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“How about we each get one minute.” Brody, ever the peacemaker, suggested. “He can learn five different lessons that way.”
I scoffed. “I’m sorry, but if anyone gets five minutes, it’s going to be me. I’m the one he’s been harassing all these months. And, hell, this is for sure going to come back to haunt me. Call that therapist, Cade. I need a freaking appointment. As soon as possible.”
“Charli baby. Come here, I need to hold you.” I turned to find Cade reaching for me. My father let me go and with all the relief in the world, I slid into Cade’s waiting embrace.
His warm arms wrapped around me, cocooning me in safety. “Oh god, Cade. Please tell me this is over.”
“It’s over. Between what he did to you and the other outstanding warrants, he’s going away for a long time.”
Chapter25
Cade
Two Weeks Later
Iwatched from the doorway as she shifted side to side, studying her reflection in the mirror on the back of the bathroom door. She has never truly realized how stunning she is. Her lips pursed as she applied her lipstick. She took a step back, scanned her reflection one more time, then flipped her hair over her shoulder with a sigh.
“Hey, gorgeous.” She jumped, squealing as she spun around.
“You scared the heck out of me, Cade!”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Quit worrying, you’re perfect.”
Her smile was soft as she thanked me. “Well, you make me feel perfect. You look handsome tonight.”
“I merely state the obvious and thank you. Are you ready for this? It’s your first official Barrett Sunday dinner since we got back together.” She was beautiful in a dress the color of her eyes and high heeled shoes that made it easier for me to bend down to kiss her. So I did. With a hand at the back of her neck, I pulled her in. I would never get tired of the feel of her lips against mine.
Her twinkling eyes met mine after we stepped apart. “I’m so ready for this. I can’t wait. I can’t believe Dahlia agreed to one big party instead of throwing one for each bit of good news. This goes against all her beliefs as wife, mother, and extrovert. The real question is, are you ready?”
“Are you kidding? All my dreams have come true after all. I’m one hundred percent ready.”
Tonight wasn’t an ordinary Barrett Sunday dinner. My father had retired, and I was the new chief of the Sweetbriar Police Department. Charlotte and I were official, and tonight we would celebrate all of it over my mother’s filet of beef and truffled mashed potatoes.
“Well, we still need to get a dog. So noteverydream...” She ran her hands up my chest then flung her arms around my neck.
“We’ll go to the shelter tomorrow.” I kissed her forehead, then her still-bandaged cheek.
“Kiss me for real again. I need more before we go.” Her mouth curved into a pouty smile.
“Could be dangerous. We have to be at my parent’s house in a half hour.”
“We have time.”
“We have all the time in the world. But you know how my mother gets when anyone is late. And you know how I get once you get me started...”
“Aww. Okay.” She smoothed the wrinkles she’d made on my shirt from clutching it in her fists. “You’re probably right.” Her eyes shifted up to mine through her lashes and I groaned as her hand drifted lower and her smile got bigger.
“You’re making it hard to say no, Charli. In more ways than one.” I backed her up against the wall and ground myself against her. “And for the record. I want you. Right here. Right now.”
“Who says you can’t have me?” She spun to the side and placed her hands on the dresser. “You’re the boss of you,” she said over her shoulder. “And if you’re a good boy, I’ll let you be the boss of me for a few minutes, too.”
She was too sexy to resist. She had been insatiable ever since that day with Winthrop on the deck. Like she was using sex to escape the memories. As long as we continued to work it through with the therapist, I figured it was fine. And we had always run hot, so I wasn’t complaining.
“Lift up your dress.” My hands went to my belt to undo it. I was already painfully hard for her, a state she obviously took pride in keeping me in. And saying no when she needed me was the last thing I ever wanted to do.
“God, yes.” She pushed her panties down and did what I said.
I gripped her curvy hips and thrust into her. “Are you always gonna be ready for me like this?”
