fingers down his smooth chest before reaching the crisp hair at the base of his sex.
God, she missed him.
“I’m okay. I just can’t believe he’s walking.”
Kade lifted a corner of his lips and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “He was bound to do that eventually. Though now we may have a terror on our hands.”
Mel groaned. “What do you mean? Now he’s just more mobile.”
Kade’s gaze darkened. “Hey, I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”
Mel shook her head. “No, I’m okay. Really. Just tired.” Oh, so tired. Like every other day.
Kade kissed her forehead. “I know you are; I am too.”
She leaned into his embrace and inhaled his clean wolf and man scent. He smelled like home, salvation, and future.
Finn let out a wail and scrunched his face. Mel sighed and then smiled at her baby boy. She sat next to him and brushed the hair from his face. He would need a haircut soon, but she couldn’t take that step. Plus, Kade liked his little boy’s hair long because it looked so much like his.
“What’s wrong little man? Mommy and Daddy weren’t ignoring you.”
Much
.
Kade let out a hollow laugh and sat next to her. “No, we would never do that.”
Mel frowned. “Hey, what’s that laugh about?”
He shook his head. “Nothing, just thinking.”
“About what.”
“Let’s put Finn down for a nap and we can talk about it.”
Chills raced up her arms, and a lead weight settled in her stomach. Oh God. Was it too much for him? Was he leaving her and Finn? What if he didn’t want them anymore? Her pulse raced, and she gripped the stuffed frog so she wouldn’t hold on to Kade and never let him go.
Kade stroked her cheek. “Hey, none of that. Everything’s fine. At least it will be.”
She leaned into his touch but didn’t calm down. What did he want to talk about?
“Hey, buddy, it’s time for your nap,” Kade said.
Finn scrunched his brows and frowned.
“Yep, it is, baby,” Mel agreed.
“Come on, buddy.” Kade settled Finn into his arms and stood before walking into Finn’s room.
Mel let out a ragged sigh and leaned against the entertainment center. Too much had just happened. Her little boy had taken his first steps, and Kade was leaving her.
Well, he hadn’t come out and said it, but what else could that cryptic comment mean? She knew she and Kade had been drifting apart since the baby was born. They’d just been too busy and too tired to do anything about it. And other than the casual touches recently, it hadn’t felt like they were really mated. Her wolf whined and Mel shut her eyes. Even her wolf missed Kade’s wolf. They didn’t go out hunting anymore, really. She only shifted when she needed to, and Kade did a little more because he was training the adolescents and protecting the den. She just needed a night off where she could focus on their bond, and then, she’d be okay. They needed to talk about how to manage their son and their time, but if Kade wanted to leave, how would that work?
Mel set her shoulders. She wasn’t a push-over. She was the Heir’s mate, damn it. Kade couldn’t leave. Not unless she wanted him to. And by God, she didn’t.
“I can see the wheels turning in your head. Stop it, baby. It’s not what you think,” Kade said as he walked back in the room and sat on the floor across from her.
Mel raised her chin. “And just what am I thinking?”
“I’m not quite sure, but it doesn’t look good.”
“You can’t leave us, Kade,” Mel blurted out.
Oh God. She hadn’t meant to say it like that. Her pulse raced, but her gaze never left his face.
Kade paled and gripped her upper arms. “Dear God. Is that what you thought? I would never,
ever
, leave you and Finn. What kind of man do you think I am?” He let her go, stood, and paced around the room.
Mel held back a sob. She wouldn’t cry. Not now. “I don’t know, Kade. I just feel so cut off from you that I don’t know what to think anymore.”
He ran a hand over his face and let out a soft growl. “See? This is our problem. We don’t talk anymore. I’m so sorry that you’d even thought about that. It makes me wonder what I’ve done to make you even think I didn’t want to be in this mating anymore.”
He looked so broken that Mel stood and ran into his arms. She inhaled his scent and let her heartbeat sync with his.
“I’m sorry. I just miss you.”
“I miss you too, baby. But I have an idea.”
She looked up at him and sniffed. “What idea?”
“Let’s go away tomorrow.”
“Away? You know we can’t do that.” But hope spread through her.
“Yes, we can. Just for a night.” Kade kissed her forehead. “We need it, Mel. Even more than I thought if you were thinking that I’d leave you.”
Mel kissed under his chin. “I’m sorry, I didn’t really think it. It was just sort of a worst case scenario kind of thing. But you know we can’t leave, Kade. We have Finn and other responsibilities.”
Kade let out a frustrated breath. “Those responsibilities are exactly why we need to leave. Just for a night. It’s too much, Mel. We haven’t had a decent conversation that didn’t revolve around the Pack or Finn in months. And we haven’t made love in that time either.” He groaned, and she leaned into him.
“I know, Kade. I miss it too. But we can’t.”
“We can. And we will. Just for a night.”
“Okay, let’s for a second pretend we do this. What about Finn?”
“That’s where I come in,” Maddox said from the doorway.
Kade and Mel turned around. How had they not heard him? She swore that wolf had special stealth powers she didn’t know about.
“What?” she asked.
“Maddox has agreed to watch Finn tomorrow night,” Kade said.
Maddox walked into the house and closed the door.
Mel frowned. “Are you sure, Maddox?”
He scowled. “Of course I’m sure. I wouldn’t have volunteered if I weren’t.”
Volunteered? Just what had Kade said to the wolf for that to happen?
“Okay.” Mel let out a breath. “But what about the dangers and the Pack?”
Kade kissed her nose and smiled. “The Pack can handle a night without us. And as for the dangers…” His eyes darkened. “It’s dangerous anywhere, but we can take that risk. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
Mel kissed his jaw. “I know you will.”
“As touching as this is, what is your answer, Mel?” Maddox asked.
Mel looked into Kade’s green eyes and focused. She needed time with this man. Just the fact that she’d thought for a moment he’d leave her meant she did. And Kade cemented the fact that she was scared. Yes, she could admit that at least to herself. She was scared to death. She was floundering as a mother, as a mate, and a Pack leader. She needed a moment to escape. To sit back and remember why she loved doing all these things. To remember that she loved her mate and needed him more than the air she breathed.
She placed her palm on his face, his unshaved cheek scraping against her skin and she shivered at the thought of where else his five-o’-clock shadow could scrape her. His tanned skin looked like caramel against her pallor. She wanted to see where else they’d contrast when they lay naked in a sweaty pile.
She needed a break. If only for a night.
“Okay,” she finally whispered. “That sounds wonderful.”
Maddox released a sigh, and Kade smiled. “Good.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” Kade gave a smoldering look and Mel melted into a puddle.
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Maddox grunted. “I’ll be here in the morning to take care of the rug rat. Bye, folks.”
Maddox closed the door, and Mel sank into Kade. “Can we leave now?” she whispered into his ear.
He leaned down and bit her earlobe. “Tomorrow, my love.” His voice rumbled against her skin, and she shivered.
Maybe they could start their vacation early…
The phone rang, halting her sweet thoughts.
Darn it. Pack duty calls.
But at least now she had something to look forward to.
Chapter 5
Kade inhaled the crisp scent of ocean and closed his eyes. The sounds of waves crashing against the surf and seagulls flying overhead sent a sensation of peace through him. He and Mel had been parked outside their rented beach house for only five minutes and he already felt loads more relaxed.
Maybe he needed only that moment away to feel better.
Mel walked up beside him, and he wrapped his arms around her and drew her to stand in front of him. Her little bottom rubbed against his erection, and he groaned. Okay, he needed a bit more. But now that he was alone with his mate, there was no doubt he’d take her in every fashion possible. His body was strung tight, primed.
He needed her more than anything. Now.
It had been a chore leaving the house a few hours before. They’d had to make sure the Pack was taken care of and his brother Adam had said he’d manage everything. Even though he knew his brother was going through some things, Kade could always trust Adam. Then they had to make sure they were safe when they got here, so Hannah had made a few herb bags that could act as mobile wards. They weren’t as efficient as sentries or the actual den wards, but it would keep them cloaked to most seeing eyes and would alert them to intruders faster than his keen senses.
However, even though all of that had taken time, it didn’t compare to leaving Finn alone. He and Mel had almost called it off before they even started. Finn screamed for them, and Maddox, the man who rarely revealed any hints of emotion, looked overwhelmed. But his brother had shaken his head and told them to leave, that he and his nephew needed some time alone to get to know one another.