by Kendall Ryan
“Are you sure about this?” I asked when he answered.
Cannon chuckled. “Hi, Paige.”
The rich masculine tone of his voice shot through me like an arrow. God, I’d missed him.
“Hi.” I was breathless, and I wasn’t sure why.
“I take it you got the ticket?”
“Yes, but I don’t understand. I thought you were moving on. No looking back.” I sat down on the edge of the couch, stroking Enchilada’s soft fur.
“Listen, I think I might have fucked some things up. After Bob died, and then Allie caught us together and freaked out . . .” He paused, releasing a heavy sigh. “I think it’s better if we have this conversation in person.”
“You want me to fly three hours so we can talk?”
“I’m hoping we’ll do more than that.” His voice dropped lower, and tiny chill bumps broke out over my entire body.
I didn’t say anything because, holy hell, what was I supposed to say? My world was tipping sideways.
“Will you come?” he asked, his voice tentative and hopeful.
I suddenly realized how far he’d gone out on a limb by sending me this ticket.
“Yes,” I said at last, my stomach tightening into a knot.
“Thank fuck. I missed you, princess.”
Wiping away a stray tear, I looked down at the ticket in my hand. “I leave tomorrow.”
“Yes. I’ll pick you up at the airport at eight.”
“See you then.”
• • •
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” I asked Allie as I handed her Enchilada’s leash. “It’s only for the weekend.”
She gave me a knowing smirk. “It’s fine.”
When I told her about my surprise trip to Colorado, I thought Allie might freak out. Instead, she’d offered to dog-sit for me. It made me wonder if perhaps Cannon had told her about the ticket before he sent it. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised.
“Thank you again. I’ll be home Sunday night.” I handed her the bag containing Enchilada’s food dish, his favorite blanket, and a canister of his dog food.
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.”
“Be good for Allie,” I murmured, bending down to stroke his soft gray fur one last time.
“You doing all right?” she asked when I rose to my feet. Allie’s brown eyes were filled with emotion, and the deeper meaning behind her concern hit me square in the chest.
She wasn’t asking if I was okay leaving my dog for two nights. She was asking the question neither of us was brave enough to talk about.
“You gave me some really bad advice,” I said softly.
“I know.” She hung her head, looking down at her shoes briefly before meeting my gaze again. “I should have told you to follow your heart. I should have told you to run, not walk.”
Tears welled in my eyes. Allie pulled me in for a hug, her arms tightening around me.
I had my best friend’s blessing at long last. The only thing left to do was go get my man and hope that nothing had changed between us in all these weeks apart.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cannon
It was finally Friday, and Paige would be here in an hour. I felt like a scared teenager again, my stomach twisted into a knot, nervous over where the evening might take us and imagining it over and over. It was a little ridiculous how much I’d missed her. Since she called yesterday to say she was coming, I’d been wound tight, unable to think about anything else.
I spent the day vacuuming and cleaning my new apartment. I lived in a luxury building not far from downtown with a marble lobby and six floors. My apartment wasn’t on the top floor but it was a corner unit, which meant I had two walls of windows that let in the afternoon sun, and a nice balcony.
After I finished tidying up, I headed to the grocery store to stock up for the weekend, since my goal was that we’d rarely leave the bed. I picked up wine and cheese and fruit for tonight, and ingredients for the French toast I wanted to make her in the morning. Forty-eight hours with my princess wouldn’t be enough. I just hoped I could convince her to stay long term.
I’d been with many women over the years, but no one like Paige. She was precious to me. Growing up with her, I watched her turn into a knockout beauty, never dreaming that I’d get a shot at something more with her. It was almost surreal to think that she was about to visit me here.
After showering, shaving, and applying a little cologne, there was nothing else to do but wait.
• • •
Finally, it was time to leave for the airport and wait for her flight to arrive. I got there way too early, of course, and the airport security patrol ushered me through the line, not letting me stop at the curb and wait for long. I circled the airport three times before she finally texted me that she had landed.
Paige looked even better than I’d remembered, wearing a light blue sweater dress, tights, and tall boots. Her honey-colored hair cascaded down over her shoulders, and she nervously tucked it behind her ear as she looked around. I realized she didn’t even know which kind of vehicle I drove now, and in my excitement, I’d forgotten to tell her. I’d sold the old sedan that had gotten me through college, not thinking it could fare the long road trip, and now drove a black sport utility vehicle. Placing my SUV into park, I climbed out and called her name.
She turned at the sound of my voice, a smile on her lips. Dropping her overnight bag on the sidewalk, she ran into my waiting arms.
Lifting her off the ground, I held her close and breathed in her scent, so thankful that she was here. I didn’t know a soul in this state, other than the people I worked with, and Paige’s presence here felt like everything.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Paige
“How is it going? Do you like it here? Your new place? The hospital?” I wanted to know everything at once, and I was rambling like a lunatic.
Cannon chuckled and reached across the car’s console to place his palm on my knee. He gave it a light squeeze. “Yeah, I like it a lot. I live in an apartment complex near the hospital where several residents live. The hospital was only built a few years ago, so it’s new and really nice. And the cardiology team has all been very welcoming.”
He made it sound like everything was peachy keen. I’d been barely holding it together, almost unable to get out of bed some mornings, and he was clearly thriving in his new city.
“That’s good to hear,” I managed.
Maybe he didn’t want the same things as me. Maybe this weekend trip was just supposed to be zero-expectations fun. I couldn’t allow myself to get my hopes up. Placing my steely wall up, I asked him about the landscape as we drove, and Cannon was all too happy to tell me about his new home, pointing out landmarks as we went.
I nodded as he spoke, sure that if I opened my mouth, I might say something I’d regret. I wanted to tell him that I missed him, that I was so glad I was here, but instead I stayed quiet.
When we arrived at his new place, he gave me the grand tour. It was a large one-bedroom apartment with walls of windows overlooking twinkling city lights. Inside, it was furnished with classy yet simple furniture—a tan leather sectional, long oak dining table flanked by two benches, and a bedroom with a four-poster bed and a two round side tables. It was nice.
After the tour, we stopped in the kitchen where Cannon poured us each a glass of wine. I couldn’t help but notice the bottle—it was the same brand I always bought at home.
“That last night we were together . . .” he started, then stopped to clear his throat. He didn’t have to clarify which night he was referring to. The night he came to me drunk in the middle of the night and told me he loved me.
My chest tightened at the memory. Taking a sip of my wine, I nodded again.
Cannon took my wineglass and set it on the counter with his. “I don’t know what this is that’s happening between us; I only know that I like it. And I don’t want it t
o stop.”
“You told me you loved me that night.” Relieved that I’d been brave enough to finally get that off my chest, I inhaled deeply, waiting for his shock to come. Only it didn’t.
“I know. And you didn’t say anything in return. And then that morning when Allie found us, you rushed off without a backward glance.”
Wait, what?
“You knew all along that you said it?”
He nodded.
“I figured it was a drunken mistake.”
“Paige,” he said, stroking my hand. “Nothing about us was a mistake.”
I licked my lips, gathering my thoughts. I couldn’t find the words just then to tell him that I loved him too.
“I have no idea what I’m doing,” I admitted. Not a clue—with my life, with his beautiful younger man who should have been out of my league, not with any of it. I hadn’t been in a real relationship in a long time.
His fingertips pressed against my lips. “It’s my first time too.”
He offered me a small smile, and relief flooded my chest.
“Come with me.” Cannon took my hand and led me into the living room.
We sat together on the couch, my head on his shoulder and his hand in my hair. I’d missed the physical closeness of him so much that I wanted to soak in every moment—although I knew our conversation was far from over.
Lifting my hand to his mouth, Cannon placed a chaste kiss against my palm. “I thought I should have been able to get over this, to move past it. That in time, my memories of you would fade. I thought I’d move on and do just like I’d been doing my entire life . . .
“Making lemonade,” I said, finishing the sentence for him.
He took my hands in his. “Yes. Only that didn’t happen. I missed you, Paige. More with each passing day.”
“I missed you too.” Summoning my courage, I met his eyes. “I’m in love with you, Cannon.”
“God, I’ve been waiting to hear those words for so long, princess.” He brought his mouth to mine, pressing a sweet kiss to my lips.
“Then why did you let me go so easily?” I asked, leaning into his touch.
“I didn’t want you to compromise your friendship with Allie for me. And you’re a grown woman, Paige. I figured you could decide what you wanted.”
I nodded. His answer made sense. “And what is it that you want?”
“You want to know what I want, princess?”
I gulped, nodding.
Suddenly he had me pinned beneath him on the couch, our wineglasses forgotten on the coffee table, the hard length of his body pressing into mine. I released a strangled groan when I felt the hard bulge of his manhood between my legs.
“I want you like this, every day for the rest of my life.”
His words were so brutally honest that I could only choke out a shaky breath before pressing my lips to his.
Claiming my mouth with a searing kiss, Cannon rocked into me, both of us breathing raggedly. “Christ, you’re so perfect for me, Paige. Say yes to this. To us.”
Pulling back just a fraction, I met his soulful gaze. I saw all the love, devotion, and commitment I’d ever dreamed about.
“What’s in it for me?” I asked playfully.
Cannon’s gaze turned sinful and he leaned in to kiss me, showing me exactly what was in it for me.
He had me naked and writhing beneath him in about three seconds flat, but from there, he took his time loving me—on the couch, the kitchen counter, and then in the bed until I was a boneless heap.
Falling in love didn’t feel like I thought it would—like I was losing a piece of myself to a man. No, it felt like I was gaining something else instead. Something bigger than just me. But I knew this something was so big and unpredictable that it had the power to completely destroy me if it went sideways.
For now, it seemed we had overcome our first hurdle. I just didn’t know what would happen next.
Epilogue
Paige
As I shampooed and lathered and shaved and exfoliated, I thought of nothing but Cannon. Mindlessly going through the motions, I scrubbed every inch of skin under the hot spray of water until I was pink and boneless.
He’d spent a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, and I was missing him like crazy. Today marked my two-week anniversary of moving to Denver. I would start my new job on Monday, and while I was a little scared, I was also ready to stop mooching off of Cannon. I’d always worked, and so this felt foreign to me. I’d spent two weeks almost bouncing off the walls, ready to be productive. Cannon told me to relax and enjoy my time off, but I’d struggled with that concept and was glad it was almost over. I also missed Enchilada something fierce, but he was living with Susanne, and I knew she needed him and his sweet companionship more than I did.
Living with Cannon was an easy adjustment since we were already used to sharing a space. But this time it was even better. Instead of two separate bedrooms, we shared one room. We’d grown closer than ever these past few weeks, even making plans to travel abroad and do the humanitarian work we were both interested in. And last night, Cannon had even brought up the topic of weddings, asking which type I’d prefer, small and intimate or an all-out celebration. I could only imagine it was his way of hinting that a proposal might be coming soon, an idea I was totally on board with.
Stepping out of the shower, I saw his towel hanging neatly next to mine. Last night we’d cooked dinner together, and then he’d left for an all-night shift, kissing me softly on the mouth before he went.
Wrapped in a towel with a turban on my head, I grabbed a bottle of water from the kitchen, then sat down on the edge of our bed.
After blow-drying my hair and applying light makeup, I tidied up the apartment dressed only in my robe. I still had about twenty minutes before Cannon was due home.
As I rubbed coconut-scented lotion into my skin, I was suddenly struck by an idea. I quickly rummaged through the back of the closet until I found it—the sexy nurse costume I’d worn two years ago when Allie had talked me into that Halloween bar crawl. The night had been a disaster. Allie had run into an ex-flame from high school, and we’d hidden in the alley to avoid him. All the good this costume had done for me, escaping to the darkness for no one to see. We’d sipped our cocktails out of little plastic cups, cursing her ex’s name, and then left a short time later. I wasn’t even sure why I’d packed this in the move.
I slid the white thigh-high nylons up my legs, satisfaction blooming in my chest. Maybe this would give me the boost of confidence I needed to get out of my funk. I just prayed Cannon would play along. I added the inappropriately short white skirt that barely skimmed the top of my thighs and the matching top, which was so tight and low cut, it hugged every curve of my waist, forcing my breasts to spill out over the top. Then I faced the full-length mirror and smiled at my reflection.
Do I look silly or sexy? I couldn’t tell.
The click of the front door opening hit me like a tidal wave, and panic rose in my chest.
“Paige?” Cannon called from the front hall.
The rich timbre of his voice sent me spiraling toward desire as I stepped through the doorway and stopped. He stood in the hallway, and his mouth dropped open when he saw me.
“Wanna play doctor?” I asked, using my most sultry tone.
Cannon didn’t answer—just continued feasting his eyes over my skin, his expression growing darker.
The thin cotton scrubs he wore left little to the imagination, and as he became aroused by what he saw, his erection tented the front of his pants.
The situation was so playful, so silly, that with anyone else, I would have giggled. But not with this man. Cannon stalked toward me like a cheetah stalks a gazelle. He was all intense masculine energy, his gaze penetrating and possessive.
He took me in his arms, kissing me deeply. “Fuck, you look hot,” he groaned when he finally pulled away.
“Did you have a good day at work, han
dsome?” I smiled up at him, loving the way he looked in his scrubs, loving the way his strong hands settled on my waist. I loved everything about him.
“Let’s just say I’m happy to be home.”
I smiled again. Home. It really was. We’d built a home together, and it had all happened so fast. But all of our routines fell into place, all of our hopes and dreams aligned. All that was left to do was enjoy it.
I couldn’t imagine a day would come where I wouldn’t want this man with every fiber of my being. And no matter what life might throw at us, I knew without a doubt that together, we would always make lemonade.
Up Next in This Series
Smith Hamilton has it all—he’s smart, good-looking, and loaded. But he remembers a time when he had nothing and no one, so he’s not about to mess up, especially with his best friend’s little sister. That means keeping Evie at arm’s length . . . even though the once pesky little girl is now a buxom bombshell. A sexy blonde who pushes his self-control to the limit the night she crawls into bed with him.
Evie Reed knows she’s blessed—with an exclusive education, a family who loves her, and a new job managing social media for her family’s lingerie company. But she wants more, like a reason to wear the sexy lingerie herself. She has just the man in mind to help with that. She’s crushed on Smith forever. Surely tricking her way into his bed will force him to see her in a new, adult way.
Except that when Evie’s plan leads to disaster, she and Smith must decide—ignore the attraction sizzling between them, or become play mates and risk it all.
What’s sexier than a bad boy? A badass man who’s got his shit together.
Max Alexander is nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company and conquered the business world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life.
His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot.