Bigger Than the Sky (Serenity Point)

by Harper Bentley

  “Just tryin’ to help, man,” Mike says then looks down at me, apparently not ruffled one bit by Kade’s death glare. “Give me your phone.” This makes me frown at him. “Amelia, give me your phone.” He holds his hand out for it and I pull it out of my jacket pocket, handing it to him knowing he’s pushing his luck because I can feel the anger rolling off Kade which is pretty scary. Mike messes with my phone for a bit then hands it back. “Got my number. If you need me, give me a call.” He shoots Kade a look.

  Kade grabs the coat off my shoulders and literally throws it at Mike who gives him a smirk. Holy crap! I mean, he’s really pushing it! My eyes about bug out when he starts casually whistling as he takes off heading back toward Jen’s. The guy’s got some serious balls.

  When he’s gone, Kade holds his hand out and says angrily, “Keys.”

  I look at him standing there glaring at me and I’ve had it. Completely had it. I’ve done nothing but think about him 24-7 for the last week wondering if we should try this again, thinking maybe we’d see where things could go between us, but I know now that’s impossible because I can’t be with a man who’s knowingly involved with a married woman. Yeah, knowingly. I throw a dirty look his way then grab my keys out of my pocket and unlock the damned door myself.

  When we get inside, he spits, “Wanna tell me what the fuck’s going on? Why’d you run outta Jen’s?” The Look is still glowering on his face.

  I turn to him and cross my arms, giving him my own version of The Look and lean into him. “You went out with a married woman!” I shake my head at him as he narrows his eyes at me. “God, you’re just unbelievable.” The smug look on his face makes me even angrier. “You know what? Ever since I came back, when it comes to you, I keep being confronted by things that make me go, ‘Hm.’”

  The muscles in his jaws are now jumping and his eyes pierce mine before he snaps, “How about being confronted by some goddamned things that make you shut your mouth and listen to me for a fucking change?”

  I jerk my head back and stare at him with my mouth hanging open, which I guess is in direct defiance of what he just suggested, but his tone was so harsh that I can’t help it.

  He lifts an eyebrow waiting for me to argue. When I don’t say anything he continues. “First of all, Missy and Chase are good friends of mine. Chase asked me to keep an eye on her while he’s in Iraq…”

  “Oh, and I see you’ve been doing a fine job of that!” I interrupt putting my hands on my hips.

  He puts his hands on his hips too, a look of amusement on his face. When I keep glaring at him, he holds a hand out. “Please, proceed.”

  Asshole.

  “I heard her, Kade. At Mags’ last night. You went on your third date, right? Oh, she was all a-quiver,” I say sarcastically, holding my hands up and wiggling my fingers at him. My hands go back to my hips as I keep going. “Did you have a good time finally fucking her? Did you live up to all her expectations? Was it amazing?” Oh, my God. Now he’s smirking which makes me want to smack the hell out of him! Ugh! “I’ll bet you took her to my house too! Screwed her in my fucking bedroom!” I’m yelling and fuming and hating that I even care this much.

  He stares at me with steely eyes, angry at what I’ve said. I’m breathing hard and pissed as all hell then he openly smiles at me. Holy shit. I really want to punch his teeth out now.

  “You’re jealous.” He says this with a chuckle then smirks yet again.

  Dear God. I’ve never hated anyone as much as I do him right now. “I hate you. You need to leave. Now.” I hiss through gritted teeth and cross my arms over my chest looking at him with all the hatred I’m feeling inside.

  He snorts and reaches a hand toward me.

  “Swear to fucking God, you touch me and it’ll be the last thing you do,” I warn which just makes his shoulders shake with his laughter as he pulls his hand back. I can’t believe he thinks this being with a married woman is funny. I really hate him right now. And, damn it, I feel tears burning the backs of my eyes. No! I refuse to cry! Not in front of him! I look away so he can’t see. “Go, Kade,” I mumble and swipe a hand across my cheek as a traitorous tear falls down it. Shit.

  “Babe,” he whispers, grabbing me by my upper arm to turn me to him.

  I wrench my arm away and scream, “Get out of here!” I’m crying now and turn to run toward the back to go upstairs but he grabs my shoulders with both hands and whips me around to face him. “Let me go!” I screech. And now I go apeshit crazy on him, crashing my fists into his chest, trying to kick him so he’ll let me go. Oh, my God. I’ve never been so mad in my entire life.

  We struggle for a moment until he finally gets me under control by turning me to where my back’s against his front and he wraps his arms around me. I’m totally sobbing now, damn it, still telling him to let me go. I keep trying to wrestle myself out of his arms and he leans down saying, “Stop it, Mill.” When I don’t stop trying to wrench myself free, he barks, “Goddamn it, Amelia! Hold the fuck still!” and tightens his hold. I give up and let my head fall against his chest as the tears roll down my face. “Listen to me!” he demands. I close my eyes thinking the sooner I let him have his say, the sooner he’ll be gone. “You listening?” I nod, ready for him to say what he will then leave. “Missy and Chase’s nine-year-old son Hunter is doing a science project. Missy and I have been going out to the beach with him the last several nights to check on a sea turtle that’s laid eggs. They hatched last night, so we tried to help them get to the beach and into the water by shooing away the gulls. Didn’t help a whole lot, but I think almost half made it.”

  Wait, what?

  I stand there with my eyes closed and it takes several minutes before what he’s said starts to sink in. “Th-that’s what you were going ‘out’ for…” I say and feel him nod against the top of my head where he rests his chin. “L-last night was the n-night they hatched not when you were going to sleep with her. You’re not dating her…” I feel him shake his head. “B-but she likes you. I heard her. And she was rubbing her breasts all over you that day at your store.”

  He’s quiet for a few seconds then answers, “You won’t believe me, but that was her twin sister Jalissa… who’s single.”

  Holy crap. He’s got an answer for everything. I pull away and turn to look up at him. He raises an eyebrow again waiting for my argument but it doesn’t come because I’m still trying to grasp what he’s just told me.

  “Her twin…” I reply. “Jalissa… you’ve gone out with her?”

  He chuckles. “Fuck no. She’s a nutjob.”

  “Oh,” I mutter. It’s all I can think to say. And now I feel like an idiot for going off on him about everything. “But I heard Missy say out-of-towners were a waste of time and you were tired of my indecision.”

  He shakes his head. “She must’ve been talking about Mrs. Metcalf from Hayes. Came in wanting some work done on her kitchen but was driving me crazy because she kept changing her mind. She and Missy go to church together and Missy recommended me for the job.”

  I stare at him blown away by all this information, ashamed for always thinking the worst when it comes to him. It makes my heart hurt and I hang my head. God. “I’m… sorry I didn’t trust you. I know it doesn’t excuse my behavior, but I’m really sorry.”

  He puts a finger under my chin raising my head to look at him. “I’m not the bad guy you think I am.”

  I feel like shit for thinking that about him and I tear up again. “God, Kade, I’m an asshole.” I shake my head. “I’ve been such a bitch to you since I came back. You should hate me for that. For lots of things. How can you even stand to look at me?”

  “Have to tell you, I did hate you for a while after you left.”

  I nod as the tears now fall. Who can blame him for what I did to him?

  “Then I realized what I put you through and I stopped. Hated myself for a while then.”

  I look at him in confusion. “But y-you’re a g-good man,
” I stammer.

  He sighs then takes me in his arms and I reach inside his jacket, clutching onto the flannel shirt he’s wearing, burying my face into his thermal underneath it as I continue crying.

  “And you’re a good woman.” I shake my head because I’m so totally not. “You are. We really screwed a lotta shit up, Mill. This is on both of us.” He rests his chin on top of my head.

  I nod again.

  “But we can fix it,” he says, rubbing his hand over my back soothingly. God, such a good guy.

  I pull back and look up at him through teary eyes and he smiles down at me. Just smiles, which makes me feel that all is right in the world.

  And it’s then that I realize I’m still in love with him.

  Chapter 17

  I stare at Kade wide-eyed not knowing what to do next. Holy crap. I’ve just admitted to myself that I love him, that I’m in love with him, and realize I’m somewhat lost. I mean, I’ve been alone for so long, on my own when it comes to pretty much everything, that I’m not sure what to do with this.

  “Can we go up?” he finally asks.

  I don’t speak, just nod, my head still reeling with what I’ve just admitted to myself, not sure if he saw it in my eyes, in the way I just looked at him, and I can’t help the slight panic that overcomes me as I wonder if he knows I still love him.

  He turns and locks the door then with his hand at the small of my back, leads me toward the back and up the stairs. When we get to the apartment, we stand there looking at each other. I swallow roughly and finally finding my voice ask, “Are we gonna talk some more?”

  He shakes his head and takes his coat off, throwing it on my red chair, his eyes never leaving mine.

  “But I kinda wanted to know about the turtles,” I whisper then bite my lip.

  He takes my coat off now, throwing it on the chair with his, then leans down pressing his lips to my exposed shoulder that my sweater’s hanging off. “Later,” he murmurs as he moves his mouth toward my neck, kissing every bit of skin that’s bare. Oh, my.

  I lean my head to the side giving him more access. “I’ll bet the baby turtles were just as cute as can be…”

  He bites my neck between his lips making me suck in a breath. “Quiet, Mill, unless you’ve got something to say about what I’m doin’ to you,” he mutters then pulls back, his eyes molten on mine, a look of satisfaction on his face and I’m pretty sure he witnessed my little epiphany earlier and now knows how I feel.

  Yikes.

  “Okay.”

  He cups my face in his big hands, his thumbs smoothing over my cheeks to wipe the tears that still linger, then bends, touching his lips to mine. His kiss is light as his lips next brush the right side of my mouth then the left. My hands go to his waist and I try pulling him closer, but he doesn’t budge, his slow seduction only beginning. His lips now graze my jaw then move to kiss that one spot behind my ear, which makes me shiver. He slips his hands under my sweater, sliding them slowly up my sides, then his thumbs glide over my nipples. I let out a long moan, letting my head fall back on my shoulders.

  “Got somethin’ to say?” he taunts. Yeah. He knows.

  “Good… feels so… good…” I answer, knowing what he wants to hear but too scared to say it.

  His hands push my bra up leaving my breasts exposed and he pinches my nipples between his thumbs and fingers as his lips still lightly peruse my neck, the puffs of his breath on me giving me goose bumps as a shiver runs through my entire body. He pulls my sweater up and over my head then bends to suck my nipple into his hot mouth causing me to cry out at the hard pull he gives it.

  “Oh, God!” I’m already on the brink of a climax as he moves to my other nipple, his hand behind me, squeezing my ass then sliding his fingers between my legs to push against the seam of my jeans.

  One of my hands is at his shoulder where I dig my fingers in, trying to pull him closer, the other sliding down his front to cup his hard shaft through his jeans.

  “Tell me, Mill…” he hisses when I slide my hand up then down over his hardness.

  But I’m too afraid. So afraid. I don’t know if I can even go there, terrified that things will turn out the same as before. When I don’t answer, he pulls back and gives me a smirk, and I know that he knows I’m afraid.

  “Okay… I’ll just fuck it out of you…” he says.

  Gah!

  The next thing I know, he’s removed all my clothing and I’m standing there bared to him in more ways than one. He gives me a kiss so hot and wet and deep, his hand behind my head wrapping my ponytail around it, holding me to him as his tongue explores every part of my mouth, that I’m dizzy with the strength of it. He tugs my hair making my head go back as his mouth assaults my neck once again. He pulls away, his eyes glittering with lust then he runs both hands down my body, over my breasts, my stomach, my thighs and kneels in front of me. His eyes glow up at me as his hands skim up the insides of my thighs, meeting in the middle where his thumbs move through my folds and then his mouth is on me causing me to gasp. He pulls my leg over his shoulder, wrapping his hand around it as his tongue enters me, probing, laving.

  Holy shit.

  He takes his time, building the tension inside me, sucking and lapping then pulling away, watching me. When he suddenly sucks my clit inside his hot mouth with the same force he used on my nipples, I split in two right there, coming hard, collapsing over him, my hands grasping the back of his shirt, my head resting atop his as I breathe heavily, my body shuddering uncontrollably. Dear God.

  “Wanna tell me now?” he asks huskily, one hand at my lower back holding me steady, the other running up the front of my body as he moves to stand, his mouth following it, planting kisses along the path.

  My head is spinning and all I can do is mumble incoherently at what he’s done to me, where he’s taken me as I gaze at him through half-lidded eyes and see a look of pure male satisfaction on his face at making my body submit so strongly to him.

  He turns me, laying me on the bed then removes his clothes. Placing a knee on the mattress, he prowls toward me moving my legs apart as he goes, then kneeling between them, laces his arms under my thighs, his hands holding my bottom, and pulls me to him entering me forcefully.

  “Kade!” I gasp as he thrusts inside, pounding into me several times before he jerks my hips hard against his, burying his rock hard cock to the hilt, going so deep I can feel the tip against my cervix. He withdraws then does the same making me scream his name out again.

  “Tell me, Amelia.”

  Oh, God.

  He buries himself again, holding me there, grinding against me, an almost punishing act as he waits for me to tell him what he already knows.

  “Tell me!” he commands.

  And I can’t hold it in any longer. “I love you, Kade! Oh, God, I love you!”

  His hands slide to my back and he pulls me up, wrapping my ponytail around his hand and yanks my head back before slamming his lips to mine, hungrily taking everything, all of me, his kiss hard, fierce, possessive.

  I’m wrapped completely around him, arms around his neck, legs encircling his waist, when he lowers us to the bed, his body heavy on top of mine. He kisses me again then grazes his teeth along my jaw and whispers in my ear, “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

  His hand still holds my ponytail and he tilts my head so that our eyes lock as he begins driving inside me again, his thrusts measured. He slides his hand down my back and under my butt, lifting me, changing the angle and I suck in a breath at how completely he’s filling me, crying out as he pushes inside powerfully. God! Arching up, rocking into him, I begin to meet him thrust for thrust as our eyes hold steady.

  “Amelia,” he mutters, his eyes fixed on mine and I lose my breath at the sincerity in his look.

  I slide my leg around the back of his thigh, and pushing off the foot of my other, grind hard into him and see him temporarily lose control as his head goes back and he utters a ve
ry sexy male sound. Then the alpha’s back as his smoldering gaze returns to mine and he grabs my ass tighter, pulling me as hard to him as possible, delivering blow after pistoning blow with his hips, his cock pummeling inside and I feel myself slipping away, my climax overtaking me as I grip his length inside me and scream his name as I clench around him.

  “Fuck!” he roars as he meets his peak with one last stroke, pressing himself deeper, stilling as he comes, gripping me tightly in his arms, almost as if it’s an indication that he’ll never let me go again. And he doesn’t for some time as we lie there connected, his body blanketing mine, protecting me as always, our breathing heavy and in sync.

  He falls to the side taking me with him where I cuddle closer and fall asleep face-first in his throat.

  Chapter 18

  Friday morning I wake and realize I’m alone in bed. I listen for sounds of Kade but he’s gone. I look quickly to the pillow beside me but there’s no cute, little origami note from him. Nothing. And my heart clenches in fear that he finally got what he wanted: a profession of love from me and now he’s out, having pulled some elaborate, cruel trick on me, getting me back for leaving him years ago.

  Then I frown. God, when did I get so suspicious? Smacking myself in the forehead, I resolve not to let my mind go to that place until I see him again, look him in the eye, and I can know for sure whether this is all real. Yeah. That’s the plan.

  I sit up and make my way to the shower, brilliantly sore in places that I haven’t been since, well, since the last time Kade made love to me. After dressing and drying my hair and having a much-needed cup of coffee, I make my way downstairs and see my cell on the counter. Picking it up, I notice a text from him.

  Kade: Love you. Bigger than the sky…

  And my heart sings. I glance out the window at his store and see him and Mike carrying something out to a pickup truck while seventy-something-year-old Mr. Jacobs, our old school superintendent, instructs them on how to load it and chuckle when I see the annoyance on Kade’s face.