She chuckles. “Well, isn’t that what you’re trying to do?”
“No! I just want to look nice for him since we never get to go out. I don’t want to look like a tramp.” I walk back to the rack where I just pulled the stunning dress from. Disappointment floods through me.
“Give me that.” She snatches it from my hand. “You’re not putting it back. I was just kidding, Sier. He’s going to love it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
I find a pair of black strappy heels that will most likely kill my feet tonight, but beauty comes from pain, right?
We walk out to the mall and stop at the frozen yogurt bar. After all that shopping hell, we deserve something sweet and unhealthy.
“I thought you were bringing Zoey too?” I ask as I shovel my strawberry yogurt into my mouth. It’s covered in chocolate chips and marshmallows. It’s a heavenly combination.
She pats little Emery, who is laying on her chest, on the butt.
“She wanted to stay home to watch the game with Evan. Can’t say I mind one bit though. I love that girl, but she has been so whiny ever since Em was born. I know it’s because she was the youngest for so long, but my nerves feel about shot.”
“I don’t know how you keep sane with four. I’m barely holding on with two.” Well, I’m also doing it by myself, but my best friend really is Wonder Woman.
She shrugs. “Well, the twins are pretty independent so that’s nice. They love helping with Em. Zoey likes to help, although her help usually involves climbing into my lap when I’m trying to feed her.” She blows a strand of hair out of her face.
Jade and Lily are Auggie’s age and Zoey is just a couple months younger than Jayce. I hate that I missed so much when we were in Carolina Beach, but I’m so glad that now my boys can see them all the time. I don’t know how Evan deals with five women in his house when I can hardly tolerate myself.
My phone goes off in my purse.
Caden: Hey, beautiful. Did you find something?
I blush like a freaking junior high girl.
“Is that Romeo?” she asks as she puts Emery back in her stroller.
“Yeah.”
Me: I did ; )
Did I just send him a winky face? Why the hell am I acting like this?
Caden: Can’t wait to see it.
Me: We’re finishing up at the mall and then I’ll be home soon.
Caden: No rush. Do you want me to drop the boys off, so you have more time to get ready?
I look at the time, and we still have a couple hours before we’re supposed to drop them off.
Avery slaps the table, causing me to jump.
“Jesus. Why are you hitting things?” I hold my chest.
“I don’t know why I just thought of this, but we need to get you waxed!” she says way too loudly for my liking.
I kick her under the table. “Would you keep it down?” I hiss at her. “I am not getting waxed. That shit hurts.”
“Oh, come on,” she begs. “Do you really want him to see that big bush you’re currently sporting?” She is so crude.
I look around to make sure no one nearby has heard her loud mouth.
“I do not have a bush. Thank you very much.” I scowl at her. “And how would you know that?”
“I’m just guessing. Will he even be able to find the goal?”
“Avery! Does your mother know you talk like that?”
“Yep.” She pops the P.
I mean, she makes a good point. I probably should look somewhat presentable down there, but I certainly do not have this bush she speaks of.
“Fine.” I huff. “But do I even have time for this? We have to be over at Claire’s at seven.”
“Come on.” She stands from the table, gathering her big purse. “It only takes about thirty minutes, and I bet they can get you in pretty fast.”
I quickly type out a text letting Caden know that we have one more stop.
She’s wrong. It takes forty-five minutes because apparently, I didn’t have a bush like Avery thought. No, I had a small forest down there.
32
Caden
“Hey, beautiful, I’m here.” I set my keys on Sierra’s coffee table and make my way to her kitchen for a bottle of water. I dropped Auggie and Jayce off with Ryke and Claire to give her more time to get ready. She wouldn’t tell me what she bought at the mall, but she could wear a potato sack on her head and she would still be gorgeous.
“She’s almost ready for you.” I turn at the sound of Avery’s voice.
“Should I be worried that I left my girl with you?” I smirk at her. Evan has his hands full with this one.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She flips her red curls over her shoulder as she heads for the front door. “You two have fun tonight.”
“Thanks. We’ll see ya.”
“Are you worried that she corrupted me?” I turn toward the hallway and see the most beautiful sight in front of me.
“My God.” I walk to her and spin her around so I can see all of her.
She’s wearing a red dress that barely hits her knees, but the best part is her cleavage on display. I have a feeling she had her doubts about buying this, worried about what I’d think. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen a piece of material look so good on anyone.
“You like it?” she asks shyly as she turns in another circle.
“I love it.” I pull her into my arms and gently run my hand through her hair, not wanting to mess up the work she just put into it. She often wears it on top her head, but tonight she’s got it down with loose curls. Her makeup is bolder than normal.
“If I’m overdressed, I can put something else on.”
“No, you look perfect. But I’m thinking that maybe I should keep you home because every guy we see tonight is going to want to steal you away from me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Shall we go, Ms. Greene?” I grab her purse off the table and then open the door.
“We shall, Officer Harris.”
I have no idea how I’m going to drive thirty minutes in the car next to her without getting a hard-on. I’m really thinking this was a bad idea.
We spend the car ride talking about her trip to the mall. My girl is one of a kind and doesn’t enjoy shopping, unlike my daughter who can spend a hundred bucks in twenty minutes.
We pull up in front of Dante’s, and I hand my keys to the valet worker before running around to open the door for her.
“Oh, my goodness. This place is amazing.” I grab her hand and help her out of the truck as she looks around at the immaculate building.
“Only the best for you.” I kiss her on the cheek before leading her to the door.
“Babe, this place looks super expensive,” she says as we walk through the entrance.
It is expensive, but nothing I can’t afford to do occasionally. I wanted to make tonight special for her, and if that means I need to work a few extra shifts at the station to make up for it, to hell with it.
“I don’t want you to worry about money tonight.” I kiss the side of her face before walking up to the hostess table.
“We have a reservation for two under Harris.”
The young girl looks at the clipboard in front of her and then nods.
“Yes, right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Harris.”
I love the sound of that, but I’m scared to see Sierra’s face at the slip up. But when I turn to look at her, she gives me a small smile. “Sierra Harris” sounds damn good, and I hope she thinks so too.
As we’re guided to our table, I take in the elegance of the place. A few of the walls are made of brick, and there are shelves built in to each one that hold wine bottles. The others are covered in modern artwork. The overhead lighting is low, but the chandeliers that hang over each table are immense. The girl walks us to the back of the building to a flight of stairs that will lead us to the table I reserved. It cost me more for rooftop seating, but
I think Sierra will love it.
She gasps from behind me as we make it to the roof. It really is even more stunning than the pictures.
“Do you like it?” I whisper in her ear as I grab her arm.
“Are you kidding? This is amazing.” She points to the center of the roof. “And there’s a pool? Do people actually swim in that?”
I chuckle at her. “I don’t know.”
We walk to our table in the corner, and she tells the girl “thank you” as I pull her chair out.
“Such a gentleman,” she says seductively, probably not intentionally, but she has no idea how close I am to forgetting about dinner.
“You better be good, Ms. Greene,” I mumble in her ear before gently biting her lobe, and a whimper slips from her lips. Fuck, that sound.
She’s kid-free for the entire night, so I have a few things planned for her, but if she keeps it up, I might just take her home.
“Have you been here before?” She grabs for a menu from the middle of the table.
I shake my head. “No, I haven’t. Get whatever you want though.”
She looks nervous as she peruses the list of entrees in front of her.
“Don’t worry about the price.”
“Okay.” She looks around the rooftop. “I’ve never eaten on the top of a building like this before. It’s so cool out here.”
“I know.” I grab her hands across the table. “I hoped you would like it.”
“Thank you.”
I rub my thumb over her hand. “I wanted to do this for you.”
“Well, this is the best date I’ve ever been on.”
We order our food. Me, a big ribeye, and her, a petite filet. It wasn’t easy getting a reservation on a Friday night because everyone wanted a table here. But despite how busy it is, it’s intimate.
Once we finish our entrees, I order us a slice of cherry cheesecake to share.
“I think if I eat one more bite, I’m going to barf.” She scoots her chair away from the table and pats her stomach.
I smirk at her as I grab for a pack of butter from the bread we ate earlier. I unwrap it and stick a knife in it and start drawing with the utensil.
“What are you doing?” She looks around to make sure no one sees me doing this. This place is a bit stuffy for my liking, if I’m being honest, even if the food is to die for. But I don’t give a shit. I’d rather have fun with her.
“Let’s play.” I hand her a knife and she shakes her head at me. “X’s or O’s?”
“You want to play tic-tac-toe with butter in the most expensive restaurant in Scottsdale?”
I shrug. “Why not?”
She caves and draws an O.
“You’re preposterous, you know that?”
After she kicks my ass in our butter game, we devour our cheesecake, and then I pay the waitress.
“Are you tired?” I ask as we walk through the main floor. I’m hoping like hell she isn’t ready for our night to be over with, but I know that she’s had a long day of work.
“A little, but I’m not ready to go home yet.”
“Good, I want to show you something.”
33
Sierra
A warm breeze blows through the windows in Caden’s truck, my hair in my face. I can’t remember the last time I felt so carefree. Tonight really has been one of the best I’ve had in a long time, and I know that’s thanks to the company.
Every time I’m with him I learn something new. Tonight, I learned about his love for country music. He’s belting some twangy song at the top of his lungs, and I must say that the man has a freaking good voice.
I reach for the knob to turn the volume down.
“Where’d you learn to sing? I didn’t know I had my very own Randy Travis.” I wink at him.
If I’m not mistaken, there’s a slight blush that creeps up on his cheeks. He’s always so sure of himself, but he’s adorable when he acts like this.
“My mom made me sing in the church choir growing up. I didn’t really like it, but I’ve always loved music.”
I couldn’t carry a tune if my life depended on it. He will not be getting the same show from me tonight.
“Well, I love listening to you.” I lean my head back on my seat and stare at him as he drives. I’m sure I look like a freaking creeper, but he’s gorgeous, and I could watch him all day.
He responds by winking at me in return, and I think my panties could combust any moment.
“Where are we going?” I stare out the front window as we pull into a parking lot.
“The Riparian Preserve. This was one of my favorite places to come with my dad and I’ve been bringing Kenz here since she was born.” He unbuckles his belt. “Hold tight.”
Ever the gentleman, he opens my door, but then I look down at my feet. There’s no way I can wear these heels if we are doing any sort of walking. Especially outside.
“I grabbed these for you.” He reaches into the back and hands me a pair of my flip flops.
“You really thought of everything.”
I slide the sandals on, and then we walk toward the entrance. It’s a bit hard to see since it’s so dark out, but there are trees, cacti, and all sorts of wildlife surrounding the trail that wraps around the park. It’s breathtaking.
“Come over here.” He pulls me toward a bridge that sits over the lake, and we pause to watch the ducks who are bathing in the stream below us.
It’s incredibly peaceful with only a few other walkers out. All we can hear is the chirping of crickets in the distance and an owl that has taken up residence nearby.
“Do you fish here?”
“Yeah, sometimes.” He rubs my finger with his thumb. “Do you think the boys would like to come out here sometime?” At his question, my heart swells.
“I think they would love that.” I pause. “I didn’t think I would ever find someone again, and sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize that I’m not dreaming.”
He leans into me, his lips gently meeting mine.
“If you’re dreaming, beautiful, I’m dreaming right along with you.”
I swipe at the tear that escapes and smile up at him.
His eyes bounce between both mine, as if there’s something on his mind that he isn’t telling me.
“What is it?” I whisper up at him.
“I love you, Sierra.”
In this moment, I can feel the hole in my chest completely close. I thought those words would scare me, but they’ve done nothing but set me free.
“I love you, too.” I grab his face, pulling his lips to mine. “So much.”
I can tell I’ve surprised him, but I don’t think I’ve ever spoken truer words.
“I didn’t tell you, so you’d say it back.” He runs his hands through my hair.
“I know that. But I meant it.”
“Thank fuck.”
In the next instant, he finds my mouth again. This time he wastes no time taking what he wants, but I have no problem giving back. This kiss is full of promises and second chances. A second chance I never thought I’d get, but one I’ll never take for granted.
“Let’s go home.” He pulls away from our kiss and grabs my hand.
The ride back to my apartment is silent, but not uncomfortably so. We listen to music on low while he drives one-handed so he can rub my knee with his other. I’m nervous with the anticipation of what’s to come. Are we going to sleep together? Will I disappoint him because it’s been so long for me?
I try to rid my head of the absurd thoughts. This is Caden, not some random hook-up. He just confessed his love to me. I knew I loved him before tonight, but him telling me gave me the strength to say it out loud. We’ve both been dealt a shitty hand at life, and it’s about time we both find our little ray of sunshine.
He pulls into the guest spot in my parking lot and then unbuckles his belt and turns toward me.
“Hey.” He pulls my face toward him.
“Hi.” I lean into his hand and then sit
up so I can peck him on the mouth.
“I want to go in there with you, but if you don’t want me to, I’ll just go home.”
“No, I want you to come in.”
“Okay, but we don’t have to do anything. We can just pour some wine and watch a movie.”
I grab his face, so he’s forced to look into my eyes. “I appreciate you trying to take care of me, but I promise I’m all right. Let’s go inside.”
Without another word, we make our way into my building.
34
Caden
“Do you want a glass of wine?” Sierra asks as we walk into her apartment. She slips her sandals off and heads toward the kitchen, but I grab her arm.
“I’ll get it. Why don’t you go change into some comfier clothes?” I rub the side of her face before leaning down to give her a gentle kiss.
“You’re the best.” She walks to her room, and I’d love more than anything to follow her but instead make my way to her wine cabinet.
I pour us each a glass of her favorite white and then carry our glasses into the living room, setting them on the coffee table. I quickly check my phone to make sure Kenz texted me, so I know she’s safe and sound.
This tie feels like it’s choking me, so I loosen it and undo the top couple of buttons on my shirt. I don’t typically dress up like this, but it’s nice to get some use out of the suit I wore to my brother’s wedding a few years back.
“Hey, handsome.”
She pads into the room in a baggy T-shirt and shorts I can hardly see peeking out from under it. The shirt falls off her shoulder, showing a good amount of skin, and if she comes any closer to me, I may be forced to run my tongue along her gorgeous neck. I shake the thought from my mind as she stands in front of me, looking down at me with her beautiful sapphire eyes.
“Hey, yourself.” I pull her down to my lap, which probably isn’t a good idea with the semi I’m currently trying to hide from her, but I can’t help what this woman does to me. I grab her drink and she takes a long gulp, causing her neck to do crazy things to me. Why the hell am I so turned on by her damn neck?
Reawakened: The Unexpected Series Page 15