by L A Cotton
Grabbing my clothes, I yanked the dress down over my spent body and picked up my purse from the nightstand. Searching the room for my shoes, I remembered...the elevator. Shit.
And with one last glance back at the scene of my final moment of weakness with Kade Ford—because I was not looking to repeat the night ever again—I crept out of the room. Thanking the universe that it was early and no one was around to bear witness to my walk of shame, I hurried down the corridor toward the elevators.
Stepping into the elevator, I scanned for my missing heels even though I didn't really expect to see them. They were probably on top of a pile of lost property somewhere; evidence of all the late night trysts the hotel was witness to. Once in my room, I slipped out of the crinkled dress and took a shower, washing away the memories of the night before. But the water didn't have the cleansing effect I'd hoped for. Instead, each blast of hot water rinsing away all imprints of Kade only made me remember more. His lips against my skin, and the way his body responded to my touch. How my body responded to him. The guy had gotten so far under my skin that I was almost tempted to scrub away the layer of epidermis just to rid myself of him.
Kade was the type of guy who would sweep you off your feet with good looks, charm, and a sinful tongue, but as quick as you'd fall for his guise, he'd have his way and then sweep you under the rug.
Kade Ford would break your heart quicker than you could realize you had fallen for him in the first place. And that was something I didn't have time for. I'd been that girl before.
I wasn't ever going to be her again.
~ Kade ~
"So, did you want to grab brea-" My eyes darted around the room, but I knew I wouldn't find her. I felt it in my gut the second I'd entered the bedroom.
Staci had run.
Again.
Fuck. Without thinking, I grabbed my shirt and yanked it over my head. The material instantly stuck to my damp skin, but I didn't have time to waste. She wasn't running today. This time we had unsettled business to finish. And I intended on settling up.
Within minutes, I was dressed and jamming all my belongings in my jean pockets. My overnight bag could wait. If I knew Staci—and I was pretty sure I did—she would be gone as soon as possible. It was her M.O. Something had that girl set and wired to flight mode.
Deciding the stairwell would be quicker, I took two steps at a time, moving as fast as possible without risking falling. After a couple of minutes, I crashed through the door into the main reception area, ignoring the heads turning to see what all the commotion was as I went straight to the desk.
"Good morning, sir. How can I-"
"I need a room number." My words came out ragged, and I sucked in a deep breath. "Staci Jameson. She was with the Shaw wedding party."
"I'm sorry, sir." I stiffened, not liking the guy’s tone. "I am not at liberty to pass out that information. I could take a message."
A fucking message.
"She's my friend. I need to see her urgently." I reined in the urge to jump over the counter and force him to give me the information I needed.
"Sorry. Hotel policy, I'm afraid." He flashed me a smile and dropped his eyes back to the computer screen.
Fucker.
"Kade? What's up?"
I groaned at the sound of Ashton's voice. This was the last thing I needed, him sniffing around while I was down here like some crazy guy. All over a girl.
"I, hmm, I was just down here checking out."
Ashton regarded me for a second and then narrowed his eyes. "Your bag?"
Shit.
"It's in the car. Dropped it off then came up here to check out and grab breakfast. You coming?"
At the mention of food, Ashton's stomach growled and I laughed. "Hungry?"
"I could eat a horse. Hayley kept me up all night. That woman is-"
"Whoa, I do not need that visual. She's like my sister."
We started walking toward the restaurant area, and I breathed a sigh of relief that my cover had worked. Ashton cut in front of me and gave the server his room number. I stared out of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. A taxicab pulled into the drop-off circle and a whirl of blonde hair strolled toward it. My heart slammed against my chest as I watched Staci flash a smile at the driver as he collected up her luggage. He deposited the bags in the trunk and came back around to open the door for her. She positioned herself to climb in and glanced up. Our eyes collided and everything slowed. Staci's features softened and a slight smile broke over her lips as if she was pleased to see me. But her eyes were telling me something different.
"Kade, you coming?"
Ashton's voice perforated the hold the tiny blonde had on me, and I shook my head, breaking our connection and turning my attention to my cousin. He arched his eyebrow waiting for me to answer.
"Yeah, yeah. Lead the way," I said immediately looking back out of the window.
But the cab was gone.
And so was Staci.
~
"Mom, it's only me," I called out, dropping my bag onto the counter.
"In here, honey."
I padded through to the living room. Mom was in her usual place curled up on the worn-down couch; her eyes focused on her e-reader.
"Who is it today? Hot cowboy?"
A slow smirk broke over her face, and she laughed, shaking the mass of tight blonde curls framing her face. "Tortured soul, MMA fighter."
My eyes rolled north, the way they did whenever Mom subjected me to a discussion about her latest book boyfriend. "I suppose I should just be thankful that these are fictional guys. And not ones you're bringing around wanting to introduce to me."
Something flashed in her eyes, and I immediately felt like a total dick. "Mom, shit, I'm sorry."
"Honey, it's fine. It is what it is. I almost forgot; here I am swooning over Joe Knuckles, and it was Ethan's big day." Mom closed her e-reader and sat up a little straighter. "How was it? Did Livy look stunning? I bet she looked stunning."
"It was okay, I guess."
"Okay? Kade Ford, I raised you better than that. You might be all grown up, but I still know how to get information out of you. Moms have their ways, you know."
Joining her on the couch, I stretched out my tired legs and folded my hands behind my head. "It was beautiful. Brought a tear to my eye. The dress, the cake, all those flowers. So pretty."
Mom batted her hand at me and scoffed. "Would it hurt you to be a little romantic now and again? For me. I'm not getting any younger, son. Neither are you. I want a house full of grandbabies and a beautiful daughter-in-law to spoil..."
With a groan, I closed my eyes and let Mom's speech wash over me. It was always the same. Why did I never bring girls by? When was I going to get serious about life? I loved my mom with my whole heart, but she was an incurable romantic. Even after everything she had suffered at the hands of him.
“Humor this old lady, Kade. You will be twenty-seven soon. It’s time to find a good girl to share your life with. You deserve to be happy.”
Mom’s hand rested on my own, but my eyes remained shut tight. I’d heard that speech more than once lately. A speech I usually forgot the second I left the house. But this time something was different. And it started and ended with the pint-sized blond bombshell who had been imprinted on my mind since leaving the hotel earlier. She buried herself deeper each time. I didn’t fucking ask for it; I didn’t even want it. Not the rational, sane part of me. But I guess I wasn’t all him, after all. Because watching Staci leave hadn’t just hurt, it cut fucking deep.
“Hey, where did you just go?”
I opened my eyes to find Mom watching me with a look of motherly concern.
“I’m just wiped. It was a late night.”
Images of Staci naked popped into my head, and I shifted uncomfortably. Now was not the time for a mental rerun; not with Mom sitting so close.
"I'm sure it was." Mom pursed her lips, giving me a disapproving smile.
"Hey, it’s not what you think. W
e don't all have our heads in the gutter all of the time." I nodded toward the rectangular device on the arm of the couch, and Mom laughed.
"None of Livy's friends catch your eye? I find that hard to believe."
Oh, one did all right.
"Are we really having this conversation, Mom?"
"What? I can't even ask my only son about his love life?"
Feeling uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation, I moved off the couch and mumbled something about getting a drink. But Mom followed me.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. It's just lonely sometimes, you know. I don't want the same for you."
Returning the glass to the counter, I wrapped her in a hug, resting my chin on her head. I didn't get my height from her side of the family. No, that was all on the piece-of-shit who didn’t deserve the title dad.
"Never going to happen. And besides, how can you be lonely with all of those book boyfriends to keep you company."
Mom sniffled into my sweater and anger prickled through me. I hated that he made her this way. Ten years. A whole fucking decade and he still had this hold on her.
I could remember old Mom—the Mom before Dad beat her to within inches of her life. Jess Ford was the kind of Mom every teenager wanted—supportive but not overprotective, interested but not overbearing. She was more a friend than a mom, and everyone loved her. And that bastard ruined her.
Mom wriggled out of my hold and smiled up at me. It was genuine but didn't quite reach her eyes. Her smiles rarely did. "I just want you to be happy. That's all."
"Mom, I'm twenty-six and single, with my own bachelor pad and a king-size bed. What's not to be happy about?"
Batting her hand at me, Mom grumbled about not needing to know so much information, but I was too lost in my own head. Forty-eight hours ago, life was good. Perfect. Life was exactly the way I liked it. No commitments, no drama, and a different girl every weekend.
So why had I asked Staci out on a date?
And why was I so cut up that she hadn't agreed?
~
Three days later, and the surprises just kept coming.
"A baby? Are you fucking with me? You're fucking with me, right? This is a joke?" I choked out, trying hard to swallow down the barbecued meat.
Ashton and Hayley didn't reply; they just looked lovingly at each other and smiled. But then my cousin reached out and patted Hayley's stomach, and I knew.
"This isn't a joke." Thrusting a hand into my hair, I raked my fingers along my scalp and blew out a long breath. "Fuck. A baby. Congratulations, I guess."
Hayley's smile cracked, and she laughed. "Don't look so worried. We wanted this. We've been trying all year."
My eyes darted to Ashton, and he shrugged. "What? It was a secret. We wanted to wait to tell people."
Hayley rose from the garden chair and pressed a kiss to Ashton's head before clearing up some plates. "I'll give you two some guy time."
I took a long pull on my beer and waited for Hayley to move out of earshot. "A baby? You're going to be a dad?"
Ashton grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Yeah, she's thirteen weeks. We went for the ultrasound last week. Listen, sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Hayley wanted to wait until we got confirmation that everything was okay."
"Maybe it'll get Mom off my back," I mumbled, only half-jokingly.
Ashton smirked. "Aunt Jess giving you shit again?"
I shrugged, still reeling from his news. "Something like that."
"Understandable. She's not getting younger, and it's been tough since, you know, everything. She just wants to see you happy, man."
"Who says I'm not happy? I'm twenty-six, not hitting thirty-five or anything. There's plenty of time to settle down."
Ashton's eyes widened, and he gasped, "You mean you've thought about it? And here I thought no girl would ever tame the infamous Kade Ford."
One might. Shit, she was invading my every thought. But Staci had made her feelings about us pretty clear when she bolted from the hotel. And now she was in some third world country and there was no telling when our paths might collide again. I just needed something—or someone—to get her out of my system.
"Not likely." I laughed, but it came out strangled. If Ashton noticed, he didn't say anything.
Hayley rejoined us, handing us each a beer. "Everything okay out here?"
Pushing up from the chair, I met Hayley on the deck and pulled her into a hug. "Sorry about earlier. It just kind of threw me. Congratulations, Hayls. You guys are going to make amazing parents."
Hayley pulled away from me and smiled up at me. "And one day you're going to make some girl very happy. Love ya, Uncle Kadey," she mocked.
Fuck. What was with everyone lately?
An hour later, and after far too much conversation about baby names and prenatal classes, I was itching to do something macho.
"I'm going to head out. I want to hit the gym."
~
After burning off some steam at the gym, I took a shower and headed to meet the guys at our favorite bar. Planters was the kind of bar where you could hang out with your friends, eat with your family, or on a weekend, pick up chicks. It had something for everyone.
"So, Ethan text me a picture of Cabo. Lucky son of a bitch. I'd kill for a vacation, but Sharn is saving every penny we have for the new house." Keefer plucked at the coaster and we laughed.
"She has you on a tight leash these days. I'm surprised she gave you a pass out for tonight," I said with a smirk.
Keefer launched the coaster at me. I ducked, and it flew over my shoulder. "Fuck off; I own that leash." He grunted. "Besides, I'd take going home to Sharn in my bed over your empty one any day of the week."
He had a point. Sharn was easy on the eyes. But then so were most of the girls in Planters tonight.
"Uh-oh, I know that look. He's on the prowl." Morris nudged Keefer, and they followed my gaze to a couple of blondes over by the bar.
"My money's on the one with the red blouse," he added.
Morris was right. Usually, I'd be checking them out, but I was actually thinking how, from behind, the shorter one looked like Staci.
This shit had to end. And quick.
Leaving our booth, I downed the rest of my beer and turned to the guys. "Don't wait up." I winked and made my way toward the blondes.
One caught my approach and smiled coyly, trying to nudge her friend discreetly.
"Can I buy you two lovely ladies a drink?"
Blonde one flicked her hair over her shoulder and nodded dismissively, but blonde two, the shorter one, looked right at me and smiled. She was cute. Close up, she didn't look a thing like Staci. But maybe that was a good thing; maybe she could rid my head of her.
"Kade. Kade Ford," I drawled out, focusing my attention on blonde two.
"I'm Amy, and this is my friend, Serenity."
Serenity pursed her lips at us, and I cocked my brow wondering why she had a stick up her ass.
"Don't mind her; her boyfriend was supposed to show and he hasn't yet."
Serenity’s eyes snapped to Amy. "Amy. Really?"
"What? It's the truth."
"Whatever. I'm going outside to check my cell again." Serenity brushed past us and stomped out of the bar.
"Sorry about that. She can be a bit rude." Amy scooted onto a stool at the bar, and I joined her, my eyes sweeping down her body. The red dress hugged her delicate curves and ended just above her knee. It didn't scream sex, but her full lips were glossed bright red and in my experience, that was a sure sign. She was looking for a hook-up.
"What are you drinking?"
"Vodka cooler."
I waved over the bartender and ordered our drinks.
"Are you local? I don't think I've seen you around here before."
Her cheeks flushed as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Student." She gulped. "I'm a graduate studying English at UFL."
Despite the student presence in Gainesville, Planters didn't generally attract the college crowd
. It was one of the reasons we started drinking here a couple of years back.
"This isn't a usual college bar," I stated, dropping a twenty on the tray for the bartender.
"That scene gets kind of tired, you know." Amy looked up at me suggestively through her long lashes.
It was pretty obvious what she was saying. Perched on the edge of the stool, she was leaning forward just enough that I could see the curve of her tits perfectly. And she licked her lips when she caught me checking her out.
"Nice dress." I leaned into her, ignoring her shocked gasp and dipped my head to her ear. "But I think you'd look better out of it."
Her neck flushed, my words having the desired effect. Not giving her time to respond, I brushed my hand over her warm skin and whispered, "Want to get out of here?"
Taking her hand, I pulled back slightly waiting for her to make her choice. If I'd read her correctly, she would be rising from the stool in three, two, one... Amy stepped up to me and smiled again, her eyes flickering to the door and back to me.
Game on.
~
Amy pawed at my shirt as we fell through my apartment door. It was like the minute we'd gotten into the taxicab, a switch had flipped in her. She couldn't keep her hands off me—which usually wasn't a problem, but tonight I wasn't really feeling it.
"Bedroom," she murmured into my mouth all the while licking and nipping at my lips. "Which way to the bedroom?"
I kicked the door shut behind us and tried to steady her with my hands. "Amy, wait up a second." I held her at arm’s length trying to steal a breath. "What's the rush? Don't you want a drink?"
Amy tried to step up closer to me, but I tightened my grip to hold her in place.
"A drink? I want you to fuck me. God, I need you to fuck me. Please." Her voice cracked at the end, and I narrowed my eyes. Something was off. What had I missed?
Releasing her, I stepped back and put distance between us. Before she realized what I was doing, I had moved around the kitchen counter. "Wine?"
Huffing out a breath, she nodded. I studied her while grabbing glasses and a bottle of wine. Red lipstick smeared over her face and her chest rising and falling rapidly, she looked like a crazy woman.