Feeling her respond to him was like icing on top of a very sexy cake. She twisted, moaned, and gripped him until he felt her convulse under him and tasted her sweet release on his tongue.
Only then did he slide up her lax body and enter her once more. Moving slowly at first, he watched as she built up once more, enjoying the way her eyes turned an even lighter shade of greyish blue.
Her long hair was laid out over his sheets, and her nails scraped his sides, urging him onward while her legs wrapped around his hips.
This time when he felt her convulse around him, he allowed himself to fall with her.
He woke sometime later when her breathing quickened. He could tell instantly that she was dreaming and debated waking her. Instead, he pulled her closer and soothed her by running his hands slowly over her shoulders and arms.
When she settled down, he kissed the top of her head and settled back down next to her.
Unfortunately, now that he was awake, his mind ran over the enigma he was holding in his arms.
Raven Brooks.
From what he’d heard about the woman his entire life, she was not only popular in school, but she’d also been not a little selfish. Then again, everyone he’d heard that tidbit from had also asserted that she’d been guilty of starting the fire all those years ago.
How many people in town had tried to persuade everyone else that she was guilty? Shortly after the fire, there had been a mob of people calling for her arrest.
His uncle hadn’t been sheriff at the time, but he’d stuck his neck out for Raven. Cade knew that it was probably due to the fact that he’d been the one to find her that following morning.
Over the years, he’d tried to get more details from Sean about the circumstances that morning, but his uncle’s story had remained vague.
How many people had been out searching with hope about the possibility of loved ones being found safe?
They’d been out there that morning looking for Reggie. Every step Cade had taken over the charred ground, he’d prayed that he’d find his brother alive.
With each step, however, he’d known the reality of the situation. He’d found countless dead animals lying in the ash and soot.
Then he’d gotten the dreaded call from Sean. Of course, everyone had been excited about the girl who had lived. Out of the more than two dozen people who’d still been missing at that point, she’d been the only one to be found alive.
At first, every news station within a thousand miles had focused on Raven Brooks. How the courageous young now-orphaned seventeen-year-old had survived the horrors that had consumed everything she loved, including her boyfriend of almost a year, Reggie Stone, whom had been found less than a quarter of a mile away from the cave. He’d found out a few years later that the fire had started in the direct center between the two of them.
For years he’d believed that this fact held some significance. He’d wondered if something had happened, sending the two running in different directions, Raven to the safety of the cave while his brother had rushed off in the other direction.
His uncle painted a picture of his brother heading towards the cave. Towards the fire. But in his heart and his head, Cade questioned this.
He hadn’t realized he’d remained awake for the rest of the night, pondering, until he noticed the sunlight streaking into his bedroom.
Thankfully, he had the day off from work. He patiently waited until Raven stirred before finally shutting out all the questions. When her body pushed gently against his, his mind went in the completely opposite direction and stopped working all together.
Letting his body take over, he slowly let his hands roam over her, waking her up more quickly.
“Morning,” she moaned as he placed a kiss on her bare shoulder.
“Morning.” He trailed his mouth down until he covered her breast with his lips.
Her hands pushed into his hair, holding him where she wanted him.
This time when he slid into her, he kept the slow pace, enjoying the feel of her morning softness.
“I hadn’t planned on staying the night,” she said when they lay together, their breathing leveling.
“I’m glad you did.” He rolled them over. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve showered with someone?” he asked, pulling her off the bed.
She chuckled as she followed him into the bathroom. She stopped just inside his bathroom door.
“My god, I thought your bedroom was huge,” she said, looking around.
When he’d built the place, he’d designed the main bedroom and bathroom to be big enough that he wouldn’t ever feel cramped.
“I like my space,” he said with a shrug as he turned on the water in the shower.
She chuckled and walked over towards him. “Your shower is as big as my current bathroom.”
He pulled her close. “I take it you’ve moved into the east building then?”
Her wince and look of guilt had him sighing.
“How about I take the day to help you move?” he suggested.
“I don’t…” she started, but when he gave her a look, she nodded. “That would be helpful.”
He pulled them into the shower and, for the next half hour, enjoyed showering with a sexy redhead.
Chapter Seventeen
When fire is applied to a stone it cracks ~ Irish proverb
Raven couldn’t believe she’d actually slept with Cade. Let alone spent the entire night wrapped in his arms. Then she remembered the shower they’d enjoyed together and smiled.
Cade and Blue were in Cade’s truck, following her. He claimed he was on call that weekend and couldn’t afford to be without his own vehicle.
She didn’t mind. The drive back up to the resort gave her some time alone to think.
The fact that she’d only ever slept with two men, and they were brothers, hadn’t even crossed her mind. Until she’d been alone.
As with before, she couldn’t figure out why she never compared Cade to Reggie. It wasn’t as if the brothers looked nothing alike. Sure, Cade looked more like his uncle and Reggie had taken after his mother, but still, there were enough similarities between them that it should have crossed her mind once while he’d been kissing her.
As she pulled into the long drive of the resort, she finally figured it out. Reggie had been a boy. At seventeen, he’d been the man of her dreams, but she’d been so young and naive herself.
She could remember Cade at that age. She’d never once thought of him as young or naive.
Just being with him, being around him, she knew that he was more man than she’d ever experienced before.
That was why Cade stood alone in her mind. Why, when he touched her, kissed her, her mind didn’t revert to thoughts of Reggie.
The few times Reggie and she had had sex, they had fumbled together. Back then she’d found it to be romantic, had thought what was between them was love.
Maybe it had been love, of sorts. Young love.
Now, however, she had more knowledge. More years behind her and a hell of a lot more needs. Especially since they’d been building up for ten years.
Had Cade guessed that she was short on experience?
That thought had her face heating when he parked next to her car.
“This place sure looks a lot different than it did a month ago,” he said as he helped Blue out of the truck.