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“So you see, sweet girl, you’re not a rebound. You’re so much more. It’s new to me, but I’m not running from it. I want you to be in my life, but like you said earlier, it’s a package deal and I have to think of my son. I can’t let him grow attached to you—although, he may already be.” I chuckle nervously. “I need to know that you’re in this with me. It’s fast and it doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve learned that life is too short and you need to learn to roll with the changes it throws at you.”
She’s quiet for a while, just staring over my shoulder at the pond. “I don’t know how to give less than everything, Ridge. That’s what happened with my ex. I put everything I am into our relationship, and he broke me. Not just from the drugs and the anger, but my heart. He crushed it, crushed me. I vowed that I would never again put myself in the situation to get hurt like that again.”
“Kendall, I—”
She places her fingers over my lips, stopping me.
“I was with him for a year before things started to get bad, and two years altogether. Even when times were good with us, I never felt for him what I do for you in just this short period of time. I know I won’t be able to come back from you, Ridge Beckett.”
Well, fuck me. Kendall Dawson, my sweet girl. She unmans me.
“Jump, baby. Jump and let me catch you. I can’t explain it. There are no words to explain this, or how I feel. I just know that I would never, ever hurt you. I know I want to hear your voice every day. I know a simple text from you changes the outcome of my day. I know I’ve tasted your sweet lips four times, and that’s not nearly enough.” Leaning in, I kiss her.
This time, I trace her lips with my tongue, coaxing her to open for me, and she does. I don’t waste time, sliding my tongue past her lips to truly taste her for the first time.
Fucking addictive.
I have her face cradled in my hands, hers resting atop mine as we get lost in each other. It starts slow and easy, but suddenly that’s not enough. My tongue battles with hers, and I fight to taste more of her. She moans deep in her throat, and it fuels me. I nip at her bottom lip and soothe it with my tongue before plunging back inside. Her hands drop from mine to grip my shoulders, pulling me toward her as if she can’t seem to get close enough.
I know the feeling.
She rocks her hips against me, and that simple act alone lights a fire inside me. My hands fall to her waist, my grip tight as I help her find a rhythm that’s driving us both crazy with need.
“Ridge,” she pleads.
“I got you.” My hands slide down to her ass, cupping each cheek, not breaking the rhythm we’ve created. My lips trail across her neck, nipping, sucking, and licking, driving her crazy.
Who am I kidding? I’m driving myself crazy.
She’s so damn responsive.
“Please don’t,” she gasps.
“I won’t, babe. I’m not stopping until I see you come undone,” I say, reading her mind.
“Please.”
“Open your eyes, Kendall. Let me see those baby blues.”
Her eyes pop open and lock on mine.
“I want you to come for me. I want to look into your eyes and watch you fall apart.” Her head falls back, breaking eye contact, but the moan that falls from her lips tells me she’s losing control. For me—because of me—this beautiful creature is losing her inhibitions.
“Ridge!” she cries out into the night air.
Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her to me and crash my lips to hers. She pulls away long before I’m ready to stop and buries her face in my neck.
“I can’t believe I just did that.”
I raise my hips so my rock-hard erection shows her exactly what I think about what we just did. Not her—we.
She reaches for the waistband of my jeans, but I place my hand over hers to stop her. She sits back, settling her fine ass against my cock. “I want to. It’s not fair to you.”
I chuckle. “I got what I wanted, what I needed. I got to make you lose control.”
“Ridge,” she says hesitantly.
“We better head back. They’re going to think we ran off.”
“Not without Knox,” she says, and my heart soars at her admission. He’s a part of me, and she accepts that.
I kiss her again quickly before helping her off my lap. She wraps her arm around my waist and settles into my side as we walk back to the house.
Inside, the guys have the TV sound low. Dawn is sleeping, her head on Mark’s shoulder. Seth and Kent have their eyes glued to the fight, while Reagan and Tyler are talking to what sounds like a soon-to-be-upset Knox.
“He’s hungry,” I announce, alerting them that we’re back.
“I was just getting ready to make him a bottle,” Reagan says.
“I got it.” I kiss Kendall on the temple then take my son from my sister. “Hey, bud, you hungry?” He quiets at the sound of my voice. “Let’s go make you some dinner.” I carry him into the kitchen with me, making his bottle one-handed like I’ve learned to do over the past few weeks.
He whimpers pitifully.
“I know, little man. It’s almost ready.”
Once the bottle’s ready, I head back to the living room. “I’m just going to take him upstairs and feed him. I’ll be back when I get him down.”
“You need help?” Kendall asks.
“No, babe. I got it. You didn’t get to eat. Help yourself, and I’ll be down in a bit.” I wink at her and head upstairs to settle my boy in for the night.
Chapter 30
Kendall
I relax in the chair Ridge and I shared earlier and stare at the screen. I’m not the least bit interested in what’s going on; instead, my mind wanders to what just happened. How I let myself go with him.
“Kendall,” Reagan says, grabbing my attention. “You not going to eat?”
“Yeah, I’ll just wait for Ridge.”
My answer causes her to grin, and I feel my face blush. I wonder if she can tell her brother just rocked my world in his backyard. Just as my mind starts to drift again, we hear the crackle of the baby monitor as Ridge enters Knox’s room. Looking around the living room, I see the receiving end sitting on a small table next to the TV.
“You doing better, little guy? You seem to be in a better mood,” Ridge says to Knox.
Reagan chuckles, as do the rest of us. He’s so good with him. I don’t think he even realizes it.
“Daddy’s doing better too, but you already know that, don’t you? I think Kendall has worked her charms on you just like she has your old man.”
I stare wide-eyed at the monitor. I should stand to turn it off—this is his private moment with his son—but I can’t move. Instead, I tune everything out except the sound of his voice.
“We’re lucky, Knox. She wants both of us. Oh, you like that idea, do you? I see your smile.” Knox coos at him. “You’re probably too young for this conversation, but my dad once told me to trust your gut and when you find the one to not let her go. In this case, she’s not just mine—she’s ours. We’ve found our one.”
We’re all listening to him, so I stand to turn it off. Just as I reach the monitor, he says something that has tears welling in my eyes.
“I think your mommy would approve. She just wanted the best for you, for you to feel loved and know you’re wanted. I love you, little man, and Kendall . . . well, she’s important to me, and I hope that whatever this is grows. I think that would make your mom happy. I know it would me. What about you, huh?” Knox coos. “Good, glad we’re on the same page. Good talk.” He chuckles and I reach for the receiver, turning it off.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly release it before turning to face the room. I don’t make eye contact as I walk straight to the chair Ridge and I were sitting in and focus my gaze on the television.
“Kendall,” Dawn tries to get my attention. Of course, she would wake up to hear what happened.
I don’t look at her, just keep staring at the TV as if
I didn’t hear her.
“He’s different with you,” Tyler says. His deep voice makes it impossible to ignore him.
I’m trying to work this out in my head—how I respond to him, how to act after what I just heard. My heart feels like it could beat out of my chest, and there are millions of butterflies in my stomach.
