Page 5 of Kaede
Nothing. Nothing has ever done that.
It’s mainly why I live out here and work out of my cabin.
“What’s your name?” I ask, gripping her hand tighter.
“Does it matter? I’m leaving.”
My gut is saying she should go, but my pounding heart says she should stay.
Thankfully my heart speaks louder.
3
WILLOW
I might as well tell him. He’s a friend of Daisy’s. It’s not like she won’t tell him. “My name’s Willow. Willow Steyer.”
“Willow,” he whispers my name, and I’m both fascinated and freaked out by how my heart starts to gallop in my chest. It’s a sensual whisper, if there ever was one, warm and tender and coming from this huge man with sad eyes, it’s even more remarkable. The fathomless blue makes them even more affecting. I feel like I’m drowning when I’m on dry land.
“Willow,” he basically breathes my name again, and now I’m plain freaked out at how I both ache and crave him to continue. I’m definitely wet between my legs and my nipples are tight and peaked.
This man isn’t small. I mean, I’m not small, but he could definitely lift me up and throw me on the bed with no problem. Pin me down. Hold my hands over my head and kiss my body all over without me being able to move an inch. And not that I’m thinking that doesn’t sound good, but it might sound a little bad, too.
In addition, this isn’t the cabin I should be in, not the one arranged for me. And our friends know each other, which is definitely another reason maybe I shouldn’t be here.
I wait a beat and his mouth draws my eyes. “Kaede…”
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, his name has taken up residence. I remember how it felt to be in his arms on the dance floor. His large hand pressing into my shoulder blades. Protecting me, shielding me, and making me feel treasured.
“Willow, I think you should get dressed before I can’t stop myself from undressing you.” He slides away from me and my hand drops from his hard, broad chest.
“Probably a good idea.” My voice shakes, as well as my legs.
He grabs the doorknob with a smirk. “And nice teddy, Willow.”
I about melt into the wood floor. The man is a walking outdoor model and I’m the woman that’s making a pool of drool on the floor.
I straighten my back.
Time to get out of here… and fast.
4
KAEDE
The living room has never been this clean. Every surface gleams in the overhead light. I’m almost creeped out that she’s been that close to everything I own. Will it still smell like her when she’s gone?
I moved in two years ago after retiring from the military. I did my fifteen and then I needed to move on. Most would have stuck it out for the full twenty-years retirement, but I couldn’t. Two tours had effects on me that I hadn’t planned for. No matter what the literature said, videos showed, and seminars indicated, it’s now clear— a soldier is never really prepared.
“What the hell did you do to my home?” I stick my head into the bathroom. “And in the bathroom!”
It’s sparkling, almosttooclean. It doesn’t feel like my home. I’m not dirty… okay, I’m not Mr. Clean, but a little dirt never hurt anyone. Never been sick a day in my life. I justify that it’s good for the immune system. I walk to my desk. Nothing has been disturbed and my stomach unclenches. My leather pieces are all in their place and my tools are chaotic as always. The containers stacked and in order. Just the way I left them.
But the kitchen.
I walk in and it looks brand new. I open the oven and years of living is erased. I didn’t even know you could clean it back to the original shine.
I know my house, and this doesn’t feel like my house. I open the cupboards and my head pounds.She fucking alphabetized my seasonings?
