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She wrinkled her nose. “Can’t I just cook you a roast? Or bake you a pie? Oh, I could do your accounts.”
He lowered his head to press a gentle kiss against her mouth. He could taste the soup that clung to her lips, but beneath the rich broth was her natural sweetness, which stirred his ready hunger.
“I will happily allow you to do all those things, but right now I need to hear the words,” he insisted, nibbling a path of caresses along the stubborn line of her jaw.
“I’m not sure what I felt when I first saw you,” she reluctantly admitted.
Kaden nipped the lobe of her ear. “This isn’t starting off well.”
Her fingers moved to thread through his hair, as if she enjoyed the feel of it against her skin.
“Hush,” she commanded. “You looked dangerous and reckless and arrogantly confident. Everything I’m not.”
His lips moved to press against her temple. “Lies,” he murmured. “You’re a risk-taker at heart.”
“Let me finish before I lose my nerve.” She tugged his hair to punish him for the interruption. “But when we’re together, I’m not afraid. Just the opposite. I was convinced from the beginning that I’ve never been safer than when I’m with you.”
Kaden’s breath hissed between suddenly clenched teeth. Twice Lia had been attacked and he hadn’t been able to do a damned thing.
“I wish that were true,” he growled.
“It is,” she insisted. “And not just in the physical sense. I trust you with my secrets.” She tilted back her head, as if trying to judge his reaction to her words. “And with my heart. I never doubt you’ll be there if I need you.”
Kaden grunted as her words slammed into him with shocking force. He understood just how hard it was for Lia to open herself to someone else. She was naturally introverted, and her father’s rejection had increased her desire to keep others at a distance. It wasn’t just a way to protect herself. It gave her a much-needed sense of privacy in a town that made a habit of prying into one another’s lives.
“Always.” He framed her face in his hands, willing her to sense the sincerity of his promise. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to make this woman’s life as happy and secure as it could possibly be. Pulling her forward, he scattered kisses over her beautiful face. “Always, always, always.”
Kaden felt her shiver with pleasure as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips parting in blatant invitation. With a low groan of satisfaction, Kaden gave in to the inevitable. He’d assured himself that Lia was fully recovered, and that she understood he wanted more than just a fleeting affair, right? There was no longer any need to resist temptation.
He wanted Lia.
No. HeneededLia.
Rising to his feet, he bent down, and without giving her the opportunity to guess his intention, he scooped her out of the chair and cradled her against his chest.
“You know the doctor’s last order was that you should spend the day relaxing?”
She snuggled against him as he headed out of the kitchen and down the short hallway.
“And that’s why you’re carrying me to the bedroom?” she teased. “To relax?”
He pressed a kiss against her forehead, his long strides never slowing. “I can give you a nice massage.”
She allowed her hands to smooth down his back, as if eager to explore his body.
“That sounds lovely,” she breathed.
Kaden entered the master bedroom and headed for the king-size bed across the pale ivory carpet. It wasn’t a massive space, but the furniture was handcrafted of solid walnut and the walls were papered in a tan and ivory stripe. The stark, elegant style reflected his brother’s taste.
Ignoring the tiny pang at the thought of Darren’s wasted life, Kaden focused on the woman in his arms.
She’d never looked more beautiful, he acknowledged, as passion blazed through him. The sun poured through the window to bring out the burnished highlights in her pale, spiky hair. Her eyes shimmered liked the finest emeralds with flecks of gold. And there were tiny freckles dotted over her nose that emphasized the perfection of her smooth skin.
Better yet, she was warm and soft and blessedlysolidas she snuggled in his arms.
“You’re real,” he murmured, leaning forward to gently place Lia in the middle of the bed before perching on the edge of the mattress. He reached to cup her cheek in his hand. “I’ve spent so many nights dreaming of holding you in my arms only to wake and discover you were no more than a figment of my imagination.” His thumb brushed her lips. “It was a constant reminder I might never discover what I desperately want to know.”
* * *
