Point of No Return (25 page)

My eyes suddenly popped open. Wait a second. Who said I had to wait for Kade to make the first move? If nothing else, the past few months had shown me that he wasn’t immune to the chemistry between us. If I could manage to get him back into my bed, that should put the kibosh on him shoving me at Blane. Surely not even Kade would think that I would sleep with him one moment, then get back together with Blane the next.

Excited and a little nervous, I hurried to dry my hair. Too impatient to get it fully dry, I settled on damp. Crossing the hall to my room, I dug through my closet. Surely I had some kind of sexy nightgown I could put on.

Okay, well, maybe not. I settled on the skimpiest, laciest black thong I owned. My little bump showed, but there wasn’t a thing I could do about that. I dug an old satin robe from a drawer. It was for looks only and I never wore it. It came just to the top of my thighs and was also black. I belted it around my waist, then for the final touch, I added the champagne-colored stilettos I’d gotten when Kade and I were in Vegas.

Looking in the mirror, I used my fingers to fluff my hair, then added a spray of perfume and a touch of lipstick. My intent was ever so obvious, but I didn’t care. If Kade was going to persist in being a stubborn ass, then it would take drastic measures to make him see the error of his ways.

I turned down the covers on my bed, wondering if I was being too optimistic. Well, I’d find out in a few minutes.

Taking a deep breath, I headed down the hall to the living room. I could hear Kade moving around as he settled into his makeshift bed on the couch. My heels clacked on the floor and I winced, now wishing I hadn’t worn them. Stupid stupid.

My pulse was hammering from nerves and my palms were clammy with sweat. If this didn’t work, I was going to feel like a complete and utter idiot.

I tried not to focus on that.

My steps slowed as I rounded the corner. I stopped, leaning sideways against the wall, which probably looked like I was posing, but really I needed the support so my trembling knees wouldn’t give out.

A lamp was lit, providing a soft glow in the room, and Kade glanced my way from where he lay on the couch. His entire body went still.

“I thought I’d check on you,” I said, my voice a little too high. “See if you needed, or wanted, anything.” I cringed inside. That was the best I could do? Yeah, there went my career as a telephone sex operator.

Deciding that actions spoke louder than words, I fiddled with the tie on my robe. The satin was slippery and it loosened and fell away almost immediately.

Even from the distance between us, I saw Kade’s throat move as he swallowed.

“What’re you doing, princess?” he asked, his voice soft and nearly like a touch.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” I replied. I trailed the tips of my fingers from my throat down between my breasts, the satin robe parting, just catching on my nipples. My palm splayed across my stomach, then down farther to my panties. Kade’s eyes were riveted to the path my hand took, which made my nervousness fade to nothing. When he looked at me like that, I felt beautiful, desirable. Wanted.

I took two slow, sultry steps toward him, watching as he sat up on the couch. His shirt was off and the sight of him made my mouth water. A slight shrug and the robe spilled from my shoulders, sliding down and off my arms to drop to the floor in a soft whisper of silk.

Kade groaned, a low, pained noise coming from deep in his throat.

I couldn’t help my satisfied smile. When I reached him, I didn’t hesitate. Settling my knees on either side of his hips, I straddled him. The tips of my breasts brushed his chest and I swear he ground his teeth. His hands automatically gripped my hips.

I leaned forward and tilted my head, allowing my hair to fall to the side and brush his arm as I whispered in his ear.

“What was it about this that was such a bad idea?” I teased. My lips brushed the shell of his ear and I could feel the shudder that went through him.

“I can’t fucking remember,” he rasped. His hand slid from my hip up to tangle in my hair. He closed his hand into a fist, the long strands wrapped around his fingers, which sent a sharp tug to my scalp, pulling my head back.

My pulse was racing as arousal shivered through my veins. His warm skin was against mine, my fingers tracing the contour of muscles in his shoulders. Our eyes locked, his pupils dark and dilated and surrounded by pure blue. His head bent toward me, his lips millimeters away—

A loud knock on the front door startled a shriek from me.

Kade swiftly and unceremoniously dumped me off his lap and onto the couch. Sliding his hand beneath the pillow, he pulled out his gun.

“It’s me!” called a voice through the door.

Blane.

I was cussing a blue streak inside my head as I scrambled to wrap a sheet around me before Kade pulled open the door.

“I thought you weren’t coming back until morning,” Kade said by way of greeting, and I was gratified by his tone that it wasn’t just me who wanted to scream in frustration at the interruption.

“Had a friend of yours show up at my house,” Blane said, stepping inside. “She insisted on coming along.”

I glanced up from where I was trying to cover my exposed thighs and my jaw fell open.

Branna was there.

C
HAPTER
T
WELVE

B
ranna launched herself at Kade, throwing her arms around his neck and planting her lips on his.

Blane and I watched as the kiss went on for entirely too long, in my opinion. Branna finally pulled back, then shocked me again by taking a step back and giving Kade a sound slap on his cheek.

“You’re such a bastard,” she groused in her lilting Irish accent. “You fall off the grid and don’t even tell me where you’re going. Bloody hell.”

Kade didn’t seem a bit surprised by her actions. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

“That’s a fine way to greet me,” she retorted. “I’ve been worried sick and here you’ve been”—she glanced around, zeroing in on me sitting on the couch, and it didn’t take a psychic to see the utter contempt in her eyes—“screwing the bartender in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Fucking-Indiana.”

That got my dander up pretty darn quick. “Listen, you—”

“Yeah, we gotta talk,” Kade said, cutting me off. Grabbing Branna’s arm, he hauled her toward the kitchen and out of earshot.

Blane sat down next to me on the couch. “I take it you know her?” he asked.

I glanced at him, noticed his gaze was traveling from where I clutched the sheet to my naked breasts and down to where way too much of my thighs was showing. “Um, yeah. We’ve met,” I replied. My mom had always taught me:
If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
So that’s where I left it.

“Nice shoes.”

Shit. This had turned from a good idea into a mortifying disaster. I stood, wanting to make a quick exit, but was caught up short by the rest of the sheet trapped underneath Blane.

“Um, you’re on my sheet,” I said, blushing furiously.

Blane looked singularly unrepentant. Grasping the fabric in one hand, he stood and slowly wrapped the sheet around me, getting way too close to do so and tucking the tail in the valley between my breasts.

“Looks like our arrival interrupted something,” he said softly. “Can’t say I’m sorry about that.”

I swallowed. Nice. Branna was kissing Kade while Blane was touching me way too intimately and bragging about cock-blocking Kade. Well, this had all turned to shit pretty damn fast. Yeah, let’s all three of us go on a road trip! Whose fucktastic idea had
that
been?

My ears were straining to listen to Branna and Kade in the kitchen, but I didn’t hear anything. Were they kissing again?

“I’d better go get some clothes on,” I said, avoiding Blane’s eyes. He didn’t try to stop me as I hurried down the hall, my ridiculous high heels
click-clack
ing on the floor.

Once I got to my bedroom, I hurriedly dropped the sheet, then bent to undo the stilettos strapped to my feet.

“You forgot this.”

I let out a startled cry, spinning around to see Blane standing in the doorway, my black robe in his outstretched hand. His eyes burned a path down my body.

“Blane!” I cried, making a grab for the discarded sheet and holding it in front of me. “You could’ve knocked!”

“Then I’d have missed the view,” he said, a wicked gleam in his eyes and a tilt to his lips. Before I could retort, he was gone, closing the door behind him.

I sat heavily on the edge of the bed, wondering how things had gotten so complicated so fast.

Grabbing a pair of yoga pants, I pulled them on then yanked a T-shirt over my head. In moments, I was back down the hall and found all three of them together again in the living room.

Branna was glaring at me as though she wanted to slap me the way she had Kade, or even harder. I returned the sentiment.

“We all need to get some sleep before we leave in the morning,” Kade said.

“Wait,” I interrupted. “Who’s ‘we’?” If he so much as hinted that Branna was coming along—

“All four of us,” he replied evenly.

“Oh no,” I said, shaking my head. “She is definitely
not
coming along.”

“Afraid I’ll kick your ass again, sweetie?” Branna asked, venom coating her words.

My anger wasn’t far under the surface and it sprang to life, fueled in no small part by jealousy. I shot her a glare. “Just try it, you little Irish bitch,” I hissed.

“With pleasure, hillbilly whore.”

Branna came at me and I eagerly went for her, my fingers curling into claws. I couldn’t wait to inflict some damage on her perfect, sneering face
. . .

“Whoa there!” Kade said.

Blane grabbed me just as Kade wrapped an arm around Branna, the two of them stopping us from tearing into each other. She twisted and struggled in Kade’s grip, as I did in Blane’s, but neither of us could break free, which just pissed me off even more.

“Let me go!”

“I don’t think so,” Blane replied. He sounded a bit surprised by my behavior, not that I cared. I was still fuming that the best-possible outlet for my pent-up fury had been suddenly derailed.

“You two, play nice,” Kade ordered.

“I. Hate. Her,” I seethed, glaring at the object of my intense dislike.

“The feeling is mutual,” Branna spat.

“Well, this should be fun,” Blane deadpanned, looking over at Kade.

“Enough!” Kade said. “I don’t care if you two aren’t going to be besties, but you have to get along.”

“Tell
her
that,” I gritted out. “She’s the one who has problems following directions, right, Branna?” She’d been supposed to “train” me in hand-to-hand combat, the only time Kade had asked for her assistance, but instead she had used the opportunity to beat me up. Kade had been pissed.

“I don’t like to piss away opportunities handed to me on a silver platter,” she retorted.

I’d stopped struggling against Blane, my temper temporarily under control, but his arms were still locked around me. “Let me go,” I said. “I’ll play nice if she will.” For now.

Blane slowly released me, as though he didn’t quite believe me and wanted to be able to grab me again should I launch myself at Branna. Kade similarly released Branna, who didn’t cease glaring at me.

I caught Blane and Kade glancing uneasily at each other and a slight embarrassment crept over me for my fit of temper, but I was still too consumed with dislike and jealousy to be really embarrassed.

“I only have two beds,” I said. “Mine, and the twin one upstairs. Branna will have to sleep on the floor.” I smiled coldly at her.

“She can have the bed,” Blane said. “I’ll take the floor.”

Of course. Blane’s chivalry would extend to Branna,
I thought irritably.

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll get you some blankets.”

I glared again at Branna as I passed, brushing my shoulder hard against her. She stumbled back, then took a step toward me, fire flashing in her eyes. But Kade grabbed her arm, stopping her. I smiled sweetly.

When I returned, I handed Blane some bedding and a pillow. Kade and Branna were gone, but I could hear them walking around upstairs. Kade must have taken her to the bedroom. Good thing, too, because if I had, she might’ve suffered an “accident” on the stairs.

“Sorry I don’t have a place for you to sleep,” I said. I felt bad that Blane would have to sleep on the cold, hard floor. “You and Kade can take my bed,” I offered. “I can sleep on the couch.”

“The day I take a pregnant woman’s bed and make her sleep on the couch is the day I give up my man card,” Blane joked.

“Not to mention that sleeping with another guy is just weird,” Kade added, stepping into the room. He was alone. “Even if we’re related.”

I smiled at that, Kade’s easy manner making the tension in my shoulders relax. Then I remembered Branna and stiffened again.

“So will you two tell me how Branna is in my house and why she’s coming with us?” I asked.

“She showed up at the house,” Blane said, turning to Kade. “Had a fine time kicking my ass before demanding to know where you were.”

“She attacked you?” I asked, anger rising again. My hands clenched into fists. Yet another reason to hate Branna, as if I didn’t have plenty already.

Blane seemed to read my mind, his eyes flashing to mine. “I’m fine, Kat,” he said.

“It’s not like she’s going to hurt him,” Kade interjected, scoffing.

I got in his face. “I don’t like her trying to hurt him,” I argued. “Any more than I like her kissing you.” I poked his chest for emphasis.

“She can help us,” Kade insisted. “So she’s coming along whether you like it or not.”

A little part inside me curled up into a pain-stricken ball at those words, but I kept my face carefully impassive.

“Have you told her who we are?” Blane asked. “You and me?”

Kade tore his gaze from mine to look at Blane. “No. I just told her to come to you if she ever needed me and couldn’t find me. That you’d know where I was. But she doesn’t know we’re brothers.”

“And who is she to you, exactly?” Blane persisted. “You’ve never mentioned her.”

Kade hesitated and I knew why. He and Branna had been in the same foster home as children for a short while. He’d saved her from being molested, enduring beatings and abuse for his interference. And I knew he wanted to tell Blane none of that.

“We met a long time ago,” Kade hedged. “We’ve done some work together. I’ve never mentioned her, the same way I never mention any of my work to you. You know I keep that shit separate.”

“Except when that shit turns up on my doorstep and I have no fucking clue what’s going on,” Blane said. “And why am I not surprised that a ‘friend’ of yours would be deadly? Not to mention that I really don’t like that at some point you let her beat up Kathleen.”

Kade winced at that. “That may have been a slight error in judgment,” he admitted. “But she can still help us.”

“You really think that’s a good idea?” Blane asked, tipping his head ever so slightly toward me.

Kade’s eyes met mine. “You know Branna and I have a history,” he said.

I wondered just what that history included. I’d known for a while that Branna was in love with him. Had they slept together? Were they lovers? Maybe friends with benefits? Kade had never said and I hadn’t asked. I wasn’t about to humiliate myself by doing so now.

“Yeah, I know you have a history,” I said stiffly. “I was wondering more about the present.”

I turned away and headed back to my bedroom. I hadn’t forgotten how Kade had said us getting together had been a mistake. Now, with Branna by his side for the immediate future, I wondered if my chances to convince him otherwise had just gone up in smoke.

The now usual morning routine of retching before my shower had me feeling more depressed and tired than usual. I wandered into the kitchen once I was dressed, trying to think of something that sounded good despite my temperamental tummy.

Blane was already in there, leaning against the counter and sipping a cup of coffee.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

I opened the refrigerator, morosely eyeing the contents. “Tired,” I said glumly. “Where’s Kade?” I’d noticed his absence when I’d passed by the living room.
Maybe he’d decided to share Branna’s bed,
I thought bitchily.

“He went to pick up some supplies for the trip,” Blane replied. “Branna went with him.”

Of course she had. I closed the refrigerator door, any desire to try and eat something now completely gone.

“I like your house,” Blane said, changing the subject. He handed me a cup of coffee. “It’s very
. . .
you.”

That made me smile a little. “Thanks.” The coffee
smelled good and I took a cautious sip. I wanted to sit outside,
craving the peaceful feeling it gave me. “Want to sit on the porch with me?”

Blane smiled. “Sure.”

He followed me outside and sat down next to me on the wicker couch. The blanket I’d left was still there and he tucked it around me against the early morning chill. We sat in companionable silence and I let out a deep sigh.

“I’m worried about you,” Blane said after a while.

I had finished the last of my coffee and was setting aside the mug when he spoke. I glanced up at him, frowning. “Why? I’m fine.”