She shivered when he walked away and turned to look where he had been. For her sake, she hoped he was right.
* * *
Whitney smiled as she watched Alex eat his cupcake. He’d already practically inhaled the first one and was savoring the second, resulting in a chocolate mess around his mouth. It was amazing to her how messy a kid could be.
“That was amazing,” Cage said and leaned back in the chair next to her.
She looked over to him and laughed.
“You got a little something on you,” she said and pointed to the corner of his mouth.
Cage stuck out his tongue and tried to lick it off, but kept missing.
“Good?” he asked.
She snorted and leaned over him. She lightly swiped her finger over the spot.
“There,” she said.
His hand reached out and grasped her wrist. Finger still pointed out, Cage brought the frosted digit to his mouth and sucked off the frosting.
“My chocolate,” he said to her.
Something fluttered deep inside Whitney as he stared at her.
“Gross,” Alex said and wrinkled his nose. “Old people are gross.”
Cage frowned at the boy. “Who you calling old?”
“I think he was calling you old, and I’d apt to agree.”
Trent grinned from the door of the kitchen.
Whitney laughed at the playful banter. It was nice to finally be able to completely relax, even if for only a few minutes.
“So I hear I’m watching you tonight,” Trent said to the boy.
Alex nodded and swallowed the last bite of his cupcake.
“What do you say we see how many of these we can eat before we puke?”
The boy’s face lit up, and he nodded.
“No,” Whitney said and glared at the two of them. “At least eat some real food first.”
Trent rolled his eyes dramatically and then winked to Alex. “Fine. We’ll eat.”
She sighed and stood from the table. A part of her was almost sad for their time with Alex to end. But still, she wanted to know more. About Cage, about his knee, but mostly, what was going to happen with them.
Whitney looked over to Cage, who had been watching her quite a bit today.
“I just need a few minutes, and I’ll be ready,” she said with a smile.
Cage looked from his own t-shirt and jeans to her similar attire.
“Like this?” he asked.
She smiled at him and nodded. “Nothing fancy, just us.”
“Gross,” Trent said, wrinkling his nose. “Get out of here before I’m sick.”
Whitney chuckled as she made her way to the bathroom. She liked that Trent had brought himself to Alex’s level. The boy needed someone he felt comfortable with. They were just getting to that with him, and she hated to see him retreat within himself again. From what she could tell, he’d been through a lot, even ignoring the violent deaths of his relatives.
She stepped in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Well, her current outfit was about as casual as it got. Everything in her hoped that this would work, that she would know the real Cage at the end. She was taking a big risk, and she hoped it was worth it.
Despite her thoughts, she still pulled out the travel toothbrush. She might want to know him better, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t want more. He lit a fire in her, and she hoped to learn more about that as well. There was no reason she couldn’t have the best of both worlds.
Chapter Fourteen
Cage sat nervously across from Whitney in the little Italian bistro. It was quiet, cute and way too personal. Not that he had anything to hide, but still, there was no room for error. He felt so close to the edge with her, and he didn’t want to screw up something that felt like a chance for true happiness.
“Cage?” she said and gave him a warm smile.
He looked to his right and found the waiter staring back at him.
“I ordered a glass of wine, but they have beer as well,” she said.
Cage let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that he hated wine, but it wasn’t his favorite. He certainly was far from an expert on the best wines.
“That sounds good,” he said.
The man nodded and walked away.
“Thanks,” he said, smiling at her.
He felt silly not really knowing what to do. For all the dangerous situations he’d been in, he felt more out of his element in the small restaurant.
“I thought this would be a good choice,” she said and looked around. “Quiet but not fancy. They have wine but also beer. Plus it’s family style.”
Cage nodded and looked around. Now that she said all that, he could see that it really was a good pick. It had something that each of them would like. This wasn’t about her forcing her tastes on him. She was trying to compromise, so they could both be happy.
“How did you find this place? Come here with another date?”
He frowned, thinking that maybe Ted had taken her there. He didn’t hate the guy, but he didn’t want to be in any man’s shadow.
“You mean Ted?”
He shrugged. Might as well get it out in the open.
“You have to understand,” she said and let out a quiet sigh. “I never dated Ted,” she said. “Actually, I never dated much of anyone.”
He wanted to feel happy that she hadn’t been there with another man, that this spot was special for both of them. Instead, he just felt bad that he’d asked.
“Lisa,” she said. “She’s always trying new places. She’s been all over the world and is constantly trying to get me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes she even succeeds.”
Cage smiled at her. He liked the way she talked about her friends. It was like he talked about his family.
“I’ve never really dated much either,” he said.
Whitney nearly choked on the water she was drinking.
“That’s a little hard to believe,” she said.
Cage laughed a little. It likely was hard to believe. “Look, we both know my past, but I wouldn’t really call that dating. It was something, I don’t know what exactly, but not dating.”
He stared at her from across the table, letting all the desire he felt pour through him to her.
The waiter came back and set a glass of wine in front of her and some imported beer in front of him.
He took a drink off the bottle and set it down, somewhat surprised. It wasn’t half bad.
“So we both suck at dating,” Whitney said. She laughed and took a drink of her wine.
He liked it much better when she was laughing.
“I wouldn’t say we suck at it,” he said. “Maybe we just weren’t dating the right people.”
Whitney swallowed hard. She didn’t even know where to go when he said things like that. A part of her wanted to believe that it was just a line, but she knew, deep down, that Cage didn’t need to use lines. He was sincere with what he said. That sincerity both impressed and terrified her. That kind of sincerity led to real emotional risks.
She was thankful when the large bowl of spaghetti and meatballs arrived at the table.
When he nodded for her to hold up her plate for him to serve her, she could feel the blush spread over her face.
He was funny and sweet, someone she wanted to get to know better. They finished their meal talking mostly about their jobs. His scared the crap out of her, but still, it was honest, and, in many cases, helped other people. She couldn’t really fault that.
At the end of the meal, he grabbed the ticket before she could even offer.
She understood with him. So much of what he did was about being the big man.
As they left the bistro, she smiled warmly at him. The date had been nice.
“How about a gelato?” she said.
Cage frowned. “I’m not sure.”
She pointed through the park across the street to a stand.
“It’s like the best sort of ice cream you’ve ever had.”
“Oh. That’s what
it is?” His eyes lit up at the idea of ice cream.
He took a step, and she noticed that he was straining more than she’d previously seen.
“Can you make it?” she asked.
Cage stiffened beside her.
“I’m great,” he said and struggled to now take steps without shaking.
“Stop,” Whitney said so forcefully that Cage came to a complete halt.
He stared at her, waiting.
“I want Cage,” she said. “The Cage from now. Not Cage from two months ago, who had no problem picking up any woman and going home with her. I want the man that has been through things. The one that bears the proof of that. I don’t need you to pretend for me, Cage.”
He looked away, and she watched him. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
“I can make it,” he said and looked back to her. “If we go slow.”
She nodded. All she wanted, no, all she needed was honesty.
They slowly made their way across the street and into the park. They found a bench not far in, and she insisted he sit and save their seats.
She hurried over and picked up pistachio and a chocolate gelatos.
When she came back, Whitney sat next to him on the bench and stared out across the park.
“I know what you were doing there,” he said and took a bite of his chocolate.
Whitney looked over to him and frowned. “Getting you back for dinner?”
Cage raised a brow and took another bite.
Whitney took a bite of her own before saying anything else.
“So I care,” she said and placed a hand on his sore leg. The muscles under her hand twitched, and she knew he wanted to move away. “If you don’t take care of it, you’ll permanently damage it.”
Cage sighed. “Everyone seems to know what’s best for me.”
Whitney snorted. “I might not be a human doctor, but I know a bit about anatomy.” She stared hard at him. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself over gelato.”
He stared back at her and finally nodded.
Her eyes now fixed on her gelato. “You said before the shooting had something to do with Carlos.”
Cage cleared his throat, and she looked up at him. He was staring off in the distance.
“I was shot while on assignment,” he said. “It’s what took out my knee. The shooters were obviously trying to cripple me.”
She gasped.
“It was Carlos, Alex’s grandfather, who saved me. He just jumped in front and took the bullet.” His voice was distant, and she could tell that he thought often about the incident.
“How sad,” she said.
“The thing with Alex, that’s what’s sad. Carlos and I are men. We made our choices. He’s just a damn kid. If Carlos had been alive, none of that crap would have happened to him.”
Whitney shook her head. “You don’t know that.”
Cage sighed and leaned his head back to look between the branches at the sky above them.
“Maybe,” he said. “But I will take down these bastards. What they did to that kid…”
His voice wavered, and she laced her fingers with his. She understood. She’d been feeling the same way. The men of Los Malos were monsters. They had tried to break the spirit of a boy, and it burned her up inside.
“He’s safe,” she whispered. “We’ll keep him that way.”
Cage squeezed her hand.
She breathed in deeply and waited for him to move closer, to close the distance between them. Cage stood.
“Speaking of,” he said and nodded to the car. “We should get back before he gets to bed.”
Slightly disappointed, she stood. He was right though. Alex needed to be surrounded by people who cared about him.
With her fingers still laced with his, they made their way back. The date had gone well. Now she only hoped they would get the chance for more dates.
* * *
Cage cursed himself in his head the whole ride home. It was the perfect moment to kiss her, and he’d blown it.
He hadn’t been wrong. They did need to get back, but he could have spared a few minutes.
When they stopped outside the house, he frowned at the darkness inside. He’d given up a kiss to get back early, and they were already both asleep?
He jumped at the sound of his phone. When he pulled it out, he looked at the screen.
TRENT
“Yeah,” he said, answering the phone.
“We’re at you mom’s,” Trent said before Cage could even ask.
“What?”
“Before you start getting pissed, we were bribed with fried chicken and pie,” Trent said over the phone. “We both were still hungry.”
He could hear Alex in the background laughing, and despite the irritation he felt, his mother was a woman with more than enough love to share.
“When are you going to be home?” he asked and glanced over to Whitney, who seemed interested in the conversation.
“See that’s the thing, now she’s pulled out movies and started on cake,” Trent said eagerly.
“How late?” he asked.
“We’ll just stay here and meet up with you at the office,” Trent said.
Cage laughed loudly into the phone. “What’s she offering for breakfast?”
“Home-fucking-made cinnamon rolls,” Trent said excitedly but stopped for a moment. “Sorry, ma’am.”
Cage snorted and turned to Whitney. “Well, enjoy your home-fucking-made cinnamon roll, traitor.”
Whitney gave him a lopsided smile. He loved the look.
“Dog might need to go out when you get home,” Trent said. “Gotta go. Cake.”
The line went silent.
“We’ve been traded for cake, fried chicken and homemade cinnamon rolls,” Cage grinned.
Whitney opened her door and grinned back at him.
“I’d trade us for that as well,” she said with a laugh.
“Hank is still here,” he said and made his way out of the car.
He slowly walked up the sidewalk. The last few days had taken a toll on his leg, and he was done hiding. Whitney understood, and he didn’t have to pretend with her.
Cage opened the door and cursed as Hank zipped out into the lawn.
The dog found the nearest flower and proceeded to water it.
“Men,” Whitney groaned and walked to the lawn to get him after his business.
When she came back up the steps, her face was hidden slightly by the shadows.
It was killing him. Should he go in for the kiss or just thank her for a nice evening? The last thing he wanted to do was fuck it up again.
Instead, Whitney made the move for both of them.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asked.
Chapter Fifteen
Whitney moved in a little closer. The scent of Cage’s aftershave floated through the air. It was driving her crazy.
“I didn’t get a tour earlier,” she said as she stepped in, her voice low and husky.
She set Hank on the floor after shutting the door and found Cage standing close behind her.
Whitney backed up until she was flush against the door.
He stepped closer, and she gasped when his hard body pushed against her own.
“Tell me I’m not reading this wrong,” he said. His voice shook with uncertainty.
Her hands slipped under the soft t-shirt he was wearing. He groaned as she worked her fingers along the hard muscles there.
“Fuck, Whitney,” he hissed and glared at her. “Tell me.”
Whitney leaned forward and ran her lips over his, taunting him.
“I want…” she said against his mouth. “I want you to show me your room.”
She stared at him through her lashes and waited for what seemed like forever.
Cage pressed hard against her, his body a solid wall as his mouth plundered her own.
Whitney pulled her hands from his shirt and wrapped them around his neck and in his hair.
His
hard ridge pressed just above the spot she wanted it most.
His hand wrapped around her leg and lifted it up. With the new angle, he pressed hard against her aching clit.
“Shit,” he cursed. He was shaking.
With more force than she knew she could manage, Whitney pushed him back. Cage sighed loudly, and she knew he was misunderstanding.
“Come with me,” she said and started walking toward his bedroom.
Cage paused for a moment, and she didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself she didn’t want him or he didn’t want her. Without a thought, she pulled off the t-shirt she was wearing and tossed it on the ground.
His breathing picked up, but at least his feet were moving. Whitney didn’t stop. She unsnapped her pants and slid them down her legs when she reached his room.
Cage stood in the door, staring at her. She started to wonder if maybe she didn’t measure up. She wasn’t really all that big breasted, and she’d never really been thought of as curvy.
“Beautiful,” he whispered.
His sweet whisper lanced through her and shook her to the core.
She slowly made her way to him. Once again, her hands slipped under his shirt, but this time she had only one purpose.
It slid easily over his head, and she tossed it over her shoulder. She kept her eyes on him. The glow from the light outside was just enough.
She kissed her way down his chest. The light dusting of hair excited her, especially the closer she got to the snap on his pants.
Whitney dropped to her knees as she continued her kisses. She slowly pulled the zipper down and found his hard cock tenting his underwear.
His pants fell to the floor, and she smiled at the thought he was letting her undress him.
One hand made its way around to his ass. She loved the feel of the hard muscles there.
Whitney ran her hands up and down his legs. The closer she got to his tip, the more he shook. Instead of giving him what he wanted, Whitney kissed and nipped the flesh on his thighs before dipping lower and lower to his damaged leg.
“Whitney,” he said and pulled back.
She shook it off and stood in front of him.
“Take me to bed, Cage,” she whispered.
Cage Page 10
