“Do what?”
“Minimize all your value. Can’t you see how everyone needs you?”
She shakes her head. “Not really. I just take care of all the leftovers.” She tilts her chin with something that sparks like defiance. “I want to be the main attraction.”
I lean over the desk and stare intently into her eyes. “You’re my main attraction.”
She rises to meet me in the middle, her free hand snaking around my neck to pull me close, sucking me in with her mouth and tongue and teeth.
When we break apart, she whispers against my lips, “I want something that feels like mine.”
She has it; she just doesn’t see it. And if I can help her find it, I will. Because in this moment, I would do anything for her. “I’ll do what I can to make it happen.”
“Good.” She kisses me again. “Say you’ll take over the operations.”
A sense of foreboding slithers down my spine, but I decide that’s the past, an old script playing its tired story. I want a new story, with her.
“I’m not sure that’s smart.”
“Why’s that? You’re so good, Caden. Better than I’ll ever be.” She licks across my lips, and I groan.
“This isn’t why I came here.”
“Maybe not, but this is what you’re getting.”
“I don’t think I should.”
“Why?”
The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I think I’m in love with you.”
I expect her to stiffen and pull away, but she doesn’t. Instead she gets up, climbs over the desk, and slides onto my lap. “Oh yeah?”
I put my hands on her hips. “Yeah.”
“I think I’m in love with you too.” She rocks into me, and my eyelids close at the feel of her in my arms.
I run a path up her spine. “Are we crazy?”
“Probably.” She brushes her breasts against my chest. “Do you care?”
I shake my head. “Not at the moment. But I don’t want you to think—”
She cuts me off. “It’s my idea, Caden.” She tilts her head down and plants open-mouthed kisses along my neck. “It’s what I want. Will you please take the job?”
“Okay.” I manage to get out before I’m entirely lost in her.
And before it all slips away, I think that maybe, in Cat, I’ve finally found my home.
Now all that’s left to do is help her find hers.
Cat
Friday has finally rolled around, and Caden and I are sitting at Beau’s in the back booth, bathed in the late-afternoon sun, sipping draft beer from the pitcher between us. It’s been a crazy week as Caden, Jackson, Wyatt and I hashed out which of my job duties are going to be passed off to Caden and which I’m going to keep.
My brothers did their typical big-brother thing, and I didn’t object. Since Caden will be spending a lot more time with both of them, I thought it best to let them vie for dominance without my assistance.
All in all, he did well for himself.
