by Luna, David
Cade reached around to Braden’s chest and gently caressed him there, and then on down to his stomach where Cade could just see the little red mark on the skin from his latest injection. He gently rubbed that spot, looking into Braden’s eyes in the mirror. Braden’s eyes had turned molten with desire, and Cade clasped him by the hips and turned him around so they were facing each other. He pressed himself against Braden and put his hand under Braden’s chin to make him meet his gaze. “You’re so fucking gorgeous.”
Braden blushed but said nothing. It was then that he realized that Braden held his hand out to the side, so as not to get shaving cream on Cade. He made a decision and went with it, lifting Braden up and depositing him gently on the bathroom countertop. He kept his eyes on Braden’s as he placed his hands on Braden’s knees and spread them so that he could stand between them. He glanced around and saw a wet wash cloth, grabbed it, and swiped all of the shaving cream off of Braden’s hand onto his. He slowly and gently cleaned up Braden’s hand and placed that hand on his own chest, wanting Braden’s hands on him. Cade gently spread the shaving cream on Braden’s face, feeling like this was one of the most intimate acts he’d ever taken part in and loving it.
Once all of the shaving cream was lathered on, he stepped aside, ran some hot water in the sink, rinsed off his hands and found Braden’s razor. He stepped back into Braden’s space. Braden moved his hips closer to the edge of the countertop and hooked his legs behind Cade’s, drawing him even closer and leaving them there. He looked at Braden and gave a quick jerk of his head, and Braden responded immediately, lifting his chin and exposing his throat to Cade. Holy fuck, the trust in that one small action from Braden made Cade hard as a rock.
Braden splayed both hands on the sides of Cade’s chest and he was lightly rubbing his thumbs in circles, driving Cade crazy. He focused on the task at hand and began to shave Braden’s neck. He was slow and methodical, watching the blade slide over Braden’s perfect, flawless skin. Each pull on the razor revealed a throat Cade wanted to lick and bite and suck. When he was done with his neck, Braden brought his head back down, and Cade proceeded to shave the rest of his face, rinsing off the blade every once in a while in the hot water in the sink.
When he was done, he took the washcloth, ran it under the hot water and thoroughly cleaned off all remnants of the cream from Braden’s skin. Braden turned to the counter and grabbed a bottle of aftershave cream and handed it to Cade without a word. Cade pumped some of the cream in his hand, and Braden kept his eyes on Cade’s. Again Cade gave a quick jerk of his head, silently telling Braden to lift his chin, which he did. He slowly applied the cream on Braden’s neck and when he did, he felt Braden’s fingers dig, ever so slightly into his sides. He applied the cream to the rest of Braden’s face and then rubbed his hands together and looked deeply into Braden’s eyes.
He gripped Braden’s ass with one hand, and the back of his neck with the other and kissed him deeply as he walked out of the bathroom with Braden in his arms. When he was by the bed, he tapped both of Braden’s legs. As Braden released his hold on Cade’s waist, Cade helped ease him down to his feet and then had him sit on the bed while he grabbed the breakfast plate and joined him on the bed where he proceeded to feed Braden slowly and silently.
Braden had never been a part of such intensely intimate moments in his life. As soon as Cade had stepped into his bathroom, the room itself seemed to shrink, and the air seemed to get thicker. Cade had taken control of Braden in every sense of the word and created a moment in his life that Braden would never forget. The intensity with which Cade regarded him was nothing short of breathtaking.
The whole time Cade was shaving him, he kept his mouth closed, not wanting to interrupt the moment, but also not sure he could even find his voice. When Cade eased him back down to his own two feet, they looked at each other for long moments, before Cade got the food and fed him. When he was done eating, Cade had leaned down and kissed his temple, and then taken the plate and fork and left him some coffee when he left the room.
Braden sipped on the coffee while he finished getting ready, and soon he met Cade in the kitchen where he was finishing cleaning up after breakfast. Braden put his coffee mug in the dishwasher and turned to see Cade shrugging into his button up shirt. When Cade reached to button his cuffs, Braden brushed Cade’s hand away and began to button up his cuff for him and when he moved on to the other cuff, Cade reached out with his other hand and tugged Braden closer to him by a belt loop. Braden moved on to buttoning the rest of the shirt, very slowly and when he got close to the top, he noticed Cade’s Adam’s apple bob when Cade swallowed. How is it that the act of dressing Cade felt as sexy as the act of undressing him would be?
Inordinately pleased that Cade was reacting to him just as he reacted to his shave, Braden smoothed his hands down Cade’s broad chest and when he got to the edge of the shirt, he lifted the hem and looked up at Cade questioningly. Cade widened his stance and Braden took that as a go and lifted the hem of the shirt enough to get to Cade’s belt, which he slowly loosened, and even more slowly he undid the button and then pulled the zipper down. Once he had everything undone, he grabbed both sides of the pants and slowly tugged until they bunched just below Cade’s hips. He looked Cade in his eyes as he reached around behind him and tucked the shirt into his pants, molding the shirt to Cade’s ass and squeezing gently. He continued to tuck in the shirt, around the sides and around to the front where he reached his hands in with the shirt and brushed Cade’s hard length with the back of his hand while finishing the job.
Cade reached his hand up and raised Braden’s chin to force their eyes to meet. Cade raised a brow and Braden couldn’t help it, his lips twitched. He glanced back down and began the torturous task of ever so very slowly pulling up Cade’s zipper, again letting the back of his hand graze Cade’s solid length on the way back up. He buttoned him up and slid the belt back into place and threaded the belt’s needle through the hole. Cade adjusted himself and then grabbed Braden’s hand. He raised it to his mouth, and kissed the palm, then nipped his fingers and threaded their fingers together, as they walked toward the front door.
Setting the security, Cade finally spoke. “So, I wanted to let you know a few things. First, there were no signs of Eric following us yesterday. Second, it looks like Brody found out that the Camry was dropped at a mall close to here, so Cooper is sending the guys out to search for it there to see what they can find. And third, I wanted you to know from the beginning today that Coop is going to tail us in the rental. I don’t want to be that far away from here and not have some backup.”
Braden looked up at Cade. “Thanks for telling me everything.”
Cooper met them at the front door where Braden gave him the address, and Cade proceeded to lead Braden down to his car and help him into his seat, handing him his seat belt and kissing his temple before shutting the door and heading over to the driver’s side. Both SUVs pulled into traffic. They listened to music for a while, holding hands, and then Braden remembered a discussion they never finished yesterday.
Braden bit the inside of his cheek. “Zavier, can we talk about the costs of my new bedroom furniture and my new car security system?”
Cade lifted his hand and squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Braden…”
Turning sideways in his seat, Braden placed a hand on Cade’s knee. “Just listen, please. I have money. I have more money than I need, so I don’t want you to feel like these are things I can’t afford.”
Cade squeezed Braden’s hand gently, keeping it firmly planted there, on his knee. “Baby, I wouldn’t care if you had millions, or if you had only hundreds, I wouldn’t allow you to pay me back regardless. You’re not the only one with money to spare. I bought those things for you because I want to take care of your needs. It’s not about the money, it’s about me figuring out what you need and providing it, whether it costs me a lot of money or no money at all.”
Braden shook his head. “But Zavier…”
&n
bsp; Cade raised a brow and quickly glanced over at Braden. “Remember the talk we had about me taking care of you? I asked you if it felt good when I take care of your needs, and you said no, it didn’t feel good, it felt great. This is just an extension of that. Braden, you need to understand this type of thing will continue. In this relationship I need to know that I am meeting all of your needs.”
Braden tried to extricate his hand from Cade’s knee, but Cade was having none of it. Braden let out a little growl, tugged, and got nowhere. “But, what about your needs? I need to take care of you, too. This can’t be all about me taking and you giving. I want to be on equal footing with you. I can’t always feel indebted to you.”
Cade pulled Braden’s hand up to his mouth and nipped at his knuckles, making Braden gasp. He gave Braden an exasperated glance. “Indebted? Do you really care about the money? Let’s say something happened to my car and I was busy with work or away on assignment, so you took care of it. You realized I needed a better security system in it, and you paid to get it done. Would you care about the money? Would you expect me to repay you for doing that for me?”
Braden sighed, because he knew that he wouldn’t, and he was just proving Cade’s point. “You know I wouldn’t care about that. But, that’s not the point.”
Cade scoffed. “Bray, that’s exactly the point.”
Braden growled again. “Not when you’re always meeting my needs, and I’m never meeting yours.”
Cade did his best not to chuckle at Braden’s frustration and squeezed his hand again, trying to figure out how to explain how he felt. “But, you are meeting my needs. OK, maybe this will help explain it, even though I know this sounds backasswards. You’re fulfilling my needs by allowing me to fulfill all of your needs. I’ve already explained that I’m protective of you, that you’re everything to me and that I’m a fixer. I have an inherent need to take care of what’s mine, and Braden, as far as I’m concerned, you are mine. Not to mention the kicker, we’ve got major extenuating circumstances going on right now. When things settle down, meaning, when we catch this fucker and you no longer need protection 24/7, I won’t be installing security systems everywhere and buying new bedroom furniture because some fuckwit is after you.”
The GPS interrupted them to give them directions, and they sat in silence for several minutes. Cade glanced over at Braden and realized he was truly upset about something. He was sitting stiffly, looking out the window, avoiding Cade’s gaze.
Confused, Cade let go of Braden’s hand and reached over to run his hand over the top of Braden’s head. “Hey, Braden, look at me a second.”
Braden lifted his eyes and Cade saw such sadness there. “What’s going on? Why did you get so quiet and sad all of a sudden?”
Braden glanced down to his lap, his hands clasped tightly together. “I just…. I know that when you’re done here, you’ll be leaving and going back to Colorado Springs. I just don’t know how we’ll work long distance. Not to mention, what if it’s not me that you’re falling for?”
Cade recoiled in disbelief. “What in the fuck are you talking about, not you? Who else could it possibly be?”
Looking down at his hands again, Braden realized this; this right here was one of his biggest fears with Cade. He felt sick to his stomach, but he had to say it or it would become all-consuming and he wouldn’t be able to function. “What if it’s the situation and not me? You said you’re a fixer. What happens when you fix things? You’ll grow bored. I’m a baker for fuck’s sake, not one of your military buddies that you have so much in common with. You’re going to go back to Custos Securities after this job, and I’m no longer going to need things fixed and that will be that.”
All of a sudden Cade yanked the steering wheel to the right, causing Braden to reach out and grab for the door and the dash, as they swerved off the highway. Braden’s eyes widened and looked at Cade, who looked livid. Braden saw their rental SUV pull up right in front of them. Cade’s phone rang, but it was already in his hand. “Give us ten,” he said and hung up, tossing the phone in a cup holder.
Assuming that had been Cooper, Braden waited for Cade to talk. He glanced over again and Cade’s hands were both gripping the steering wheel tightly and then releasing it, gripping and releasing, over and over. He was also breathing heavily, and Braden knew he was doing his best to calm down and not freak out and scare him. If Braden had learned one thing about Cade, it was that he had an iron will where it came to controlling his temper around him. Braden had a feeling that Cade normally didn’t hide or control his anger like he did around him.
Braden unlatched his seatbelt and turned in his seat to face Cade. Cade looked over at him finally, unlatching his own belt. He leaned over, grabbed Braden’s right leg under his knee, and put his other hand around his ass and scooped him over onto his lap to straddle him.
“Zavier, what are you doing?”
“Z.”
Braden tilted his head, in confusion. “What?”
Cade scowled. “You call me Z, from now on, that’s what you call me.”
Braden softened, his voice timid. “Z, what are you doing?”
Cade heaved an aggrieved sigh. “I can’t have this conversation with you so far away.”
Braden’s brow rose. “Far away?”
Cade grunted. “For this type of conversation, I need you right here, where I can feel you.”
Braden reached up and cupped Cade’s cheeks. “I didn’t mean to make you mad. I’m just scared that you’re such a fixer that once I’m fixed, there’s nothing tying you to me.”
Cade grabbed Braden’s shoulders and shook him gently. “Jesus, fuck, Braden, there is nothing about you that needs fixing. That’s not why I’m here! Not to mention I fix situations, not people! Yes, I’m going to deal with this Eric situation, that you can count on, but that is completely unrelated to my feelings for you. Do you think I look at you and see Eric?”
Confusion clouded Braden’s eyes. “What? No!”
It was Cade’s turn to growl. “I see you, Braden! I. See. You. And everything about you, everything, is what I want. I want your smiles, every day, your laughter. I want your eyes to turn liquid jade when I turn you on. I want you to bake me coffee cake and rub my head and shoulders. I want to see that smile on your face when you’re hugging Maya. I want to rub your tummy after you give yourself an injection. I want to take care of you, when we can’t avoid you getting a migraine. I want you to run circles around me while we’re jogging together. I want you to call me or text me to see how my day is going, and I want to be able to do that for you. I want to leave notes for you on your pillow when I leave earlier than you. I want to take care of your needs, every single one of them. I told you once that if you wanted to keep me around, all you had to do is say the words. Do you remember that?”
Cade’s words melted Braden, but he still shook his head. “I can’t ask you to give up your business, and I’m so sorry, but I don’t want to give up mine either.”
Cade’s eyes met Braden’s, beseeching. “Baby, I would never ask that of you, you have to know that by now. But, I guess the question is, do you want to keep me around? If my business was no issue, would you say those words? Or do you only want something temporary with me?”
Braden gripped onto Cade’s shirt and tugged. “God, yes, Z. Yes, I would say those words. I wouldn’t be bringing you to meet Nana today if I wasn’t thinking of a future with you. I don’t understand how it can work, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it to.”
Cade let out a breath, his shoulders finally relaxing. “That’s for me to worry about. I’m the fixer, so let me figure that out. Regardless, I need you to actually say it, Bray. Say the words.”
“Z…”
Cade gently caressed Braden’s cheek. “Baby, do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
“Then trust me with this.”
Braden realized, it really was as simple as that, and relented. “OK. Yes. Please, stay with me. I don’t want
you to go. I never want you to go.”
Cade smiled wide. “I’ll stay with you, Bray. I’ll stay with you forever.”
Cade pulled Braden in for a kiss and suddenly Braden found himself back in his seat and Cade was pulling the seatbelt across his lap. A bit dazed, and a lot bemused, he watched Cade latch his own belt and pull quickly back onto the road. “You realize that I reserve the right to call you Zavier as well as Z, right?”
“No, only Z.”
Braden laughed and poked Cade in the ribs. “So then, following your logic, you will only ever call me Bray, and never Braden.”
“That’s not the same.”
Braden’s jaw dropped and he huffed. “It’s exactly the same!”
Cade shook his head. “Nope, Z is like when I call you baby. It’s not just a nickname, it’s an endearment.”
Braden softened, but not by much. “OK, that was sweet, but I’m still going to call you Zavier sometimes, especially when I’m mad at you.”
Cade, eyes on the road, shook his head, his face serious. “Never happen.”
Braden laughed. “Never? I’ll never, ever get mad at you?”
“Nope.”
Braden chuckled and shook his head. Cade grinned, happy that he’d put a smile on Braden’s face. Less than 20 minutes later, they arrived at the community where his grandmother lived. Cooper parked beside them, got out, opened Braden’s door and leaned down to look at both of them. “How good is the security in this snazzy place? I figure someplace this fancy has got to have some security.”
Braden was taken aback by the question and then all of a sudden felt sick. “Fuck, I didn’t…. I was only thinking you needed backup while we were out with her, I didn’t even think about when we leave here. Oh god, oh god…. “
“Breathe, Braden. Don’t panic. Just breathe.”
He felt Cade’s grip on his left hand, and Cooper’s on his right. He opened his eyes and saw Cooper squatting down beside him, looking concerned.