She let herself believe him, let herself relax in his powerful arms. The easy sigh
of his breathing lulled her, and she smelled his earthy, grounding scent. So strong.
He felt so strong. Her hand slid across his naked chest, through the patch of curling
hair and the dampness of her tears against his flesh. Slowly, ever so slowly, the
room returned to proper focus.
Kade. He was holding her still, his protective arms cradling her with more gentleness,
more caring than she’d known from any man. Her heartbeat quickened, and once more,
intense emotions stirred— but not fear. Not grief.
The antidote. Passion. Tenderness.
She turned her face to look into his eyes. Fathomless pools, midnight blue in the
faint light. “You’re always comforting me.”
He brushed his lips across her forehead. “Do you need me to stay awhile longer?”
Closer. She wanted closer. She wanted his lips, wanted him to kiss her until there
was no turning back. His body pressed to hers, nothing between them but a fine layer
of perspiration. The intensity of her desire shocked her, but all she could think
about was how much she wanted him. Now.
She turned her mouth to his chest, kissing the salty flesh, moving her lips to his
collarbone and trailing her tongue along his skin. His breath hissed out, stirring
the hair at her temple. She wanted him to kiss her the way he had at the park. So
thorough, so exquisite that time meant nothing. Only the sound of his heartbeat against
hers, the feel of his hands and lips on her body.
As Kelsey lifted her head, Kade pressed his fingertips to her mouth, stopping her
from reaching his lips. She kissed his hand instead, moving her lips over each finger.
He groaned and shuddered. “Not now, not when your heart aches like this.”
“But...” Disappointment swelled within Kelsey. He didn’t want her.
“Yes, I do want you,” he replied as if she’d spoken the words aloud. “More than you
can imagine.” His cock pressed against her hip like a rod made of steel, and she knew
it was true.
“Tonight I’m your friend.” He stroked her hair behind her ear. “Let your head clear,
and if tomorrow, you still want that kiss...”
With a reluctant sigh, she snuggled closer, enjoying the feel of his hard body, his
muscular arms wrapped around her. How different he was from Davis. Davis, who took
advantage of her vulnerability.
As she shifted in his lap, Kade tensed. He gave a muffled oath, moved Kelsey to the
bed, and stood. “You ought to sleep.”
She could barely see him in what little light poured in from the hall, but it was
enough to see the powerful muscles in his chest, the hard line of his body, the thrust
of his cock outlined against the white of his boxers.
A moan caught in her throat. He was so beautiful.
He took a ragged breath. “Don’t look at me like that, honey. Like you want to eat
me whole. I can hardly think straight as it is.”
She slid down her pillow and pulled the covers to her waist. “Okay.”
“ Night.” He smiled, rakish yet wistful, and turned toward the door.
Kelsey sat up again. “Wait.”
Kade stopped and looked back with hooded eyes.
Longing swelled within her, and something else. Something that made her want to tell
him what his thoughtfulness did to her, how it made her desire him more than ever.
But she only said, “Thanks.”
“Get some sleep, honey.” And then he was gone, closing the door behind him.
For a long time, Kelsey remained awake, but the nightmare didn’t haunt her as she
feared it would. All she could think about was Kade.
Kade spent a frustrating day chasing dead-end leads, finding himself no closer to
learning the identity of either Gordo or El Torero. By the time he’d exhausted his
last resource, orange and pink streaked the western sky, the sun sinking behind the
Mule Mountains.
And he was late. Marnie and Stan Perez had invited Kade’s family and Kelsey to dinner.
Marnie had promised to make her wicked chili con carne, homemade flour tortillas,
and flan, a Mexican custard, for dessert. But Kade just wasn’t up to socializing,
even though he hated to miss the chance of being around Kelsey.
Dead tired, Kade stopped by the Perezes’ ranch to make his appearance and his excuses.
Sadie and Chuck were there when he arrived, but he didn’t see Kelsey or Trent. Sadie
let him know that Trent had come down with a stomach bug that afternoon, and Kelsey
had volunteered to stay with him.
Only the porch light was on when Kade finally made it home, and the house was quiet,
save for crickets chirping and Roxie sniffing her greeting. Absently, he scratched
the dog behind her ears, feeling a surge of disappointment that Kelsey had apparently
gone to bed. He’d hoped to spend a few moments with her—hell, more than a few moments.
Not that he was able to get to sleep right away after being near her. Warmth seeped
into his blood when he remembered last night. He’d gone to Kelsey to comfort her,
and when she’d calmed down, she’d reached for him with desire in her eyes and passion
in her soul. Had he been a fool for turning away from her?
No, as much as he wanted her, he could never do that. When she came to him for more
than petting and sexual play, it would be with a clear head. It would be because she
wanted him. Last night could’ve just been a reaction to the adrenaline pumping through
her body after her nightmare. No greater aphrodisiac than adrenaline.
Kade kicked off his dusty boots by the front door and tore off his socks, then put
his Glock in the cabinet. He’d spent the day researching files, watching surveillance
tapes, and talking on the phone, and hadn’t come in contact with any UDAs, but he
still wanted a shower.
In the kitchen, he washed his face and hands in the sink, before giving Roxie a bowl
of dog food and water. He made himself a sandwich with Sadie’s homemade bread and
leftover ham, and scarfed it down along with a glass of orange juice.
When he finished eating, he went to the bathroom but found the door locked and heard
water running in the tub. So, Kelsey wasn’t asleep after all. What would she think
if he slid into the bathroom and offered to join her? Would she welcome him? He shook
his head and smiled. Just maybe.
He checked on Trent and found the boy fast asleep. He went to the laundry room and
stripped off his clothes, then headed to Chuck and Sadie’s bathroom to take his shower.
After a nice hot shower, Kade felt more than refreshed. His blood boiled and his erection
was obvious against the thick terry cloth towel around his waist. The tile felt cool
under his bare feet as he headed toward his room. Should he knock on Kelsey’s door?
When he reached the hallway, Kelsey was there. His pulse picked up and his gut tightened.
She stood in the doorway of Trent’s room, a soft smile on her face. Only light pouring
from her bedroom lit the hall, but it was enough that he could study her.
Heat gathered in Kade’s groin as he watched Kelsey, his arms aching to draw her close,
aching to touch her face, aching to stroke her body. She was beautiful. Her skin pink,
the ends of her hair damp. And of all things, she wore his faded bathrobe.
She turned away from Trent’s room and froze.
“Hello, Kelsey,” Kade said softly.
“Kade.” She hugged the robe tighter. “I thought you’d be going to the Perezes’.”
“Too tired.” He smiled and leaned against the door frame of her room. “At least I
was.”
Kelsey wiped a tendril of damp hair from her face, her chocolate eyes drawing him
closer. “I was checking on Trent.”
Kade struggled to stay put, to keep his hands away from her. “How’s he doing?”
“His fever’s down.” She glanced in the boy’s room, then back to Kade. In the background,
he heard country-western music playing on Trent’s radio.
Her gaze darted to Kade’s bare chest, as if she’d just noticed he wore only a towel.
She blushed as she looked back to his face. “I’d better let you get to bed.”
She brushed past him into her room. Her soft body slid by him as silken as a caress,
the fragrance of her warming him like whiskey in his veins. And God help him, he followed
her.
“Kelsey.”
The Victorian lamp bathed her in a rose glow, her hair glittering in the gentle light
like strands of finest gold. As she turned back to him, she made a soft sound and
bit her lip.
“Are you all right?” Kade reached for Kelsey and pulled her to him. She buried her
face against his bare chest and slid her arms around his waist. She fit against him
perfectly, the top of her head just reaching his chin. He stroked her hair down to
the damp ends, and then again.
A deep breath, and then she shuddered. “You smell so good.” His chest muffled her
voice.
“No, darlin’, it’s you. Honeysuckle and soap.” He smiled. “You look sexy as hell in
my robe.”
Kelsey lifted her head and the sensual glitter in her eyes made him want to take her
now. “When I took a bubble bath, I forgot to bring my clothes into the bathroom. So
I borrowed your robe from off the door hook. Do you mind?”
“Never.” He gave a wicked grin. “But I envy all those bubbles, touching you, covering
every inch of your body. And right now I envy my bathrobe even more.”
She caught her breath, her eyes growing wide and her lips parting.
Her mouth looked so inviting, so delectable. He lowered his head and brushed her lips
with his. Kelsey wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Long and tender,
her tongue teasing him with timid strokes.
He deepened the kiss, delving into her until his head spun and she had completely
intoxicated him. He was drunk with the taste of her, the smell of her, the feel of
her. Dear God, this was a woman he could never get enough of.
Kade gritted his teeth, his body rock hard against her feminine softness. He felt
the slight tremble of her body in his arms and he pulled away. “I’m finding it tough
to control myself around you.” She drew him back and melded her body to his. “You
taste like orange juice, and something more.” She kissed him again, and trailed her
lips over the stubble on his chin, down to the hollow of his throat. “Man. You’re
all man.”
Fire burned within Kade, desire so fierce it shook him to the soles of his feet, nearly
knocking him on his ass with its intensity.
His breathing grew ragged as he captured her mouth with his. God, but she tasted good.
Her lips, so soft and sweet, tore away at his determination. “Kelsey. Honey. I don’t
know if I can take much more of this. I’m about to throw you on that bed and take
all of you.”
“Please,” she whispered, nuzzling at his ear. “I want those fireworks you promised
me.”
***
He squeezed Kelsey to him, his heart nearly ceasing to beat. “Are you sure? Very sure?”
Kade’s words made her even more confident in her decision. Like a light shining into
a darkened room, she realized it was what she had wanted all along. She didn’t just
want kisses and almost-sex. She wanted all of him. She wanted him so deep inside her
that she could feel him everywhere.
He wasn’t Davis. Kade would never hurt her. And even if it didn’t last, she needed
Kade with a desperation that almost frightened her.
She nodded, her heart pounding, her throat tight. “I want to be with you more than
anything.”
“You’re trembling.” He stroked her cheek, then slid his fingers into her hair. “Are
you afraid?”
“No. It’s just that I... I’ve only been with one man.” She brushed her lips against
Kade’s neck. “He never made me feel the way you do. Never.”
“Kelsey,” he whispered. “There hasn’t been a woman I’ve cared more about than you.”
“Please.” She stroked his face, his stubble coarse against her palm. “Be with me.”
“Don’t move.”
Kade pulled away and left the room, and Kelsey felt alone. Naked. Like a part of her
was missing. In moments, he was back. He tossed a box onto the nightstand and shut
and locked the door.
“Condoms,” she murmured as he brought her into his arms. Embarrassment burned her
cheeks for not having thought of needing them. But at the same time she marveled at
the man in her arms. After leaving Davis, she’d stopped taking the pill, not planning
to have sex with any man. And there she was, wanting Kade so much she could hardly
think straight.
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Second thoughts?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I want you so bad I’m shaking.”
“Same here.” He laughed, low and sensual. “And that’s never happened to me before.”
She sank against him, breathing in his male scent and running her hands through the
hairs curling on his chest. He felt so solid, so good beneath her palms.
A flash of reality struck Kelsey and she tried to step away. “Oh, my God. What am
I thinking? Trent is down the hall.”
He kept her caged in his arms and nuzzled her hair. His laugh was soft. “Why? Do you
make a lot of noise?”
She flushed. “No—I—”
Kade trapped her mouth in a slow, sensual kiss that burned Kelsey to her soul. Her
knees gave out, but he was holding her tightly to him.
After devouring her lips, he lifted his head and gave her a lazy smile that sent heat
flushing over her again. “You’re warm, sweet, passionate, and sexy as hell.”
Pleasure tingled within every nerve in her body. He made her feel so alive, so wanted,
beautiful even. She glanced at the door. “What about Trent?”
“The kid sleeps like a rock. His radio is on, and his room is all the way down the
hallway.” Kade caressed her shoulders through the robe, the heat of his hands warming
her. “As long as we’re discreet and keep the door locked, I don’t see a problem.”
He hooked a finger under her chin and smiled. “Have you changed your mind?”
She shook her head. “No. I want you.”
“Good, ‘cause I sure wasn’t looking forward to a cold shower.” He wrapped his arms
around her waist and lowered his head. “I’ve never tasted anything as good as you.”