Off Limits: A Bad Boy Romance (32 page)

I
was surprised
when I finished work, and I hadn’t seen Alix since lunch that day. Vince had left early to go to a bar exam study session, and I found Monica still at her desk, putting things into her purse for the end of the day. “Hey, Kade.”

“Have you seen Alix?” I asked. “I haven’t seen her since lunch.”

“She’s still at it in the conference room,” Monica told me, pointing. “She brought out an answer form and asked me to double check that she had scored it right just after two. I double checked her numbers for her, and since then she’s been quiet in there. The one time I checked on her, I brought her a cup of tea, but she barely acknowledged me other than to say thank you.”

“How were her scores, anyway?” I asked curiously. “Just for a starting point.”

“Better than I’d expect for someone who took three years off from school,” Monica replied. “I don’t know the questions, she just handed me the answer key and her test sheet, but she did pretty well.”

“All right, thanks, Monica. Go ahead and take off, I’ll lock up and everything.”

“Thanks, Kade. Is Alix going to be coming by more often?” she asked, shouldering her purse.

I nodded. “As long as she wants to pursue this college dream, yes. I figure with the three of us around, she’ll have all the support she needs. And if she needs some tutoring or something, there’s one of those test prep academies just down the street.”

Monica grinned and patted me on the shoulder. “Good job, Kade. You’re finally becoming what I always saw inside you.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “You’ve always been a good attorney, but this . . . you’re becoming a good man, too. Good night.”

I watched Monica go and shook my head in amazement. Even after working together for over two years, she still surprised me. “Dad was right,” I said to nobody in particular before going over to the conference room door. I knocked lightly and opened it to see Alix bent over a piece of paper, her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth as she worked. “Hey Alix, it’s after six.”

She looked up, surprised. “What?”

I laughed quietly and came inside. “I said, it’s after six. Time to put the books aside for the evening and get you some food, or if you want, we can go by my gym and introduce you to the hot tub.”

Alix stood up, stretching her arms over her head, which did two remarkable things. First, at least to me, was the beautiful swells of her breasts being pushed against the now tight front of her blouse, which, despite two nights of passion, still was able to stir my libido like a horny teenager. Secondly, though, was the series of pops as her elbows, shoulders and back all crackled. “Oh wow,” she said, groaning as she twisted her neck from side to side, which was rewarded with two more deep crackles. “I lost all track of time.”

“What are you working on?” I asked, looking at the open book. “Math. Jumping in the deep end right away, aren’t you?”

“It was my weakest area,” Alix said, looking down at the workbook. “Even when I went back and looked at what I was screwing up in the science stuff, I’d have scored better if my math was stronger. So might as well get right to it.”

“In any case, my little scholar, you’re just getting started. I think eight hours of study in one day is enough.”

Alix chuckled, closed her book and put it in her backpack. When she went to put it on her shoulders, I shook my head and took it from her, unzipping it before taking the study materials and putting them on a bookshelf in the conference room. “I know you well enough, Alix. You’ll take these home and then after we relax you’ll pull one out and start studying again or something. You’re very single-minded in determination when you want to be.”

“When I see something I want,” she replied, looking at me with clear intent in her eyes. Still, she followed the rule, and despite a palpable desire in her eyes to reach out toward me, she didn’t. It would have been so easy too, with the office all to ourselves, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. Let the rule become more unconscious to us first, and then see if we can put time and a geographical limit on our activity.

“Still, for the rest of the night you need to focus on your body as much as you have your mind. So which would you like, the gym or food?”

“The gym,” Alix immediately replied. “But first we need to go home and get some clothes, right? Oh damn, I don’t have a swim suit.”

“They sell them there. Hell, you probably did the photo shoot for the company that makes the suits at some point.”

Alix shrugged, dismissing it. “I may have, it’s not important now. That’s behind me.”

“You sure?” I asked as we walked across the parking lot. “Why?”

“I’ve found something more important to me,” Alix said simply, “being a model seems a bit . . . mundane.”

We got into the car and closed the doors, her eyes flaring at the sound of the latch closing. “God, that was difficult.”

“Alix, look at me,” I said, my hands resting on the steering wheel. When she didn’t, I turned to look her directly in the eyes. “Look at me, Princess.”

She responded immediately, her eyes locking on me, blue and sparkling. “Yes, Kade.”

I reached across the narrow gap between us to stroke her cheek with the back of my fingers, marveling at the soft texture. “I know that this is important to you, and it is to me too. But you can’t give up your entire career for me, or for anything. Walk away for a while maybe. But you can’t burn bridges or nuke your chances of a comeback in the future if you ever wanted.”

I kicked myself as Alix’s eyes immediately teared up and her lip trembled. “Do you mean that someday you might . . . ?”

She couldn’t even say it, and I didn’t need her to. I shook my head, smiling gently. “No, Princess. What I mean is, what if in four or five years, after you finish college, you get an offer that makes what I’m doing now look like small potatoes? That seven or eight figure contract you tried to pawn off on me, but for real? Or who knows, maybe Alix Nova can make Portland the new hotbed for models.”

Alix laughed and cried at the same time, taking my fingers and kissing them before releasing them. “I love you, Kade.”

“I love you too, Alix. Which is why I won’t let you hurt yourself for me, no matter what. We’ll work together to make sure we don’t limit each other’s choices or options,” I said. “We support each other.”

She nodded. “Yes, Kade.”

I started up the car and drove off, heading toward home. “By the way, what did you decide to get Rita?”

“I spoke with her,” Alix admitted, “and I was glad I did. She wants a new computer for whatever work she’s doing, and I was thinking maybe you could include something personal from the time you two spent together. You know, for a while she wanted to make things more permanent between you two.”

“I know. And Rita is a good woman, but she’s not you. Alix, I think . . . no, I know now, that I’ve wanted you for years, and I think that stopped me from developing anything deeper with another woman. It’s more than want, Alix. You’re my Princess, because to me you are royalty. But I’ll think, and we can get something for Rita besides just the computer.”

“Any ideas?”

I stopped at a red light and thought for a second, before a wicked grin spread across my face. “Yeah. The designs for that bench and bar that we used last night. I bet she’s got quite a few subs she’d like to use that on.”

T
he eyes
of every man in the gym nearly clicked when Alix stepped out of the locker room in her workout clothes. I could understand why, and I had spent most of the last three days with her constantly by my side, so I was at least partially immune to her beauty. But a woman like Alix, there was no way anyone could ever be totally impervious to her looks. Still, when she came out in her red shorts and white t-shirt, even I did a double take. “Wow,” I whispered as she came over. “Seriously, you’re going to either ruin or motivate the workouts of every man in this place.”

“I don’t care about their workouts, only ours,” she said lightly. “Like the color scheme?”

“Yeah, of course,” I said. “Why?”

“It’s a certain rose,” she whispered, “I thought it appropriate for me.”

I laughed and nodded. “Does that mean you’re doing your own thing?”

“Yes, but not in that way,” she answered. “I’m going to get out there and do some stuff that I haven’t in a long time. Who cares if my arms get a half inch bigger or anything?”

“Not me,” I said, pondering. I remembered what an athletic Alix looked like from her high school days, and I thought she was just as beautiful with the added size. “If you need help, you want me to spot?”

She shook her head. “I’m not going that heavy. I need to remember how to move first, and I’ll take it easy. Yoga for a warm-up, then some light movements to get familiar again, and finish with a nice soak in the hot tub. What’s your plan?”

I thought about it. Part of me wanted to take it easy, since it had been a week since I’d really been home and able to exercise the way I wanted. But, I also knew there was another voice inside me, the one that enjoyed inflicting pain, the sadist. It was the side that I keep under control when I’m with Alix, and the side that let me be a good boxer when I let it loose somewhat, but I knew someone I could turn it loose against that would never complain. “I’m going hard tonight, so I’ll probably meet you in the hot tub later. It’ll take me close to an hour though.”

“That’s fine, I’ll be there,” Alix said, walking away. I watched for a moment before turning, and letting the dark side inside me out just a little bit. Adrenalin and power flooded my veins, and the barbell called. Time to go to work.

T
he next day
, after sleeping in for what was late for both of us, Kade prepared a sumptuous brunch of oat pancakes, maple cured bacon, and poached eggs with a green juice smoothie that left me relaxing on the living room sofa and happily patting my stomach. “You’re spoiling me again,” I sighed, sipping the rest of my smoothie. “Not that I mind.”

“Didn’t think you would,” Kade said. “By the way, after talking to Dad and Layla, you want to go shopping again? Then this evening, I had an idea if you’re open to something a bit highbrow.”

“What are we shopping for?” I asked, watching Kade out of the corner of my eye. The night before we hadn’t made love, but instead just slept peacefully, waking up spooned together and refreshed. “I’d love to go shopping, just curious.”

“Well it won’t be for anything nearly as entertaining as last time,” Kade said. He finished off his drink and set it down. I immediately got up, taking the plates from the coffee table. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“Spoiling me is one thing, but I really want to help out around here too,” I said, looking down at him.

He looked into my face for a moment then laughed, shaking his head. “Okay, but I’m not just going to sit around while you do everything. You did good last time so I can’t say no, but I don’t want to be some chauvinist cad either.”

“Good,” I agreed happily. “So what are we shopping for?”

“Your bedroom,” Kade said. “Nothing outlandish, but there’s a good store around here called Fred Meyer, kind of a one-stop everything sort of place. Freddie’s was Wal-Mart before there was a Wal-Mart. They’ll have what we need so that you can personalize the room, make it have a few more touches of you around there.”

I nodded and started washing, glad that Kade was nearby. Even though we weren’t naked or making love, it was the little things that left me happy, like the way his shoulder would rub against mine while we worked. When the last knife was washed and the last spoon put away, I turned and gave Kade a kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. “So what do you think Derek will want to talk about?”

“I suspect he’s been asked to run for office,” Kade said, “and has finally accepted the invitation. Knowing him, it’ll be something big too, not like the Laguna City Council. If it was just that, he’d have emailed us.”

“Well, let’s find out,” I replied, wiping my hands on the tail of my t-shirt and looking down. “Think I look plain enough for a casual Saturday?”

“Yes, but you’ll need to get dressed up for tonight,” Kade said, giving me no more hints. “If I’m in love with the most beautiful woman in the entire country, then in at least the little way I can, I’m going to show off my luck.”

“Considering I want to do the exact same thing, we can be each other’s arm candy perhaps, although not as much as I want.”

Kade’s smoldering look told me everything I needed to know on that, and I went over to the phone to dial up Derek’s number. Putting it on speaker, the two of us sat down on the couch, holding hands as we waited. Mom picked up. “
Hello?”

“Hi, Mom, it’s me and Kade,” I said, rolling around in my mouth the good feeling of speaking to my mother without years of misplaced bitterness involved. “How are you doing?”

“Oh, honey, it’s great to hear your voice!”
Mom said, practically bubbly.

I had to laugh, it felt so good to hear Mom happy and not worried about me calling. “Come on, Mom, we talked only a few days ago, remember? I ended up bawling and crying over the phone while saying I was sorry?”

“And if you keep reminding me, you’re going to have me bawling over the phone this time too,
” Mom said.

Kade chuckled and spoke up. “So Layla, where’s Dad anyway?”

“Just a moment, guys, I’ll go get him. By the way, you guys should video call us every now and then so I at least get to see you. Video calls are so easy nowadays, you know. Even old women like me can figure it out.”

“Layla, you’re hardly old, you’re still in the prime, remember?”

There was something secret in Mom’s chuckle as she left the phone, calling Derek in the background. “There’s something else going on here, that’s for sure.”

Kade shook his head, and we waited for Mom and Derek’s return by rearranging ourselves on the couch, me snuggling against Kade’s side and him draping an arm around my shoulders. “This is why we can’t do video calls,” I whispered as we waited. “I can barely keep my hands off you through the day as it is.”

“Control, Princess. Control,” Kade whispered back. “It’s the most important part of both our training.”

“Yes, Kade,” I whispered in reply, just in time as we heard people coming back toward the phone.

“Kade, Alix, how are you doing?”
Derek asked, coming on the line.
“Kade treating you well up there, Alix?”

“He’s been amazing, Derek,” I said, grinning at Kade. “Seriously, I’ve been enjoying every minute up here. You know what your son did the other day?”

“Besides probably putting you to work in his office? Knowing him, let’s see . . . filing paperwork?”

I laughed, Kade melodramatically groaning loud enough for everyone to hear, and I shook my head. “No, actually he’s helping me a lot with the whole going to college thing. He’s already got me some study guides, and his staff has been very helpful in offering assistance. He’s got a good team up here.”

“I’m being overly praised, Dad,” Kade said, his voice laughing and teasing. “Actually, my first night I bent Alix over and spanked her for being such a spoiled brat for so long.”

My jaw dropped at Kade’s words, his eyes twinkling as he said them. I was just about to ask him silently what the hell he was doing when I heard Mom and Derek both laughing on the other end of the line. My gape of amazement turned into a half frown of consternation, and I stuck my tongue out at Kade. “If you need to punish me for that, you can do it later,” I whispered in his ear, “but you deserve it for scaring me like that.”

When the laughter stopped, Mom came back on.
“I’m glad that it sounds like you two are getting along so well, Derek and I were worried about it. But we’ve got some big news for you.”

“State or Washington?” Kade asked. “I figured you’d want to jump in with both feet into the deep end of the pool, Dad.”

“Actually, that’s only half of it,”
Derek said.
“But let’s get that out of the way. Yes, I’ve been asked to run for the House, actually. The Congressman for the 48th District is going to make a Senate run, and so the local Republicans asked me to step in for them.”

“Republicans, huh Derek?” I said. “I didn’t see you as a member of the GOP.”

“I’ve been a member of the party since Reagan was President, just independent in my votes,”
Derek said.
“This part of Orange County has gone red for the past two decades. Although a California Republican is a lot like a Mississippi Democrat, we play the middle a lot of the time.”

I shrugged, not really worrying about it. “You’re a good man, Derek, whatever party you decide to run with. So when are you making the announcement?”

“That was part of why we wanted to talk to you two,”
Mom said.
“The party would like to make an announcement within a month, to capitalize on the momentum the primary debates have caused on the national scene. They think that if they wait too long, they’ll not get the traction that they want, and there’s a chance that they could lose the seat to a Democrat challenger.”

“You know I’m not overly worried on which party is in charge, Dad,” Kade said. “Hell, if anything, I’m kind of Libertarian.”

“I know, son, but I was hoping, if you two could find the time, you’d come down in two weeks for a press conference. The party thinks that since I’m divorced, it will play better with the whole family values crowd if I have you guys here with me for the announcement. I’m not saying you have to speak.”

I looked at Kade, who nodded. “Sure, Layla. Send us an email of the details. I think we’ll be flying in instead of driving. I think one marathon road trip a month is enough for me. So what else are you two waiting to tell us?”

There was a heavy pause on the other end of the line, and Kade and I looked at each other for a long time before shrugging. Finally, Derek came on the line again.
“Well, as you know, Layla and I, we’re kind of youthful for people our age.”

“Dad, if you’re trying in your uncomfortable way to say that you two have sex, I’ve kind of assumed that for a while now, and most likely Alix has had the same assumption,” Kade replied with a laugh. If Derek only knew what his son and stepdaughter were up to. “And?”

“Well . . . “
Layla said,
“Long story short: Alix, Kade . . . congratulations. You’re going to have a baby sibling.”

I stared at the phone, shocked. I could feel Kade next to me, and from the reaction of his body, he was as surprised as I was, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the phone.
“Guys?”

“Y—yeah, we’re here, Dad,” Kade said, taking his arm from around me to lean forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. “Just that’s a hell of a bomb to drop into a conversation. I mean, I’m happy for you guys, but holy shit. Talk about unexpected.”

“You should have listened to the conversation your father and I had when I found out,”
Layla said.
“I know it’s going to be difficult, but we’re going to get the best prenatal care.”

I shook my head and chastised myself. Mom wasn’t looking for acceptance, she was looking for support and love from the daughter who hadn’t given her enough of either in a very long time. I leaned forward, next to Kade, and took his hand. “Mom, I’m so happy for you two, and I know that you and Derek are going to make great parents. You both did a great job with the two of us, okay? Together, you’re going to turn out a child that’s going to blow the two of us away. Just, you have to give me a second to wrap my head around all the consequences. So are you hoping for a girl or a boy?”

“Well, that’s where Derek and I are in disagreement,”
Mom said.
“He wants a girl, since he had a boy. I’m wanting a boy since I already have the perfect daughter.”

Tears prickled the corners of my eyes at Mom’s compliment, and I blinked hard to prevent them from spilling down my cheeks. “I’m not perfect, Mom. I screwed up too much of the past sixteen years for me to be perfect. But I hope I can be a good daughter, and I guess a good older sister.”

“I know she will,” Kade said next to me. “And I know we both are looking forward to coming down and celebrating with you both. Send me the details, guys, and we’ll be there.”

The rest of the phone call wrapped up quickly, and afterwards Kade and I sat back, both of us still shocked. I looked at him, and I swore his face probably wore the same slightly dazed expression I knew I had. “Uhm . . . wow.”

Kade nodded. “That about sums it up.”

“As if that doesn’t make our family situation weirder,” I said, sitting back and laughing. “Step-siblings, with a shared half sibling now. Holy hell.”

Kade grew quiet, sitting forward again with his hands dangling between his knees. “Is it too much for you?”

I grew serious, and knew there was only one answer that I needed to give. Getting off the couch, I slid in front of Kade on my knees, taking his hands and kissing them. “No, Kade, My Kade.”

He studied me for a minute, then reached up and stroked a lock of my hair out of my face. “You scare me, Alix. You know that?”

“Why?” I asked, staying where I was. Kneeling before him filled me with a sense of purpose, of calm and of peace. Where else would I want to be?

“Because you’re challenging the control I’ve built of myself. These feelings are coming on so fast, I feel like I’m completely out of control.”

I knelt there, holding his hands, looking into the tortured eyes of the man I loved. I understood what Rita had told me, there was untapped, unspoken of power and danger inside his soul, caused by what I didn’t know, but I knew one thing. “I’ll be here for you, Kade. I’ll be strong enough to soothe the demon inside you. I’ll be your strength if you need it.”

“And I’ll be yours,” Kade said, looking into my eyes. “My Princess.”

We stayed there, holding each other’s hands, until the pins and needles in my calves became too much to bear. Kade saw the pain in my eyes as I shifted slightly, and shook his head. Placing his hands under my armpits, he carefully lifted me in his arms and set me on the sofa. “Come on, let’s get some circulation back in those legs, and then we have shopping to do. Then we’ve got evening plans.”

“May I ask what?” I said, sighing as warmth crept back down my legs and I wiggled my toes. “You seem excited about it.”

“OMSI’s IMAX screen is doing a special tonight,
Phantom of the Opera.
It’s a program they do called Broadway on Screen, full surround sound. I’ve always wanted to go, now I’ve got a perfectly good reason to.”

“Sounds wonderful.”