by Bliss Carter
“Twfoo dinks, Thafs it”, Kresley slurred. Suddenly she bent over at the back of the truck and vomited everywhere. She groaned afterward, clutching her stomach and swaying on her feet. Cade looked at the other guys and silently asked the question he was afraid to say out loud.
Boomer looked at him for a moment, looked at the other guys, who were both firefighters and medics at the FD. They nodded as well, with Ash stating flatly to Cade and Boomer, “yep, her drink was drugged. Probably GHB if I had to guess by how she’s acting. Toxicology tests at the ER will help.”
A roar erupted from Cade and startled Kresley, who began crying and quivering uncontrollably. “Son of a bitch!” Cade exclaimed as he swept Kresley back up into his arms and carried her to the passenger door. Boomer was ahead of him and opened it for him to put her inside. She sat on the edge of the seat, looking at Cade with eyes wet with tears, blood shot from vomiting and sadness.
“Ifm sho sowrry Sade.” Kresley looked so pitiful, so sickly as she sat there in front of Cade and the guys. And she was apologizing, which only made Cade that much more upset, but not at her. Cade was livid at whoever dared do this to her. He took a few deep breaths before trying to speak.
Voice gentle, Cade stated to Kresley, “Baby, stop. You haven’t done anything wrong. But someone did and I’m going to nail their ass to the wall for daring to drug my girlfriend. Ass. To. The. Wall. Come on sweetheart, I’m getting you to the hospital. Let me buckle you up. There you go. Now lay back and try to relax. I’ll get you a bag in a sec in case you need to throw up again.” Cade soothingly talked to Kresley, smoothing her hair away from her face and wiping her tears away.
He closed the truck door and his demeanor abruptly changed as he looked towards the men around him. He barked orders at Boomer as he jogged around to the other side of the truck. “Boomer, I want surveillance video of this place inside and out and I want every bartender and server interviewed NOW. You got this?” He waited for his friend to nod his agreement and take off back towards the club, with Ash and Boots beside him. Damn good friends he was being blessed with, Cade thought.
He saw the sisters and Grace huddled nearby his truck, watching silently, worry and fear evident on their faces. “You girls alright? None of the rest of you feel like Kresley does?” They all shook their heads no, which only made Cade more furious. That meant Kresley was targeted. Alone. Son of a bitch! “I’m taking your sister to the ER so doctors can do tests and find out what she was given. Then I’m taking her back to my place so I can watch over her tonight and tomorrow. Do y’all have her purse?”
Francie quickly came over and gave Cade Kresley’s small purse that contained her wallet and phone. “I promise to take good care of her for y’all. I swear on my life no one is going to touch her in any way, shape or form again.” Cade grabbed a shopping bag from the back seat of his truck and emptied it of the candy he had bought for Kresley earlier, and got into his truck.
“Here baby, take this bag and throw up in it if you need to. I’m taking you to the ER now to get help. Don’t worry Kres, I’ve got you baby. Let me take care of you.” Kresley took the bag from him and lay there against the seat, eyes closed, with a pained look on her face.
Cade tore out of the club’s parking lot and drove fast towards the ER back in Mercy Springs. Kresley didn’t talk much during the drive and would groan with stomach pains every few minutes. Cade held tight to her hand and stroked it with his thumb over and over, trying to reassure her. It was one of the last things Kresley remembered before she passed out cold.
Chapter Fourteen
Kresley woke up with a taste in her mouth like someone had shoved a pile of garbage inside of it and left it to rot. Her head was splitting with pain and she could barely open her eyes. Even cracking them a tiny bit open just about killed her with the amount of effort it took. She shifted her body a little bit and felt aching down deep in her bones. What happened? Did she have the flu? She felt of the sheets laying against her skin and didn’t recognize them as hers. Was she in a hospital? Kresley began to panic then, not remembering anything. She opened her eyes further and turned her head from side to side, hoping to see something familiar. She looked down as she became aware of a heavy object laying on top of her stomach and chest. She saw a very masculine hand with long, thick fingers, resting between her breasts. The arm attached was naked and laying against her abdomen. She noticed that she was wearing some type of soft tshirt with short sleeves. It seemed to be several sizes too big. She could also tell that her bra was not on her body and she only wore a pair of panties beneath the shirt. That made her eyes open all the way. Kresley scanned again to her left and saw the person attached to the hand and arm currently laying on her. Cade. She was in bed with Cade. Holy shit!
Kresley tried to stay quiet and still so she wouldn’t disturb him. She wanted to observe him as he slept, looking vulnerable and soft. His long, dark lashes lay against his cheeks and his mouth lay slightly open as soft snores escaped. His lips were slightly swollen and pink. His beard scruff was dark and covered his cheeks, jaw, chin, and above his upper lip. He looked so freakin’ sexy that it should be a sin. Kresley could tell his chest was bare and the sheet was at his waist, not showing what was below. Cade’s dark brown hair looked unkempt, as if his fingers had been running through it over and over during the night. A lock fell over his forehead, making him look vulnerable and so gorgeous.
Kresley could feel Cade nestled right against her, his thigh trapping her lower legs and his breath tickling her neck. Kresley slowly eased her body and turned on her side towards Cade. His arm shifted and he wrapped it around her waist instinctively and pulled her flush against him, hand splayed wide against her lower back. As he did this, his eyes fluttered open, revealing his beautiful light blue eyes. He went from soft, sultry confusion to being instantly awake and alert. A rough, deep rumble sounded from within his chest and he leaned down towards Kres. He kissed her closed mouth softly, lingering to lick at her lips with his tongue. He pulled back and said, “good morning baby.” He stretched and smiled when he caught Kresley staring down his broad, muscled chest to below his waist band under the sheet. “Naughty girl.” He laughed when Kresley blushed and then sobered as she gingerly sat up, wincing at the pain in her head and body.
“Cade what happened? I feel horrible. Did I get sick and Grace called you?”
“Baby, go in my bathroom and do your business and brush your teeth. There’s a spare toothbrush in the right drawer. I know it will make you feel better. Then come back to me here and we’ll snuggle. Then I’ll tell you what happened. Okay?”
Kresley simply nodded and did what Cade asked, not feeling like arguing. At least she wouldn’t have morning breath if Cade gave her anymore kisses. Finishing in the bathroom, she came back to the bedroom to find him exactly in the same place. She watched as he pulled back the covers and patted his chest. He was wearing boxer briefs that fit him snug in all the right places. “Come here Kres and cuddle on top of me. I need us heart to heart. Please?”
Well when he put it that way how could she refuse? Kres walked over and crawled onto Cade on the bed. Her hips lined up with his, her breasts laying against Cade’s upper abdomen and her head lay directly over his upper chest and heart, hearing it beat strong. He was so soft, yet so hard at the same time. His skin was stretched tight over bulging muscles. He was warm to the touch and his hands and fingers slowly massaged and stroked her upper and lower back over and over, as if to sooth her. One hand made its way to her her hair, massaging her scalp to help her headache.
“Do you remember anything about the club last night?”, Cade asked.
“I remember being there with Grace. She was dancing with some guy. My sisters showed up and I was drinking a daiquiri. What? Did I get super drunk?”
“Do you remember seeing me and Boomer and some other guys there?”
“No. You mean you were there? How could I forget that?” She sounded upset until his mouth on her forehead helped calm her down
.
“Yeah baby, we discovered y’all there and joined you. But we’d only been there a few minutes when you started feeling sick.”
“Sick? Explain.”
“Sick as in doubled over with stomach cramps, slurring your words, vomiting and passing out on me as I raced you to the ER. And my suspicions were confirmed when the doctor told me that your drink was spiked with GHB, and not a little bit. A shit load. Some asshole spiked the second daiquiri that you started to drink and didn’t finish. I’m so glad I was there to help you. You scared the shit out of me, Red.” He made this last sentence impactful by squeezing Kresley hard until she squeaked. “Sorry sweetheart.”
“GHB? You’re joking, right? How did GHB get into my drink? I never left it unattended. It came straight from the bar by way of a waitress.” The more Kresley spoke, the higher her voice got and the more agitated she sounded. She was so confused and her head hurt so bad. She moaned in pain and put her hand to her head as if to push the headache away. She felt Cade’s hands go to her head and begin massaging it again, running his fingers gently through her hair, rubbing her scalp, her temple, her ears, the back of her neck. The pain immediately began to lessen until it was more tolerable.
“Baby, I know it will be hard to do, but you need to try to keep calm, okay? Getting upset while dealing with a hangover is only going to make you feel that much worse. Trust me to take care of you and to take care of this. Please? I need to know you trust me.”
“I trust you Cade Grantham. I trust you with everything.” Kresley stressed this statement with a long, soft and emotional kiss to Cade’s chest, right over his heart. She felt as much as heard Cade groan at the feeling of her lips on his body, but he made no move to push for more. “Did the doctor at the ER say I’ll be okay? No damage from the drug?”
“No damage. You’re going to experience a massive hangover today and more than likely won’t remember anything from last night at all. And to answer any questions about why you’re here at my house, I brought you here so I could look after you. Your sisters and Grace know you’re here with me. You were so out of it that I carried you into my bedroom and had to help you undress. Your clothes had vomit on them. I got you into one of my t-shirts and into bed to sleep it off. I woke up every hour or so to check on you and make sure you weren’t vomiting in your sleep. As for sleeping in the same bed, honestly, I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than here, cuddled next to you. But nothing happened between us baby. I was a perfect gentleman and treated you with only respect. But let the record show that I deserve a medal or something for my bravery in the face of such beauty and not able to touch you like I wanted to.” Cade looked toward Kresley’s face after making that humorous statement. He didn’t count on her raising her head and looking straight down at him, capturing his attention with her beautiful green eyes. Time stood still for a moment and then Cade reached up with his hands and pulled Kresley’s mouth down to his. She was his oxygen. He needed her to live. That’s what he felt deep inside at that moment.
Time stood still for Kresley as she waited for Cade’s lips to touch hers. Then fireworks exploded behind her eye lids and could be felt on her mouth as it came down on top of Cade’s. This is what Kresley had been wanting since she woke up in Cade’s arms earlier. To kiss him. But this was not just some kiss. This was everything. Kresley took control of the kiss, opening her mouth on Cade’s and pushing her tongue inside to meet his. Tongues touched, slid against each other in a hot, wet dance of need. Teeth nipped at lips and mouths slanted over each other, trying to find dominance. Kresley’s moans could be heard around the room as she lost herself in this kiss. Her fingers were cradling Cade’s face, tenderly stroking at his stubbled cheeks and chin. She could feel Cade’s groan in her chest as they ate at each other’s mouths. Too soon, Kresley pulled herself back from him and looked down. Cade’s mouth was swollen from their kisses, wet from her tongue and his eyes were smoldering hot, intensely looking up at her as if he were ready to devour her if she gave the all clear. Kresley’s hips moved over Cade’s without thought or her permission. Her only thought was to get closer to the man.
Cade suddenly sat up in the bed, with Kresley still in his lap, her legs straddling his hips, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, their chests pressed against each other tight. Cade’s arms were wrapped around her torso, hands spread out wide on her back, as if he needed to try to touch as much of her as he could. Kresley was trapped in his blue eyes, singed by the hot lava of desire she encountered there. She was painfully aware of her hips and how her heavy, wet sex was intimately pushing up against Cade’s hardening manhood. As if they had a mind of their own, Kresley’s hips began to slowly roll in a seductive move, back and forth, rubbing and shifting her sex over Cade in a seduction as old as time. She could see his eyes darken, his lips grow firmer and his nostrils flared. His jaw was like granite, hard and unmoving. A darkening flush was heavy on his cheeks, and Cade’s breathing bellowed out like a runaway train. His hands slid down her back and beneath the oversized tshirt, finding her round butt cheeks and cradled them in the palms of his hands. Cade took the opportunity and squeezed her, pulling her roughly against him and grinding her on his lap. Both of their breaths sped up, sounding harsh in the quiet of the morning.
“Cade, baby, please kiss me”, Kresley softly begged, looking longingly into his eyes. “I need your mouth”.
“Kresley. Holy hell woman, I’ll give you...”, Cade began with so much heat and need, that his deep voice was no more than a dark rumbling of thunder. That continued on after he spoke. And it got louder and more annoying.
Kresley suddenly realized what that thundering vibration was. Knocking. Downstairs. And with it came the annoying voices of Kresley’s sisters. Cade’s expression of lustful need rapidly changed to one of annoyance. Uh oh. The thunder was rumbling inside his chest, and through Kresley’s tightly aroused nipples, since they were squashed against him. Kres recognized the growl vibrating in his throat and winced as it came out of his mouth.
“Damnit! Shut up and wait a second”, Cade yelled. Kresley looked at him with wide eyes of concern before her mouth twitched and a giggle erupted out of her lips.
“It’s not funny, Red! Your sisters are a bunch PITA’s!” At her look of confusion, he stated “you know, pain in the ass”, he stated as he rolled his eyes.
“Ahhhh, well. Yes, yes they are.” Kresley leaned her forehead to Cade’s shoulder for a moment, then pushed him away from her so she could breathe a little easier. “We better let them in before Birdie gets out her megaphone, if she brought it. You don’t want the neighbors to call in a noise complaint.”
At the mention of a megaphone, Cade jumped out of bed and grabbed his jeans, hopping from one foot to another as he put them on. He ran out of the bedroom door to head downstairs, barefoot and bare chested, and feeling lethal.
Kresley collapsed into the covers, her head pounding, her heart racing and her sex aching. She pulled the covers over her head and closed her eyes at the intrusion of reality. She remembered why she was there in Cade’s bed. Someone drugged her. But why? And who? All of a sudden Kresley felt the exhaustion weigh her down, physically and mentally. She chose to just close her eyes and escape back to three minutes ago when Cade’s arms were her own security blanket. She missed him. And he was just a few feet away downstairs. You’ve got it bad girl.
Cade stomped downstairs and yelled louder, “Stop that damn banging. I’m coming!”
“Yeah, that’s what she said”, a feminine voice could be heard replying through the heavy wooden door. Feminine cackling sounds of laughter quickly followed.
Cade snorted, shaking his head and tried to guess who popped off that bit of sarcasm. Probably Birdie. He yanked the door open and peered down at the faces of four beautiful women. Women who he now deemed crazy as hell and a pain in his ass. “What?”, Cade rudely asked, not caring in the least if they saw his annoyance.
He stood there shirtless, denim jeans hugging his lower
body, no socks and no shoes. His heavy beard stubble prominent on his face, his blue eyes bright and piercing. His dark brown hair was disheveled and sticking up in places. Cade’s chest was heavily muscled, biceps, triceps and pec muscles bulging and rippling. A scattering of dark body hair covered his pecs and then came down into a single line that divided his six pack abs and stomach.
Francie, Birdie, Gertie and Grace all stood there, mute, speechless. All four pairs of eyes were staring at him like he had grown two additional heads.
“Uhmmm, hey Big Sexy. Where’s Kresley?”, Francie asked, clearing her throat and looking up into Cade’s face. A blush on her cheeks gave away the even, unaffected tone she tried to convey. “We need to make sure she’s okay. She’s not answering her phone and she’s not at her apartment.”
“See, I told you Francie. He does look like Thor in that latest movie, you know, before Thor got fat. Ask him where’s his hammer”, Birdie stated with a wicked grin on her face, eyebrows wiggling up and down at Cade.
“Birdie, shut the hell up. Geez woman, you need to find you a man, like, now.” Grace pushed Birdie’s shoulder, which resulted in a few hand slaps at each other.
Gertie took her hands and laid one on each of their faces, pushing them apart. “Seriously guys, Kresley. Let’s focus on our sister, please. Lead us to her, oh muscled one”, Gertie quietly said to Cade, with a small smile lifting her lips softly.
Cade silently gestured to the women to come inside and looking like one blob of female beauty, they shuffled inside Cade’s living room. “Come on in. Kresley is upstairs and hasn’t been awake long. The drug in her system knocked her out cold last night. She’s still groggy and feeling out of sorts. I won’t have y’all racing upstairs like a bunch of cackling chickens, bombarding her with questions. And no hammer jokes, Birdie.”
