Page 75 of Quiet Chaos

Cade rolls me onto my back, him on top, his hips circle mine. “How about we get in a quickie?”

I stare at this man. This beautiful, strong, and caring man, and for a second, I consider it. But making love tomorrow on our wedding night will be so much more.

My lips press against his before I say, “No quickie. We’ll have plenty of time to make babies after our wedding.”

“You’re fixated on children.”

I hug him and whisper, “I want a family.”

The doorbell rings, and Armstrong takes off out of bed before we do. Cade lets Reed and Patsy in while I throw on a pair of jeans and one of Cade’s T-shirts, which hangs to mid-thigh. I wrap my hair in a messy bun and join them for a cup of coffee.

Patsy tosses an arm around my shoulders. “Mrs.-Briggs-To-Be, are you excited about the big day?”

My hand covers hers that dangles from my shoulder. “I am! I hope everything turns out fine. And thank you so much for your help, especially with Howler. I love her, but she forgot it was my wedding.”

“No problem. It’s been a while since we’ve had a wedding, so the ladies got a bit carried away.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love them all. This wedding wouldn’t be happening without them.”

She joins Reed at the table, going over a to-do list, while I go to the refrigerator to help make breakfast. Cade backs me into the island and gives me one of the most sensual kisses, turning my body into jelly. He presses his face into me and takes a deep inhale.

In a low groan, he says, “You know what you do to me when you wear my shirts.”

I kiss the palm of his hand. “It comforts me.”

“I can think of other ways to comfort you.”

“Mr. Briggs. If what I feel on my leg is any indication of the comfort you can give me, I suggest you resolve to the fact that your shirt will do. Besides, Julia and Seth will be here within the hour.”

He grinds his hips into me and whispers, “I’ll be back. I gotta take care of business.”

I laugh into his chest before he stomps to the bedroom. With cutup fruit, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast, the table is set and ready for breakfast. Seth and Julia arrive as we all settle at the table, except for Julia, who is flitting around to give me and Cade a little gift.

She hands me a small box. “Julia, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Oh, please take it. I wanted to get you something special.”

The gift is a small bracelet with a charm on it that reads, “I’m honored to be a part of your life. Love Julia”

My hand covers my mouth as tears drip onto my lap. Cade and the club, along with Julia and Seth, have become my family. I’d forgotten about my own parents. Even though I should be upset, all these people’s presence is so full that I can’t find any pain. I close my eyes, my hand shaking against my mouth, as I allow the tears to fall. I have a regular family. The sisters will always be close to my heart, but they can’t fill the shoes of a father or husband. At this moment, an overwhelming amount of love surrounds me.

Julia’s arms wrap around me, rubbing my back. “Sky, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

I back away, shaky, and my voice sounds brittle. “This is so beautiful.”

The tears wrack my body until Cade picks me up, whispering in my ear about how great I am. How much everyone cares for me. How beautiful I am. He knows exactly why her gift hit me hard. My forever hero can toss back several bourbons, but he can also soothe my soul with the simplest of words.

He continues to whisper that I deserve everything wonderful coming my way. And I look at him and smash my lips into his. I’m rough, which is out of character for me, yet I let the emotions speak for themselves. I can’t get enough of Cade. He’s my life. I can’t repay him for all the things he’s done and the family he shares. When I pull away, he looks stunned, gorgeous, and this settles my heart into a steady rhythm.

Cade puts me down, and I return to Julia, hugging her. “Thank you so much. This means a lot to me and I’m so happy you’re in our lives.”

Now Julia is crying. Over her shoulder, I watch the guys shake their heads and laugh. Julia nudges Cade into opening his gift. She presented a cutting board with an engraving that reads,“The only one who knows how much I love you is you, who had a front-row seat near my heart. You’ve grown into a wonderful man. Thank you for letting me be a part of your world. Love forever, Julia.”

Julia says, “I wasn’t sure what to give you. I noticed you cook, so a cutting board gave me the opportunity to say how I feel.”

Cade hugs her and whispers athanks, and Julia cries again, but this time, no one laughs. When we find our bearings, we dig into breakfast before the rest of the people show. Julia and Seth are staying in the bedrooms upstairs, along with Sister Mary and Mother Corinne, while the rest of the sisters stay at the hotel where Cade rented rooms. Tomorrow will be another day with lots of people and little privacy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. This is what I’ve wanted my whole life. To gather around a crowded table with a mother, father, and friends, eating, talking, and laughing. This is what life is about.

It's early afternoon when Sister Mary and Mother Corinne arrive. I introduce them to Reed, Patsy, Julia, and Seth. Sister Mary shows her gratitude, shaking their hands and thanking them for looking after me. Mother Corinne is a little more reserved. She isn’t unfriendly and greets them, but her eyes assess them, moving from one to the other.

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