Love And Money (Love Series - Book 2)

by K. L. Prince

  She walks seductively towards him. “You like?” she asks, spinning around before wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “You look nice,” he says, the look of shock remaining on his face.

  “I thought that you would like it,” Madison says and begins to kiss Caden.

  She is thrilled and relieved when he returns her kiss. She missed his lips against hers. The kiss they share is deep and passionate and intensifies as each moment passes. Caden picks her up and she wraps her legs around his waist. She clings to him as he carries her into the bedroom.

  When he puts her down onto his bed and gets on top of her, she is sure that she doesn’t have to worry anymore. Caden is hers again and she is going to make him forget that he ever knew a Harper Bailey. She is going to show him how much he means to her with every kiss and with every touch.

  They are deep in their embrace when Caden suddenly jumps up and is standing at the side of the bed.

  “What are you doing?” she asks confused.

  He begins pacing back and forth in front of bed, while running his hands through his hair. He turns, looks at her and says, “I can’t do this. For a minute I thought I could, but I can’t.”

  “Caden, come here,” she says, extending her hands to him. “Whatever is wrong, I’ll make you feel better,” she says, starting to panic. This isn’t the way she had planned on things going. What the hell happened?

  “Madison, I didn’t mean to lead you on. I’m sorry, but this was a mistake. You need to get dressed and go,” Caden says and goes out to the living room.

  She follows him, “What are you talking about? You were into it a minute ago.”

  “I know, but I’m not now. I can’t do this with you. I need you to leave,” he says, scooping up her pile of folded clothes and handing it to her. “Go in the bathroom and get dressed.”

  She reluctantly takes the clothes and goes into the bathroom. She slowly takes off the lingerie and puts her street clothes back on. As she slips each article of clothing back on, she tries to think of what she can say to get her plan back on track. She wishes that she could go back to a few minutes before when Caden was kissing her with wild abandon.

  When she returns to the living room, Caden is sitting on the sofa with a look on his face that she’s never seen before. It isn’t a look of anger, but one of realization. She wonders what’s going on inside his mind.

  “Madison, don’t come back here, okay. I don’t know how many keys you have and I really don’t care, but you are not welcome here anymore. I don’t want to find you on the inside of my condo ever again. Do I make myself clear?” he asks.

  “Caden, please,” she says, trying to find something to say to make him change his mind.

  “Do I make myself clear!” he yells, angrily.

  “Yes,” she says, causing her to look at her feet in shame. She is shocked at his anger. She’s never seen him so angry with her. The way he is speaking to her, she can feel that she has crossed a line with him.

  “Leave!” he yells, getting up and grabbing her by the arm. He opens the door to his condo and pushes her out into the hallway. When she turns around to say something, he slams the door in her face.

  She makes her way despondently to her car. She has never seen Caden so pissed the entire time that she’s known him. He didn’t even act that angry when he found out that she had cheated on him. She feels in her heart that she’s done something very wrong and that this time there is no going back. She is convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is over for them for good this time. She has really lost Caden for good.

  * * * * *

  Harper is clearing the dishes of her last table of the night. She is glad that her shift is over. She can’t wait to go home and put her feet up. The restaurant was unusually busy, but she doesn’t mind. She’ll take anything to keep her busy, so she can forget about missing Caden.

  She is lost in her thoughts, stacking plates on her arm to deliver them to the kitchen when the scent of familiar cologne fills her nostrils and she notices someone standing beside her out of the corner of her eye. When she turns to look to see who’s standing beside her, thinking it’s a customer who’s forgotten something, she finds Caden standing there. She is so shocked by his presence that she can’t speak.

  “Hi,” he says and gives her the grin that she’s been missing seeing so much and that’s been haunting her in her dreams.

  “Hi,” she replies and smiles. She is so happy to see him, but at the same time curious as to why he’s shown up at her restaurant. Is he here to yell at her or something better?

  “Can we talk?” he asks.

  “Sure. I just have to bring these to the back,” she says, quickly grabbing more dishes from the empty booth.

  “Let me help,” he says, grabbing the remaining dishes and following her to the kitchen. The feeling of him behind her is overwhelming. She has missed him so much and having him so near is almost too much. She is happy, but she is afraid of what his visit is going to bring. She has just started to heal a little bit from their breakup. She hopes that he isn’t here to reopen the wounds that have just barely started to heal.

  “I’m just going to grab my things,” she says after they have unloaded the dirty dishes. She makes her way slowly to the employee locker room to get her coat and her purse. She shakes from nervousness. She had expected never to see Caden again, but here he is. She tries not to get overexcited. She hasn’t heard what he wants to say to her yet.

  When she returns to him, he says, “Let’s go sit in my car and talk.”

  “Okay,” she says and follows him out of the restaurant.

  He opens the car door for her, just as he always did when they would go out on their dates. When she is inside the car, she starts to fidget while she waits for him to get into the drivers seat. She watches him get in and start the car to warm it up. There are so many things that she wants to say to him, but she stays quiet. She wants to give him a chance to speak before she says anything that she might regret.

  After a moment of silence, he turns to her, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened between us.” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I’ve really missed you, Harper.”

  “I’ve really missed you, too,” she says, trying to hold back tears. She doesn’t want to get emotional, but it’s hard to control herself. There have been so many things that she’s wanted to say to him, if only she was given the chance.

  “I’ve tried to be mad at you. Hell, I’ve tried to hate you, but I can’t. I love you, Harper, very much,” he says, looking deeply into her eyes.

  She lets out a sigh of relief, before saying, “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear you say that. I love you, too, Caden – more than you could ever possibly know.”

  “Despite everything that’s happened, I want you to be a part of my life. I need you to be a part of my life,” he says and takes her hands in his.

  “I feel exactly the same. Since we broke up, I haven’t felt the same. I’ve been a complete mess,” she says and reaches up to stroke his face like she used to.

  “Me, too. I haven’t been able to fulfill my duties at my job. I was confused and angry about everything that happened, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You were everywhere I went and everything reminded me of you. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but then something happened and I just knew that I couldn’t live without you. I don’t want you to go away again,” he says and leans over and kisses her.

  She kisses him back and feels the peace she always felt with him return. She feels like she’s been given her life back. With each kiss, the pain she was feeling starts to vanish and is replaced with joy. Caden is back in her life and she is going to do everything she possibly can to make sure that he doesn’t go away ever again.

  “Come home with me,” he says, breaking their kiss. “Right now.”

  “Okay,” she says, happily. There is nowhere she would rather be then with him. She wants to stay right where she is, by
his side.

  “I’ll bring you back for your car in the morning,” he says, putting the car into drive.

  “Okay,” she says, not caring about her car.

  Caden drives fast to his condo. The sexual tension and the heat that lies between them could be cut with a knife. She can’t stop running her hand up and down his leg, while he whips around corners and barely stops for red lights. She knows what’s about to happen between them and she can’t wait. It will be the first time for them and she can’t imagine that it will be anything but phenomenal. She’s been patiently waiting for the moment when she and Caden would finally connect on the deepest level and she shivers at the thought that the moment has finally arrived.

  They can barely contain themselves enough to make it through the door of Caden’s condo. It’s clear that all they want to do is touch and explore each other. When they make it through the doorway of condo and close the door, Caden backs her against the door and kisses her hard.

  He takes her coat off and throws it on the floor. He slides his hand underneath her shirt and her bra. He finds her hard, waiting nipple and caresses it. His touch causes her to moan loudly. She is ready to completely give herself to the man that she loves.

  She takes Caden’s coat off and throws it on the floor next to hers. She lifts his shirt over his head and runs her fingers over his bare chest. She admires his taut his muscles are and how fit he is. He’s a beautifully made man.

  He lifts her shirt over her head. He unclasps her bra, letting it fall to floor. He stands back and admires her. “You are so beautiful,” he says, before returning to kiss her. He presses her against the door and she can feel his hardness. He’s just as excited as she is and it turns her on.

  He picks her up and she wraps her legs around his waist. He carries her towards the bedroom, as if she’s light as a feather. She is mesmerized by his strength and his power. She feels secure in his arms.

  They never break their kiss, which is more fervent and eager, as he carries her through his condo. He gently lays her down on his bed and lies next to her. When she feels his mouth surround her nipple, she doesn’t bother to hold back her groans. She lets them escape from her lips unharnessed. His tongue and his teeth feel amazing and she rises up to meet his mouth.

  He runs his hands over her skin and she can barely take it. He kisses down to her belly button before removing her pants. When she feels his fingers slip inside of her, an unexpected orgasm rips through her and causes her to cry out. As the orgasm runs through her body, she is amazed at how easily it happened. Caden Mason has the magic touch.

  There is no need for more foreplay. She wants him inside of her now. There is no time for waiting. “I want you inside of me,” she says between moans of pleasure. Caden takes off his pants and slides into her. The pleasure she feels with Caden inside of her is indescribable. She bites her bottom lip, digging her nails into his strong, muscular back as he moves in and out of her. With each stroke, he pushes her higher and higher until an orgasm so strong rips through her body and causes her to scream with pleasure. She feels every wonderful sensation that the orgasm provides as it washes over her and relishes it.

  The moment is so beautiful and it signifies so much. It signifies the overcoming of all obstacles. It signifies love triumphing over great odds and the power of absolute forgiveness. It is a moment that will be forever ingrained in her mind and that she wishes would never end. She wishes that she could stay with Caden like this forever. It will remain one of her most treasured memories. It is the moment when she and Caden finally became one.

  Chapter 10

  Harper wakes up in Caden’s arms. She is right where she belongs. She feels like she’s returned home. She takes in every sensation of the moment because it is a place where she never thought that she would end up. When she woke up the day before, she thought that she was never going to see Caden again, but here she is. It’s funny how quickly things can change in a day and for the better.

  “Hi,” Caden says and kisses her on the forehead.

  “Hi,” she says, snuggling closer to him.

  “You sleep okay?” he asks, pulling her closer.

  “Never better, actually. You?” she asks.

  “Never better. I could stay like this forever, you know that?” he asks.

  “Me, too. I could stay in this bed with you for the rest of my life and be completely happy.”

  “I think that could be arranged,” Caden says, turning and propping himself up on his arm to stare down at her. He runs his fingers over her shoulder and down her arm. She closes her eyes at his touch and his words sends shivers through her body.

  Suddenly, Caden’s father comes to mind. She doesn’t want to ruin the special moment of waking up in Caden’s arms for the very first time, but she can’t resist. She has to say something to Caden about his father. “When your father finds out that we’re back together, he isn’t going to be too happy, is he?”

  Caden groans and lies back down on his pillow. “You’re right. My father isn’t going to like it, but I really don’t care. As much as he would like to, he doesn’t get to dictate whom I choose to be with. I let him control my life in so many different ways, but he’s not going to control this. I’m with the woman I want to be with and he’s just going to have to accept it,” Caden says and stares at the ceiling.

  “Caden, I don’t…” Harper says, feeling conflicted about the situation. She doesn’t want to cause turmoil between Caden and his father in any way.

  Caden turns back to her and says, “Don’t worry about my father, Harper. He is not your problem. I will deal with him. He may be angry at first, but he will get over it. I’m sure of it,” he says and runs his finger along the edge of her hairline and down her cheek.

  “I hope you’re right. I would love nothing more than for your father to accept me. I know that I’m not the type of woman that he envisioned for you, but I’m so bad, right?” Harper asks, the concern still evident in her voice.

  “You’re alright, I guess,” Caden says teasingly.

  “Stop it!” she says and gently slaps Caden on the shoulder. “You’re going to give me a complex.”

  “Harper Bailey, you know that you are better than alright. You’re beyond amazing to me, and once my father gets to know you, he will realize the same thing,” Caden says, grinning at her.

  “I really hope so. I really want things to work between us in all things,” Harper says, still feeling concerned.

  “As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that really matters is what we think of each other and how we feel about our relationship. I think that it’s pretty clear from last night what I think of us. I want you in my life right now and in the future. Forget about what my father thinks and just focus on what’s happening between us. When you start worrying about my father, just remember that he is an outsider and he has no bearing on what is happening between you and I. He is a non-issue, okay?”

  “Okay,” she says, reluctantly. Forgetting about Caden’s father is easier said then done.

  “Now, come here. I think it’s time for a repeat of last night, don’t you think?” Caden says, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Harper says and loses herself in the heat of Caden’s kiss and the feeling of his hands exploring her body.

  * * * * *

  “Hello,” Bill Mason says when he answers the cell phone he has hidden in the bottom drawer of his desk. It’s a private line that he uses for business that he wants taken care of discreetly and outside of regular business channels.

  “I think that there is something that you need to see,” the voice on the other end of the line says. “Can you meet me at the usual place in thirty minutes?”

  “I’ll be there,” Bill Mason says and hangs up the phone and slams it down on his desk. He doesn’t need the person at the other end of the line to show him what he needs to see. He’s been suspecting, but he’s needed concrete proof. He already knows that
he is not going to like what he’s going to find, but he needs to see what it is with his very own eyes. Only then, will he make his next move and handle what needs to be handled.

  * * * * *

  “I wish I didn’t have to go,” Harper says and wraps her arms around Caden’s neck.

  “Don’t worry. The meeting is only going to be a couple of hours and then we can be together after that,” Caden says, wrapping his arms around Harper’s waist and kissing her.

  “You promise,” she says and returns his kiss.

  “I promise,” Caden says, hugging her tightly.

  “Okay, well I better get going, so you can get ready,” Harper says, finding it hard to break away from Caden. She wishes that he could cancel his meeting and spend the day with her, but she knows how important the business is to Caden. Plus, they have their whole lives to spend together. Being apart from him for a couple of hours isn’t going to kill her.

  “I’ll call you when I’m finished and we can go to lunch or something else,” Caden says and grins at her.

  “You’re a naughty boy, Caden Mason, and I like it,” Harper says, standing on her toes to kiss him again.

  “You think that I’m naughty now, wait until you see what I have planned for you later. You better get going before I change my mind, take you back into the bedroom, miss my meeting and piss off a whole lot of people, ” Caden says and opens the door to his condo. He pulls her close for one final passionate kiss before they officially say goodbye.

  Harper returns his kiss and can’t help but notice the increasing wetness of her panties. She wouldn’t totally be against him missing his meeting if it meant just one minute more with him in the bedroom. She was addicted to him before they had sex and is even more so now that they have consummated their relationship.