Page 52 of No Regrets

Chapter Eleven

Brianna knew the moment Kaden walked in the kitchen those same old feelings would flood her good judgment and senses. He wore only his boxers, which wasn’t such a surprise. His hair was a mess and sleep filled his eyes. Sexy didn’t even begin to describe him.

She poured a glass of water and handed him two tablets. He gratefully accepted both, downed the pills, and drank the water before laying his head against the cool counter.

“Where’s Shiloh?” he mumbled.

“Still sleeping. How’s your hangover?”

“Not good.” Gripping his glass with both hands, he raised his head.

“I’ve been thinking. Are you well enough to hear my thoughts?”

She smiled at him, and he nodded. “If we want to keep this marriage, we’re both going to have to work our asses off to fix the already screwed-up parts. Starting with how we got married. I don’t want an arrangement. I want a wedding complete with all our family, guaranteed to be a day of fun and celebration.”

“Fine with me.” He stood, walked around the bar. He grabbed three ice cubes to add to his water, and put the glass to his forehead.

“That’s not all. I want you to give up the alcohol.” She waited for his reaction, for his protests, and got neither. He closed his eyes, and she figured him to be asleep, but he finally opened them, and she continued. “I also want to quit my job to be with Shiloh. They have this new program at the Y, a mommy-and-me program around ten, and it last four hours, three days a week. They offer you lunch and a fun-filled day with your kid. I miss being with her and doing simple stuff like that. I figure once she’s in school, I’ll go back to working somewhere, but I want to be at home with her for the first four years.”

He sat the glass down and pushed his palms into his eyes. “I told you that you could do that before we got married.”

Brianna leaned against the counter, chilled in her skimpy nightie. “Yes, I know but I want to do it now. It’s not that I didn’t want to then, it’s more that I couldn’t do it. I want us to make a commitment to each other in front of everybody that we’ll be faithful and devoted to each other. That we love each other more than anything in the world. I do love you, Kaden. I believe you love me too, but I’m scared that once that year is up, you’ll just take off like you did when I was pregnant and leave me high and dry.”

“Bree,” he reached for her hands.

“No, I know better now. I talked to some people and thought through it on my own. I want to make it work with you. I don’t want to fight, or to bicker, or to get jealous every time I see you with another woman.” She huffed a breath. “Bethany called. She told me virtually the same story you told me with an added twist. She’s moving to her parents’ cabin and told me that I should take care of you. She said you told her that you loved me. That, in the four years of your relationship with her, she never once saw the fire that lit up your eyes when you talked about her the way it did when you talked about me.”

He pulled her around the bar and situated her between his legs. He kissed her cheek before she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him.

“I believe you and trust you, Kaden.” She pulled back to kiss him. “Just please do not house any women in your apartment without telling me first.”

He smiled. “Agreed. I have a request of my own though.”

“What?”

“One night a week is spent just for us.” He kissed her chest , tightening his hold on her. “Just for us to do stuff together, whatever it may be. No kids, no parents, no friends—just us alone doing whatever the hell we want.”

“That sounds great.” She kissed the top of his head giggling when nuzzled her cleavage.

“You smell good.” His tongue darted into the valley between her breasts. “And taste even better.”

“Behave.” He didn’t listen, but instead continued doing what he was doing.

“Your nipples are hard.” His hot breath fanned across her lace-covered breasts.

“Kaden, stop. I want to talk to you.”

“Talk fast.” His tongue dipped beneath the lace to lick the sensitive tip of her breast.

“Kaden.” She groaned, making him huff a breath and raise his eyes to hers.

“What happened in court?”

She knew virtually nothing about the case and only knew what he’d told her several nights ago when he first accepted it. With the new asshole for a judge, she didn’t expect the case to go over well, but knew her husband would work his ass off to try and win it.

He licked his lips, linking his fingers at the small of her back. “They shipped the grandmother back to Cuba even though her visa hadn’t expired. I put in a motion to bring the grandmother back, but it was denied. The case was dismissed.”

She ran her fingers through his wild hair. “It wasn’t your fault. Maybe the grandmother can get another visa or something and come back to try to get the little girl again.”

---