Hearts in Darkness Collection by Laura Kaye

Chapter Seven

Caden hadn’t stopped cursing at himself since she’d disappeared into the bathroom. Somehow, he’d fucked things up with Makenna. Now she was acting distant and uncertain and even a little shy around him. And even though he hadn’t known her very long, all of these seemed out of character for the Makenna he’d come to know and…really like. His Makenna was warm and open and confident. He had the distinct feeling he’d done something to clip her wings. And he was pissed as hell at himself, especially because he didn’t know what to do to fix it.

And he was running out of time.

At least she’d agreed to let him drive her home. He spent the drive thinking about what to say to her and how to say it. Her stare didn’t help his concentration. There was no avoiding the clear view she’d have of the ugliness of his scar. Plastic surgery when he was fifteen had smoothed out the worst of the tissue and mostly restored a natural hairline at the back of his neck, but it was still big and obvious and often made people first meeting him uncomfortable because it was hard to avoid looking at. It didn’t help that the curved, thin line of ruined skin couldn’t grow hair, which made it stand out even more. He thought of the damn thing as his first tattoo—it certainly stood out as much as any of his colorful ink.

He let her have a good look, though. Because he didn’t look normal and never would. And though she seemed to accept everything he’d revealed to her so far, he knew he could be a lot to take on board. He wanted her to be sure. So he only smiled over at her. He took out his tension on the gear shift gripped tightly in his right hand.

There was little he could do to drag out the trip to her condo. Even in mid-day traffic, it was no more than a fifteen-minute ride from Rosslyn to Clarendon. And, of course, when he wouldn’t have minded some red lights, every one was green.

The Jeep idling at the curb, Caden shifted in his seat. “Makenna, I—”

“Caden—” she started at the same time.

They both smiled weakly. Caden swallowed a groan. Makenna’s hair was windblown around her shoulders and her eyes looked tired, but she was so damn pretty. “You first,” he said. Chicken shit.

“Thanks for keeping me such good company tonight.” She gave him her first genuine smile.

Hope filled his chest. “It was my pleasure, Makenna.”

She nodded and reached down to grasp the straps to her bags in one hand while her other went to the door handle. Caden’s jaw clenched. “Okay, then, I guess…good night, then.” She engaged the handle and pushed the door open.

His stomach rolled. She shifted herself and hopped down onto the sidewalk, then turned to drag her bags behind her. What the fuck, Caden, stop her. Tell her. “I’d like to—”

She shoved the door shut, drowning out his words, and leaned against the open window. He swore she looked sad but wasn’t sure, just didn’t know her facial expressions well enough to read them. Yet. Please let there be a “yet.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

Caden gaped, then pressed his lips into a tight line. Understand? Understand what?

She tapped her hand twice against the door interior. “Thanks for the ride. See ya.”

“Uh, yeah.” He ran his hand roughly over his scar as she turned, slung her bags over her shoulder, and walked across the wide sidewalk towards the brightly lit windowed lobby.

Uh, yeah? UH, YEAH?

When she was almost to the door, Caden threw the Jeep in first and pressed his foot on the accelerator. He pulled out into the drive. The growing distance from Makenna felt so damn wrong that Caden stopped in the middle of the street and looked back over his shoulder.

Makenna was standing in the lobby. Watching him.

He growled. Fuck. This.

Caden slammed the transmission into reverse. The tires screeched against the pavement as he jolted the vehicle back into the spot. He pulled forward just as gracelessly to straighten out. He wrenched the keys from the transmission and smacked the headlights off and heaved his body against the door, which he slammed shut.

Stalking around the back of the Jeep, he glared up at Makenna—glaring not so much at her as at his own idiocy for not making things right before the eleventh goddamned hour.

Her eyes widened. Her lips froze somewhere between a smile and an O. She pushed and held the door open for him.

And he hoped for all he was worth he was correctly reading the desire on her face.

He crowded right up into her space, pressed his body against hers—trapping her against the glass of the door behind her, plunged his hands into her hair until he was cupping the nape of her neck, and devoured her lips with his.

He groaned at the goodness of touching her again, like this. It was the first time anything had felt right since he’d held her on his lap in the elevator.

* * *

Anticipation stole Makenna’s breath—and then Caden did with his forceful kiss. Oh my God oh my God oh my God he came back! He came back!

His demanding tongue tasted so damn good, and his piercing bit deliciously against her lip from the aggressive way he pursued her over and over. His hands tugged and massaged at her hair and neck. He just surrounded her. The difference in their height made Caden lean down over her. The way he forced her head back commanded her to open up to him. With the metal handle of the door pressing into her back, she felt completely enveloped in him, in his ardor, his scent. The world dropped away. There was just Caden.

Her hand fisted in his black shirt. He stepped closer. They panted. Their bodies heaved against one another. She moaned at the possessiveness of his grip. There was nothing shy or tentative or questioning about the way he was handling her. She felt claimed. She felt euphoric.

A tantalizing sound somewhere between a purr and a growl erupted from low in his throat. His hands continued to grip her, but he leaned his forehead against hers and pulled his lips away. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t let you go.”

“Don’t be sorry for that,” she rasped and swallowed. “Never be sorry for that.”

“Makenna—”

“Caden, I—”

He clamped his lips over her mouth, their noses smashing. This time his sound was very clearly a growl. “Woman,” he said against her lips, “would you let me talk already?”

The longing and frustration in his voice made her smile. She nodded. His lips quirked against hers, and he kissed her again, a series of quick pecks against her mouth.

By the time he finally started to talk, Makenna felt a little dizzy. His breath was sweet against her face. His stubble chafed at her cheek. He bored those deep brown eyes into her, pinning her against him in every possible way.

“I’ve never…you’re just…” He heaved a sigh. “Aw, hell. I like you, Red. I want to be with you. I want you to argue with me some more. I want to lie in your arms again. I want to touch you. I…I just…”

Hope and happiness filled and warmed her chest. He’d come back for her. He wanted her.

Smiling, Makenna reached a hand up behind her neck and grabbed one of his. He hesitated to release her, but finally let her pull his hand around to her mouth, where she pressed a big open-mouthed kiss onto the head of his dragon. She grinned up at him. “Come upstairs,” she breathed. “I make a mean omelet. And I’m starving.”

Hersmile finally returned to brighten his face. He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. “Okay. I could definitely eat.”

When Caden stepped away to allow her to turn back into the lobby, Makenna immediately missed the hard heat of his body all against hers. She squeaked when he grabbed at her bags, jerking her back a half step.

“Let me,” he said as he pulled the straps away and slung them over his shoulder.

My Good Sam.

Out of habit, she stepped to the bank of elevators and pressed the button. This late at night, the door dinged and opened immediately. She turned to assess Caden’s reaction before stepping in.

He rolled his eyes and motioned her forward, grumbling under his breath.

She was giddy things were turning out so differently than she’d feared just fifteen minutes before. Her joy bubbled over. She burst out laughing, then grasped his hand and pulled him into their second elevator of the night. “Come on. Lightning doesn’t strike twice. Usually.”

She hit the button for the fourth floor and stepped against him and nuzzled his chest. He stroked her hair and she melted.

The elevator reached her floor and opened up onto a rectangular space with halls running in opposite directions. She led Caden out and to the left, down to the fifth door on the right. “This is me.”

She reached into her open purse still on his shoulder and found her key ring, then turned and opened the door. Smiling over her shoulder at him, she pushed into her apartment and flicked on the hall light, which illuminated her small tidy kitchen as well. She walked to the kitchen counter and dropped her keys, then turned and unburdened Caden of her bags, and plopped those onto the counter, too.

Sliding his hand around her neck, he kissed her again. Gently, adoringly. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course not.” She pointed behind him. “Just down that hall. I’m going to change out of my work clothes.”

“Okay.” He brushed her cheek with his big fingers. She leaned into the touch. Then he turned away.

Makenna floated across her small apartment to her bedroom. She stumbled into her walk-in closet, kicking off her heels as she went, and stripped off her rumpled and grimy clothes. She breathed a deep sigh of relief when she was finally naked. The idea of a cool shower took root in her mind and sounded so delicious she finally gave in. She piled her hair on top her head to keep it dry and just stood for a moment as the water streamed over her. Finally, she grabbed the bar of Ivory and ran it quickly over her skin. Minutes later, she was back in her closet and feeling a lot more like a human being.

She grabbed a pretty lavender lace bra and panty set, hoping against hope he’d actually see it, then slid into a pair of gray yoga pants and a soft lavender V-neck shirt. In her bathroom, she brushed her teeth and reworked her hair into a ponytail. She stretched her arms up over her head and luxuriated in feeling more comfortable than she’d been in hours.

When she strolled back out into the adjoining living room, she found Caden perusing her display of family photographs. She paused and leaned against the corner of the wall for a moment, just enjoying the look of him wandering around her apartment. He’d taken off his socks and shoes and now padded around barefoot, the frayed hem of his blue jeans just dragging on the floor. She was truly pleased he’d made himself at home in her space.

“Liking what you see?”

The blush roared up her cheeks. She chuckled and debated how to answer. It was late, she was tired, and she was interested. So she threw caution to the wind—he had come back for her, after all. “Yes, very much.”

He looked over his shoulder and offered a lopsided grin that beckoned her to come stand next to him. She glanced up at the collection of photos he’d been admiring. “Those are my brothers.” She pointed each of them out as she said their names. “That one’s Patrick. Ian. And that’s Collin. And me, of course.”

“You’re not the only Red in your family, I see.”

Makenna laughed. “Uh, definitely not. Though, Patrick and Ian’s hair looks more brownish than mine. Collin, though, had to deal with ‘Carrot Top’ comments all through school.” She pointed to another frame. “The red was my mom’s fault, as you can see.” She watched Caden as he studied the picture of her mother holding Makenna on her lap just a few months before she’d died. It was her favorite because the family resemblance was so obvious. Her father told her all the time she looked just like her mother.

Lost in the image for a moment, she was surprised when Caden’s hand tugged on her ponytail. She was even more surprised when her hair spilled down around her shoulders.

“Sorry,” he murmured as he ran his fingers through her freed locks. “I spent all night imagining touching your hair.”

Her blush returned, softer this time. His directness was one of her favorite things about him. She wasn’t sure what to say in response, though, so she closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of his strong fingers. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and found him staring intently at her. She smiled. “That feels nice. You’re going to put me to sleep, though.”

His smile made his eyes crinkle and shine. “That wouldn’t be so bad, if you fell asleep with me again.”

Makenna pressed her hands against her cheeks when she felt them heat again. Her pale skin tone showed everything. She grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss into his palm. “Come on, I promised to feed you.”

* * *

Caden was ecstatic he’d read her right, that she’d wanted him to come back for her. He’d had to pull back from kissing her down in the lobby, because his imagination already had him buried inside of her against the windows. And he didn’t want her to get it in her head he’d only come back for sex.

He wanted sex. That was true. The clingy form-fitting pants and the shirt that emphasized the firmness and roundness of her luscious breasts didn’t help those desires. But he also wanted a chance.

Standing there in her apartment, feeling so welcomed and wanted, he was almost ready to believe she would give him one.

Still holding his hand, she walked them into the kitchen. “You can sit at the bar if you like. Want something to drink?”

“I’d love something to drink,” he said, “but I don’t need to sit. I can help.” He watched Makenna move around her kitchen and admired the way her casual outfit highlighted her feminine curves.

She turned and smiled at his offer, then sat a cutting board and sharp knife in front of him. “You can help me chop, then. What do you like in your omelets?” She listed what she had. They settled on ham and cheese. The cold fizzy Coke she gave him relieved his parched throat.

Caden diced the ham while Makenna cracked the eggs into a glass bowl and beat them. He really liked working with her in the kitchen. It felt normal. And normal wasn’t something he’d had a whole lot of in his life.

Makenna peeked over at him. They both smiled. He chopped. She stirred. Then he stole a glance at her. They both chuckled.

He was having fun with her, liked their flirting and the now-comfortable quiet between them. But it was hard not to touch her. His fingers itched to tuck her hair behind her ear. Her bottom looked so pat-able in her snug cotton pants. When she blushed, his lips yearned to taste the heat of it on her cheeks. Though, he knew if he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to stop. So he busied his hands with his contribution to their meal.

Makenna wiped her hands on a towel and bent over. The sound of metal clanging made it clear she was looking for a pan. But all Caden could focus on was the way her backside pushed out toward him from how she’d bent at the waist. He took another long drink of Coke, but kept his eyes glued on her.

She grumbled and stood up, then placed her hands on her hips. “Oh, there it is,” she said. She walked over to the sink and turned the water on. “Crap!” Something pinged against the floor.

Caden chuckled at the little show she didn’t even realize she was putting on for him. His humor died in his throat, however, when she bent over again, retrieving the ring she’d apparently taken off and dropped.

He couldn’t help it. All his focus on her rear had made him hard again. Their night together had turned out to be one long delicious tease, but now they were safe and cozy and alone in her apartment, so comfortably and intimately preparing a meal together. And he was going crazy wanting her.

Setting the little silver ring back on the counter, Makenna squirted some dish soap into the frying pan and quickly scrubbed it clean. Caden picked the towel up off the counter and walked up tight behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and plucked the pan out of her hands, then dried it quickly and set it aside on the counter. Makenna turned off the water.

Caden braced his hands against the edge of the sink on either side of her body and leaned the full press of him against her. Bending himself around her, he nipped and kissed her neck and jaw. She moaned and pushed her little body back against his.

He hadn’t been so forward as to grind his erection into her, but she clearly felt it when she pressed herself back, because she gasped and clutched the edge of the sink in front of her.

Caden couldn’t stop. The heat of her body against him, there, made it impossible for him to want anything other than all of her. He had to have her.

He had to have her, now.