His Safe Keeping (The Safe Series) (16 page)

“You ready?” he asked. She rose up, and kissed him lightly on the lips, then sat herself back in the seat.

“Yep. Ready.” She was looking straight ahead. Kade busted out laughing. He put the truck in gear and they went through the mud, sliding this way and that, and before she knew it, they were on the other side. “That was crazy!” she screeched. “That was crazy fun! I want to do that!” She laughed and looked at Kade.

“Baby, we just did. You wanna go again?” he said.

“No, I mean yes, again, and again, and again. But,
I
want to do it.”

“You want to do what?” Kade didn’t understand what she was asking.

“I want to do that!” Krista was pointing at the mud. “I want to drive. Can I, Irish? Will you let me drive? Please?” she finished softly.

Kade looked into her smiling face. She was really having fun, not just pretending she was or putting up with it just to be seen with him. But, fuck! She wanted to drive his truck! Had anyone ever driven his truck besides him? He didn’t think so, and he knew damn well no woman ever had. He also knew for damn sure, that nobody but him had ever taken his truck through the mud. Then his eyes met hers, and they were shining so bright. Bright eyes. Big, fuckin’ beautiful smile, and fuck him, that soft ‘please’ of hers. Yeah, she was gonna drive his truck through the fuckin’ mud, and he was going to sit beside her and enjoy every single minute of it. “Yeah, baby, you can drive.” He barely got the words out of his mouth when there was a happy screech. She threw her arms around him and kissed him, closed mouth, right on the lips. He then felt her little tongue slide across his lips, then her mouth was at his ear.

“Thank you,” she whispered right before she nipped his ear lobe, then she sat back and spoke firmly to him, “Now, get out.” He couldn’t believe what she’d just said and he was speechless for a second. “Get out, get out!” She repeated, sing-songing and laughing.

“You’re killing me, baby,” he said, shaking his head as he was getting out of his own damn truck. He stood in the open door so when she slid under the steering wheel, he helped her adjust the seat to her height. He stood there, looking at just how damn far she pulled that seat up. Yeah, he was going to have a fuckin’ painful ride. Thought for a beat about changing his mind, until he looked back at her face, and caught her eyes…yep, one painful ride. He shut her door, walked around to the passenger’s side, and he caught the hush of the crowd. Fuck, he was never going to live this one down. After he got in, he tried like hell to get comfortable. But how fuckin’ comfortable could he get, with his knees in his chest.

“Are you okay?” she asked and he turned his face to hers.

“Yeah,” he grunted.

“Comfy?”

“Yeah.” He repeated, but narrowed his eyes at her and then watched as she busted out laughing. He loved to hear her laugh. She had that sweet and innocent sound, every time she laughed, but to see her face, fuck, if he hadn’t already fallen in love with her, that alone would have done it.

“Irish, you can’t be comfortable sitting like that. Scoot over here.” She patted the seat right beside of her. “Sit here, and stretch your legs out that way.” She pointed at the floor by the passenger’s side. He did what she suggested, and yeah, that was better. “Better?” she asked softly.

“Yeah, baby, I’m good,” he answered back. She looked over at him to make sure he was okay, and she liked what she saw.

“Let’s do this!” she exclaimed, smiling, as she reached over to turn up the radio. Krista backed up and put the truck in gear, slammed her foot down on the gas, and all he could think was,
please, don’t let us get stuck in the middle of knee high fuckin’ mud
. They hit the mud with a bounce, fish tailed, threw mud everywhere, but then she got it under control, and spinning the shit out of his tires, they reached the other side. “That was f-en awesome!!” Krista yelled excitedly.

After they went another two times, once with her driving, Kade took over. They pulled back up to where they were parked before, so others could have a turn. She was up on the back of another truck, back to dancing and talking to whoever was around. She heard some of the other guys teasing Kade, who was never far from her, about letting a ‘girl’ drive his truck. At that, Kade’s response was always the same. “My woman owned that shit.” And, she couldn’t help but smile big. She was having fun, dancing, laughing, and talking to different people. And then Kade leaned down to her ear. “I’ll be right back, baby. You good?”

“Yes, I’m good.” He kissed her and jumped off the side of the truck. Krista turned to watch another truck going through the mud, when the same girl that had talked to her earlier came up beside her.

“Hey, seen you driving Kade’s truck,” the girl said as she nodded toward the mud.

“Yes, and it was so much fun! I’d never even heard of muddin’ before.”

“Well, Brad saw you too,” the girl said while she was pointing at Brad, who was walking toward them. “He said he thought you were really good and maybe you could show him how you did it.” She finished speaking as Brad reached the side of the truck. Krista sat down on the side, facing Brad.

“Have you been through yet?” Krista asked.

“Nope. You kinda’ jumped in front, and well, the rest of us had to wait,” Brad told her, but he was smiling and didn’t seem mad at all.

“So, you’re going now?”

“Yeah, you wanna’ ride?” Brad asked and just as Krista started to answer, she heard that familiar voice.

“No, she fuckin’ does not,” Kade answered for her, sounding pissed off. They all looked at Kade as he stepped up to the truck and grabbed her off the side to stand beside him. He then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Brad, you thinkin’ of taking my woman with you?”

“Hey, man, I didn’t know. Dee was the one who suggested asking her about going out. She said you wanted to talk to her, but Kris was hanging all over you. Dee said you needed a way to ditch Kris,” Brad said, looking none too happy at Dee.

“Who you here with?” She heard Kade ask, and when she turned to look at him, he was staring right at the girl she assumed was Dee.

“Just some of the girls sugar. Thought we could hit the mud together again.” The girl, Dee, purred back at Kade. She was hitting on Kade with Krista standing right there in Kade’s arms. Oh, no. She did not think so!

“Seriously? You’re going to try and hit on him with me standing right here?” Krista walked out of Kade’s arms and hopped back up on the tailgate. Dee looked her up and down.

“Girl, you really think he’s going to choose you over me?” Dee said as she moved her hands down her body.

“He’s with me now,
girl
, not you!” Krista pointed at herself and then at Dee. “I’m staying at his house, not you.” She started again, pointing between the two of them. “I’m—” Krista had more to say, but Dee interrupted her.

“Bitch, please,” Dee stated. “Kade don’t let anyone stay at his house.” Dee rolled her eyes.

“What did you call me?” Krista’s voice had dropped and she took a step toward Dee, right before she felt arms come around her waist.

“Easy, baby,” Kade whispered to her. “You need to get the fuck gone! Now!!” Kade said in a tight voice to Dee.

“But sugar, she’s the one talkin’ shit. Did you hear what she said?” Dee shot back, eyes glaring at Krista.

“Yeah, I heard. I also heard you call her a bitch.” Kade leaned around Krista and got closer to Dee. “That fuckin’ shit is not happening. Now, get the fuck gone before I have your ass carted off.” Krista watched a very pissed off Dee walk to the end of the tailgate, just about ready to jump down, when Kade spoke up again. “And, Dee. Just so you know, her…” He looked at Krista, then back at Dee. “Every fuckin’ time. No contest. You…” He continued as he moved his head to indicate her body. “Or her…” He added when he looked back at Krista, then back at Dee. “No fuckin’ contest. That’s why she drove my fuckin’ truck. She’s in my house, and she’s in my bed.”

Oh, my goodness, he did not just say that in front of all these people.
Krista turned into Kade’s chest, trying to hide her burning face. That’s when she heard his voice.

“Baby?”

Krista looked up at Kade. “I can’t believe you said that,” she whispered, forgetting all about Dee.

“Said what? That you’re in my house? Because, baby, that’s where you are.”

“No, the other part.” Krista was still whispering. Kade moved them and then bent down, so they were face to face.

“You got a problem being in my bed?” he asked, not sounding happy about it.

“No, I don’t have a problem being there. I do, however, have a problem with you announcing it to half the world.” Krista shot back.

“So, let me get this straight. You don’t have a problem with me fuckin’ you, just as long as no one knows it? Is that it?” Kade snapped back. Krista took a step back.

“You did not just speak to me that way.” Krista took another step back. “You know dang good and well that was not what I meant. We’re together. I’m spending the nights at your house. You’ve spent the night at my house. I’m not stupid. I know people will assume we are…” She leaned into him and whispered, “Having Sex.” She stood back up. “But, that doesn’t mean I want it broadcast all over the world,” she said with hands and arms moving the whole time, then she dropped them to her side. “I had more respect for you, for our relationship, than to just throw it out there as common information, like it was nothing special, cheapening it in some way.” She turned to walk away, then stopped and turned back around to look him right in the eyes. “I thought you felt the same about me.” And that time, she walked to the end of the tailgate, jumped off and started walking toward the wooded area that surrounded them.

Kade just stood there for a beat. Then two. What the fuck just happened? He’d never had a woman who didn’t want every-fuckin’-body to know when he’d fucked them. Hell, he’d even had a few who said they had, when they hadn’t. He dropped his head. He had to admit, he’d never had a woman like Krista, and to her, what they shared intimately was special between the two of them, and should’ve been kept that way. Then he took off after her. When he reached her, he spun her around to face him, and then walked her backward to a more private area. “Baby, I’m sorry. What we have, what we share, is so fuckin’ special to me. I never meant to make you feel any different. Honest to God. I didn’t say any of it to disrespect you or us. I said it because I want the whole fuckin’ world to know just how lucky I am to have you in my bed.” That’s when she raised her head and he saw tears in her eyes. He knew he had put them there. “I fucked up, baby. I never meant to hurt you,” he whispered to her.

“You think you’re lucky because you’re with me?” she asked, and he raised his head to look her in the eyes.

“No, baby, I don’t think. I
know
I’m damn lucky,” he told her, and watched a small smile slowly form on her beautiful face.

“Irish, I’m the lucky one. You’ve changed my life. You’ve given me so much,” she said as she raised her hand and placed her palm on his cheek. “No, Irish, I’m the luck one.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Krista stepped out of the shower, smiling, and grabbed the towel Kade had laid out for her when he’d left her a few minutes before.
That’s what you call a great shower
, she thought to herself. They’d only stayed a little while longer, watched a few more trucks run through the mud, and then left. Kade led her upstairs to the master bath, and was starting the shower before she even realized how muddy she was. “I’m glad you told me to change my clothes and shoes. These shoes will never be the same again,” she told him as she was trying to pull off the shoes, which were covered in mud.

She didn’t notice Kade until she looked back up. He was standing in front of her completely naked. Krista froze for a beat and just stared. The man was hot with his clothes on, but dang, in nothing but skin, and all…male, he was irresistible. She wanted to touch and taste every inch of him. Krista reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her hands in his, raised them above her head, and walked them backward until she hit the wall behind her. With her hands pinned together in one of his above her head, he leaned in and kissed her lips, her cheek, across her jaw, and down her neck while his other hand was busy raising her shirt until it was just below her breast. He stepped back and yanked the shirt off, then dropped to his knees and kissed her stomach while he unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs. He stood up, took a step back and just stared at her, running his eyes up and down her body as she stood there breathing hard, in nothing but her lace bra and panties.

“So fuckin’ gorgeous,” he growled low in his throat and before she could say a word, he picked her up and walked into the shower.

“Irish! I still have some of my clothes on!” she exclaimed, already standing under the shower jets…wet.

“Gonna’ rip ‘em off, then I’m gonna taste you, then I’m gonna’ take you,” Kade growled again, but he still didn’t move. He just stood there and stared as the water ran over her. She took one step and dropped to her knees as she reached for him and immediately felt him jerk in her hand. She rubbed a finger over the tip, then swirled her finger over the head. She locked eyes with him as she took him in her mouth. Gripping the base of his erection in her hands, she opened her mouth as wide as she could to take in as much of him as possible. She lost the connection with his eyes when he threw his head back. “Fuck, that feels good,” he moaned, and she felt his words vibrate through him. She moved her mouth and her hand simultaneously over the length of him, as she swirled her tongue around, then flattened it to take in more of him. When she felt him hit the back of her throat, she moaned, and felt his hips begin to pump as his hands tangled in her hair. “Suck me, baby,” he groaned as he rolled his hips once again. She moaned again and his grip on her hair got tighter, his hips pumping harder as she worked him with her mouth and hands faster. “Fuck, baby, you gotta stop,” he growled, but she was too into it to stop now. She tightened her grip on him and sucked him down to the back of her throat again, tightening her jaw muscles as she instinctively swallowed. That’s when she heard her name growled low in his throat, right before she felt jets of warm liquid shoot into her mouth and down her throat. Krista pulled back and let him slide slowly from her mouth, then ran her tongue over the tip one more time. All of a sudden, Kade was on his knees with her, kissing her long and hard, so long that when he finally raised his head from hers, she was breathing so hard she could barely speak. Then, he flipped her and had her sitting on the built in seat installed in the shower. Ripping off her bra and panties, he tasted her, then took her, just like he said he would.

After that most wonderful shower, she slipped on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top before walking out of the bathroom in search of Kade. She thought he’d be in bed, but the bed was empty, so she walked out of the room and down the hall. Krista saw a light on in the room he used for an office. She walked in, and…screamed!

Kade was sitting at his desk with his chair turned to the side, studying his white board that he used to help him in solving his cases. He’d put Price’s picture right in the middle and had notes and papers pinned around it. He was so focused on the board he didn’t hear Krista come in until she screamed. He jerked around to look at her. She was white as a sheet, eyes wide staring at his board. Then, she turned her head and locked eyes with him. “How could you?” she asked in a voice that sounded so betrayed and so very sad. She turned and ran. He moved to the door and down the hall, yelling her name, not knowing which way she went or why she’d run. Kade went toward the bedroom when he heard something that sounded like banging. He went into the room, only to see her standing by the bed throwing things into her bag, but when he started toward her, she threw out her hand. “Stop!” she shouted at him. She dropped her hand, fell to her knees and uttered in a voice he’d never heard from her before. “Don’t touch me.” It was a voice that sounded like a small child. Then it hit him. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut and had his heart ripped out of his chest at the same time. He remembered what Price had said during that long ass transport the day he’d met Krista.

“Had me a little girl once, never been touched…” The words now stuck in his head, playing over and over.

Son-of-a-bitch! The look on Krista’s face, standing in his office doorway and staring at Price’s picture was burned into his brain. Kade balled up his fist, drew back his arm, and slammed it into the wall. “Son of a bitch!” he snarled out loud. “I’m going to kill the mother fucker!” he shouted and then slammed his fist into the wall again. He looked down at the floor and the sight of his beautiful Krista, curled into herself, her arms wrapped around her body protectively, broke his heart. “Baby,” he whispered softly as he moved slowly toward her. “Baby.” He repeated as he dropped to the floor. “It’s me, baby, your Irish.” He had to help her. He had to pull her back from where her mind had taken her. “Baby, please look at me.” He continued to speak gently as he moved his hand cautiously toward her, but made sure to keep in her line of sight. When his hand was almost touching hers, he repeated softly. “Baby, it’s me.” He let his hand brush lightly across hers as he spoke again. “I’ll never hurt you, baby, you know I won’t.” He moved his hand back across hers once more. When she didn’t flinch at his touch, he laid his hand across hers and felt when she shifted just enough to grab his. He moved slowly closer to her, still whispering. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” He continued to inch his body closer to her. “You’re safe, baby.” He was finally close enough, and he laid his body around hers, drawing her to him. “I’ll keep you safe, baby. I swear I’ll always keep you safe.”