Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six (41 page)

Cade held Andie’s hand and let her hold the baby as they walked into the rehab facility. The ocean breeze had cooled down the west size of the city, and Andie’s presence helped him calm down after his conversation with Rob. She was so good to him, like a guiding light to a ship in a storm, his safe harbor of love and affection.

“I’ll help you with whatever you need to investigate,” Andie said. “When Roxanne gets back, I’ll make friends with her, and maybe she’ll shed more light on this strange deal you have with Bret’s biological father.”

“Thanks, sweetie.” He kissed her hair and breathed in her passion flower and coconut scent, just another thing he loved about her. “I hate getting between you and your mom. Maybe you should go back to New York, even if it’s just for a visit. I’m sure your father really does miss you.”

“He does, but Mom’s over the top. It’s so creepy how she doesn’t believe your story, like she thinks Bret is really your son and you made up this anonymous rich guy. I mean, you have no motive to do that since I’d already accepted that you’d gotten Roxanne pregnant.” She interlaced her fingers with his and graced him with a sweet smile. “Even though I don’t remember everything we did, I feel like I’ve known you my entire life.”

Her trust penetrated the tightness in his chest and wrapped around him like a lifeline.

“I wish you could remember some of the awesome things we did. We had some really good times, both in New York and here, but I’m okay with making new memories.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Me, too.” She kissed the top of Bret’s head. “My mom thinks I’m stupid for falling in love with someone else’s baby, but how could I not care about him? It’s not his fault he’s got some strange parents who don’t want to take care of him.”

“That’s another reason why I love you so much. Your heart is as big as Texas and what your mother sees as naïveté, I see as innocence and a belief in the goodness of the world.” He pressed his lips on hers, holding the kiss, but not deepening it since they were close to his mother’s room at the rehab facility. “I will never, ever destroy your trust, because it is so precious to me. You are precious.”

“So are you.” She gave his lower lip a tug. “And so is your baby boy. Even though he’s not yours biologically, he feels like he’s yours. I love his eyes, and look how strong he is.”

“Yep, that’s my boy.” Cade tugged at Bret’s feet as his little legs kicked like he was riding a bicycle and he wiggled in Andie’s arms.

The door to his mother’s room was open since she expected them. Her face lit up at the sight of Andie holding the baby, and she held her arms out to hug her.

“I’m so glad you’re out of the hospital,” Barbara said. “How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good.” Andie handed the baby to her. “I haven’t regained my memory, so I might forget things we did or talked about.”

“It’s quite all right. I’m always losing chunks of memory.” She laughed, but stopped when she met Cade’s eye.

“Mom, you scared me to death when I saw you lying there with the used syringe.”

“You’ve been calling me Mom.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “I don’t deserve it.”

“Stop saying that.” He took her hand and rubbed it, tracing the scars and needle tracks on her arm. “As long as I call you ‘Mom,’ I give you a reason to take care of yourself.”

Andie blinked as if she had tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his mother. “We all care about you. Now that you have Bret, you’ll want to be there for everything: his first tooth, learning to walk, birthday parties, and when he plays T-ball for the first time.”

“T-ball?” Cade crossed his arms and frowned. “My son’s not playing baseball.”

“It’s safer, and I think he looks cute in pinstripes.”

“Is that why you dressed him in a NY Yankees outfit?”

Cade’s mother sighed and kissed Bret. “I feel so happy when all of you are around. I had no reason to go back to the drugs. I wasn’t looking for it. I swear.”

“So, what happened?”

“I opened the package, and it was like I was possessed. When I saw those packets, so white and waxy, and a syringe and spoons all there ready for me, I wanted to throw up. I mean, I took a long walk first, then went to the backyard and threw it in the garbage can, but I ended up fishing it out and you know …” She hung her head. “I’m sorry.”

Cade put his arm around her. “I know you are, but you’re staying here until we find out who’s behind the packages, and since you’re here, I have to pay the bills at your house so I’ll need the login and password for your bank account.”

“Sure, I wish I could go home, but I’ll write it down for you.” She held onto the baby and dug through her drawer for a pen and piece of paper. “I feel like such a loser.”

“Do you have any idea who would send you drugs?” Cade took the password from her and folded it up before putting it in his pocket. “Any friends who thought they owed you something?”

“Nope, beats me. I lost touch with most of them once I got clean.” She sagged down onto the bed, looking exhausted. “That was some good stuff. I mean, it hit me straight up just like the old days back before the Mexicans got into the game.”

“Well that stuff almost killed you.” Cade crossed his arms. “It’s not worth it.”

“I know, but it almost brought me back to that first time, the perfect high, when I was riding the dragon and flying, suspended in a cocoon of heavenly goodness.”

“Fake goodness. Broken promises. Lies. I’ve never touched the stuff, because God knows I wouldn’t be half as strong as you to come clean for as long as you have.”

“You can do it, Barb,” Andie said. “You have to. For us, and for Bret, but most of all, for you.”

A tear trailed down his mother’s face. “I wish I had your faith, Andie. Never stop believing in real goodness and true love.”

# # #

“I’m still coming to the game,” Andie said to Cade after they’d driven home and put baby Bret in his bassinet for the night.

“Why? To watch me sit on the bench? You should spend time with your mother. Maybe take her out. Roxanne’s coming back. Funny how fast she appeared once I offered to pay her.”

“Pfft. Pay her to watch her own son?” Andie couldn’t help the sneer curling her upper lip. “Tell her not to bother. I’ll stay home with Bret. My mom’s not the type to go out, and she could probably use the rest or read her Bible.”

“So you changed your mind about the game?” Cade took her hand and pulled her onto his bed. “Move in with me.”

She poked his ribs. “I’m already living in your house.”

“I know, but in another room and sleeping in the same bed with your mother.”

“I can’t.” Andie’s heart stuttered. “It would be flaunting it in her face.”

“You’re a grown woman, you have needs.” Cade nuzzled the shell of her ear, whispering.

Andie leaned back, arching against him, as her insides creamed, and warm tingles stirred her desire. She was absolutely incapable of resisting Cade Prescott, not that he’d given her any reason to. “How about I move into the room across the hall?”

“That’s Roxanne’s room.” He shook his head. “I want you here in my bed, so she doesn’t get any ideas.”

Ideas? An alarm bell clanged and jerked Andie from the lustful fog she was smothered in. Hadn’t Roxanne stayed across the hall from Cade the entire time Andie was in the hospital? Had she tried anything with him then?

“I thought she wasn’t into you.” Andie couldn’t help the quaver in her voice.

“She’s not.” Cade snapped a little too quickly. “Before your mom showed up, I was planning on moving in with you and letting my mother stay in this master suite with Bret. Maybe I can still do that after your mother returns to New York?”

“I don’t know.” Andie avoided his intent gaze.

“You seem hesitant? Is everything okay?” Cade touched her cheek. “I don’t want to scare you. Just tell me to back off.”

“No, you don’t scare me at all.” Andie hooked her arm around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Forget about ruining the mood. She’d tell him about Declan’s threats tomorrow or think of a way to weasel out of the deal. Somewhere out there in all of Los Angeles was a woman who’d gladly take on the job. She just had to find her. Sylvia might know of someone.

At this moment, she had Cade right where she wanted him, and she wasn’t going to spend one more second worrying.

With a light moan, she brought him to her lips and kissed him, loving the way he felt, all hard and tender at the same time. She caressed the back of his neck, dragged her fingers through his fuzzy cropped hair, and moved her lips slowly, lazily exploring his mouth, lingering on the fullness of his bottom lip between hers, then his upper lip, grizzly with pinpricks of stubble.

Gently she pressed him down onto the bed so they were side by side, facing each other, and she looped a leg over his hip and an arm over his shoulder while her other hand unbuttoned his shirt and slid over the hard planes of his chest.

She’d been wild and crazy last night, riding him hard, but tonight she just wanted to savor, to draw out their pleasure with a slow, loving burn.

Whatever tomorrow brought, no one could take tonight away from her.

# # #

Cade glided his fingers through Andie’s mane of fiery red hair, his gaze intent on every curve of her gorgeous face. She was so incredibly beautiful, so feminine and perfect in every way. The fact that she’d gone with him to visit his mom at the rehab facility spoke more than words ever could. She was the woman he’d never known he’d needed—the one who responded to him and cared about him, felt for him, and stayed at his side.

He stroked the sensitive area behind her ear and gazed in her eyes, green like precious jewels. “Is it working? Are you remembering what we felt before the accident?”

“I don’t need to remember.” Andie’s lips slipped into a faint smile. “Because I’m falling for you all over again.”

Billows of emotion swelled in Cade’s heart. She was opening her heart to him again. And this time, it was sweeter than ever. She knew his baggage and all the trouble he came with, and still, she cared for him—maybe more.

He trailed his finger over her upper lip, letting her kiss it, and then nuzzled his nose against hers. The moment was still too sacred to dive into a wet, hungry kiss. Instead, he brought her face close to his, relishing the gift she’d bestowed by her presence.

Her eyelashes fluttered against his face, tiny butterfly kisses, and he drank in her scent, perfume mixed with her essence, and relaxed in her embrace.

For once, he was no longer an outsider, looking in at other people who belonged. With Andie, he would always be included in her innermost circle.

He dotted kisses over her face, brushing her cheeks with his fingers, and soon his lips found hers, wet, open, and willing. He kissed her gently at first, sipping her lips like fine champagne, but when her hands weaved their way down his chest to his waist, desire kicked up a notch, or two, and even though he wanted to take it slow, he couldn’t fend off the fiery licks of passion building between them.

He deepened the kiss, drawing out a mewing moan as his hands caressed her breasts. Not wanting to plunge and devour her yet, he moved away from her lips to nibble at her earlobe, whispering, “What would you like me to do with you? My sweet love.”

She moaned loudly as she squirmed in his arms. The leg looped over him tightened and she breathed harder, panting sweet puffs of need against his cheek. “Everything. I want you, Cade. All of you.”

Oh yeah. He wanted to taste all of her, too, savor every moment with her. “I want to love you, Andie, and cherish you, take care of your every need and want.”

Her gasp and the way she held him closer did more to gratify his heart than any words could ever do.

Flipping her onto her back, he lifted her tank top and helped her pull it over her head while she removed her bra. He sucked in a breath at the beauty unveiled for his eyes only. Her rosy nipples peaked up, reaching for him over the sweet curves of her firm, round breasts.

“So beautiful,” he breathed as he drew one breast into his mouth and caressed the other one. His tongue rolled around her nipple and he licked and sucked, causing her to arch and pant. The invitation was too much to wait for, and he immediately buried his face between them and feasted while she made the sexiest sounds deep in her throat.

“I love you, Andie.” The words slipped from his mouth when he rose for air. “You have no idea how much.”

“Oh, I do.” Her voice was a cross between a sigh and a whisper. “There’s no love like Cade. You said that in a dream.”

“I did, eh? Then I’ll have to show you.”

He lowered his mouth to her belly and kissed his way down to the waistband of her jeans while massaging her breasts. She was softness in just the right places, but also strong and kindhearted. Even as he wished he could take it slow, his body ached to bury deep inside of her, to stroke her and love her, and to know her to the core.

The pink flush of desire radiated over her fair skin as he unzipped her jeans and pulled them down. Holy hell! She wasn’t wearing any underwear.

Cade’s cock hardened further as fire blazed through his veins. He spread her legs around his shoulders and licked her inner thighs while probing a finger into her channel. She was hot, juicy, and so ready for him, and if his cock weren’t trapped inside his pants, he’d jump the gun and finish everything too soon.

Instead, he dragged his eager tongue between her folds, licking the sweet honey between her thighs. His finger curled into the knot of pleasure inside, making her wiggle and squirm, as he circled her clit and kissed it with his lips. Swiping his tongue in long strokes, he drank in her juices, his body shaking with urgent passion.

Her mewing sounds made his dick throb and the pulses building up in her had him almost creaming in his too tight jeans. He lapped her with his tongue and thrust two fingers into her. She gasped and grabbed his shoulders, bending and flexing her body as her breathing sped and she panted, “Cade, Cade, Cade.”

His fingers thrust faster, building to a fevered frenzy. She tightened her thighs and he kissed and flicked her clit at a rapid pace. With his free hand, he grabbed her ass, digging into her flesh. She jolted and arched, and the spasm grew from deep inside her, rising into an explosive orgasm, and she came with a burst of taste in his mouth.