"I forget you have that room," Cademused as he sat on the corner of the bed.
"Yeah, I know, I did too sometimes,"she agreed. "Maybe it was a psychological thing. Maybe seeing that roomwith all my old stuff in it was like a reminder on how far I deviated off mylife's track for that man."
"I can see some of your psychology degreepoking out of your head right now," he teased as he stood up with a grin.
"It was only my minor," she correctedwith a laugh.
A loud clap of thunder made her jump. With aflicker, the lights went out around them, casting the room in darkness.
"Well damn," Cade murmured from theother side of the room.
Using a little bit of the nocturnal light peekingthrough the window, Maritzia made her way to it and pushed back the black-outcurtains to look out at the rainy street below. As far as she could see thelights were out. Only a glimpse between the buildings allowed her to see lightson a few blocks away in the distance. Lightning flashed like veins through thesky as thunder followed right behind. Looking down at the street, Maritziacould see the heavy pelt of rain shining in the light as cars slowly drove by.
Cade's warm presence stepped up behind her andshe imagined him leaving to go back to her brother's place.
"You can't go back to Carlos's apartment inthis," she began softly, not bold enough to turn and face him as she spokethe next words. "Just stay here tonight," she said, hoping it soundedlike a suggestion and not the all-out plea it really was in her mind.
Cade didn't argue, stepping back from the windowhe walked deeper into the bedroom's darkness. "Good thing I parked in yoursecond parking spot and not out on the street," he said cheerfully.
"Oh, I know," she replied just ashappily as she made her way to follow him through the dark bedroom towards thehallway. "You would've gotten soaked if you-" a deep-sounding thunkcut her words off. "Oww," she groaned, lifting her hand to herthrobbing forehead.
Cade's hands shot out from the dark hallway andshe squinted through the darkness of the room. With only the moonlight peekingaround the window's curtain, the whispery light barely grazed his figure as hepulled her towards him in the dark. "What happened?" His voice wasserious, losing all the playfulness he just had.
"It's fine," she said with a grimace."I just bumped into the wall," she laughed, though she felt like anidiot.
Reaching out a hand to pat him reassuringly onthe arm, it made contact with the hard wall of his chest and she paused. He wasmuch closer than she thought. Tilting her head back, she could only make out afaint outline of his towering figure in front of her.
Warm, calloused hands smoothed up her shouldersand around her neck, sliding upwards until he cupped both sides of her face andpaused. For a second, Maritzia just stood like that completely unsure of whatwas going on until she felt the soft warmth of his lips press against thecenter of her forehead. Just like the first time at the resort, his lips madecontact with her and she felt herself grow a little weak.
"That's the second time you kissed me,"she confessed in a tone she hoped was light and not as tremulous as she reallyfelt at that moment.
"Is it?" His deep voice taunted in thedark and Maritzia tensed.
She knew that provoking tone. He was going to dosomething any second.
The hands on her face tightened a fraction andshe flinched at the second contact of his lips against her cheek and then athird back on her forehead and fourth at her neck, followed by dozens of othersthat made her too tight nerves vibrate with ticklish tension and a laugh toescape her lips. Placing a few more all around her face as she squirmed andlaughed in his arms, Cade finally pulled back and Maritzia was grateful for theconsuming darkness around them. She was breathing hard and smiling like anidiot.
"Now you can’t keep count of them," hetold her, his voice huskier than before.
Leaning against the door frame behind her shesmiled into the darkness, feeling a little bold by its concealment. "Oh,are you sure? I think I can count them up."
"Mmm, okay then." His hands, whichnever left her, slid to her waist and the boldness Maritzia felt evaporatedinto thin air. "Do I need to place some more?"
There was a pregnant pause in the darkness as shefelt his heavy words thunder through her. Every part of her wanted to say yesand that left her a little dazed.
Cade's fingers flexed against her as he waitedfor a response.
"No," she swallowed thickly. "Weneed to get ready and go to sleep. We have work tomorrow," she addedlamely.
By her command, the hands at her waist slid awayfrom her. Pain lanced through her at their loss.
"I'll go take a shower then," shemurmured and Maritzia inwardly cursed. In the blasted dark, she couldn't readhis voice nor see his face. She had no idea what he was thinking. Dammit! Shefelt like the world’s biggest idiot.
The food arrived just as Cade was stepping out ofthe guest bathroom. Fresh smelling steam filled the darkened living room as shetipped the grateful delivery girl.
Taking the plastic bags to the couch, she lookedup to see Cade walking towards her and immediately averted her gaze. Eventhrough the dim blueish gray light filtering in through her living room window,she could see the rippling strength of his bare chest as he dried off his hair.Tossing the towel on the back of the sofa, he sat down heavily on one end ofthe sofa and took the carton of food she handed him.
"Thanks, I'm hungry as hell," he said,leaning back into the cushions while cradling his food with a sigh.
