Chapter 16: Need

SLOAN

I check my messages and see that Kade wrote me back.

Kade

I’m cooking dinner for you, come over.

Sloan

When?

Kade

Now, I miss you.

Sloan

Let me shower then I’ll be on my way, where am I going?

After I get directions and Kade’s address, I go to the bathroom. While I’m in the shower, all I can think about is Kade.

Those texts were sweet. He’s cooking for me? He misses me? I mean, I miss him too…

I put on some lacy lingerie and a dress that makes me feel sexy. After I throw a few essentials in my bag to prepare for a sleepover, I head out the door.

I follow the directions to Kade’s building; it is really modern and sleek looking.

When I get to his door, I’m a little nervous, but this is fine! This is Kade, my friend…who I kiss now…

But there is no reason to be nervous. ~Right~?

I ring the bell, and he opens the door quickly. He looks so hot in his signature tight T-shirt and jeans.

“Wow, Sloan, you look beautiful.”

“Thank you. Not so bad yourself.”

He kisses my cheek and shows me inside. The apartment is clean and modern and it smells good, too, like Kade.

He takes my bag and sets it on a side table before he grabs my hand and pulls me into the kitchen.

“What are you making?” I ask.

“A family specialty. How was your day?”

“Good, then great, then weird, now better.”

He laughs before he turns to watch something on the stove; the kitchen smells superb. “Explain.”

“Well, it was nice to wake up with you this morning. Then, it was great when Marlene liked the venue and all my ideas; that meeting couldn’t have gone any better.”

“She’s happy?”

“Yes, very, as long as everything goes as planned, then I should be sitting pretty.”

“And the weird?” He smiles.

“Archie’s mom showed up at my apartment.”

“Why?”

“She apologized for Archie’s behavior and, when she saw my wrist, she actually hugged me. All this time, I thought she borderline hated me.”

He walks over to me and puts his arms low around my back. “And why are you better now?”

The tension between us is crackling, and I remember this morning and I can’t stop myself from kissing him hard.

Kade returns my passion and kisses me with an intensity I didn’t know he had. His hands brace my waist and lift me onto the countertop.

“Stay right here,” he says, then turns around and starts to put something on the stove, but it’s less than a minute before he’s back to me.

He crashes his lips into mine and starts to trail kisses from my jaw to my neck to my shoulder. He grabs me under my bottom and takes me to another countertop closer to the stove.

He flips something in a pan with one hand while he kisses and caresses me with the other. Kade continues to kiss me deeply while he finishes dinner with half an eye on what he’s doing.

Soon, he places me back on the ground and breaks the kiss. “Sorry, I should have restrained myself,” he says timidly.

“No, absolutely not, I loved that. I love the way you want me.”

He grips me low on my hips and jerks me into his body. “Oh, I want you, Sloan. There’s no question about that.”

“Kade…”

“Let me feed you first. Go sit.”

Once I take a seat, Kade brings over a bottle of wine with two glasses. Then, he brings me a plate with a heart-shaped sandwich on it and a bowl of soup.

He joins me with a similar plate, and I can’t help but smile.

“Did you make me a heart-shaped sandwich?”

“I made you a heart-shaped grilled cheese, and that’s a family recipe for tomato soup; wait until you try it.”

“Thank you, Kade, I definitely owe you a dinner or two.”

He grins. “Next time, you get to cook.”

“Okay, deal.” I lock eyes with Kade and try to take a sexy bite of the sandwich.

“That was pretty hot, but I think I’ll like your O-face when you taste the soup better.”

“Hmm, let me try that for you.” I dip my spoon into the soup, fully intending to mess with Kade, but the second it hits my lips, it’s perfect. “Wow, Kade! Wow!”

He smirks. “You’ll be saying that in my bed later.”

I giggle, trying to pretend he hasn’t affected me. “You wish.”

“Or ~you~ do.” He raises an eyebrow.

“Shit, Kade, ~fine, ~I’m flustered.”

He smirks. “Winner, winner, chicken dinner.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

“Eat your soup.”

I make sexy eyes at Kade, but he averts his attention, not letting the tension get any thicker while we eat.

“I’ll do the dishes; you cooked,” I say once we’ve finished.

He smiles sweetly at me and I collect the dishes and take them to the sink. I’m about to start loading the dishwasher when Kade’s hands land on my hips.

He spins me around and presses me against the counter with his hard body. “Sloan, I want you. I need you,” he whispers before his lips land on my neck.

“Oh, God, Kade, I need you.” I wrap my legs around his waist willing him to take me, and it finally works.

He carries me to his bedroom and tosses me effortlessly onto his bed; it is better than my fantasies about him have been.

He drags his open lips from my inner thigh, down to my ankles, before he slips my heels off, and I’m already shaking with desire.

“Kade…,” I beg.

“Sloan, you just have to let me worship you in my own way…”