Protecting His Forever (6 page)

“Here, let me take it from you.”

I start to argue, but Kane already has it in his hand. Taking the waters, Kane puts his other hand on my back and leads us out of the diner.

“Wait. This way,” I tell Kane as he tries to lead me toward the truck. He looks confused but follows me.

Walking into the alley, I see the man still sitting there. He looks up as I walk up beside him and then snaps his gaze to Kane who is standing behind me.

“I brought you something,” I tell the vet and set the waters down beside him. Taking the food from Kane I bend down and hand him the tray of food.

“Here is two burgers and fries.” His hands shake and his eyes never once leave the food. I almost choke up, but I hold it in. Grabbing the napkin from my back pocket, I hand it to him.

“If you ever need anything at all, let me know. Here’s my number.” He smiles and nods at me.

Stepping back, I look up at Kane who I can feel is starting at me with mixed emotions. Taking his hand, I lead him out of the alley and straight to his truck, not wanting the veteran to see my emotions.

Sadness sweeps through me. I worked at the veteran’s center. Seeing someone on the streets, hungry and especially a veteran is like a punch to the gut. What if that was my brother? Blinking rapidly, I try to stop my tears. How can life be so cruel? How can people be so cruel?

Kane opens the passenger door before his hand goes under my chin and lifts so I’m looking up at him.

“That was the most amazing thing I ever seen, Sydney, what you just did.” His face shows his raw emotion mixed with awe. Blushing, I watch as his eyes travel down to my lips. My lips part on their own accord. My heart races in anticipation. Is he going to do what I think he is? My hands grip Kane’s biceps. My breathing comes out in shallow bursts.

He lifts me off the ground and onto the seat. I let out a squeal as I bounce on the seat for a second, and I place my hands on his shoulders to steady myself. His hand goes to my jaw before he presses a kiss to my lips. Without hesitation, my lips part, and I deepen the kiss. I slide my hands down his back, pulling him closer to me as I wrap my legs around his waist. My heart is beating out of my chest. Kane’s warm lips caressing mine in a way that makes all the other kisses I’ve had fly out of the window. This kiss is a one-of-a-kind kiss that makes the world stop. Pigs fly. The kind of kiss that you will compare all others to.

He breaks the kiss a second later and lays his head on my shoulder trying to catch his breath. He presses one last kiss to my bare shoulder blade. Goosebumps break out across my skin. Holy crap! I close my eyes, trying to compose myself. It’s taking everything in me not to jump his bones. That kiss. Minutes, seconds, I don’t know, my breathing finally returns to normal.

My hands slide down his back seductively not able to help myself. At my movement Kane pushes himself off of me. My legs stopping him from moving farther back. Amusement showing on his face at my reaction. Scrunching my nose at him, I can’t resist the urge to press one last kiss on his lips.

Unwinding my legs, I turn around in my seat so he can shut my door. Once it closes, I hold my hand to my face.
Holy monkey balls. Wow
. When did you grow a pair Sydney? Giggling I hold my face which is now burning with embarrassment.

He opens his door and starts chuckling when he sees my expression.
Jerk
.

“Come here, sweetheart.” He motions for me to scoot over. Setting my purse on the other side of me, I slide over to the middle seat. His hand goes to my lap and curls around my leg. Heat shoots to my nether regions at the closeness of his hand.
Breathe, Sydney.

I’ve never been touched there by anyone else but me.

With Kane’s hand on my leg and the warm Texas air flowing through the cab as we head to my house, everything feels right in this world.

Twenty minutes later, we pull up in front of my house. Grabbing my purse, I dig through it to find my keys. Kane jumps out and pulls me out of his door. Smiling, I bite my lip as he lifts me down. His hand goes to my back as he escorts me to my front door.

Unlocking my door, I turn to Kane. I really don’t want this night to end. Nervously, I ask,

“Would you like to come in?”

“Sure, sweetheart.” He smiles and leans forward. Closing my eyes, I prepare for the kiss.

Raising up slightly on my toes, the sound of the door opening has me popping one eye open.

“What are you doing?” Kane chuckles.

“Meanie.” I smack his chest and walk into my house.

“Want to watch a movie?” I motion toward the stack of DVDs.

“Sure.” He sits down on the couch.

“I’m going to change into my jammies, and I’ll be back.” Walking up the steps, I go to my room. Spotting some grey sweats on top of the dresser, I sit on the bed to pull off my skinny jeans. Lifting my top over my head, I grab Ethan’s old Marines shirt and slip it on before walking back downstairs.

Kane looks up as I walk down the stairs. Smiling, I tuck a piece of hair behind my ears. “What do you want to watch?”

He shrugs his shoulders before answering, “I don’t care.”

Going to the DVDs, I pick up a new scary movie that just released. Showing it to him, I ask, “Is this okay?” He nods his head.

Popping it into the player, I grab the remote. When I turn around, Kane is still looking at me. Nervousness pits at the bottom of my stomach.

Shuffling to the couch, I sit on the other end of it. His arm is resting on the back of the couch. He stares at me with an amused expression. Shrugging my shoulders, I settle farther into my seat.

“Baby, get your ass over here.” He smirks at me.

Crossing my arms across my shoulders, I lean farther back into my side of the couch. “Sydney?”

“Yes, Kane,”

“Over here, or I’m coming to get you.”

Shaking my head, no, I pull my feet up under me. My eyes never leave Kane. In a blink of an eye, he is standing up and walking over to me. Gulping, I press my back to the back of the couch.

He wedges his arms under my knees and behind my back, lifting me up before he sits down in my spot with me in his lap.

One arm wrapped around me and one resting on my leg, I stare up at him. My eyes wander to his lips. Looking down, I rest my head against his chest snuggling in. He wraps both arms around me holding me close.

I’m not used to his. I dated but this feel different. Him just holding me I am overcome with his smell, warmth, and the security his arms bring. Safe. Secure.

Kane

Sydney is sound asleep in my arms. She sank into me and never moved. Letting out a deep breath, I lean my head against the couch. I’m surprised she didn’t run out of the diner with her tail on fire after hearing my story.

My life sucked, there’s no other way to say it. Every day I came home from school and picked her lifeless body off the floor. With her lying in her own vomit, I expected her to be dead every time I got home.

I should have left, but it wasn’t that simple. No matter what she did to me or what she
didn’t
do, I still loved her. She was still my mother somewhere deep down inside of her.

Fifteen years old, I came home late from school. She was lying there with an empty needle beside her. I knew something was wrong instantly. I was used to seeing her like that, but something was different.

Her skin was pasty and her lips were blue. I touched her arm, and it was ice cold. Looking at her chest I saw no movement, and I knew that my mother was dead. I walked to a neighbor’s house and called an ambulance, but I didn’t wait for them. I didn’t want to be a ward of the state, so I ran, and I lived on the streets until I was eighteen. I went to high school, lived in the baseball dug out for three years, and nobody knew. Enlisting in the Marines was the best thing that ever happened to me. I miss my mom even though she didn’t care about me. The memories as a kid had me hanging out for the hope she wouldn’t be like that again.

I tuck Sydney close to my chest and stand up, then carry her upstairs to bed. She weighs basically nothing in my arms—she’s so fragile.

Spotting her clothes lying on the floor in one of the rooms, I walk into that one. Gently, I set her down on the bed and pull the covers over her. She stirs and her eyes open.

Leaning forward, I kiss her forehead and whisper in her ear, “Goodnight, baby.”

Backing up, I move to go downstairs when her hand wraps around my forearm. “Stay.” Her voice is a mere whisper.

“Sydney,” I start to argue.

Her eyes open and she whispers, “Please.”

Sighing, I nod my head before going to the other side of the bed. Unbuttoning my jeans, I strip down to my boxers. Sliding under the covers, she immediately moves over so her head is lying on my shoulder.

Her brown hair fans out behind her. My arm goes around her hugging her close. Her leg goes over one of mine so nothing is separating us.

“Goodnight, Kane.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.” Kissing the top of her head, I fall into a deep sleep that I haven’t had in years.

Sydney

Stretching my arms above my head, I notice a heavy weight pressing against my body. Cracking one tired eye open, I look down. Kane is lying on top of me. His head is lying on the crook of my neck. My legs are on either side of him. One arm is under my body and the other is wrapped on the other side my neck.

My hands go to his back—smooth and warm. Raising my hand slightly so only my nails are on his skin, I drag my nails up his back and deep into his hair. His head rolls to the side a little and his warm breath sends goosebumps down my arms and neck.

“Good morning,” Kane murmurs before raising up on his elbows. His erection hits my clit when he raises up. Hissing, my head shoots back exposing my neck. Tilting my hips, he hits my clit again.

“Sydney,” Kane chokes out. His body tense with need.

Letting out a deep breath, I look at Kane. His eyes search my face before he tugs the bottom of my shirt up so my breasts are exposed.

He stares down at them for a second not moving. My hands move up to cover them up, feeling embarrassed.

“No, don’t do that.” He stops my hands and looks up at my face. “You’re beautiful.” His hands run over my belly and around the swell of my breasts. His mouth descends to my nipple and sucks deep.

“Oh God.” My hands to go his head to hold him to me. The feeling shoots straight down to my pussy making me dripping wet.

His other hand slips into my sweats and his fingers trail my inner thigh. Shuddering, I wait in anticipation. He switches to one finger and trails it around my pussy, not touching my lips but close enough to drive me crazy.

“Do you want my fingers, baby?” he growls into my ear.

“God, yes.” My hands go to his hand and I slam his mouth onto mine.

His fingers are on my lips now. Shifting my hips, I try to get him closer. His finger taps my clit and my legs squeeze him tighter. Moaning into his mouth, I dig my hand into his back.

“I got you, baby,” he whispers against my lips before capturing my mouth in a kiss that has my toes curling.

His thumb circles my clit. Hissing, I pull him closer to me wanting more. Needing more. A finger slips into my pussy, and I clench around his finger at the intrusion. He gently pushes his finger in and out.

My breathing becomes rapid and labored. Throwing my head back, the burn in my belly intensifies. His finger curls and rubs this spot that has me crying out. His teeth clamp around my nipple and he bites slightly. My back arches off the bed as the powerful orgasm plows through me.

Collapsing onto the bed, I try to catch my breath. I can feel Kane looking at me. Blushing, I put my arms over my face.
Oh my God. Did that really just happen?

“You’re the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” he tells me softly as his hand rubs my cheek bone tenderly.

My eyes meet his, and I’m overcome with emotion. The way he is looking at me, it’s like I’m his world. Closing my eyes, I lay my head back down on the bed. This is a dream. Stuff like this doesn’t happen to me.

A bit of pain on my nipple has me yelping. Raising up on my elbows, I look down at Kane shocked. He just bit my nipple.

“No, you’re not asleep.” He chuckles before bending down to lick my aching nipple.

Grabbing the pillow beside my head, I hit him with it before climbing off the bed, pulling my shirt down as I go. Should I tell him I’m a twenty-four-year-old virgin? I have never considered giving that part of me to any man I’ve ever dated. This with Kane is different. This man could own every part of me.

He is lying on the bed with his elbow propped up, his head resting in his hand. His abs and tattoos are on display. God, he’s sexy.

“You like what you see?”

Averting my wandering eyes that had settled on his noticeable erection trying to rip through his boxers, I can’t help but blush.

“I, uhh. You’re hot,” I blurt out. “I’m going to go fix breakfast.” I point toward the stairs.

Gripping the hand rail, I rush down the stairs and straight into the kitchen.

Reaching into the cupboards, I pull out all the ingredients for some pancakes. The stairs creak as Kane walks down. Grabbing a mixing bowl, I put all the ingredients in it.

I feel Kane before I see him. He sweeps my hair off one shoulder and kisses my neck softly. Closing my eyes, I sink into him..

“Baby, let me do this.”

“I got it.”

His hand stops me and takes the spoon from me. “Go relax.” He smacks me hard on the ass and pushes me gently to the side.

“Kane,” I huff and try to take the spoon back.

“No, let me do this.” He puckers his lip out and gives me those puppy dog eyes. I don’t bother to tell him how ridiculous he looks.

“Fine.” I go to the other end of the island and sit on the stool.

He concentrates as he mixes everything that I had measured out. His arm muscles bulge as he stirs. My eyes never leave him.

"You’re staring,” he tells me as he turns on the stove.

“Yep,” I answer honestly.

He grins at me over his shoulder. Smiling back, I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear.