Lucky Break (11 page)

Sidney and Rowan looked at each other with mischievous smiles. “Blue Hawaiian,” they both said at the same time. “Three, please,” Sidney added and Betsy looked nervous.

She should.

“Haven’t you guys learned your lesson about those?” Kade said. “I’m not taking care of any puking women tonight.”

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” Jace asked.

“When we were about seventeen, I think it was, Freckles’s parents were out of town, and the two of them got shitfaced off Blue Hawaiians. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Kade found himself smirking at the memory.

“You got drunk with just these two girls? Why didn’t I hang out with you more in high school?” Jace asked.

“You wouldn’t have thought that if you were there. I spent the whole night taking care of both of them while they puked their brains out. I swore to God, I’d never drink with them again.”

“Awww, you were so sweet to us.” Rowan reached over the table and squeezed his hand. Sidney’s eyes darted to the connection, but quickly turned away. Kade gave Freckles a small squeeze before pulling his hand back.

“Anyway, that was a long time ago. We promise to be good tonight,” said Sidney.

“Yeah right. You’re never good.”

“I’m a very good girl!” Sidney tried to smack his leg, but he caught her hand and didn’t let go.

“If you can’t be nice, I’ll just have to hold onto your hand all night so you can’t abuse me.”

She gasped but didn’t pull her hand away. “I…I have another one, you know.” She spoke much more breathlessly than he imagined she wanted to. Had she given in? She had to realize they couldn’t keep skirting around this attraction they felt for each other.

“Then I’ll take that one, too.”

He could have sworn he saw her shiver, but then she laughed it off. “I think you’re the bad one, Kade.” He let her pull her hand free, but he didn’t break eye contact.

“Umm, I hate to interrupt, but can you believe Sidney made all our clothes?” Rowan yelled over the music. “And look at my purse! I love it!” That quickly, the spell was broken.

Sidney actually looked embarrassed, but pride swelled inside him. It wasn’t like he knew a lot about women’s fashion, but the girls all looked good. He could imagine seeing the clothes in a store.

“It’s not a big deal,” she said.

He didn’t agree. It was, but he decided not to tell her right now and risk an argument.

Once the waitress brought the women their drinks, he watched as the three girls took them. He was shocked Betsy downed hers just as quickly as the other two. Soon, Sidney and Rowan were dragging Betsy out to the dance floor.

He watched as the women shimmied around her, laughing and obviously trying to get Betsy to participate. She wasn’t having any of it, but she stayed out there with them and he could tell she enjoyed herself, dropping her head back and laughing every once in a while.

“I guess that answers my question about Sidney.” Jace chuckled.

“She’s a beautiful woman,” he answered simply.

“I think the whole town expected you two would be their golden couple one day.”

Maybe, but Kade knew they wouldn’t be. “It’s not like that. She belongs in Hollywood. She’ll go back and I’ll be okay with it, but she’s here now.”

Jace’s hand came down on his shoulder. “I hear ya, buddy. She’s here now.”

“She cleans up nice…” Jace added a few seconds later. Kade knew they weren’t talking about Sidney anymore. And his friend was right. Betsy was a pretty woman, with a narrow nose and bright green eyes. If only she’d show her face.

He watched as the women danced up a storm. When they disappeared for a minute, he scanned the crowd and saw them at the bar. A few minutes later they were back on the dance floor. Betsy looked a little looser now, actually moving with the other women.

And Sidney…Jesus she knew how to move her body. Her round hips swayed just right, and she’d do a slow spin every few minutes. He could tell from here she was sweating slightly from how hard she worked out there, but it was beautiful. She’d always loved dancing. When they went to Homecoming dances or proms in school she spent most of the time on the floor, and he loved nothing more than watching her.

“I don’t really think we were needed for tonight.” Jace chuckled.

No, he was probably right, but Kade definitely planned to enjoy the show.

He didn’t know how long the girls stayed out there. Every once in a while they’d head to the bar or over to the table to say hi. He could tell Sidney had a pretty good buzz going. Once, two women approached their table and asked the guys if they wanted to dance, but he turned them down. He’d never liked dancing, but was surprised when Jace followed suit. When Kade looked over at him, he shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. For Jace, he thought it was a very big deal.

After they’d been there for a couple of hours, the girls stumbled back to the table, laughing. Betsy immediately quieted when she sat down. He could tell she was having a good time, though.

“They said they’re tired!” Sidney breathed heavily, but the twinkle in her eye told him she didn’t want to settle down yet.

“Would you like some water, Betsy? Rowan?” Jace asked. It almost felt like they were at opposite tables, opposite sides of the world as far as Kade cared—he and Sidney on one side and the three of them on the other.

“Dance with me?” Sidney asked him, her voice husky from both her buzz and being out of breath. A light sheen of sweat shone barely visible on her forehead. She looked like she was glowing.

“You know I don’t dance, Sidney.” There had only been one night he’d danced with her. Senior prom.

“Do it anyway. For me?” She pushed to her feet and grabbed his hand. He found himself walking with her until they got to an empty corner of the dance floor.

“What if I say no?” He looked down at her. She was so close to him he felt the heat of her body. Damn if he didn’t want more of it.

“Then I’ll make you.” Mischief twinkled in her eyes.

“You can’t make me do anything.” But then Kade was the one who grabbed her and pulled her body flush against his. “I get to make the rules this time.”

They swayed together to the music. Her breasts were heavy against his chest. Her body, just as soft and curvy as it looked, fit so well in his arms.

He let his hands travel up and down her back, exploring the valleys and curves that were Sidney. The way her waist dipped in. The small of her back, her bare shoulders. Everything. He wanted to touch and taste her everywhere. Lick the shell of her ear, the sensitive skin of her neck. To pull the straps down and kiss each of her pale shoulders.

Everything about her attracted him—inside and out. It felt good to hold her. No—it felt right. He wanted to memorize every part of this moment. Every moment he spent with her.

Her hand buried in the hair at the nape of his neck. “Peaches…” he found himself whispering in her hair as he inhaled to take in as much of her as possible. This was his woman. He’d never want anyone the way he wanted her.

“I missed you, Kade…so much.”

Yes, they’d been around each other for a while now, but still the words were true. “I missed you too, Peaches.”

Kade pulled far enough away from her that he could look down and see her face. Her plump lips that held the faint trace of pinkish lipstick.

The urge to kiss her slammed into him, tackled him with such force he almost lost his breath. This was different than the time in his truck or even on the deck at Mae’s. She had time to back away. He was sure to allow her that.

Kade gave a slight nod and when she flashed him a smile in return, he knew this was really happening. He lowered his mouth to hers. Starting out slowly, he gently teased her lips with his. When she returned the soft kiss, he did it again, testing the water and savoring the journey. When he opened his lips to really take possession of her mouth, he got a whiff of alcohol.

No, this wasn’t how he wanted it to be.

“You’re drunk,” he said against her lips. And this wasn’t the time or place for them to start something they couldn’t finish.

“So? That doesn’t mean—”

But it did. “Come on, Sidney. Let’s go sit down.” He pulled away from her. If looks could kill, he’d definitely be a dead man.

“What if I don’t want to sit down? What are you going to do about it?” Her sexy playfulness was gone now, replaced by an uncertain defiance.

He shook his head. “I won’t play games with you. Sit down or don’t.” Her feisty side always doubled when she’d been drinking.

“That’s right! It’s my decision. You always think I can’t take care of myself, but I can!”

He had no idea where the anger came from or what she was talking about. He definitely knew Sidney could take care of herself. “I don’t want to fight with you. I’m going to the table.”

“And I’m going to find someone to dance with me,” she fired back at him.

Pissed off, Kade started to walk away. Damn, stubborn woman. How could they go from missing each other to anger so quickly? Just because he didn’t want to take advantage of her while she was drunk? His body was completely primed for her, yet he was walking away.

And she wanted to find someone else to dance with. Someone who might not be so noble to Sidney in her drunken state.

“Damn it all to hell.” Kade turned, just as Sidney started talking to another guy. No, he definitely wasn’t going to sit around while some asshole took advantage of her. He stalked back over, trying to control his urge to just walk up to the guy and knock him out.

“Come on, Peaches. Let’s go.”

“What if I don’t want to? I came here to dance.” She looked at the guy. “You want to dance, don’t you?”

For what it was worth, the guy looked like he definitely didn’t want to get in the middle of whatever was going on between them. He looked from Kade to Sidney and back to Kade again.

“Umm…” the guy said.

Sidney tried to move, but she stumbled over her feet. Definitely drunk.

“Excuse me.” Kade pushed his way around the guy, loosely grabbed Sidney’s arm, and steering her toward the door.

She yelled up a storm, but kept going. He made a quick pit stop by the table, grabbed her purse and told Jace to make sure the other women made it home okay, and then he was out the door. She went much easier into his truck than he would have thought with the way she was yelling.

He jumped in the other side and she fiddled with the handle again. “You’re such a jerk! I can’t believe you dragged me out of there. I was having a good time!”

“You’re drunk, Sidney.”

He drove off while she tried the handle again. “Ugh! I can’t believe your car is childproofed. Why does your truck have child locks, Kade? Huh?”

“What the hell are you yelling about over there? Now you’re mad I have child locks?”

Damn she pissed him off, but there was a part of him that felt alive arguing with her, too. Electricity zipped through his veins. Everything about her made him feel awakened. That’s what she did for him—made him feel alive like no one else could.

“Yes! You have a kid! You’re not supposed to have a kid! It’s not fair.” He glanced over at her, dumbfounded. Her arms were folded insolently but, he had to admit, adorably across her chest. The left strap of her dress had slipped down her shoulder, revealing an uninterrupted contour of smooth, creamy flesh. He turned quickly back to the road.

Kid? Now she was making things up. Kade dropped his head back and let out a loud laugh.

Sidney punched him in the arm. “And now you’re laughing at me. It’s not funny.”

He begged to differ. It was very, very funny. “You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Whatever.” She curled herself as close to the door as she could, and he let her. The rest of the drive was silent, but he could tell she was still mad. Anger rolled off of her so thickly, the truck felt suffocating.

The second they got home, he walked around to open her door for her. She stormed out and stomped toward her porch.

But he wasn’t going to let her get away that easily. Kade was right behind her. As soon as she got to the door, he grabbed her and turned her to face him. “First of all, you’re welcome for driving you home. Second of all, I don’t have a kid, Sidney. Jesus. Do you know me at all? Would I be here alone if I had a kid out there?”

His words seemed to break through to her a little and she looked almost embarrassed for a second, but then her anger pushed its way back in. Damn it, she was the most stubborn person he’d ever met.

“Fine! So you don’t have a child. But you were still a jerk tonight! All I wanted was to dance with you and forget everything that happened. I just wanted to let things go and you didn’t want that! You didn’t want me!”

She tried to turn to go inside, but he grabbed her again. How could she
not
know he wanted her? She’d run from him, not the other way around.

Frustration and confusion over this argument rose higher and higher. He’d cared for her so much for so long and when she had left, it killed him. Finally, she became his past and he became okay with that…only for her to barrel into his life again. And now…now they both had lives and responsibilities and short-term was better than nothing.

He’d gotten so close too many times. Now no phone calls, Shakes, or even alcohol could get in his way. He needed something of her—a part
of
her, and he was going to take it.

That’s when his lips found hers. He didn’t have it in him to be gentle this time. Kade teased her lips open with his tongue and dipped it inside. He consumed her little groan of pleasure and offered one of his own. She was all he felt and all he smelled and all he tasted. Sidney. Peaches.

His tongue danced with hers the same way their bodies had done not long ago. She learned the contours of his mouth before he did the same to her.

It was too much.

It wasn’t enough.

Kade pulled away. “You had too many drinks tonight and I wasn’t about to take advantage of that—or let anyone else do it, for that matter. Go inside, sleep it off, but you remember this—” His mouth came down on hers again, this time much more quickly. “Don’t you ever doubt if I want you. I have
always
wanted you.”