Out of Turn (43 page)

“A picnic?” I said, delighted. I crawled to the basket and opened it. “It’s been ages since I went on a picnic.”

“You like eating in the dirt, bugs getting on your food, and grass sticking to your ass?”

I laughed, pulling out the containers Mona had packed. “Now who’s the princess?” I teased.

Kade grinned at my joke, the genuine smile wiping away the hard edge in his eyes. I quickly glanced away, my heart hurting because he looked like that so rarely.

“So let’s see,” I said, removing lids. “Fried chicken, grapes, cheese, strawberries, and brownies. Yum.” I reached
farther into the basket and pulled out a cold bottle of white wine. “It seems she remembered everything,” I said, my eyebrows climbing. Surely, Mona wasn’t playing matchmaker?

“Except silverware,” Kade said, peering into the basket.

“You don’t need silverware with fried chicken,” I said, rolling my eyes.

I handed Kade a corkscrew from the basket and he opened the wine. We ate, passing the wine back and forth like teenagers sneaking a bottle of booze. I teased him about his reluctance to get his fingers greasy with the chicken.

“You are such a baby,” I said, grinning. I clambered over to him and held up a chicken leg. “Some things are meant to be a little messy.”

His grin turned wicked. “I don’t mind messy. In fact, I have a whole list of activities that are meant to be messy. Coincidentally, they all involve you. Clothing optional.”

My pulse quickened and my smile faded.

I was really going to miss him.

Kade’s grin melted away, too, as we stared into each other’s eyes. I dropped the chicken leg, leaned forward, and kissed him.

I could taste the wine on his tongue and I buried my fingers in his silky hair. My body pressed against his and his arms crept around my waist to pull me closer.

When he lifted his head, we were both breathing hard. My hands moved to cup his face. The soft shadow on his jaw was a gentle abrasion against my lips as I pressed my mouth to his cheek. I brushed kisses along his jaw and down his neck, my fingers moving to the buttons of his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“You have to ask?” I murmured against his skin, freeing more buttons.

His hands grabbed mine, stilling them.

“I heard you and Blane arguing,” he said. “Is this about getting back at him?”

I couldn’t blame him for asking. The way the three of us were tied so closely together, it was an obvious question.

“This has nothing to do with him,” I said, looking into his eyes. “It’s about us. You and me.”

I reached behind me and slid down the zipper of my dress. Standing, I dragged it over my head and tossed it aside. The look on Kade’s face made me glad I’d worn a lace bra and panty set that was the palest ivory, nearly matching my skin.

I straddled his legs and settled myself on his lap. His hands automatically moved to my back. I pressed my mouth to his once, twice, then looked into the ocean-blue of his eyes.

“Are you going to make me ask?”

My question seemed to break through Kade’s stunned immobility, his mouth taking mine with a fevered desperation.

It was an easy decision, wanting Kade to make love to me. I loved him, though I couldn’t tell him that. Blane and I were over, and there was no future for Kade and me. I had a brief moment of regret. That day I’d first seen him in the courthouse… Maybe if I’d said something then—

But what was past was past and I couldn’t change it. What I could do was make a memory.

Sunlight filtered through the trees as the last of the clouds drifted away, bathing us in a warm glow. Kade’s hair
shone like a raven’s wing in the light. His hand brushed my hair as he kissed me. I pushed his shirt off his shoulders and down his arms. His hands left me briefly while he shrugged off the garment, then were back and sliding up my back to unhook my bra.

I broke off our kiss, smiling softly at him as I tossed aside the scrap of lace. Our bodies pressed together and my breath caught at the feel of his skin against mine. Hearing Kade’s groan, I guessed he felt the same.

He touched me so carefully, so reverently, as if I weren’t real, that I might disappear at any moment. His head bent to my breast, the heat of his mouth closing over my nipple. The gentle suction of his mouth sent a direct current along the nerve tracing between my legs and I moaned.

Kade licked and stroked and caressed me as though we had an eternity together, until I felt as though my skin was on fire from the inside out. My panties were long gone, removed at some point by Kade, and now I lay on my back, his hand between my legs.

I clutched at his shoulders as he kissed me, the strokes of his fingers making my thighs tremble. His mouth moved to my breast again, his tongue doing things that made me whimper. His hand moved faster between my parted thighs, my knees bent and open shamelessly wide.

Kade’s head lifted and I felt his eyes on me, but I couldn’t stop the wave of intense pleasure that crashed over me and I cried out with the force of it.

When I opened my eyes, Kade was watching. Embarrassment struck and heat flooded my cheeks.

“You look like a goddess,” he said roughly. “The sunlight on your skin, your breasts. Your hair like a river of gold
against the grass. This”—his hand moved, a long finger still inside me—“hot and wet for me, like liquid silk.”

I found his belt and loosened it, undoing the button and sliding the zipper down. Kade helped me get rid of his pants and my mouth ran dry at the sight of him, fully naked in the warm sunshine.

The breeze rustled the trees, cooling my overheated skin. I went willingly into Kade’s arms, our mouths melding in mutual need.

He lay down on his back, pulling me astride him. “It’s only fair my skin take the brunt of this, princess,” he said. “My hide’s thicker than yours.”

He was hard and heavy in my hand, his eyes drifting closed at my touch, his brow creasing as though he struggled for control. I lifted myself up and sank down onto him, going slowly when I felt a twinge inside, letting my body relax to accommodate his length.

I memorized how Kade looked lying on the summer grass. His chest was carved muscle, the faint scars that marked his past nearly invisible in the sunshine. His eyes were so blue, they seemed to reflect the sky overhead, the look in them as he watched me something I knew I’d never forget.

Kade’s hands settled on my hips, keeping me steady and I rose and fell on him. Sweat broke out on his forehead as I rose until he was nearly outside my body, then slowly sank back down. A groan left his lips and I smiled.

“I take that back,” he said. “You’re not a princess but an evil witch, bent on torturing me.”

I repeated the move, my body molded to his size now so it wasn’t uncomfortable. His fingers dug into my hips so hard, I knew I’d have marks later, not that I cared.

“I wouldn’t want you to, you know”—I bent down to whisper in his ear—“forget.” I was teasing but the look on Kade’s face was serious when he replied.

“As if I could ever forget you.”

I sat back up, pushing him in deeper. My hands splayed across his chest as I moved faster on him.

“That’s right,” he encouraged. “Don’t stop, baby.” His grip tightened, his hips thrusting up hard into me.

Something close to a scream ripped from my throat as my body convulsed around his. Kade thrust again, and again, then he shouted his climax even as mine kept going, spurred on by the spasms of his cock inside me.

Afterward, I was boneless, falling forward to rest on his chest, my head tucked into his neck. Both our bodies were slick with sweat and I was glad of the breeze. Kade’s hand brushed my hair back from my face, his fingers trailing through the long strands to draw lazy patterns on my back.

“I told you I don’t mind certain messes,” Kade said.

I smiled. “So you did.”

We lay like that for a while, our bodies still joined, our hearts beating in unison. If I could have, I’d have taken the moment and pressed it between the pages of my mind, to keep it with me, this fresh and pure, always. I committed to memory the smell of the balmy breeze as it drifted across us, the feel of Kade’s body, warm and strong underneath mine, the sound of his heartbeat, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Finally, I rose, pressing a kiss to Kade’s lips before I got to my feet. I dragged my dress over my head while Kade pulled on his pants. I held my hair out of the way while he slid the zipper up the back of my dress. He kissed my neck, his arms crossing over my stomach as he held me.

“I need to get to work,” I said.

“Which reminds me, I have something for you.”

I turned around and he handed me a key.

“What’s this for?” I asked.

“Your apartment is done. That’s a key to the new lock.”

My stomach seemed to drop. I hadn’t been prepared for this, though I should have been. Of course it was time to go home now. Time to remove myself from Blane’s and Kade’s lives. My hand fisted around the key, its edges biting into my palm.

“Thank you,” I said, avoiding his eyes and hurriedly blinking back the tears in mine.

“You okay?” Kade asked.

“Fine,” I said, grabbing my bra and shoes. I didn’t see my panties anywhere. “Just need to get going. Tell Mona thanks for the picnic.”

Kade grabbed me around the waist and kissed me until I was breathless. “I’ll come by later,” he murmured against my lips. “After I take care of James.”

“Don’t kill him,” I said. “Promise me.”

“I don’t like making promises,” he said.

“Promise me this,” I persisted, looking into his eyes.

Kade’s lips pressed in a thin line and he didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded. I smiled softly and gave him one last tight squeeze.

“Did you bring my car?” I asked.

“That piece of shit you drive now?”

“That piece of shit is cheap and gets me where I’m going,” I teased. We exchanged keys and Kade picked up the basket, walking me back to the car.

He opened the door for me, then pressed another kiss to my lips, as though now that he knew he could kiss me, he didn’t want to stop.

“The fact that you’re wearing nothing under that prim and proper dress is all kinds of hot,” he whispered in my ear.

A shiver went through me and I laughed, reluctantly pushing him away. “I’ll see you later, okay? Be careful.”

Kade watched me get in the car and drive away—and if tears poured down my face as I glanced in the rearview mirror, there was no one to see.

My apartment was as good as new—better, actually. New carpet, paint, and furniture. I assumed I had Kade to thank for the furniture.

I’d just gotten dressed in my work uniform when there was a knock at the door. I glanced through the peephole and recognized my landlord, Mike. About my height, he was stocky, but from too much beer rather than working out.

“Hi,” I said when I opened the door. “The place looks great. Thanks for taking care of it.”

“Yeah, well, fixing the damage from the accident wasn’t cheap,” he said, the belligerence in his tone taking me aback. He handed me an envelope.

“What’s this?” I said as I opened it.

“The bill.”

My jaw dropped. “But… this is for over three thousand dollars!”

“Like I said, the repairs weren’t cheap.”

“I don’t have this kind of money,” I protested.

He shrugged. “You’ve got two weeks to pay it or I sue you. Your choice.” He turned away and jogged down the stairs.

Shit.

No time to think about that right now, though. I hurried into the bathroom to smear makeup over the
J
still visible on my chest. The deep V-neck shirt didn’t cover it at all. Makeup at least made it less obvious.

I took a deep breath before going into The Drop. I really hoped no one besides Tish knew about what had happened with James, but I didn’t hold out a lot of hope for that.

Scott was working as well, and he did a double take when he saw me. I gave him a tentative smile as I stowed my purse under the bar.

“Hey,” he said, coming up next to me, “I heard about what happened, and I have to tell you how sorry I am for leaving you alone that night.” He was so upset, so sincere, I had to give him a hug.

“It’s okay,” I said. “It wasn’t your fault.”

His hug was tighter than I expected. “I never should have left you alone,” he said.

“Stop beating yourself up,” I said. “I’m fine.”

Scott pulled back, a wry smile on his lips. “I heard you kicked his ass. I had no idea you were such a badass.”

“I’m full of surprises,” I teased, glad that apparently Romeo hadn’t shown the video to anyone.

“Kathleen!”

I turned around in time to see Tish right before she flung her arms around me.

“Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay!” she said, choking up.

She was practically strangling me, but I held on to her, thankful for my friends.

“I’m fine,” I assured her when she finally let go. Her eyes were wet with tears. “Don’t cry or you’ll ruin your makeup,” I admonished her with a smile.

Tish sniffed and smiled a little back. “I hope it was okay to give the DVD to that guy,” she said quietly so only I could hear. “Since he had your phone and you were staying with him, I figured you trusted him.”