I heard the loud slap and felt a sting as Cade smacked my ass, then grasped my hips in his hands and began to pound into me.
“God, yes!” I shouted as I came, my vision blurring and my fingers curling against the glass.
Cade fucked me harder, faster, until he was shouting his own release.
As we both fought for breath, Cade ran his palm up my spine softly, then over my shoulder and up my arm, until his hand was over mine. Then he gently caressed the ring he’d placed on my finger and bent to kiss my shoulder.
“Aloha au ia ‘oe,” he murmured.
“I love you too,” I managed to say between pants.
Once we were cleaned up and in bed, I scooted as close to him as I could possibly get without crawling inside him, and settled in to get some sleep.
As I was about to drift off, Cade said, “Darlin’.”
There was something about his tone that had me shaking the sleepiness off and sitting up.
“What? What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked, sounding paranoid to my own ears.
“Nothing, at least, nothing like that. You don’t have to get worked up.”
“Don’t tell me not to get worked up, that gets me worked up,” I complained.
Cade shot me a sexy grin, but I wasn’t falling for it.
“Just say it,” I told him, my brain going immediately to worst-case scenarios.
“I’ve gotta go off the grid for a while. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, but I’ll get shit handled as soon as I can.”
“What do you mean? Where are you going? What are you doing?”
“It’s club business.”
I huffed.
“So, you can’t tell me anything?”
“No, darlin’.”
“What about the wedding? We’re getting married in a few weeks. There’s still planning to do, your family’s coming in . . . what about all that? What if you aren’t back in time?”
“I will be,” Cade said, trying to sound assuring. “You know I don’t give a shit about wedding stuff. Just be there and say, yes, that’s all I need.”
“Well, I need cake,” I pouted. “And my friends, and your family, and dammit, Pops is roasting a pig. I don’t know where to get a whole pig in Greenswood.”
Cade chuckled.
“Don’t worry, it’s handled,” Cade said, reaching out to cup my face. “Amy May’s got the cake covered, Slade’s taking care of the pig,” Slade was the VP of Cade’s MC, “and our friends and family are on lock. Don’t worry, I’m not letting you get away from me.”
“As if,” I said with a snort. I was more worried that Cade would try to find an opportunity to get away from me. I was the one with temperamental kids, a job that often got me in dangerous situations, and a crazy cupcake habit.
“Hey,” Cade called softly, and I looked up into his deep, dark gaze. “I’ll be back on time. I promise.”
Since Cade didn’t throw around promises, I nodded and took him at his word, even though it sucked he was leaving.
“I’m going to miss you,” I said, falling into his arms. “Will you text me?”
“Can’t.”
I burrowed into his chest.
“Well, don’t be surprised if I eat so many cupcakes while you’re gone I won’t be able to find a dress that fits.”
“Let’s get married naked,” Cade suggested.
I pulled back and looked up at him in horror.
“Ma and Pops would be all for it,” he said with a chuckle.
Oh, God, they totally would.
“Quit messing with me and give me a kiss,” I said.
He complied so well, that it wasn’t until a couple hours later that we finally got some sleep.
CADE HAD ALREADY been gone for a few days, and I missed him like crazy.
Since we were having a small wedding at Cade’s cabin, with only our friends and family, and Cade’s club, in attendance, everything was pretty much on track. We weren’t having a caterer, because Cade’s parents insisted on making the food. We were having a huge Hawaiian-style barbecue, which Cade’s mom assured me she, Alani, and Pops could handle. Of course, Amy May, Carmen, Bea, and Shannon offered to help in any way they could as well.
Cade’s buddies Jun, Chris, and Ripper were coming in from Hawaii as well, and since Ripper used to DJ around the island, he’d offered to take care of the music.
Amy May, of course, was handling the cake. I’d given her free reign. Told her to surprise me. I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.
All that was really left was to find the perfect dress, and I had an appointment this weekend at the local bridal shop. Amy May was my Maid of Honor and Chris was Cade’s Best Man. We would also have Elin and Elena standing up with us, and that was it.
Simple. Just the way we both wanted it.
There was one thing I needed to do to prepare, however, and it was what I dreaded the most . . . I let out a sigh as I opened the door to the gym, glaring at the exercise equipment before me.
“Lila,” I heard someone call as I weaved through the equipment. I looked left to see Branson Braswell walking toward me, wiping a towel over his face.
The man lived in the gym, and it showed in his long, toned body.
“Hey, Bran, long time,” I said happily. I’d wondered if he’d be here. He was a lawyer in town, but I knew he hit the gym every day. Sometimes more than once.
In the past, he’d taught me some self-defense moves, and Carmen had joined in. That’s when I’d seen sparks fly between them, and although I’d been sure they were perfect together, they’d only had one awkward date.
“How’s it going?” he asked, the corners of his eyes crinkling when he smiled. He really was handsome, with those piercing blue eyes and that deep voice.
Dammit, I still thought he was perfect for Carmen. Maybe they needed to give it another shot.
“I heard the good news,” Bran added, nodding to my left hand.
“Yeah, we’re getting hitched,” I said, unable to keep the grin off my face.
“Congratulations, I’m happy for you.”
“I know you and Cade aren’t bros or anything, but I consider you a friend, and hope you’ll come to the wedding.”
“Of course,” Bran answered with a nod.
“Care to tell me why you and Cade aren’t buds?” I asked hopefully. What could I say, I was a PI, I was curious about everything. Especially when it had to do with my man, and one of my friends.
“Uh, not here, but if you want to grab breakfast, or lunch later, I’d be happy to fill you in.”
“Really?” I asked, wondering if it would be bad to leave the gym without working out. I mean, it was the effort that counted, right?
“Yeah,” Bran said, then ruined my life when he added, “After your workout, of course.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
He chuckled and said, “C’mon, Lila, it won’t be too bad, do your cardio and I’ll show you how you can get sexy arms in time for your wedding.”
“What, you don’t think my arms are sexy?” I asked, lifting my arm and shaking it so the skin underneath flapped back and forth. I looked back at Bran and said, “Deal.”
I decided on the elliptical, because the bike seemed like the easy way out, and there was no way I was going to run. I set it to weight loss and put in my ear buds. Twenty minutes and six Pitbull songs later, I was cursing Amy May for making such delicious cupcakes and sweating buckets.
I managed to finish ten more minutes, then I slid off the machine and tried to stay steady on my feet.
I went in search of Bran, then cursed him for the next half hour while he put me through one torturous exercise after the other.
“I really have to do all this to have sexy arms?” I panted.
“You want to target all of the muscles,” Bran explained. “You don’t want toned biceps and flabby triceps.”
“Hmph,” I grumbled.
Maybe I’ll find a dress with long sleeves.
“
Don’t worry, you have the foundation, we just have to sculpt and mold it. How long until the big day?”
“Two-and-a-half weeks.”
“Okay, that’s doable,” Bran began. “If you commit to meeting me three to five mornings a week until the big day.”
I pouted.
Bran laughed.
“It’s only for two-and-a-half weeks, Lila, then you can go back to your intermittent workouts. Unless you want to start meeting me regularly again. Staying in shape will only help you when you’re dealing with the crazy situations you always seem to find yourself in.”
I scowled at him, then said, “I’ll think about it. Let’s see how the next couple of weeks go. If I don’t die, I’ll consider it.”
“Good enough,” Bran said, then he lifted his chin toward the locker rooms. “Go shower up and I’ll meet you out front. I don’t have any appointments until nine thirty, so I have time to grab a bite now, if you do.”
“Yup . . . I’ll meet you in ten.”
WE DECIDED ON the Greenswood Diner. It was one of the best places to go in town for breakfast.
“I’ll have coffee . . . just bring the pot. Two eggs over medium, with crispy bacon, hash browns, and the French toast.” Bran cleared his throat and looked at me pointedly, so I added, “And a bowl of fruit.”
I handed the waitress my menu with a smile, then grimaced as Bran ordered egg whites scrambled, turkey bacon, cottage cheese, and a green tea.
“Seriously?” I asked once we were alone. “Do you eat like that all the time?”
Bran shrugged. “I branch out on special occasions, but, yeah, for the most part, I like to eat healthy. It’s good for the body.”
If you say so, I thought, but didn’t say out loud. Who was I to judge the way he wanted to fuel his body. Just because I couldn’t do it, didn’t mean I couldn’t applaud his commitment and restraint.
Once I had my coffee and Bran had his tea, I asked the question that had been burning on my brain since the day I met Bran and realized he and Cade didn’t like each other.
“So, what happened between you and Cade?”
“To get into that, I’ll have to go back further, give you some back story.” Bran’s blue eyes were intense as he looked at me, his hands clasping onto his mug like it was a lifeline.” I’m a pretty private person, but we’ve known each other a while and I trust you. My past isn’t something I like to talk about, but you’ll need to know to understand the place I was in when I first met Wilkes.”
Wilkes was Cade’s, and soon to be my, last name. I don’t know why they chose to call each other by last names, rarely using their firsts.
Men.
I kept quiet, waiting for him to go on at his own pace, since I was about to learn more about Bran.
“I grew up in foster care,” Bran said, his voice low, his fingers taping on the ceramic mug. “It wasn’t fun, or pretty. I moved around a lot, had some pretty shitty foster parents, and one really good one. Unfortunately, they got pregnant with their own baby and I ended up getting packed out. By the time I was fourteen, I was lying and stealing to get by, living on the streets, but still going to school. I used a fake address, signed permission slips, registrations, and such myself, and passed it off as being from a foster family. When I was eighteen, I fell in with a bad crowd and started popping pills.”
I kept silent, but reached across the table to take Bran’s hand in mine. I had to offer him some sort of comfort.
“By the time I ran into Cade in that bar, I was an addict. Cade was with his motorcycle club, and we were both about twenty-two. I was hopped up and angry. Jealous over the way they were together, they way they were laughing and drinking, having a good time with pretty girls all over them. What happened was totally on me, Cade didn’t even see it coming. One second he was sitting at the bar, talking to a pretty girl and drinking a beer, and the next I was breaking a bottle over his head.”
“Oh my God,” I murmured, my free hand covering my mouth.
I could only imagine how pissed Cade must have been.
“Cade wasn’t as yoked as he is now, but he still has me by three inches, and like I said, I was high as a kite . . . As soon as he whipped around, his face full of fury, I knew I was fucked. I tried to fight back, landed a couple shots, but, truth be told, I got my ass kicked.”
“Bran,” I whispered, my heart breaking at the look on his face over the memory.
He turned his hand palm up under mine and squeezed.
“I deserved it, and it was actually the best thing that could have happened. I should have ended up in jail that night, but of course, the club doesn’t press charges, so I spent the next few days in the hospital. While there, I met a nurse named Sue who helped me get my shit together. She got me in a program and helped set my life on a better course.”
He paused while the waitress set our food in front of us.
“Thank you,” I told her, then turned my attention back to Bran.
“I worked my way through college, living frugally and saving when I could, until I eventually passed the bar. I work out every day and eat healthy to make up for all the years I treated my body like shit. I don’t live in the past, and I’ve made amends for everything . . . except that night with Cade.”
“It was a long time ago,” I said.
Bran shook his head.
“Cade hasn’t forgotten or forgiven, and I don’t expect him to, but I do need to man up and apologize. I just haven’t found the right time yet.”
“It’s been, like, seventeen years.”
“I know, I figure I should find the courage in another three or so,” Bran said, giving me a small grin.
“Bran, can I ask you something?”
He took a bite of his turkey bacon and nodded.
“I pretty much laid it all out, I’ve nothing left to hide,” he replied.
“Your date with Carmen . . . what happened?”
Bran sighed and looked out the window.
“I psyched myself out. I’ve dated over the years, but no one that I could ever be serious about. But, Carmen. I knew as soon as I met her that she was someone special. I let it freak me out, worrying about what she’d think of me, and my past. When you see me now you see a successful man in a suit, but on the inside I’m still that boy struggling to find his place in the world. I didn’t know what to say to her, and she was obviously nervous herself. The whole night was a study in awkwardness.”
“Carmen’s the best, Bran, you’re right. She’s bright, funny, talks a mile a minute and likes to organize like you wouldn’t believe. But you know what? She was worried that you were too good for her.”
Bran blinked and shook his head, but before he could argue, I went on.
“You’re both amazing, sweet, wonderful, and beautiful people, inside and out. You have chemistry, you like each other, and you share the same fears. I think if you sat down and talked with her, not on a date, but just a one-on-one conversation, you could work past those worries and enjoy each other. I really do.”
“I don’t know,” Bran said, and I could see the doubt on his face, which made my heart lurch.
“Please, just give it one more try. I promise, it will be worth it, for both of you.”
Bran sighed and dipped his chin.
Yes.
I LEFT THE diner and was trying to figure out the best way to approach Carmen about giving Bran another shot, when I looked through the window of Amy May’s Bakery and saw her working behind the counter.
I swung my van into a parking spot on the street and jumped out.
I am done letting her stew, dammit. It’s time for Amy May to listen to reason.
I swung the door open and marched behind the counter. Amy May’s eyes hit me as soon as I entered, and tracked my movements warily.
“You,” I stated. “Office.”
I was about to charge back there without saying anything else, you know, to let her know I meant business, but the sight of fluffy white topping with chocolate in th
e case had me pausing and asking, “What’s that?”
“Cheesecake cupcake with chocolate drizzle,” Amy May replied, biting back a smile.
I glared at her and said, “Bring one of those with you,” then I stormed into the back and went to her office, not waiting for her to follow me.
A couple seconds later, Amy May came in to find me already sitting on the flower-patterned loveseat, my eyes locked on the delicious confection in her hands. She handed it to me silently, then went to sit behind her desk, probably to try and assume a position of power.
“You ready to talk?” I asked, my mouth salivating as the scent of chocolate and cream hit my nose.
Amy May sighed.
“I know I overreacted,” she began, tucking a blonde lock behind her ear. “I was shocked, angry, jealous, and finally, hurt, when I saw Bea and Carmen go into Cynthia’s Coffee and Books. I know I shouldn’t have stormed over there and made a scene. I’ve been so embarrassed, that I haven’t been able to reply to any of your texts, or Bea’s, or Carmen’s. I know I need to apologize, not just to them, but to Cynthia as well.”
“What got you so pissed?” I asked, finally giving in and taking a bite of the cupcake. “Holy Toledo!” I exclaimed. “This thing is amazing.”
“Thanks,” Amy May said with a small smile. “I thought you’d like it.”
“Cynthia’s is really no competition for you, you know that, right? Sure, she has a few selections, but nothing like what you’re doing here. And, you never have to worry about Bea or Carmen doing anything to jeopardize your friendship, or your livelihood.”
“I know. I’ve just been so stressed with the addition of the storefront, worrying about getting it open in time, and then whether or not it will take off. Plus, I’ve been working so much that I haven’t been eating right, and I’ve been making myself sick with all of it. I’ve been on the edge, and seeing them that day, I just snapped.”
“Hey, I get it, you have a lot on your plate. You know Bea and Carmen will forgive you, and I’m sure Cynthia will appreciate the apology.”