by Addison Cole
“You taste so sweet,” he whispered against her cheek.
She rocked her hips, silently pleading for more as he finally, blissfully, lowered his mouth to hers, taking her in a long, passionate kiss. Their eyes connected for a hot moment, and he reached for his wallet, retrieving a condom.
“I’m on the pill.” She saw hesitation in his eyes. “I’m clean, Caden. I got tested in the spring. I’ve been on an all about me path, and the first step was making sure I was clean.”
He leaned his forehead to hers. “It’s not that. Caty was on the pill, too.”
Hearing her name stung in this intimate moment. But he’d asked for honesty, and she wanted to give—and receive—nothing less. She caressed his cheek, and when she went to kiss his lips, this time he didn’t pull back.
“Okay,” she whispered.
THE LOOK OF understanding in Bella’s eyes nearly overwhelmed him. He couldn’t wait a second longer. He tangled his hand in her hair and brought her lips to his for another passionate kiss. Her mouth was soft and eager, and every kiss was sensuous and filled with more than just the lust that drove them together, which was why he took his time, savoring every second of each magnificent kiss.
His body ached for more of her. He wanted to make love to her, cherish her, and take care of her all at once—and he recognized the significance of those feelings. Every fiber of my being loves you.
He rose to his feet, and carried her into the bedroom. She rested her cheek on his shoulder with a contented sigh, and when he lowered her to the bed, she reached for him again. He took her in another ceaseless, impassioned kiss that he hoped told her how much she meant to him. He wanted her to feel safe enough with him to expose, and to embrace, all the parts of herself that she tucked away from the rest of the world.
Her lips curved up, and her eyes were so full of desire that there was no room for misinterpretation. They were totally together in this.
THEY LAY TOGETHER for a long while afterward.
“It seems unfair that we have to spend tonight apart,” he admitted.
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
“I haven’t spent the night with a woman since college.”
She turned toward him. “Do you miss it?”
“Honestly? I haven’t really thought about it until now. It’s different when you have a child depending on you. I wanted to be home with Evan. There wasn’t a woman in the world who could make me want to spend a night apart from him.” He kissed her softly. “Until you.”
“Caden.” She snuggled against him.
“I promised honesty, and the truth is, I don’t want to be away from Evan, especially since he’s been giving me more flack lately, and he seems withdrawn.”
“That’s not good. Do you think he’s just going through a hard time, or are you worried that there’s something else going on?”
“I don’t know. I feel like he’s challenging me.”
“I call it the I-don’t-need-parents stage. You remember what it was like to feel old enough to not need to be checked on, don’t you? When your parents graduated from being the people who knew everything to the dumbest people on earth? It comes a few years before the oh-yeah-you-weren’t-so-dumb-after-all stage, which usually hits around twenty or so.”
“I hope you’re right.” He pressed his lips to hers. “All I know is, I also don’t want to be away from you.”
“I thought you were just being sweet, but you’re serious.”
“Dead serious.” He held her gaze.
She kissed the dimple in his chin. “Spending the night together isn’t an option. We both know that.”
“Okay, Little Miss Rational. Isn’t the woman supposed to be the one craving cuddle time?” He pulled her on top of him.
“Oh, I do crave cuddle time with you.” She ran her finger down the center of his chest, and it made him want her all over again. “But I’d never try to come between you and Evan, or try to coerce you into spending time away from him. I love and respect the type of father you are.”
She nibbled on her lower lip and her eyes filled with mischief again. “So…You want to make love to a woman outside?”
He rolled over with her in his arms so she was beneath him again.
“No. I want to make love to you outside, but I won’t.”
She raised her brows. “Oh, yes you will.”
He laughed. “I’m a cop. I think that would be the totally wrong thing for me to do.”
“Then we’ll be careful and find a place no one can possibly catch us.”
“You, Bella Abbascia, are a very bad influence.” He kissed her again. “By the way, I didn’t see any rule breaking in the bedroom. All talk no action?”
“A girl can’t pull out all the stops in one night.”
“That’s what I was counting on.”
Chapter Eleven
ALL BELLA HAD ever needed at the Cape was a few sundresses, flip-flops, towels, and bathing suits. Food and drinks were bought on the fly, and days began when her body decided it was time to wake up and ended when she and her friends were too tired to stay awake any longer. She’d spent so many summers turning off the part of her brain that required watches and calendars that it was a huge adjustment for her to get used to paying attention to the day of the week, or the exact time. In her mind, the Cape meant seven or eight weeks of immersing herself in her friends, stockpiling memories to carry her through until spring, when they would return for a long weekend of catching up.
She knew today was Friday because of her appointments, but also, and weighing on her mind more heavily at the moment, it was Caden’s last night shift, and he was excited to switch to day shifts so he could spend more time with her and Evan in the evenings. She sent him a quick text. Yay! It’s your last night shift! Walking into the clinic. Wish me luck! Xox.
The cell phone was a welcome addition to her summer accessories. She and Caden had traded flirty texts over the last two days when he was working nights and she had been tied up in meetings with businesses and school administrators to discuss the new angle of the program. He’d called her each evening, and their conversations flowed naturally, like they’d been dating for years. He was interested in her project, and she loved hearing about Caden’s and Evan’s days. Evan had been more attitudinal lately, and she’d reassured Caden that was to be expected at his age and with all the changes he’d been through recently, but she knew from teaching teens that parents took the worst of teens’ attitudes and she felt for him.
With her new pitch in mind, she assessed her crinkled cotton minidress in her car window, then entered the clinic with her head held high.
I can do this.
I will do this.
Wellfleet was a tourist town that tripled in population over the summer. Winters in the small town were desolate in comparison, and because of that, doctors tended to practice in larger cities, like Hyannis, which was forty-five minutes away. It was only nine o’clock in the morning, and every chair in the waiting room was filled with coughing, sneezing, and puffy-eyed patients as well as two people with wrapped appendages. The clinic was a godsend for the tourists, handling everything from strep throat to broken bones.
Bella waited in line behind three women, the first of whom was speaking to a stern-faced, middle-aged receptionist who held a clipboard in one hand while writing on a notepad, while also speaking to another employee, a skinny woman with tattoos snaking around her neck and shoulders. The skinny woman’s pitch-black hair was sculpted into spiky points that darted out from her head at various angles, complemented by eyebrow and nose piercings.
The door opened, and a man carrying a screaming baby entered the lobby, followed by a heavy woman with a toddler attached to her hip.
The tattooed woman shot a glance at the door, then called over her shoulder, “Bones. Front and center.”
A tall, rangy guy wearing jeans and a P-TOWN ROCKS T-shirt, who couldn’t have been more than twenty, looked up from behind a metal desk.
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br /> “Got it.” Bones hustled to the counter and took the clipboard from the stern-faced woman. His thin lips curled into a smile that softened his bony features and further confirmed his youthful appearance.
“Please fill out your name, insurance information, and—”
“I don’t have insurance,” the patient whispered.
Bones leaned closer, softening his gaze. “No worries. You can still receive medical care. We have a benefits specialist who will work with you. Just fill this out, and we’ll call you when it’s your turn.”
“God bless you,” the woman said.
When she turned toward the waiting area, Bella noticed a red rash covering the right side of her face. Bella had been lucky enough not to need medical attention while at the Cape, but she was pleased to hear that the clinic didn’t turn patients away.
Bones handled the next two people in line with the same effortless patience. A woman in scrubs peered into the office behind him.
“Perry, Mary needs you,” the woman in scrubs said.
The tattooed woman said something to the stern-faced woman that made her smile. She touched her shoulder as she passed on her way to tend to whoever Mary was.
“Ma’am?” Bones thrust a clipboard toward her.
“Oh, sorry.” Way to space out, Bella. “I’m not here as a patient. I’m Bella Abbascia, here to see Ms. Blankenship.”
“Sorry about that. If you can find standing room in the waiting area, I’ll track her down.”
“Perfect. Thank you.” Bella was impressed by the swift efficiency of the operation. While she waited, a woman in scrubs had come out three times to call patients into the back, and each time the woman’s eyes were compassionate. Though they were obviously overwhelmed with patients waiting to be seen, she didn’t appear to rush them through the door.
The tattooed woman came through the door. “Bella Abbascia?”
“Hi, I’m Bella.”
“I’m Perry Blankenship. Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on back.”
Bella followed her down a wide hallway lined with patient rooms. She’d first guessed Perry to be in her midtwenties, but as she took a closer look, she noticed fine lines around her eyes and mouth and eyes full of wisdom that came only from experience and probably put her closer to her mid to late thirties.
“We’ll be in here.” She led Bella into an office barely big enough for the metal desk, file cabinet, and chairs inside. “Fridays are pretty crazy around here.”
Bella sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, and instead of sitting behind the desk, Perry sat in the chair beside Bella. She let out a breath before turning a warm smile to Bella.
“Welcome to our busy little clinic,” Perry said.
“It’s run very efficiently. Thank you for taking the time to see me. I’ll make this quick so you can get back to work. I’ve been hired by the school board to put together a work-study program for high school seniors.”
Perry smacked her thigh, and her eyes widened with excitement. “Great idea.”
“Yes, that’s what we thought, too. The goal of the program is to provide hands-on training for kids who are looking to better themselves, to encourage self-confidence and independence and help them learn skills they can use toward a productive future.”
Perry waved her hand to silence Bella. “Responsibility, self-worth, it’s all wrapped up in helping others. Like I said, great idea. What do you need from me?”
Bella swallowed the urge to say, Really? “I’d like you to consider making the clinic part of the program and committing to hiring two seniors through the work-study program. They’re limited to no more than fifteen hours each week and paid minimum wage.”
“We drug test.”
“Fine. We don’t want kids using drugs any more than you do.” Hope swelled in Bella’s chest.
“They’d have no access to medications, obviously, and until we can gauge their abilities and trustworthiness, they would be confined to working in the admin area.” Perry leaned forward with excitement in her voice. “But if we find a stellar student who shows promise, I’m not opposed to keeping them on after graduation to learn the ropes of becoming a certified medical assistant or a lab tech.”
“Thank you. That’s all we can hope for.” Bella’s feet lifted up onto their toes in a silent happy moment. “We’re finalizing the documents, and I’ll be happy to—”
Perry’s office door opened and Bones poked his head in. “Perry, Doc Winston is on line four. He said it’s urgent.”
“Oh good. Tell him I need one minute. Oh, Bones, this is Bella Abbascia. She’s coordinating a work-study program for the high school.”
He thrust a hand toward Bella. “Barry Goodman, but everyone calls me Bones. Nice to meet you.”
“Bella, would you mind wrapping up the details with Bones? I need to take this call.”
“Not at all.” Bella rose to her feet.
“I wish there was a work-study program when I was in high school. Having something to do with my time might have saved me from a pregnancy at eighteen. Not that I begrudge my daughter. She’s amazing.” Perry’s voice filled with pride. “Thankfully, she graduated last year without a baby in her belly. Let’s hope this catches on.”
When Bella left the clinic half an hour later, for the second time that week, she felt like she was walking on air. This one definitely came in second to making love with Caden, but it was a really good feeling. She climbed into her car and headed toward Orleans for her next appointment.
CADEN PULLED INTO the parking lot of Nauset Beach to take another report on a vehicle break-in. Evan was at Nauset with his friends today, and Caden had texted him when he left the station to let him know he’d be there shortly and would like to touch base. He knew Evan would only get the text if he was by the snack area or parking lot, but at some point he’d see it. He’d texted Bella hours ago, and he assumed either her meetings were going well or she’d forgotten to take her phone into the cottage, because she still hadn’t responded. When his cell vibrated, he hoped it might be her. He was surprised to receive a return text from Evan so quickly, since cell phones didn’t work on the beaches. He read the text.
Still here. Leaving soon to go to Bobby’s.
Caden texted him back. I’m here. Meet by snack bar in twenty mins?
He stepped from the patrol car and scanned his surroundings. A woman wearing shorts and a blue bathing suit stretched tight over her muffin top waved at him as he crossed the parking lot.
“Officer, they took my wallet and cell phone,” the woman said frantically. Her wet, dark hair stuck to her flailing arms. “I can’t believe it. All my contacts, my calendar, my life is on that phone.”
“Ma’am, slow down. I’m Officer Grant, and I’ll be happy to take the report.”
“Thank you. I just can’t believe my stuff is gone. I mean, really? I’m at the beach, for Pete’s sake. Who steals from people at the beach?”
Caden peered into the car. “Was the car locked at the time?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. I didn’t want to lose my keys on the beach.”
Of course you didn’t. Caden had long ago stopped being surprised by the naïveté of people. “Tourist towns are prime targets for thefts. I’d suggest that you keep your vehicle locked from now on.”
He jotted down the license plate number and the make of the vehicle.
“I’ve been coming to the Cape forever, and there has never been any crime.”
Caden scanned the parking lot as she blew off steam, ranting about how little respect people had for others. He spotted Evan and a group of kids unlocking their bikes from the bike rack by the snack bar. He took the report as quickly as he could and wondered how many more would roll in before the end of the evening. Then he went to talk to Evan.
Evan and a handful of friends sat on their bikes, front tires angled toward one another in a circle. Two of the boys carried towels around their necks, and three wore backpacks strapped to their backs. They we
re all laughing as he approached.
“Evan.” The laughter silenced, and Caden sized up the group. They looked to be between fourteen and sixteen—hard to tell at that age. Mike and another boy shifted their eyes away again.
“Hey,” Evan said.
Hey? Not, Hey, Dad? That rubbed Caden the wrong way, but he cut Evan slack again and chalked it up to the whole cool image thing boys went through at his age.
“What’s your plan?” Caden asked with a tone that was more serious than he’d have used if Evan were by himself.
Evan shrugged. “We’re going to hang out at Bobby’s.”
Bobby looked over at the sound of his name and nodded. “Hey, Mr. Grant.”
“How’s it going, Bobby?”
“It’s cool,” he answered with another nod.
Caden sensed the boys watching him. Thinking of what Kristie had said, he slid the other boys a serious stare followed by a smile.
“I’m Evan’s father,” he said to two boys he hadn’t met.
“I’m Brett,” the blond boy said.
“David,” the darker-haired boy said.
He picked up on their bouncing legs and glanced at Evan again. Caden was used to kids being nervous around him when he was in uniform, but it had been a very long time since he’d had to evaluate kids he didn’t know as friends for his son, and he found himself scrutinizing every twitch.
“Hey, Ev, come talk to me for a minute.” He lifted his chin and indicated for Evan to walk with him.
Evan climbed off his bike with a tortured sigh.
Caden waited until they were far enough away from the others to talk to him. He set a narrow-eyed stare on his son to let him know he was serious, but spoke with his normal fatherly tenderness.
“How’s it going?”