This Regret (6 page)

I can feel my cheeks turning red as I push away from his chest and lean against the sink. “You’re pretty confident that I want you, aren’t you?”

He runs his tongue over his lips before bringing his lips down to meet the sensitive spot below my ear. He trails kisses down my neck and then, with slight force his lips come crashing into mine as I squeeze his hard chest in my hand.

When he pulls away, I can feel his hands caressing my ass before he presses his body against mine, poking me with his erection. It feels thick and warm against my stomach, making me want to do very naughty things. “Yeah,” he breathes, “I guess you could say that.”

We both pull away and try to look as if we weren’t just about to rip each other’s clothes off when someone pushes their way through the door. Not, that I would’ve let that happen, but you know . . .

An extra thick woman sporting way too much makeup and clothes that should fit a woman three times smaller than her walks in and throws her hand to her hip. “Hey guy, this is the women’s restroom.”

Kade bites his bottom lip and gives me that ‘I’ll be back for more look’ before turning on his heels to face the woman.

The look on the woman’s face changes from annoyance to lust in a split second. “Never mind, handsome; you can stay.” She smiles, revealing her half-blackened teeth. “It can be our secret.”

Someone has their eye on a different kind of toy and lucky for Kade, he’s pretty much the only man here.

“I can’t.” He frowns and heads for the door. “So much work to do.” His eyes meet mine before he walks out, closing the door behind him.

The woman looks me up and down before placing her hand against one of the stall doors. “Is that all yours?” she questions, with a hungry look in her eyes that says she will jump at the chance to sink her teeth into him.

I grab for a paper towel, dry my hands off and toss in into the trash
. “Nope and I’m pretty sure he’s looking for a date this weekend for his dad’s company picnic.”

She runs her hand along the stall door and plays with her hair, trying to be cute. “Really? Thanks for the tip.”

“No problem,” I say and open the door.

When I walk back out to meet Jen, Kade is busy behind the bar again. I flash him a playful smile while helping Jen clean up the bingo mess.

The crowd of people has died down some, now that the game is finally over, and a group of women are filing out the door at this instant.

“Did you have fun with my gift while I was gone?” I give Jen a questioning look.

The look on Jen’s face says it all. “I really need to get me one of these. As much as Nathan and I have sex, hell, I should have two.”

A vibrator comes flying at our heads and I quickly reach out to grab it before it can smack Jen in the back of the head.

“I always bring extras.” She smiles and gives me a playful wink.

“Sweet,” I say eyeing it.

Luna takes a seat next to us and places her drink on the table. “I would say the night was successful.”

I hand the vibrator to Jen and she grabs it with both hands before handing it back. “You know I can’t really take one of these home. Nathan would have a fit.”

Looks like her purse is about to gain a gift, because I’m not letting her leave without it. I shove it into her purse and snap it closed. “Just leave it in your trunk.” I smile. “Nathan will never have to know.”

It’s silent for a moment before Jen finally says, “Okay fine, you talked me into it. It’s your ass if I get caught though.”

I glance around the room and stop on the woman from earlier. She’s leaning over the bar with her shirt riding up her back exposing a majority of it, as she reaches for Kade’s hand and pulls him closer to her. A laugh escapes my lips as Kade looks over at me with eyes desperate for me to save him. You want to hang out in the women’s bathroom, then you get the baggage that comes along with it.

Tossing an armful of empty bottles into the trash beside me, I shake my head, smiling, and turn behind me to thank Luna. “Yes, sex toy bingo was a brilliant idea. Kade and Saline should have no reason to complain about tip money tonight and I will be sure to pay you cash for the night, thank you again.”

Luna stands up and walks over to different table to help with the trash. Waving her hand she says, “No rush, just pay me tomorrow.”

After the bar is cleared out, I’m leaning over the register counting money, when I feel someone breathing on my neck. Instantaneously, I know it must be Kade.

I turn around to say, “You just never give . . .”

My words trail off when I see Saline giving me a confused look. “Am I free to go now? I have crap to do.”

Looking back down at the register, I dismiss her for the night and continue counting. “Yeah that’s fine, see you on Friday.”

After counting the money three times, I come to the conclusion that someone had to have messed up
somewhere. There’s no way the drawer can be off by almost fifty dollars, but since everyone is already gone for the night, I’ll have to talk to them later and figure it out.

I stash the money into the safe, grab my jacket and head out for the night.

I lock up the bar and am taken by surprise when I turn around to see Kade leaning against his truck.

He’s looking down at the ground, his blond curls hanging over his face.

“What are you still doing here? I thought you had to meet Jack?”

His head shoots up as I walk over to stand in front of him. Without speaking, he grabs my waist and pulls me against him.

“I was wanting to do this one more time.” He runs his hand over my cheek before slowly leaning in and pressing his lips against mine.

I find myself falling into him, my hands exploring his tight stomach, making it hard for my mind to work right. I know there was something important on my mind a few minutes ago, but not so much now. Just Kade’s lips caressing mine as if it’s perfectly natural.

Finally, his lips leave mine and a smile stretches across my face as I open my eyes. “You need to stop acting as if I like it when you kiss me. Also, stop molesting me at work before someone thinks something is going on. I’m the manager and your father owns it. Not a good look.”

“You love it and who cares what they think?” His hand runs down his stomach before it pushes down his erection, straining to break free. “If only I didn’t already have plans tonight.” He squeezes my ass and pulls me against him, pressing his lips against my neck before pulling away again. A smirk pulls up on one side of his face. “Oh yeah, don’t be surprised if you find me in your bed tomorrow night and no worries, I’ll be sure to be naked again.”

I turn and start heading to my Sebring as he opens the door to his truck.

I look back and grin at him, dangling my keys from my ring finger. “I don’t think so stud, you already gave me my key back.” I jump into my car and shut the door behind me.

I have to be crazy to be falling for Kade after all of these years.

Chapter Four

Phoenix

One of us had the brilliant idea of sitting down and having a family lunch with our grandmother, Claire. So here we are, sitting around the kitchen table at my mother’s house, awkwardness overpowering the happy feeling I should be having for making a delicious meal.

“Pass the salt.”

Twirling my fork in the middle of my spaghetti, I reach my arm out and scoot the salt across the table and in front of my mother.

She brings her hazel eyes up to meet mine for a s
plit second and that’s all it takes to know that she’s hiding something. She’s been acting strange for the past few weeks and to be honest, I haven’t seen my father around pretty much at all.

I clear my throat breaking the silence, before this awkward family moment can get any more painful. “Where’s dad? I haven’t seen him all week. Is something up?”

Two sets of hazel eyes land on me, but neither, my mom nor my sister are quick to speak.

“Okay then. Forget I asked,” I mumble, looking over at my grandmother who has her head buried in a glass of Jack. I’m surprised to see she hasn’t drowned in it yet.

My grandmother shrugs her shoulders, while spinning the ice around in her glass causing liquor to spill over the edges and onto the table. “He’s probably at some cheap motel with some cheap hussy.” She dips her finger in her
glass and splashes her drink in my mother’s direction. “It’s a wonder this marriage has lasted as long as it has.”

My mother’s head shoots up, but she doesn’t even bother with looking at m
y grandmother. You can tell she’s trying as hard as she can to keep her anger under control, but I have a feeling it won’t last long. They’ve never had a good relationship and it’s easy to see why. I’d be lucky to even remember one happy family moment that included the both of them.

“Did anybody ask for your two cents, mother? Why don’t you go pour a fif
th glass of Jack so you can pretend to be somewhere else like you have my entire life.” Her voice comes out smooth, but her eyes are shooting daggers in my grandmother’s direction.

If this family dinner was pushing towards awkward before, then it’s definitely crossing that awkward line now.

With lipstick stained teeth, my grandmother smiles and holds her glass of Jack out in front of her. “Trust me dear, I could’ve never gotten through your teenage years without him. You should be thanking me for drinking or else you would’ve been living on the streets by the time you hit fifteen. You were always an ungrateful child.”

“Hey! What the hell, you two?” I stand up and push my chair against the table, causing everyone to look my way. Right now, I need to keep my cool. These two have no control. I can’t believe they can’t even pretend to get along for Zoe’s sake. “You two need to grow up and act like adults. This is supposed to be a nice family lunch.”

When I look beside me, Zoe is sitting with one hand on her forehead, while playing with a noodle with the other. She looks bored, as if she’s used to this behavior and has learned to block them out.

No wonder she never wants to be around. Our family is pure hell and it has been ever since the death of my brother Adric. Honestly, I don’t think anyone truly ever figured out how to cope with him being gone.

My parents became distant, leaving me to pretty much care for Zoe and myself. I shut myself inside my own little world and refused to trust anybody again and Zoe, well . . . she was too young to remember Adric.

“Haven’t you learned yet?” my mother asks. “You can’t just throw the words nice and family around and expect us to
all function right. I knew we shouldn’t have invited that sorry excuse for a grandmother over.”

With a startling look of calm in her eyes, my grandmother sets her glass down in front of her and leans over the table while holding her gray streaked hair out of her face.

Looks like shit’s about to get real.

“You have room to talk,” she bites out. “You have one child that overdosed on drugs, one that can’t read and another one that doesn’t like to talk about feelings. When you learn how to be a good mother, then you can judge me. Hear me, dear?”

My heart stops at the mention of Adric and Zoe and I have to fight with everything in me to keep from losing my head. This woman is pushing my buttons right now and as much as I want to strangle her, someone has to be an example for poor Zoe and it definitely won’t be either of them.

“How dare you!” My mother stands up and gets in my grandmother’s face. “Don’t you ever speak of my children that way again, you old bitch.”

Zoe jumps up from her chair and throws her plate of spaghetti across the room before gripping the edge of the table, her nails digging into the wood. “Ugh!”

My mother jumps as the plate shatters against the wall behind her and it looks as if she’s about to scream, but doesn’t. She just closes her eyes and flinches.

“I hate you, Claire. You’re just a drunk old woman that no one likes. You’re the worst grandmother ever and-“

“Zoe!” My mother screams while pounding her fist against the table. “Shut up and sit down.”

Throwing my hands up, I shout loud enough to get everyone’s attention. “You all just shut up!” I take a deep breath and attempt to keep my composure. It sure as hell sucks trying to be the big one all of the time. I’m sick of it. These people drive me insane.

“No!” Zoe screams. “I will not shut up.” She starts crying, while gripping the ta
ble tighter. “The only time you jerks want to mention my brother is in hatred. I don’t even know anything about him, but I do know one thing, right?” Her eyes are bulging out and her red curls are matted to her pale face. “He was a drug addict and I can see why. You people are unbearable to even be around and you make me wish I was dead.”

She turns around to leave and I reach out and try to catch her arm. “Zoe.”

It’s no use, though. She storms away from the table and yanks the sliding door open, slamming her fist into it before closing it with so much force both my grandmother and mother jump.

I can’t believe this is even happening right now. Our family has always been a bit dysfunctional, but this is just crazy, even for them.

Looking around the kitchen table, I can’t help but to feel this heaviness in my chest at my grandmother’s words and suddenly, I don’t care if I snap out. How dare she talk that way about Adric and Zoe? Adric, my dead brother that I didn’t even get to say bye to. Screw that shit. I could kick this woman’s ass right now. She can say whatever she wants about me, but not them. I will not allow it.