The Key West Anthology (44 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kade

The feeling of her lips against mine sent shivers throughout my body. When I’d said I missed her, I meant it in the most sincere way. Avery and I were friends before things between us got complicated. She was someone I could smile and laugh with, and I hated that I took away some of her spark with my bad choices and behavior. Even if I had a hard time showing it, her happiness meant a lot to me.

When our kiss broke, we both just stared at one another, breathing a little heavier than we were before.

“I wanna try,” I confessed. “I want us to try.”

Her gaze dropped from mine, and my heart sank. “Avery?”

“I just…” She closed her eyes tightly and took in a shuddering breath. “I know you’re trying to do the right thing, Kade. And I’m grateful, but the only thing I’m asking you to do is be a good father. I can’t force you to provide anything more.”

“You’re not forcing anything, pretty girl. I wanna try.” Her resistance made my chest ache.

“I don’t want to be with someone out of pity or—”

I rolled over her and tucked her tiny body safely beneath mine. Her words stopped and her eyes grew wide.

“This is not out of pity,” I said. “I’m not saying any of this because I feel like I owe it to you. My God, Avery, you should know me better than that.” I trailed my thumb along her cheek. “Yes, I want to be there for you and our baby, but it’s more than that.” Her withdrawing from me was a new feeling. It was as if our roles had been reversed and she was the one pulling away now.

She continued to stare back at me. I knew she wanted to argue, yet she held her tongue.

“I’ve missed my friend. I’ve missed your smile.” I leaned in and kissed her, then placed my forehead against hers. “I screwed up, okay? I know that. But over the last few weeks, I’ve really tried to sort out my mind, and I know I want you. Because living without you isn’t an option.”

“Kade.” She caressed my stubble.

“I came by your apartment a few weeks ago, before I found out you left on a cruise. I wasn’t sure what I was going to offer you. I just knew I had to be near you. That was even before I knew you were pregnant,” I explained. “I was at the shop, and I got to thinking about that movie with Nicholas Cage. I immediately wanted you, so I grabbed it and a pizza and drove to your place.”

Her hand froze on my jaw, and she smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah,” I said, smiling too because she was now looking back at me with a hopeful expression. “I’m healing, pretty girl. I’m working on being a better man, because you deserve to be loved, Avery. And if I’m being truthful here, the idea of any other man loving you or my baby sets a fire inside me. I can’t let that happen. I won’t.”

When Avery gripped my face and pulled me down to her, our lips did the rest. Her tongue pressing against my lips invited me to take more from her. And I did.

“I’m gonna take care of you,” I whispered between kisses. “You mean more to me than I have ever admitted. It’s time I stop running.”

She wrapped her legs around my waist and pinned me to her. “I’m scared.”

“I know. So am I. But we’ll be scared together. We’ll do this together. Side by side, baby, I promise you got me.” Her chest shuddered against mine, and it pulled at something inside me. “You got me, baby. You have my word.”

I had never just enjoyed kissing someone. Never spent the time tasting and memorizing the feel of someone’s lips. That wasn’t the case with Avery. Everything with her just felt different, better.

***

Waking up with Avery in my arms was something I could get used to. After kissing for what felt like hours, she curled up against me and let the exhaustion take over. Her head lay upon my chest now as her hair fanned out over my arm and shoulder. Her right leg was wrapped tightly around both of mine, and her head had been in the same position for so long, her cheek felt as if it had fused to the skin of my chest. Her snores were almost inaudible, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sound.

Letting down my guard felt good for once.

When I looked at the alarm clock, it read 7:22 in the morning. I knew she would want to get back to the hospital, but for a little while longer I allowed myself to be selfish.

My phone ringing on the nightstand made her jump in surprise. When I grabbed it and saw her stepfather’s number on the screen, my heart lurched in my chest.

“Who is it?” she asked, and I held up my finger for her to wait.

With a quick swipe of my finger, I took a deep breath and answered the call. “Hello?” My voice cracked.

“Kade?” Robert’s voice was muffled.

“Yeah, it’s me,” I replied in a rush. There were only two reasons he could be calling. I was silently praying for good news as Avery sat close to my side, focusing solely on me as she waited.

“She’s awake,” he cried out, and a huge sense of relief washed over me. “Angela’s awake.”

I looked over to meet Avery’s gaze and smiled. “She’s awake, pretty girl.”

That short sentence was all it took for the floodgates to open. Avery cried joyfully as she began to move around the room in search of her things.

It was time to take my girl to see her mother.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Avery

The moment I entered my mother’s hospital room and found her smiling up at my stepfather, a deep sob ripped through me. For days I’d thought she was lost to me. I let my mind wander into some very scary territory, and my fears had been slowly taking over my heart.

I now had just a small taste of the sadness Kade had been living in for years. I squeezed his hand as he led me into the room.

“There’s my girl,” she whispered. Her voice was weak and had a tinge of a slur it hadn’t before. Not to mention the tubes and machines that still remained connected, which were monitoring her vitals. “How’s my grandbaby?”

I looked up at Kade when her eyes shifted in his direction. “They’re both good, ma’am. I’ve made sure of it,” he said.

She smiled back at him and slowly lifted her hand from the bed. “Come sit next to me, honey.”

I rushed to her side. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

Her eyes fluttered, and she took my hand in hers. “I’m not going anywhere, sweet girl. I have a grandbaby to spoil.”

I laughed and buried my face against her shoulder.

My mother was awake.

***

Over the last week we’d watched my mom make progress in her recovery. Her voice had been permanently damaged due to the injury to her brain, and she now slurred her words slightly when she spoke. The doctors said it may get better with time, but her voice would never go back to the way it was before the accident. For the amount of trauma she’d suffered, I’d say in the end, she was lucky. It could have been a whole lot worse. She’d already begun speech therapy and would continue to meet with the therapist twice a week, even after she left the hospital.

I was getting real close to my twelve-week mark, and with everything that had gone on lately, I felt a little guilty for spending so little time concentrating on my pregnancy. I was nervous as I sat in the waiting room at the doctor’s office with Kade at my side. Just the idea of Dr. Paxton Miles and him being in the same room again while I was naked from the waist down made my stomach ache. I’d sensed Kade’s dislike of the situation on the first visit, and I knew with the way things between us had changed that he would only feel more uncomfortable this time around.

“Avery Nolan,” the familiar voice said from the far side of the room. “We’re ready for you now.”

Kade stood quickly and held his hand out to me. “Let’s go see our little bitty.”

I smiled at his comment. He had picked up on my nickname for the baby over the last week. It was actually pretty cute to hear him say it when talking to our friends.

He gripped my hand tightly and led me through the door to the back.

“Let’s get your blood pressure, and then we’ll get you set up for your sonogram,” the nurse announced.

Kade beamed from ear to ear, and his excitement made me giddy. I loved that he looked forward to seeing and hearing the heartbeat of our child again. Here was this big, solid man who looked like he could break just about anyone, yet he was a big softy through and through.

After they checked my blood pressure and said it was normal, the nurse led us to the sonogram room.

“For now, you can just roll down the waistband of your pants,” she said. “We won’t have you undress until we get you in a room.” I nodded as she stepped out the door.

“You’re fucking shitting me right now,” Kade barked. “How many times is this asshole doctor gonna have his hands buried between your legs?” His face had grown red, and I could see he was trying to control his irritation.

“Um, Kade.” I pressed my lips together tightly to control the laughter boiling inside me. Now was not the time to crack up. “You do understand this is his job, right? I mean he does this day after day. He has to deliver our baby.”

Kade stepped forward, placed his hands on my hips, and pulled my body against his. “I do know that, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a man, and he’s touching something that’s mine.” I cocked an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled. “Yeah, don’t look at me like that. I told you I want you and I want us. You didn’t argue, which tells me you want it too.” He waited for me to protest, but I didn’t because what he said was true.

“Reverse the roles, baby.” He smirked. “What if I had to see a female doctor every month, and she had to go feeling around on my dick?”

My laughter broke free because he could not possibly compare the two. I was housing a human life inside me.

He immediately narrowed his eyes. “Shit ain’t funny.”

I placed my hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter. When it was under control, I forced a straight face. “Okay, I understand.” I had no idea what to say to make him feel better.

He leaned in and placed his lips against mine at the exact moment I heard the door behind us opening. I tried to pull away, but Kade gripped the back of my head and held my mouth to his.

The kiss he continued to give me was one of those toe-curling kisses that should have been reserved for the bedroom alone. It consumed me, made me weak in the knees, and had my body craving more. Now was not the time to be turned on.

When we finally broke free, he wore a self-assured smirk, and all I could do was roll my eyes. He was such a cocky ass, staking a claim when he had not reason to.

Heat crept up my neck as I turned to face the doctor. He stood frozen in the doorway, trying to compose himself after what he just walked in on.

This appointment was no doubt going to be interesting.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kade

“Here’s the address,” Easton said as he passed the paper over the top of the table toward me. “Bennie said they live in a ranch-style home at the end of the lane.”

Vermont. They stuck around for a few months after the funeral and then picked up and moved thousands of miles away. Running from the place where they saw their daughter everywhere they looked.

“You sure about this, Kade?” Jett asked as he sat down in the booth next to me.

“Yeah, I am. It’s something I have to do. It’s the last step before I can say good-bye to Jenna,” I explained as I twisted the paper between my fingers. “I’m ready to move on with Avery, and I can’t do that until I do this.”

My stomach was in knots at the idea of facing Jenna’s parents. I had no idea what to expect, but I wanted to close this chapter.

“I’m gonna need something from you, Jett,” I said as I looked up from my hands.

“And what would that be, brother?” he asked.

“Keep an eye on my girl,” I said, and he grinned widely and nodded as Easton chuckled. “Yeah, I know. You never thought you’d see the day, right?”

Jett placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it. “Nope, I didn’t, but it looks good on ya.”

“What does?” I asked.

“Love, infatuation, whatever you wanna call it,” Easton said.

“Pussy-whipped, henpecked, does it matter how you refer to it?” Jude flopped down in the seat next to Easton, chuckling. “Avery has you wrapped around her pinky, and you are sunk to the deepest depths, brother.”

I smiled. “Where the hell did you come from?”

“I’ve been quietly observing this exchange you three were having.” He leaned back, waiting for me argue with what he had said. But he was right. It was pointless. Avery had me tied up tight, and there was no coming back.

***

“So you’re really leaving in the morning?” Avery asked as she sat curled against my side. As soon as I left the restaurant, I drove straight for her place to let her know my plans.

“Yeah,” I whispered into her hair as I held her close to my side. “I wanted to spend the night with you before I go. But I won’t be gone long. I just have to do this.”

Her hold on my waist grew a little tighter. “I understand,” she whispered. “So are you gonna stay the night?”

Her question made my heart feel like it was constricting in my chest. It felt good to hear she needed me and wanted me.

“Do you want me to spend the night with you?” I asked.

When she nodded against my chest, another wave of relief washed over me. I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms all night long.

“So we gonna watch this movie?” I asked, and she laughed.

“What, you mean the weird unicorn movie?” she taunted. “I thought you weren’t into that kind of thing.”

I didn’t give her any warning before I twisted around and began tickling her sides. Little shit had been picking on me all night, ever since I walked through the door holding
Gone in Sixty Seconds
and a large pizza.

“Oh my God, Kade, stop,” she squealed as she tried to get away from me. “Oh stop, oh shit, I swear I won’t pick on you anymore.”

Her laughter was a welcome sound. She’d been quiet ever since I told her I was leaving for Vermont in the morning, and the last thing I wanted was to end our night on a sour note.

“I’m gonna pee my pants, you have to stop,” she begged, and my own laughter broke out.

I hooked my arm around her waist and lifted her onto my lap. “I love to hear you laugh,” I confessed, and she smiled down at me, her breathing still labored as she tried to recover from the tickling.

“After this trip, you have my all, pretty girl. I promise no more holding back. I just have to say good-bye to that part of my life, and asking for their forgiveness is the only way I can do that. I can promise you that things will be different. I won’t ever hurt you again, baby.”

She nodded, and I noticed the glistening tears in her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered. “Can we save the movie for another day? I’d rather you take me to bed.”

“Are you sure?’

“Completely sure,” she said. “I wanna start making new memories.”

An unwanted ache squeezed my stomach. I knew exactly what her words meant. I’d really screwed up our first time together that night in the garage, and she wanted to erase it. I wanted that too. Creating new memories sounded like a good idea. It was time I started showing Avery how much she truly meant to me, and always has.

I stood up and lifted her from my lap in the process. Once I’d placed her securely on her feet, I took her hand and led her down the hallway toward her room.

Her room was dark, and the light from the bathroom gave the furniture inside a soft glow. I pulled her around to my front and wrapped my arms around her waist. “New memories,” I whispered. “They all start now.”

She slipped her hands beneath the hem of my shirt. The moment her fingertips skimmed over my sides, chills broke out over my arms and back. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on her touch as it rolled over my abs before she rested her hands on my chest. Slowly and almost torturously, she began lifting my shirt over my head.

The moment her lips pressed against the center of my pecs, my head fell back. If that hadn’t been enough to make my legs weak, I was completely lost when her tongue traced a path to my nipple.

“Avery.” Her name fell from my lips in a moan. I loosened my hold on her waist and took her hips in my hands before slowly guiding her to the bed. I stood back for a moment so I could take her in, allowing my eyes to slowly rake over her from head to toe. She watched me as well, with her eyes full of lust.

My heart was racing so fast it felt like it may beat out of my chest. I had never wanted anything more than I wanted this moment with Avery right now. I had to erase my mistake by creating a new first time. Our first time together as a couple. This time I would look her in the eyes and make sure she could see what I tried so hard to hide before. After tonight she would no longer question how I felt about her.