Page 10 of No Regrets

“Yeah.” She finished making her s’more and quickly bit into the treat to keep from talking anymore.

The taste of chocolate and melted marshmallow filled her mouth, and she couldn’t help the pleasure of it. She moaned a bit, realizing all too late that Kaden watched her every move. Why did he always have to make things so hard?

“You can stop gawking at me. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re still pissed at me for that night, aren’t you?” He threw the tablet to the coffee table and reached for the necessities to make his own s’more.

“No, Kaden. I’ve let it go. If we did use protection, I wouldn’t have Shiloh, and I can’t imagine my life without her.” She sat back against the coffee table as she handed him the coat hanger.

So many times they had done this. So many nights they’d stay up talking about all the shit happening in their lives and eating s’mores while sharing. It was just like old times, when they were the best of friends and knew everything about each other before the other one dared to share. Thinking about it almost hurt.

“Do you have a picture of her?” He licked the melted marshmallow off his finger, turning to meet her eyes.

“Yeah, sure.” She grabbed the little bag that she bought to match the dress, which only held the necessities—one tube of strawberry lipstick, her driver’s license, and a few dollars cash. She did manage however to put Shiloh’s baby picture in there, just for kicks.

She pulled the picture out and handed it to Kaden, trying to avoid his reaction when he saw his own eyes staring back at him. It didn’t work. He slumped against the couch, facing her with an expression of awe.

“She looks like you.” She tried to sound casual as she merely stated the truth. “I think in that picture she was trying to tell me she hated cameras. Sort of like her father.”

Brianna stared as Kaden took in the picture of his daughter. She couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old, and it was just a simple snapshot of her lying on the floor, giggling, but she saw Kaden figuring it to be more. If she didn’t know better, she’d say near regret crossed his face for not being in his daughter’s life. For being in Brianna’s life.

“She’s beautiful,” he finally said. With his eyes and practically all his facial features, Brianna thought the same thing. The only resemblance Shiloh had to her mother was the color of her hair and some of her personality. The rest was Kaden made over.

“I know. She looks just like you.”

He set the picture on the coffee table, staring at it as if it were just going to get up and walk off. Then he turned to her. “Do you think she’ll like me? I mean what is she supposed to call me, the stranger that just walked into her life?”

“Calm down. She’s easy to love, Kaden. She’s very accepting and loving toward others and I’m sure she’ll treat the stranger that is going to walk into her life tomorrow, the same.” Why he was getting defensive she didn’t know.

“What made you want to meet her?” There, she had asked the one question that she’d held in ever since she seen him in the restaurant.

He sat staring at his hands as they dangled over his knees. “I don’t know. She’s a part of me. I guess—I’m hoping she’s a good part.”

Brianna smiled, knowing what he meant. “Kaden, she’s the best part. I don’t know what you think or how you feel, but you’re not a bad person. Yeah, we both made mistakes, but that was eighteen months ago. We can’t take it back, and I don’t even want to.”

She scooted over next to him, looping her arm in his. “You’re still my best friend.”

He finally smiled. “You’re my best friend too, Bree.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he returned her affection by laying his cheek against her. This felt right between them. The awkwardness was gone, at least for the moment. It almost felt like the night they spent together before the booze. Only Kaden was the one doing the comforting.

“Are you ready for bed?” he mumbled.

If only he knew. “Uh, guest room, right?”

She felt his smile, then his lips pressed against her hair. “Yeah, but my door’s always open. Don’t forget it.”

Images ran through her head before she could stop them, and all were vivid with details that warmed her body from head to toe. She didn’t need to think about that. She didn’t need to screw up their relationship again. She just didn’t need to go there and had to be strong throughout the upcoming year. Because, if anything, Kaden Riggens was temptation. Pure, raw, sinfully wonderful temptation she had tasted, and wouldn’t be opposed to tasting again . . . and again.

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