Page 52 of Confusing Cade
“Yep, the first one in my lifetime.”
“Wow,” I breathed, sinking back against the kitchen counter, the cool granite pressing into my lower back. My mind raced to picture it. There stood Cade on the green, the sun glinting off his club, the ball arcing perfectly through the air before dropping into the cup. It was such a rare feat, the kind of story golfers chased for years. He had a right to be so excited.
“You should have seen that shot, Bella. It looked like something you’d see one of the pros do.”
I pulled the phone from my ear and switched it to speaker, setting it on the counter amid the scattered bottles of bleach and cleansers. The kitchen smelled sharp and sterile, a far cry from the fresh, pine-scented air of a golf course. “Did you have to buy drinks for everyone?”
“Small price to pay. And they gave me a plaque.”
I smiled, imagining it. “Well, I’m very proud of you.”
“Thanks.”
He still sounded elated, like a little kid who’d scored the winning goal in his first soccer game. There was something endearing about it, and I felt closer to him, like I was peeking behind the curtain of his polished life.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Cleaning.”
I scanned the kitchen. The sink gleamed from my earlier scrubbing, but the grout lines between the tiles were still grimy, stubborn stains mocking my efforts. Today felt like a great day to tackle that, and there was nothing like a deep clean to clear the mind, especially after the whirlwind of the past few weeks. Being with Cade had upended my routine in the most exhilarating way, but my apartment bore the evidence: dust bunnies in the corners, a faint mustiness in the air.
“I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t deep cleaned in ages.”
“Sounds thrilling,” he teased, his voice warm, familiar.
“Adulting, you know. Kitchen’s first, then the bathroom.”
I grabbed a sponge, dipping it into the soapy water, the suds foaming up satisfyingly. As I scrubbed at a particularly stubborn spot near the faucet, my thoughts drifted. How had this become my life? Mornings filled with texts from Cade, evenings tangled in his sheets, and now, casual phone calls about his triumphs. It felt surreal, like I’d stepped back into a version of the world I’d lost years ago, but better, because it was with him.
“Want some company?”
His warm tone told me once he came over, we wouldn’t get any cleaning done at all. A flutter stirred in my stomach, heat blooming low and insistent. I sank onto the cold metal kitchen chair, crossing my legs as if that could quell the sudden ache. “Company?”
“I’m close. I can come over.” A smile lit his voice, and I pictured the undoubtable mischievous glint in his eyes
“Don’t you have to get back to the office now?” I pictured his sleek desk, loosened tie, hair askew, dick hard...
Oh God, I want more...
“It can wait. I’m the boss, remember?”
I smiled, warmth blooming in my chest and pooling between my thighs. “I could never forget.”
He laughed. “Be there in twenty.”
I set the phone down, eyeing the countertops. Twenty minutes to clear the sink and calm the buzz in my veins. I grabbed a sponge and hurried around the apartment, giving the place a once-over before I rushed into the bathroom to touch up my hair, mascara, and lipstick. I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard, but I didn’t want to look unkempt either.
And when my doorbell rang a few minutes later, I was pulling my hair into a low ponytail.
“Nice,” Cade said when I opened the door. His gaze traveled up and down my paint-splattered old sweatpants and white T-shirt. “No bra.”
I grinned. “Good of you to notice.”
“Just what I want to see after this.” He held up what I guessed was the ball that made the hole in one. I stepped aside to let Cade cross the threshold into my apartment, the faint, familiar scent of his sandalwood cologne brushing past me as he drew closer. In an instant, he swept me into his arms, his embrace pulling me in like a rushing tide. His lips met mine, urgent and hungry, and I melted into him, my fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt. With a gentle nudge, he eased the door fully closed with his foot, the soft thud barely registering. We stumbled together toward the center of the room, my heart pounding as hot and all-consuming desire flared, drowning out the world.
Our kisses stretched on, each one unraveling me further. His tongue teased me, his hands roaming my back, pulling me flushagainst him. I could feel the hard length of him pressing into me, a promise that sent sparks racing through my veins.God, how does he do this?Turn a simple visit into something electric, something that made me forget everything but the feel of him. My mind flashed to our first night together, the way he’d looked at me like I was the only woman in the world, and a shiver ran down my spine.
But beneath the heat, a whisper of doubt crept in. Was this too fast? Too intense?
