Consulting his watch, Kade decided to wake her, since it was almost ten a.m. She would freak out about losing almost a half day’s work and missing even more would only drive her crazier. So even though he’d rather stand there gawking some more, he moved away from the door and turned his back.
“Lexie,” he called. “Time to get up.”
Nothing.
“Lex, time to get up!”
Barely audible mumbling met his ears.
“C’mon. Time to rise and shine. Tom was pretty pissed when I told him you would be late today. He said you guys got an important job in.”
“Kade! Why didn’t you wake me! Oh, my God. I could kill you!”
Kade almost dropped his coffee mug when she blew by him without a stitch of clothes on. He looked at the bed and then back at the finest female ass he’d ever seen as she streaked to the bathroom.
She disappeared inside and slammed the door shut. A moment later, he heard the shower turn on and she poked her head back out the door. “Do you have more clothes? Something I can wear to the shop? My overalls are in my locker. I’ll just change there like I usually do.”
Kade stepped a little closer, not even remotely ashamed that he wanted to see more of her. It seemed like the body heat she’d shed during the night had transferred to him. “Um, yeah. I think I do.”
“Great. And do you have an extra toothbrush? Oh, and can you get me a rubber band?” She gestured at his head. “It’s not like you’d have a hair scrunchie lying around for any reason.”
Kade arched an eyebrow. “I’ll choose not to be offended by that remark, or the way you’re ordering me around. It’s just the hangover talking.”
She dragged her frizzy hair back from her face. “Hangover? I don’t get hangovers. I’m drunk as hell the night of, but the next morning, I’m raring to go as soon as my eyes pop open. Okay, enough chitchat, sexy. Rubber band. Clothes. Toothbrush?”
That she’d just called him sexy only half mollified him. “There’s a toothbrush in the medicine chest, but there’s no rush.”
She rolled her eyes. “Hello? Yes, there is. You just told me that there’s a big job at work, remember?”
He grinned and moved closer still, but she stood behind the door enough to hide everything except a bare shoulder and her arm. “Oh, that. I just told you that to get you awake. There’s no job. Tom said you should treat yourself to a paid day off since you worked all weekend on my car. Said you earned it.”
The satisfaction her surprised reaction brought him made Kade laugh. Anger flashed in her eyes and she slammed the bathroom door, making him laugh even harder.
“Just you wait, Kade! Just you wait.”
Her yelled threat amused him, as he went to fulfill her demands. He got a rubber band from a kitchen drawer and more clothes from the chest of drawers in the spare room. On his way to the bathroom to put the items on the chair inside, he changed his mind and detoured to his living room.
He set the clothes on the couch and went to the kitchen, all part of the bungalow’s open floor plan design, to get another cup of coffee. After a few minutes, the shower turned off.
“Kade? How are we coming on those clothes?”
“Great. I got them all ready for you.”
“Where?”
“Out here.”
“What? Why out there? And why are there no towels?”
“They’re dirty.”
“You only have two towels?”
“No. There are some in the spare room.”
“Oh. Can you get me one?”
Kade set his coffee mug on the counter and opened the fridge. “I could. If I wanted to.”
Quiet met his words. “Is this payback for last night? I’m sorry I got drunk, okay? I know it ruined the celebration, but in my defense…”
Kade laughed silently as she laid out all the reasons he shouldn’t be pissed at her for getting wasted. She was pretty creative with her excuses, which wasn’t surprising, given her artistic mind.
“…so cut me some slack and don’t be a wuss about it, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now, may I please have a towel?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Fine! I’ll get it my damn self!”
The bathroom door flew open, and Lexie shuffled out, wearing—
No, he had to be imagining it. Wasn’t he?
Moving closer, he saw that his eyes weren’t deceiving him. Lexie stood glaring at him as she wore a tight dress-like garment made from tropical-theme-printed paper towels. Her hair was damp, but not dripping wet, she’d used some to dry her hair, too.
It was literally the funniest damn thing Kade had ever seen, and he erupted in laughter. He couldn’t hear her over it when she started bitching at him. She gave up after a moment and turned away, starting to shuffle towards the spare room. He went to his knees at the sight of her inching along, trying to keep the paper towels from splitting as she moved.
Even through his amusement, Kade wished that the improvised dress would do just that. The paper towels had molded perfectly to her sweet backside and hot blood shot to his groin. He’d never look at Bounty products the same way again. They truly were the quicker picker-upper, judging by how fast his cock had hardened. Struggling to get ahold of himself, Kade wondered how anything could be so hysterical and so erotic at the same time.
Lexie made it to the doorway of the spare room and stopped, leaning against the doorframe. As his laughter started subsiding, he saw Lexie’s shoulders shake and a loud giggle escape her.
“This isn’t funny!” Her voice quivered though.
Kade got to his feet and approached her. “Yes, it is. This is one hell of a fashion statement.”
Lexie bent over as a shout of laughter burst from her, and the “skirt” of her unorthodox outfit ripped up the back. She spun around, pressing her back to the wall as she shook from the force of her mirth.
Seeing her laugh and smile made Kade wish he could make that a daily occurrence in her life. While he’d been writing last night to keep his mind off his desire for Lexie, he’d concluded that his feelings for her had been stronger than he’d suspected. During the time she’d been married to Jason, he’d kept them hidden, even from himself, it seemed. It was the only explanation he had for his rapid acceleration of falling in love with her the past few weeks; he’d already been there.
And so now, he found it even more difficult to not let the words he longed to say spill forth. Biting them back, Kade gathered up the clothes he’d gotten and gave them to her.
“Get these on and I’ll make some breakfast.” He gave her a slow once-over before bending down to kiss her cheek. Ignoring the way his blood heated, he smiled, turned around, and headed for the kitchen.
Lexie sobered as he walked away. His blue tank top showed off his muscular arms and shoulders, and his ass looked incredible in the denim cargo shorts he wore. He was everything she could want in a man. Respectful, funny, considerate, and so hot that she sometimes felt like she was melting when he was near. It had taken every ounce of strength to stay out of his bed.
But what was stopping her from being with him? Her marriage was over even if papers weren’t signed, and he was single and unattached. They wanted each other, so what kept holding her back? Hugging the clothes to her chest, Lexie wrestled with indecision. It had been so long since she’d made love that she was afraid she’d forgotten how.
Doubtful. It’s just like riding a bike. You can do this. You want to do this. Need to do this. You deserve some happiness. Lexie took courage from her inner voice and decided that she sure as hell had lived with sorrow and despair for far too long. It was time to take her life back—truly back—and allowing herself to be with a man she cared about was a gigantic step in that process. The dark days of mourning were over. Letting Jason make her feel guilty was a waste of her life, and she’d wasted too much on him already. You couldn’t change the past, but you could try to create a future you deserved.
&nb
sp; It was a new day, and the sun was shining. Lexie let herself bask in its warm glow. A smile started and continued to grow as a sense of well-being she hadn’t experienced in what seemed like forever filled her.
Her decision made, she dropped the clothes to the floor as an idea occurred to her. “Kade? Can you come help me?”
“Be right there.”
Pots and pans rattled in the kitchen for a moment, and then Kade came walking through the living room. “What’s up?”
Trepidation gnawed at Lexie, but she refused to chicken out. Shooting him a flirtatious look, she said, “I was wondering if you’d like to help me out of this?”
Kade’s eyebrows shot up, but his eyes narrowed in suspicion seconds later. “Lexie, what are you doing?”
She took hold of the towels wrapped around her breasts and ripped them a bit.
Kade took two steps towards her, but his expression remained wary.
Holding his gaze, Lexie tore it further, exposing more cleavage, and Kade’s nostrils flared. His small but telling reaction made her feel powerful and beautiful, and she didn’t want the heady experience to end.
“Are you sure you’re not still drunk?”
Kade’s question made Lexie laugh. “I’m sure. I know you want me, Kade, and you know that I want you, too. I’ve just been stuck in my head, and I let the fact that you’re Jason’s brother get in the way. But not anymore.”
Coming to stand before her, Kade ran his knuckles down her cheek. “I’m glad you see that I’m nothing like him. I love my brother, but he’s a troubled soul. I’d never disrespect you or hurt you like that, Lex.”
Lexie fought back the tears that threatened and took his hand. She kissed his palm and rested it against her chest. “I know. I also know that you’re incredibly sexy, and that I want to be with you.”
Her heart started racing as she slid his hand down to the torn place in the paper towels. She smiled up at him, meeting his questioning gaze with a slight nod.
Instead of ripping the towels off her, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her against his body. She rose on tiptoe as he brought his mouth down on hers, winding her arms around his neck and pressing closer yet.
She parted her lips and whimpered in approval when his tongue slowly invaded her mouth. He tasted of coffee and peppermint, and she was suddenly ravenous for him. Opening her mouth wider, she deepened the kiss until they were almost devouring one another. She let out a little squeal when he lifted her off her feet and started walking.
The feel of his strong arms around her and his warm, sensual mouth on hers kept Lexie from caring about where he was taking her. It didn’t matter as long as he didn’t stop. And he didn’t until he set her back down. Her chest rose and fell rapidly from her excitement, and she ached in places she hadn’t in so long.
“God, I want you, Lexie.” His eyes smoldered with dark fire as he cupped her face. “I have for so long.”
Lexie shook her head. “I can’t believe you said nothing.”
“I’m a lot of things, but a home-wrecker isn’t one of them,” Kade said. “I’d have never come between you and—”
Lexie put a hand over his mouth. “Don’t say it. I don’t want to think about anything but you and me right now. Okay?”
Kade nodded and she drew her hand away. With a wicked grin, he hooked an index finger at the bottom of the tear in her paper dress. “Same here, but there’s something else you should know before we go any further.”
She ran her hand over his forearm. “Oh, and what’s that?”
“I love you, Lexie.”
Her lips parted on a gasp and her eyes went wide. “You what?”
“You heard me. I don’t expect to hear it back, so don’t feel pressured. I understand that you don’t feel the same way, but I just thought it was time you knew how serious I am about you.”
Tears welled in Lexie’s eyes and she shook her head a little. “I don’t know what to say. I’m not ready for that.” She squeezed her eyes shut, and a tear fell from her right eye, rolling down her cheek. “I never expected… I just thought… oh, damn it! Why the fuck does this shit keep happening to me?”
Kade laughed, his eyes shining. “That’s the oddest reaction I’ve ever heard when told that someone loves them.”
Relieved that he wasn’t angry because she couldn’t return his feelings, Lexie smiled and brushed away her tears. “You just completely blew my mind. I think I’m shell-shocked or something.”
Kade pulled her into his embrace. “Sorry about that, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to tell you. I’ve wanted to for a little while, but it worried me you’d think I was moving too fast. I know you’re not on the same page as me, but that’s okay. I don’t mind.”
The intense light in his eyes made her feel like he was looking into her soul. She tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to her. Lexie wished she could be as brave as him. He’d lain himself bare to her, made himself vulnerable in one of the most meaningful ways possible.
“I love you, and if you can’t accept that, there’s the door.”
The intense light in his eyes made her feel like he was looking into her soul, and she knew she had to decide. Could she, Lexie wondered? Was it possible for her to continue a relationship with Kade when she didn’t reciprocate his feelings? Meeting his gaze, she felt her heart take a step closer to the edge and accepted his terms.
Her mind made up, Lexie ran her hands over his shoulders, loving the firm muscles under her palms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His sexy grin flashed. “Glad to hear it. Now, I think it’s time for me to assist you like you asked me to. I want to see that delectable little body, run my hands all over you, and taste you—everywhere.”
Lexie felt weak at just the thought of it, and she almost yelled at Kade to hurry. He put pressure on the towels, and they gave way, no match for his strength. Her nipples tightened as his knuckle skimmed down her torso. He kept going until he reached the point just above her mound. His gaze collided with hers, and again he lifted a questioning eyebrow. She couldn’t say why, but she found his eyebrows fascinating. Maybe it was because they added to his expressive eyes, or maybe it was the way they enhanced their beauty.
She nodded her assent and then gasped when he rent the paper towels the rest of the way. They fell to the floor with only a whisper of sound, and Lexie felt a little vulnerable as she stood naked before Kade.
“Holy shit, Lex.”
It amazed Lexie that this man who’d written a gazillion words in his lifetime could still say so much with so few. His gaze raked over her, traveling upwards until he reached her eyes.
“You’re even hotter than I ever imagined you’d be.” He wrapped one arm around her and slid his other hand down her side and around to squeeze her butt cheek. “I’ve never seen a finer ass. It used to drive me crazy whenever you wore a bikini.”
Lexie giggled as he spun her around, and she realized they were in Kade’s room. It was bright and airy with large windows. Sheer curtains provided privacy but allowed plenty of light and fresh air into the room.
He pressed against her from behind, still exploring her rear end as he urged her towards his queen-size bed. As soon as her knees touched it, he ran his hands up her to cup her breasts. Lexie’s head fell back against his shoulder as he gently kneaded them. She couldn’t stand still when he started grazing his fingers over her taut nipples.
Hot need pooled between her thighs as he teased and caressed them. He kissed her shoulder and she shivered at the contact. She pressed her hands over his, inviting him to squeeze a little harder.
“You feel so good in my hands,” he murmured in her ear as he complied with her unspoken request. “Not too big, not too small, just perfect.”
Lexie smiled. “Sounds like Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
“Well, the guy who wrote that sure knew what he was talking about.”
Kade bit her earlobe, and Lexie almost went to her knees as a jolt
of pleasure shot straight to her core. “Oh god,” she moaned. He sucked on it, and Lexie thought she would lose her mind with excitement. She grabbed one of his hands and drew it down to the juncture between her thighs.
Chapter Sixteen
Lexie’s assertiveness made it hard not to throw her on the bed and drill her into the mattress, but Kade wanted this to be an amazing experience for both of them. Especially since he was sure she hadn’t been with a guy in quite a while. Even though she hadn’t said so, it made sense to him. She’d been going through too much hell to think about hooking up with some random dude.
He didn’t want to be a random anything to Lexie. He wanted to be everything to her, but the most important thing was bringing her maximum pleasure. This was a huge step forward for her, for them both, and he refused to screw it up by rushing things.
So, even as he cupped her pretty little shaved mound, he did his best to ignore his rock-hard dick and concentrate on her. He slid a finger between her slick folds as he continued paying attention to her ear and found her clitoris. Her feminine cry had him gritting his teeth as he curbed his reaction.
Kade drew gentle circles around the swollen nub but didn’t give her exactly what she sought, because he wanted to see her face the first time he made her come. She pressed her hips forward, seeking release, but Kade withdrew his hand.
Her groan of frustration as she turned to face him made him chuckle.
“Why did you do that?” Her eyes flashed fire at him. “I was almost there.”
“Oh, I know you were, but I want to do something you’ll enjoy even more.”
She poked his chest. “It better make my eyes roll back in my head. Got it?”
“Got it.”
He took her hand and kissed it, then playfully shoved her back on the bed. Her laughter as she bounced made Kade glad that he’d opted for humor instead of being too serious. Lexie was most comfortable when she was having a good time, so he would give her fun, sensual, mind-blowing sex.
He stripped off his tank top and started undoing his jeans, but Lexie sat up on the edge of the bed and batted his hands away.
Purr For Me: Bad Boy Autos (Drive Me Wild Book 2) Page 13