Page 53 of Return to You

“Do you honestly think that sleeping with you made me a…” She lifted her fingers in bunny ear quotes. “‘Stepford Wife?’”

“I don’t know if that’s what made you act like a Stepford Wife, but I honestly think that’s what you have been acting like since we had sex.”

“You are un-freaking-believable.” Her hands fisted at her sides and the fighter in him braced himself for a punch, but then she relaxed her shoulders and her fingers uncurled from her palms. In a measured tone she calmly stated, “I’ve been trying to be nice to you.”

“I don’t want you to try to be nice to me. I just want you to be real. I want the real Ali.”

“You want the real Ali?!” she asked through a forced laugh.

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I want, Kade?!”

“No. I don’t. I have no idea because you’re too busy being polite to tell me. And I hate it, Ali.”

“Well, guess what? It hasn’t been a walk in the park for me either.” She let out a harsh puff of air and started to walk around him.

“Wow.” He stepped to the side to get out of her way and made sure his tone conveyed just a touch of pity. “I never thought I’d see the day that Allison Walsh backed down from a fight.”

He knew he was taking a risk challenging her, but he felt like he had no other choice. He’d tried talking to her. Several times. He’d tried to give her space and time, but that only seemed to make it worse.

At this point, pissing her off was his last resort.

21

Ali stopped in her tracks and turned back to face him. Her eyes flared as they met his. She could feel that her cheeks were flushed and her heart was racing a mile a minute. A thought popped into her head and she almost lost her self-righteous higher ground by laughing at it.

Being angry sure feels a lot like being turned on.

She didn’t know what to say or do anymore. It felt like every word she wanted to say she couldn’t get out. It was exhausting and she was tired of being consumed with so much anger. And lust.

That was the other thing she was consumed by. But she wasn’t quite as tired of that. At least not in that moment.

She was a young woman. Even though the life she lived sometimes made her feel like that was the furthest thing from the truth. She had needs. And right now, the need that was closest to the surface was being touched by Kade. Her pride was the only thing standing in the way of taking what she needed.

She’d been the one to say that nothing else could happen between them. She’d been the one to declare that the night they spent together was a one-time only event. She’d been the one that had insisted they stay just friends.

And now she wanted more. She wanted what they’d shared the other night. She wanted to forget everything but how amazing he made her feel.

“Talk to me, Ali.” The desperation in his voice tipped it for her.

It made her feel like he needed to connect with her just as badly as she needed to connect with him.

She stepped forward and pressed her body to his. She didn't hesitate; she didn't wait for his reaction. She didn't—and this was new for her—pause to think about how her actions would affect anyone but herself.

She was putting her own feelings first for a change and she didn't feel one damn bit of guilt about it. Well, at least not right now, anyway.

She snaked her arms around his neck and lifted on her toes to press her lips to his. Somehow, being lip to lip was even better than she’d remembered.

He froze for a minute before wrapping her up in an all-consuming embrace and crushing her body to his. She let out a moan. There was something so primal about being held by Kade. It unleashed a primitive "Me Jane, you Tarzan" thing inside her that made her feel safe and secure, so cherished and protected by the manliest man who ever manned.

Their kiss started off slow and exploratory. It was smoldering and sultry. Then it changed into something raw and savage.

Just when she was starting to lose herself, Kade pulled away and trailed his fingertips down the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" His voice was raspy and raw.

"No,” She shook her head. “But that's the wrong question."

He grinned, just a little. "Okay. What's the right question?"

---