Page 70 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
A long minute later, he groans in frustration and breaks the kiss. He rests his forehead on mine as we both try to catch our breaths. “We have to stop right now before I get arrested for indecent exposure in a fucking park full of kids.”
I smile, loving that I affect him like this. Giving him one more kiss on the lips, I sit back down and lean into him as he puts his arm around my shoulder. My heart feeling a peace I haven’t felt in so long.
I thread my fingers through his and look up at him. “I’m glad you came with us today. I’ve missed you this past week,” I tell him truthfully.
As he stares down at me, I wish his aviators weren’t on so I could see his eyes, and maybe catch a glimpse of what he’s thinking. I start to wonder if maybe I should have held that back. I am not exactly sure where we stand and I don’t want him to think I’m pushing.
“I’ve missed you too, Red. Always.” That’s all he says, but he doesn’t need to say more because that one statement means everything right now. I give him a soft smile and press a kiss to the inside of his palm.
“I’ll find something for the kid to do at the gym.”
I sit up. “Really? Are you sure? If you guys don’t have anything I understand and I’ll think of something else. I don’t want you to do it just because I asked. It’s just, I want him to do something he likes, you know? And I think he will like…”
“Red. Take a breath. I’m sure, and we’ll pay him. It’s all good.”
Smiling, I wrap my arms around his neck and give him a big smooch on the cheek. “Thank you. I think he is going to be excited about this. I’ll talk to him tonight over supper. When do you want him to start?”
He doesn’t answer and I suddenly feel him tense under me. I lean back to look at him. “What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering me he quickly stands, hauling me up with him and plants me steadily on my feet. “Ruth Jean, come here!” he demands, his entire demeanor completely cold now. Ruth Jean hops off the swing and makes her way over to us.
“Cade? What is it?” He nods to something behind me. I turn around and my stomach bottoms out when my gaze lands on a guy standing by his motorcycle, watching the park. “Oh my god. Is that Spike?”
Ruth Jean skips up to us happily, not noticing the tension surrounding us. “What is it, big guy?”
He grabs her arm and brings her closer to me. “Stay here.” Before I can ask what he’s going to do he starts across the park.
“Is dat Spite? Why is he hewe?”
At the fear in Ruth Jean’s voice, I reach down and pick her up. “It’s okay, honey. Don’t be scared.” I say this as my own heart is pounding a million miles a minute. When I feel her start to tremble in my arms, I hug her closer, and turn so her back is to them.
Spike smirks at Cade the closer he gets, and then straddles his bike. When he starts it up, Cade picks up speed and starts running unbelievably fast, but not fast enough. Spike raises his hand and points it at Cade like it’s a gun then pretends to pull the trigger. Just before Cade reaches him, he speeds off.
“FUCK!” Cade slows to a stop, his hands linking on top of his head in frustration, while my own stomach churns at what that all just meant.
Turning around, he storms back over to us furiously and takes Ruth Jean from me. “Come on.” He grabs my arm and leads us quickly across the park back toward the gym.
“Why do you think he was here?” A million different reasons run through my head, none of them good.
Instead of answering my question he asks one of his own. “Do you know where Christopher is right now?”
“He was going to the skateboard park with a friend, but he should be home by now.”
“Call the house and make sure he’s there. Tell him to lock the doors and stay put until we get there.”
“Is Twistiphwor in twouble?” Ruth Jean asks, her voice trembling with fear.
Cade rushes to reassure her. “No, kid, he’s fine. I’m just being careful.”
Pulling out my cell, I call Christopher and relay Cade’s orders, which leads to a million questions but I tell him I will explain everything when we got home. Cade makes Ruth Jean and me drive with him to my house and calls Cooper on the way.
Thirty minutes later, Cade, Cooper and I are all in my kitchen while Christopher and Ruth Jean watch TV downstairs. Tension and fury fills the air around us, most of it coming from Cade.
“Fuck that! You know as well as I do he was not fucking there to enjoy the goddamn scenery,” he grinds out quietly to Cooper. I put my hand on his back gently, hoping to calm him. But he doesn’t even notice, he’s too angry.
“I’m not saying that,” Cooper starts calmly. “What I’m saying is I can’t go and arrest him for being in a public park.”
“So what? Since it’s a public place it’s okay he was there just fucking watching them?”
“No, it’s not. Which is why I am going to have Faith put a restraining order against him, for her and both the kids. That way if he comes near them again I will be able to arrest him.”
“A restraining order,” I repeat in surprise. “Can I even do that when he hasn’t done anything to me except be at that park?”
Cooper nods, “Yes. If you feel endangered, and given the circumstances of what happened to Christopher by Spike and his father, I strongly recommend that you do.”
Things are quiet for a minute while I try to absorb everything that is happening. Suddenly a voice cuts in, breaking the silence. “While you’re at it we should put one on my dad too.” We all turn to see Christopher standing at the entrance of the kitchen. He points at the stairs. “She fell asleep.”
