He didn’t need to know I never would have gone near the future stockbroker.
I watched as Bull and Brock tried to suppress grins and Lucy’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Cade’s thunderous glare intensified. I ignored this, bending down to begin picking up my food. I swayed a little and would’ve fallen on my butt if it wasn’t for Cade roughly pulling me up, frowning deeply, his eyes locked on my bikini-clad boobs.
“You’re drunk,” he stated.
“Good spotting,” I responded. “You should be a detective.”
He ignored that remark, shrugging off his cut. Before I realized what he was doing, he slid it through my arms.
“What are you doing?” I protested and tried to pull away, unsuccessfully.
“Brock,” he barked, ignoring me. “Pick up this shit, pay for it and take it back to Gwen’s.”
Brock nodded, picking up my stuff in one scoop before heading to the counter, where Bull had all but dragged Lucy.
“I’m sorry, all of that testosterone must have blocked your ears, what are you doing? I don’t think I’m too eager to be patched into your little club.” I tried to take off his cut, but Cade’s hands grasped mine.
“I’m covering you up. Jesus, Gwen, what the fuck do you think you’re doing walking around in public wearing next to nothing? I can see your fucking nipples through that scrap of fabric. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing them hard and pert, but I sure as shit don’t want any other man having that view of your body.” He was talking low, but it seemed like a yell.
I was speechless for a second, which Cade took advantage of by dragging me out of the store and towards an SUV. I regained some form of coherent thought as he actually lifted me into the truck.
I tried to open the door to get the heck out of this situation, but Cade had some kind of super speed and was in the truck and had the door locked before I could even touch the handle. Well, either he had super speed or alcohol had seriously slowed my reflexes. I was going for the super speed. I glared at him and he ignored me, backing the truck out of the parking lot.
“Cade,” I said quietly.
“What, baby?” he replied, seemingly concentrating on leaving the lot.
“What the fuck?” I yelled, which made the asshole turn towards me.
“Jesus, Gwen, I value my eardrums,” he told me calmly.
“Why does everyone keep saying that to me? I do not appreciate getting dragged out of a liquor store by some asshole who just dumped me two days before without a second thought. So excuse me for being a bit pissed the fuck off!” I screamed at him.
He gazed at me a beat then turned his eyes back to the road.
“Didn’t dump you, Gwen,” he spoke quietly.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh so do the words ‘no pussy is worth this’ actually mean let’s get married and have children?” I asked smartly, and loudly.
“Fuck you’ve got a smart mouth, babe,” Cade bit out. “Gonna fuck that smart mouth tonight.”
I felt my anger rise to another level. Was he serious?
“Are you high? You will be doing nothing of the sort. I don’t know how you usually treat the women you fuck, but you cannot just hurt me and expect me to come running whenever you need your dick sucked. Find another fuck toy.”
Cade glanced at me, a mixture of tenderness and arousal on his face. I tried my hardest not to get turned on, but my body betrayed me yet again as wetness crept between my legs.
Fuck you, ovaries.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, baby,” Cade apologized, sounding sincere, and — regretful?
He stopped the truck, and I only now took notice of where we were. I had been focused on not scratching Cade’s eyes out and tequila made it hard to concentrate on too many things at once. The view took my breath away. We were up at some kind of lookout, the ocean was below us and the twinkling lights from the town to the left. If I hadn’t been so pissed I would have thought this was a lovely romantic spot. But alas, I was raging.
“What are we doing here?” I ground out, crossing my arms.
“Needed to get a couple of things straight with you before we went back to your place,” Cade replied, watching me intently.
I felt uncomfortable under his gaze, the kind of uncomfortable that made me squirm, in a good way.
“I don’t like that you said ‘we.’ There is no ‘we,’ Cade. You will be taking me back to my house this instant, I have a party to get back to.”
Cade raised his eyebrows. “No invite for me then?” he asked playfully.
“No. I make it a point not to invite ex-boyfriends to my home, especially when the one in question has dumped me the day before.” I scowled at him. “Besides, it’s girls only, no cocks allowed. Literally and figuratively, so you’re out on both counts.”
He suppressed a grin, the bastard. I turned away from him to stare at the ocean. Silence dawned on the cab before he broke it.
“Gwen, I’ve said I’m sorry and I’m sick of this shit.”
I started to reply, but Cade unbuckled my seatbelt and hauled me across to straddle his lap. I didn’t even bother to struggle this time. I just gave him my best Medusa stare. It didn’t seem to have its desired effect because he stroked my hair tenderly and his other hand rested lightly on my ribs, brushing my breasts.
“I was pissed off that night, Gwen. Pissed off that fucking Steg had me on business that meant I would be away from you, knowing that you would be uncomfortable around all the boys. And knowing what you looked like, even after I claimed you, those boys are only human and you are fucking beautiful.”
He paused, running his thumb along my lip. It took all of my willpower not to open my mouth to him.
“I got pissed when I saw you and Bull talking together, even though I trust that brother with my life. I got even more fucking pissed learning my best friend was planning to put a bullet in his brain and I hadn’t even noticed.” I watched the emotion dance in his eyes but said nothing. “And I was fucking pissed when after dealing with that, I had to go out and find you after I specifically told you to stay put.”
I opened my mouth to protest that little statement, but he kept talking.
“Not used to a woman defying me, Gwen. Don’t like it. But at the same time it makes my dick hard as fuck.”
His gaze turned hooded, eyes darkening with desire. I felt the evidence of this pressing into my shorts and struggled to suppress a moan.
“And I was fucking scared shitless walking into your house and hearing that scream, baby. That scream, it was goddamned terrifying. Knowing what haunts you, knowing I can’t do anything to help it, pissed me off the most.” His face was haunted, and his eyes searched mine. “And that whore playing with your mind, trying to fuck things with us. Icing on the fucking cake. Got no excuse, Gwen, couldn’t deal, so I left. I hurt you in the process and I didn’t mean to. All this has been stewing in my mind, I’ve been trying to find a way to apologize. But shit, baby, we are not broken up.”
I didn’t know what to say after all of that. I was still a tiny bit pissed, but man, he didn’t say a lot most of the time, but when he decided to talk, he made it count. His finger, still at my mouth, trailed down my chin and unbuttoned his cut to open my almost bare breasts against him. He hissed, and I felt him grow even harder beneath me. I couldn’t help but let out a little moan.