Cade James is a man’s man. Not only is he tall, dark, and handsome, but he’s wise, kind, and sexy as hell. He really is the whole package.
“I love them,” I gush and don’t care if I’ve used the L word twice now. “I’m like seriously in love with them.” A horrible thought comes to mind—I can’t take them! This totally goes against anything platonic I’ve touted to my friends. “I’ll make a point to visit them every single day.” I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in. “Is that okay with you?”
His brows furrow again, making my stomach pinch with the heat of ten thousand sunsets. I’ve never met a comelier man in all my life.
“That’s perfect with me. In fact, if they keep you coming back—” He buries a kiss just under my right earlobe. I don’t know if Cade has caught onto the fact I’ve all but disowned the left side of my face. I’m damn sure he’s seen it for what it is by now. He’s all but given up on sending sugar to that side of my facial landscape, and for that I’m forever grateful. “I’m going to keep them coming.”
A dirty gurgle of a laugh gets buried in my throat just as he lands a heated wet kiss to the divot in my neck. “Are you going to keep me coming?”
“Oh, sweetie”—now it’s his turn to growl out a laugh—“I plan on it.” His kisses become more ravenous as he massages me with that velvet soft tongue all the way to my shoulder. He pulls back and looks at me with drugged, glossy eyes that scream I’m-going-to-bed-you-down-and-dirty more than they do anything that has to do with the L word, and that’s fine by me. “You feeling this tonight?” He wraps his finger around a curl just off my neck. Cade has made it a point to make sure we’re on the same page just about every time we’re together. I’d like to think he’s a gentleman that way and not reading off some script gifted to him by the anti-assault squad on campus. Either way, it works for me.
“I’m feeling it.” I pull his hips hard to mine before diving my hands down into the back of his boxers and giving that rock-hard ass of his a firm squeeze. “In fact, you better watch out, Hot Buns, because I am feeling a little bit hungry tonight.”
A dark laugh strums from his chest. “Eat all you want, sweetheart.” His eyes remain hooded and drugged. “I’m open all fucking night.” Cade kisses me through a smile. “How did I get so lucky?”
“You’re not lucky—you’re just with me.” I go to lead him into the bedroom, and he gently reels me back, landing me in his hard as rock arms.
The smile evaporates from his lips as his eyes wander over my face, and I hold my breath and let him. There, see me. I dare him with my heated gaze to say what he’s thinking.
“You are beautiful,” he utters the words without the trace of a smile on his face. “Yes, you,” he says it with a harsh kick as if to emphasize his point. “And I am the luckiest man on this planet to get to love your body the way I want—the way I need to.” He gives my waist a squeeze, and his lips curve up just for me. “I want you, Cassidy. You’re sweet, funny, kind—and have I mentioned generous in bed?” That wicked grin of his bounces back to his lips. “I need you to know those things, but more importantly, I need you to believe them.”
“Do you believe them?” It comes out genuine, not an ounce of smartass anywhere in sight.
“Hell yes, I believe them.” His head ticks back a notch as if to emphasize his point. “I wouldn’t have said them if they weren’t true.”
Cade drills those navy eyes of his into mine, and I can’t seem to look away, don’t want to. He cups my cheeks and I flinch, but he holds me gently like that as he pulls me in closer, ever so closer until his lips land soft over mine. He dots a kiss to my nose and then carefully presses his blessed by God lips to my left cheek.
Tears come, and I close my eyes. I’m sure my trembling lids say just about everything I’m feeling.
Dear God, he’s there. He’s acknowledging my injury, the rawest part of who I am in the most incredible way.
Cade pulls me in and kisses me with everything in him, a wild, delicious, probing kiss that glorifies the art of making love more than anything I’ve ever experienced before. He presses his hand to the small of my back and joins our bodies at the hips, hard and urgent.
My fingers fumble for the button on his jeans, and he digs a condom out before shaking it out.
“Always prepared?”