Page 62 of Heartstrings & Horizons
To the left is the kitchen, much like the main living space, it’s all earthy tones, sage green cabinets, and butcher block countertops. Dishes and decor adorning open shelves in lieu of upper cabinets. The island is the centerpiece with tall stools for entertaining. To my surprise, there are several potted plants on the shelves — is Cade a plant daddy?
“One of the neighbors takes care of the plants for me,” he says. “I like the vibe, but I don’t have a green thumb.” I laugh. It’s like he has a direct line to my thoughts and he’s answering every question before I even have a chance to ask.
Cade takes me by the hand and leads me around the central staircase towards two French doors at the back of the house. He flips a light switch on the wall and we step out to a stunning view. There are string lights hanging over the deck, a large sofa, and matching chairs with a fire pit in the center.
He takes a remote from his pocket and presses a button. Suddenly, several lanterns with LED candles flicker to life along the perimeter of the space, faintly illuminating the lake beyond as the moonlight dances on the surface. He presses another button and music begins to play, the soft hum of Perfect by Ed Sheeran providing a flawless soundtrack for this moment.
An unspoken request hangs in the air as I take his hand and we walk towards the center of the deck, where he pulls me into his arms, swaying us back and forth. I breathe in the fresh winter air, the slight chill in the breeze is dulled by our mingling body heat as we cling to each other. I dance my fingers along the nape of his neck as my other hand traces a circle across his chest, just above his heart.
He whispers the last line softly into my ear as the song fades out. Our eyes meet, and we crash together in a breathless kiss. Pulling back, I search my heart for the words to express how I feel, but everything feels woefully inadequate.
“Cade…You… this moment… it’s everything.” I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest, willing this time to linger on for a while longer. Cade trails his fingertips along my collarbone, moving my hair over my shoulder before placing a soft kiss in their wake. It's a ghost of a kiss, the slight brush of lips on skin before trailing up my neck to that spot behind my ear that makes my knees weak. I feel fragile, delicate, cherished.This feels like home.I suspect anywhere would feel like home as long as I have Cade by my side.
“We should head in. I can give you a more in depth tour tomorrow. I’m impatient to have you in my bed.” Heat rushes to my cheeks and I know he can see my desire evident on my face. “Come on,” he urges, taking my hand in his and leading me up the stairs towards the primary bedroom.
The room is spacious with large picture windows leading to a breathtaking view of the lake. The bedroom matches the rest of the house, earthy with a masculine edge. A large king size bed is the centerpiece, with more plants adorning the area near the windows.
Cade tugs me past a door that I assume is a closet, through another door that leads into a gorgeous bathroom. There’s a large walk-in shower to the left of a double vanity, but my gaze is trained on the oversized soaker tub on my right. It looks big enough for two, and I’d love to put that theory to the test. It has the same warm feel of the rest of the house and I long to sink into oblivion here.
Before I can say a word, Cade starts the bath and tests the temperature of the water. He walks over to a basket on the countertop and returns with several bottles. The first one is a bottle of bubble bath; he pours a generous amount into the stream of water and follows that with epsom salts. The scent of lavender and vanilla permeates the rising steam. He places the other bottles on the side of the tub and it takes me a moment before I register that he has purchased my preferred body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. “How did you —” he holds up a finger to cut me off. “There’s one thing you need to know about me, Sunshine. I pay attention,” he pauses. “Now strip.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m naked in less than a minute, pulling my hair into a messy bun before stepping into the water. The heat envelops me and I’m immediately relaxed. Cade follows suit and urges me to scoot forward so he can climb in behind me. His arms come around my waist and pull me into his chest. His fingertips trace circles along my ribs and under my breasts. I close my eyes and savor the simple caress. Every lingering touch feels like heaven. He takes a loofah and squirts some of my body wash in the middle.
“Scoot forward a little.” I comply and his hand tenderly glides along my back, then my shoulders, then my neck — his lips following the carefully laid path with a trail of delicate kisses. His free hand dips between my legs as he begins to gently stroke my center. Heat rises in my core and I could come so easily like this. “Relax, baby. Let me take care of you.”
“Mmmm,” is all the response I can muster. I lay my head back on his chest as he continues to caress my softness with one hand while plunging into my pussy with the other. His thumb reaches my clit as he strokes in and out at a deliciously unhurried pace. My climax comes on slowly, rising from the tips of my toes straight through my spine.
I cry out, “Fuck! Cade,” as he slowly drags his hand away, places his fingers to his lips and licks them clean. He cups my cheek, and turns my face to take my mouth in a decadent kiss. I glide my hands up his thighs to reciprocate, but he stops me before I can travel further. “That was just for you, baby. Let’s get to bed.”
He steps out of the tub first, wrapping a towel around his waist and holding out another for me to step into. He rubs his hands along my shoulders and dries my body before leading me into the bedroom, where he takes an oversized t-shirt from his drawer and pulls it over my head. It smells like him, leather and sandalwood — comfort and peace.
After he shucks his towel and pulls on his boxer briefs, he leads me to the far side of the bed closest to the windows. I slide under the covers as he rounds the bed and slips into the other side, closest to the door. Shifting closer to the middle, I reach out to trail a hand down his chest in a gentle caress. Cade is soft, but strong. He has hair dotting his chest and a happy trail leading down from his belly button. He tugs me closer, placing an arm under my shoulders, resting my head on his chest. I swear I feel him dip his chin into my hair, taking a deep inhale of my scent. Before long, I drift off into a dreamless sleep.
Cade
We awake midmorning, sunlight streaming in through the picture windows. Last night feels like a dream; the best dream. I haven’t slept that well in years. I don’t know how long Paige will be staying, so I intend to shower her in affection and savor every moment we have together. There’s an expiration date looming and even though I know she won’t be leaving forever, I wish I could keep her and never let her leave my side again.
“Good morning, Sunshine.” I place a soft kiss on her forehead as she peers up at me through her thick eyelashes. She looks stunning in the morning light, hair disheveled, face bare. I can see every freckle and beauty mark on her face. She smiles at me, her dimples taking center stage. I kiss her nose and remind her that we agreed to meet up with everyone for brunch in an hour.
She takes her time getting ready and I can tell she’s nervous to see everyone again; the alcohol lowered her inhibitions last night, but she has nothing to worry about, they already love her. We drop off the rental car, then take a short walk over to Rosie’s.
The bell chimes above the door as we enter hand in hand. Several gazes land on our joined hands, a few questioning looks darting in our direction. I hear a few hushed whispers and I feel a pang of annoyance. In an attempt to tamp down any unwanted questions, I cup Paige’s cheek and lay a kiss on her plush lips — let the town talk about that.
I quickly spot our friends in our usual spot, shit eating grins on their faces. I hear a few hushed whispers as we pass other tables on the way to our spot.
When Cara sees us approaching, she slips out of the booth and pulls Paige into a tight hug like old friends. We all slide back into the booth, Paige and I taking up residence across from Miles, Dean and Cara. I hand amenu to Paige, placing a protective arm around her shoulder.
Lisa sidles up to our table, offering coffee and introducing herself to my girl. Paige offers her a warm smile and asks her what she would recommend for a first time customer.
As Lisa shares her short list of favorites, Paige’s eyes sparkle with excitement. Based solely on her reaction, I know before she does that she’s going to order a stack of pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, and I can’t help but let my mind wander to the possibility of using the whipped cream elsewhere. The thought has me adjusting myself under the booth.
We talk and laugh over enormous stacks of pancakes, and plates laden with bacon and toast — the atmosphere is almost joyful.
Cara, ever the social butterfly, leans over with a bright smile. “So, how are you liking Oak Ridge so far?”
Paige smiles warmly, “I haven’t had a chance to explore much, but I love everything I’ve seen so far. It’s so cozy. Toronto is super hectic, so this is a nice change of pace.”
“Small town charm,” Dean says. “I traveled a lot for work, but there was always something about Oak Ridge that anchored me here.” I don’t miss the way he glances over at Cara when he says it.
