Chapter 18: Intimacy

SLOAN

When I wake up the next morning, naked and in Kade’s arms, I feel something I’ve never felt before: ~intimacy.~

I’d had sex with Archie in the past, but he always showered right away and left; it was nothing like it was with Kade. Now that I know what I’ve been missing, I want more.

I roll over enough to see the clock and realize it’s time to get moving. I try to slip out of Kade’s arms without waking him, but he stirs easily.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Sorry, the party is today. I need to take a shower.”

“I won’t stop you but I’m coming with you this time,” he says before he grabs my hips possessively.

“Mmm…Kade.”

He chuckles. “You think I’m kidding?” He gets out of bed faster than I can react and throws me over his shoulder.

“Kade!”

“Come on, baby, you said you need a shower.” He laughs lightheartedly while carrying me into the bathroom.

I’m actually exhilarated by the attention he’s showing me; it’s so different from what I’m used to.

He sets me on my feet in front of the shower. “I’ll leave you to it if you want. I’m not trying to be pushy.”

I grab his hand and pull him in after me. He wraps his arms around my waist as I turn on the water. I can feel him harden between my ass cheeks, and it sends heat straight to my core.

I reach my arm up over my shoulder and caress his face and fist his hair while he breathes heavily on my neck.

He runs his hands slowly up the front of my body to my breasts and teases my tight peaks with his fingers. “God, Sloan, you are perfection.”

I can’t resist anymore, so I turn to face him, pressing my body against his.

“Damn, Sloan,” he swears softly.

I relish the sensation of our wet bodies slipping against each other and then capture his lips in a deep kiss. He takes over my mouth with a commanding tongue, and the passion between us grows.

I hitch a leg over his hip, and he holds it just high enough that he can enter my body. He grabs my ass and lifts me off my feet.

“Sloan, I need you, I need this.”

“Damn, Kade, you feel so good.”

He cradles me against his body as he thrusts into me, all while the warm water cascades between the two of us. It’s orgasmic in every sense of the word.

He’s holding me like I am small and precious, and his thick, hard length inside of me is sending shockwaves throughout my body.

I press my lips to his and take him into a deep kiss. Our tongues do the talking, and our bodies are completely in sync.

Kade backs me against the shower wall, and the cool tile makes me arch my back, but he just thrusts harder while he holds me securely to his chest.

He takes a finger between the two of us, finds my clit, and starts to trace circles.

“Kade…,” I gasp.

“Let go, Sloan.”

The timbre in his voice and his simple words do something to me. I think about how hard he’s thrusting into me and look into his eyes while the sound of our bodies slapping together fills the air.

“Yes, Kade, yes, ~harder~.”

He growls, and I grab onto his hair, tugging and pulling until he cries out too.

“Sloan, you feel so good.”

We continue, fast and furiously, until we’re both falling apart together.

“Oh, wow, Kade.”

“Mmm, Sloan.” He sets me on my feet and holds my hips to steady me, then leans in to whisper in my ear, “You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

I get chills and capture his lips in a deep kiss.

I get lost in Kade for a little too long—I really need to get to the venue—so I pull myself away and get out of the shower.

Kade offers me a towel with a smile. “I know you have a big day today. I’ll be there for the sound check but I would love to be your date tonight.”

“Of course, Kade, that’s perfect.”

He kisses me deeply before he leaves me in the bathroom to get ready for the day.

***

When I’m dressed and ready to go, I feel sad to leave him. I make my way into his kitchen, and he’s standing there already—sexy, shirtless, and in his boxers.

“Kade, I—”

“We don’t have to talk right now. Today is your day.”

“Thank you.”

“And here, I made you a coffee.” He hands me a to-go cup with the phrase ~Maybe swearing will help~ printed on it.

“Thank you, Kade, really.”

“I’ll see you at lunchtime; go kill it today.”

I give him a quick kiss goodbye before I head out of his apartment and down to my car. The drive to the venue passes in a blur, and when I get there, Jess and Marlene are both in a tizzy.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

Marlene smiles. “Nothing actually. Kade posted again this morning. We’re sold out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, what did you do?”

“Umm,” is all I can muster. I’m not about to stand here and tell them about last night.

She laughs. “Okay, keep your secrets.”

I spend the next few hours finishing the venue, making sure everything looks as perfect as possible.

Soon, I hear the loud boom of speakers and look up to see Kade standing center stage. ~Wow, he snuck in here.~ He steps up to the mic, locks eyes with me, and sings “Purple Haze.”

“It’s perfect,” Marlene exclaims.

“Umm?”

“That’s our hashtag, #purplehaze.”

“Marlene?”

“Find out what it is so we can post about it.”

“Okay, yeah, when they’re done.”

I stand mesmerized by Kade singing his song, and then, they start to play “Crimson and Clover” and wetness blooms between my legs.

~Dammit, Kade,~ ~I let you in and now I can’t control myself.~

After the sound check, Kade makes his way to me with a smile on his face. “The place looks great.”

“Thank you, you sound great. What is purple haze?”

“Something special for the party; it’s a Jimi Hendrix cover.”

“Marlene loves it. She wants it to be the hashtag for the night.”

“Well, let’s start it off right.” Kade pulls me in front of one of the panels we hung together and kisses me while he takes a selfie.

He starts uploading a post to Instagram, reading it aloud as he types: ~“Sloan Kennedy is the best kisser and the best party planner alive. Don’t miss tonight. #purplehaze.”~

“Wow, Kade, thank you. That was a statement.”

“Of what?”

“Intent.”

“Oh, I intend to make you mine—my girlfriend, my fiancée, my wife.”

“Really?”

He smiles. “Yes, I’ve known since I first saw you with that purple cloud, but every second I’ve spent with you since makes it even clearer.”

“Kade…”

“Sloan…” He mimics my tone, then pulls me tightly to him and kisses me intensely. “Go get ready for your big night; you’re going to look amazing.”

“Thank you, Kade.”