Page 102 of The Obvious Check

“I’m yourfiancée.”

His smile fades.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to do all these things to help me out. I can probably afford to buy one myself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I set some cash aside, and if I’m not using it for a rent deposit, I can use it to purchase a laptop. It’ll be cheap, but it will do the job.”

It feels weird saying that. For so long, I’ve worked my ass off never thinking the money was mine because I was working toward a bigger purpose. Cade has changed everything, though, and I should be more appreciative of that fact.

“Okay,” he says quietly, and I worry I’ve upset him.

I take a step forward and place my hand on his jaw, pushing it up so he’s looking at me. “Thank you, Cade. For making my dreams a possibility. You’ve done more for me than anyone in this world. Thank you for the phone. I can’t wait to call Adley on it, but I don’t want you to ever think I’m taking advantage of you or the situation.”

“You still don’t get it, do you? Iwantyou to take more advantage of me,” he says with a little smirk. “In every way possible.

When he wiggles his eyebrows, I shake my head, pushing him away in jest. He doesn’t let me go, though. He pulls me in for another kiss. His hand tangles in my hair, his fingers tightening just enough to make me gasp, and he crashes his mouth against mine. Urgent and unrelenting, it’s almost as if he’s been as starving for this as me.

Cade’s lips trail lower, searing a path down my throat and across my collarbone. “I missed you,” he says against me, his voice thick with need, his breath hot where it fans across my skin. “Missed your smell. Missed your laugh.”

A shiver ripples through me, the anticipation winding tight in my stomach as I lean my head back, opening myself up toCade. I don’t resist him. At this point, I think it’s clear I can’t. Instead, I arch into him, letting him take what he wants, which is everything I want to give.

“Missed your taste,” he continues, his hands skimming lower and his fingers teasing me as they slide over my hips, kneading the skin there.

My breath catches as his fingers trace over my skin and my body screams for more. He groans against my throat, his lips brushing my collarbone in a way that makes me arch into him.

As his hand starts to drift lower, a cool lick of anticipation rattles through me because I know exactly where he’s heading. I shift my legs apart instinctively, inviting him to touch me, but his hand doesn’t dare to go lower than my stomach.

His eyes find mine, dark and filled with heat, hunger, and a silent question.

Do you want this?

Yes.

Do I really need to say it? That I want him. That I’ve never wanted anything more. Hasn’t he realized that by now?

Still, he waits, just like I asked him to the first night we pushed the limits. His fingers rest just at the edge of my shorts, a whisper of pressure that has my hips shifting toward him, desperate for more. That’s my answer.

A slow, satisfied smirk tugs at his lips before his mouth lowers back to my neck, kissing, feasting on me as he finally slides his hand beneath the fabric. His fingers brush against my already soaked skin, and a sharp gasp escapes me.

I clutch his shoulders, my nails digging in, needing him closer, needing more.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Cade curses under his breath, his forehead dropping to my shoulder as he groans in frustration. “Again?Are you fucking kidding me?”

A breathy, nervous laugh escapes me as I glare at the ceiling, my body still tingling with heat, still desperate for him.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, breathless. “I need to check that because it could be Adley.”

Cade sighs, his disappointment palpable as he slowly pulls his hand out of my panties.

Snatching my phone off the counter, I glance down at the screen and my heart leaps into my throat.

Fern:New Message

Already? I click the notification and the moment I register what it says, a squeal bursts from my lips before I can stop it.

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