Page 20 of Body Checking
My heart sprouts little wings and begins floating out of my chest. Without further avoidance, I pull the door open wide and allow him to come in. He passes me and I shut the door. When I spin around, he’s standing just inches away. He places a soft kiss on my cheek and hands off the flowers.
“These are gorgeous. Thank you.”
“I may know what kind of dessert you prefer, but I have yet to learn what your favorite flower is.” I take the flowers and wave for him to follow me into the kitchen.
“Gerbera daisies,” I answer.
“Noted.” He stands next to me and lets his eyes wander around my open space. From the dark brown and white kitchen, my cozy living room is visible.
My overstuffed sofa is calling my name but now that I have company, I need to be the perfect hostess. Minus the cute outfit.
“Can I offer you a drink,” I ask him, grabbing a vase from under the sink and filling it with water.
“I’d love water if you have it.”
“Of course. Sparkling?” I pivot on my heels and step to the other end of the counter where a drink fridge sits under the counter.
“Sure,” he replies.
I bend over, reaching in to grab a cold bottle, then stand up. When I turn back to Cade I see his eyes fixed on the exact spot that would have been where my ass was high up in the air as I bent over. I grow incredibly embarrassed and quickly shuffle over to the cabinet to grab him a glass. I set both down on the counter and slide it over to him.
“How was your flight back?” I try to make small talk, switching the subject from my wide ass to anything else.
“Good.” He cracks the lid on the water and begins chugging it down.
I grow hot watching his Adam's apple bob as he swallows mouthfuls of water. He lets out a big sigh when he’s done and sets the empty bottle down on the counter. We grow silent, only the whir of the fridge sounding betweenus. I chew on my lip and he steps closer, placing his thumb on it and freeing it from my teeth.
“I know we barely know one another,” he says and I nod. “But I feel something for you in the short time we have been talking, that is stronger than I’ve felt for anyone else.” Another nod. “And I’m sorry if this seems forward, but I am barely holding myself back from consuming you.” Nod nod nod. “I was a goner the moment I saw that video of you, and vowed to go to the ends of the Earth to find you and make you mine.” I freeze. “I’m about to do something and if you don’t say the wordsno, I’m not stopping until I’ve ruined you for every other man out there.”
My breathing stops and my mind goes blank. Not a thought passes, and you could hear the echo of a penny if one was dropped in. Me say no to my dream man? Not a chance.
“I take your silence as a yes?” I inhale and then nod, slow and undeniable of what I want. “Thank fuck,” he groans and lunges for me, yanking my arm and pulling me into his hold.
His hand palms the back of my head and I melt when his tongue dances with mine. I feel like I’m in a dream. How can this be real? If it weren’t for his lips on mine and his hardening dick poking at my belly, I would say I’m dreaming.But the sensation running through my body tells me it is one hundred percent, without a doubt, happening.
“I need you like I’ve never needed anyone or anything in my life,” he mumbles against my mouth. “I want to rip these clothes off of you, but I’m going to wait before I do that. For now, I just want to kiss the breath out of you.”
“Perfect. Good. Yes. I like that idea.”
My lips lock back onto his and I forget all about my little dinner, and snack on Cade for the next hour.
IT'S BEEN decades since I simply made out with a woman like I did with Maren the other night. In fact, the last time that I did that, the woman was actually a girl. Of course I was a boy, so it makes sense.
Today was an afternoon game, so I finally have more than an hour or two at eleven p.m. to spend with Maren. I asked her to dinner and planned on a very upscale place. When she asked where we were going and I told her, the tone of her voice changed immediately.
“What’s wrong with Chez Sois?”I asked her.
“Oh. Nothing. It’s a perfectly great restaurant,”she replied, but I knew there was more.
“It’s great but…”
She stayed silent for a moment then said,“Listen, Cade. I’m sure you’re used to dating fancy girls that like fancy restaurants that serve a piece of lettuce and a crumb and call it a salad. But it’s obvious that I like real food. Barbeque, burgers, fried chicken. I’m not the kind of woman you’ll find eating escargot and caviar.”
There were a few things to dissect in that so I went down the list.
“Okay, There was a lot in that, so I’ll start at the top. One, I don’t date fancy girls and go to fancy restaurants. Truth be told, I don’t date.”
“Oh,”she says and I’m sure she’s thinking of what that means.
