Page 17 of Return to You

She let out a sound that clearly communicated what a ridiculous idea she thought that was.

“Give me an hour,” he bargained. “If I don’t have things under control by then, you can wake up the kid.”

After a few moments of hesitation, she conceded. “Fine.”

Wasting no time, the two gathered each one of the pieces and carried them to the dining room table. Within no time, they’d separated the pieces and sorted them. From there it was just a matter of following Ricky’s plans.

They worked together in comfortable silence like a well-oiled machine. He’d had plenty he wanted to say but he was worried about ruining the tentative truce they’d forged. He did, however, take the opportunity to sneak glances at her every chance he got. It was adorable how she’d bite her lip and scrunch her nose while she concentrated. He loved watching her mouth words while she read silently. Being near her was his favorite place to be.

Even if she was mad at him.

The time flew by, at least to him anyway, and before they knew it they were down to the final piece.

“Would you like to do the honors?” He held the red four-pronged plastic square in the center of his palm out to Ali.

She grinned, plucked it up and clicked it into its rightful place. “Done.”

They both leaned back in their chairs and surveyed their work.

Ali’s eyes were wide as her head shook back and forth. “I can’t believe we did it.”

“I knew we could. You just had to trust me.”

Kade wasn’t used to putting his foot in his mouth. He’d always been able to talk his way out of most situations, but he was definitely tasting toe jam as he watched Ali’s smile drop and her shoulders stiffen.

“It’s already past three. I have to be up at six.” She stood and headed for the stairs. Halfway up she stopped but didn’t turn around. “Thanks.”

“It was my pleasure.” Kade’s response was sincere but he heard her let out a huff of frustration as she disappeared up the stairs.

Alone for the first time since he’d arrived, he stood and walked around the quiet house. Everything looked exactly the same as it always had, but it felt different. There was a heaviness, a sadness now. It felt empty. As natural as that was given the circumstances, he knew that this was not how Patrick would want his family to live. Ali had the weight of the world on her shoulders, KJ was angry, and Ricky was withdrawn.

Kade knew that he couldn’t fix everything overnight, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t start to fix things. He’d learned a lot over the past year and a half, and one thing that his sponsor had told him was that you don’t have to see the top of the stairs to take the first step.

6

“We can’t do this,” Ali breathes as she backs up against the wall.

“Yes, we can.” Kade advances toward her with a predatory gleam in his eye that she feels spread through her.

She sucks in a sharp breath as Kade’s authoritative response causes the pulse that is deep in her core to throb heavily.

She holds her ground, not daring to tear her gaze away from his as he closes the distance between them. He stops a breath away, careful not to make contact with her. She’s overwhelmed by him. His scent, his stare, his sheer mass enveloping her. Her entire body is alive with sensation even though he’s technically not even touching her.

His knowing smirk makes her want to punch him and fuck him as he places a hand on each side of her head, trapping her in place. Slowly, he leans in. She tilts her neck so as not to break eye contact with him as he inches his mouth closer until it finally hovers above hers.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a very long time.” His breath is hot against her mouth as he asks, “Do you want me?”

It is a simple question and one that she has an immediate response to. “Yes.”

Without another word, his mouth captures hers in a kiss that sends the pit of her stomach into a whirlwind of arousal and need. His lips are hard and searching and when she feels the tip of his tongue glide against the seam of her mouth, she automatically parts it for him.

The kiss is demanding. Urgent. Exploratory and aggressive. She meets him lick for lick as their tongues dance in perfect unison against one another. Stars explode behind her lids as an intense craving builds inside of her. Her knees buckle beneath its power and she grips his broad shoulders, clinging to him with a desperation that is both exciting and terrifying. The carnal ache between her legs has increased to the point that she fears what will happen if he doesn’t fill the empty need.

Her fingers dig into his rippling muscles as his hands busily travel down her body and slide beneath the hem of her dress.

As his fingers run along her outer thigh, she pulls him closer to her. When his large palm cups her backside and kneads the flesh there, her panties grow damp with desire. She rolls her hips into his and feels the steel strength of his thick arousal press against the softness of her belly.

His touch migrates south and she widens her stance, giving him access to her pulsing sex. The tips of his fingers graze her panties and the teasing friction causes tingles to quake at the epicenter of her core.

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