She turned toward the coffee machine and poured the contents into a ceramic mug. Clearly, Kaden still mourned the death of his wife. He never wanted to go into much detail, but he had said it happened a year before he moved to Germantown. Imagining his pain made her heart ache for him. It must’ve been horrible, losing a wife at only twenty-seven years old. There was a chance he might never truly be able to move on.
She silently hoped he would let her at least try to help him.
In her eyes, he was all she needed for the perfect life, the missing puzzle piece to all her dreams coming true. She glanced over to his table. He was deep in thought about something. No point in thinking about this any further. She’d go on the date with Michael as planned, and things would stay as they were with Kaden.
Just friends.
Kaden cracked his knuckles in his lap. He had acted like an idiot. She needed him to be her friend, and that’s exactly what he would be for her, even if it broke him inside. Just because he couldn’t have her didn’t mean she should be alone. The second she returned with his breakfast, he said, “Look, about before—”
“It’s no big deal. I know you said it because you care about me.” She bit her lip. “I’m glad.”
Time to let go of his selfish desires and do the right thing. “Michael was smiling all over himself when he left. He did seem like a nice guy.”
Her back straightened, cheeks reddened. She definitely hadn’t been expecting him to say anything close to that. “I guess I’ll find out this Saturday.”
“About that,” he said, ignoring the burning sensation building in this throat. “I was thinking about dropping by an hour or so before the date.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Why?”
He wanted to see what she planned to wear on this date. Apparently, he was going all out to make this the most painful experience of his life. Not only was he pushing her toward this guy, but he’d be forced to watch as Michael took what Kaden could never have. “If there’s a chance he’s going to be in your life, I’d like us to be friends. I was kind of, uh, the protective older brother when we first met. I’d like to smooth that over.” And make sure he’s good enough for you.
“That’s so sweet. Thanks.”
Yeah, that’s me. I’m a goddamn saint.
Chapter Four
“I can’t detect any changes,” Hayden said, packing all his medical supplies back into his leather satchel. “I’ll run the blood work tomorrow morning and let you know for sure.”
Kaden sat on the wooden desk in Hayden’s office, rubbing his fingers over the puncture wound on the inside of his arm. He’d barely felt the stab of the needle, but he still hated the sensation.
“It was a heartbeat I felt. I’m sure of it,” he said, putting his white T-shirt back on. “Unless you can think of another way to explain what happened?”
Hayden slid the three sealed vials of Kaden’s blood into a clear plastic container. “Anything is possible. We’ve gone through considerable biological changes since we entered Earth’s atmosphere. And in these organic forms, we’ve essentially become a new species—the possibilities are endless.”
Out of the three, Hayden seemed the least interested in becoming part of human society. If his brothers didn’t insist on seeing him, he’d probably live in the lab in D.C. Just like on their planet, he focused on work and not much else. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. His brother did date, but it was more for research than anything else. “If it was a heartbeat, what would that mean?”
“I see where this is going,” Hayden said, tapping his finger against his bottom lip. “You believe this human is your mate.”
Kaden didn’t know what to believe. Even on his own planet, he’d struggled to understand the bonding process. “Her name is Annabelle, and yes, I’m asking if it’s possible.”
“I can’t say for sure,” he said, hesitation in his tone. “The ways of our people no longer apply.”
Kaden ran his fingers through his ink-black hair. “Then what should I do?”
Hayden thought for a long moment. “Bed the human.”
Of course he would make that suggestion. Sex with humans meant nothing to him, because he’d never attach himself to anyone. Sometimes he wondered if Hayden had any emotions at all. “You make it sound so simple.”
Crossing his arms in front of him, Hayden said, “It is simple. You want answers, right?” He waited for Kaden to nod. “If you have sex, you will know if she is your mate. You will feel the bond between you seal.”
On their planet, the mating bond was solidified when two physical bodies intertwined and became one. The connection would be so strong that their hearts would beat in unison. His desires would become Annabelle’s and vice versa. It was similar to what the humans called soul mates, but on a much larger scale.
But in these human forms, the bond might not work the same way.
Was it worth complicating his relationship with Annabelle simply to test Hayden’s theory? It would put her at risk. The FBI had made it clear when they laid down the rules: interactions with humans would be allowed, but permanent unions were unacceptable. His brothers could get away with casual sex, but he already had an established relationship with Annabelle. Sex with her would take it to the next level. Not to mention directly violate the rules of their intergalactic immunity. “If she is my mate, it will change everything. It will put all of us in danger.”
Hayden put his hand on his shoulder. “You cannot control the bond. If she is your mate, only death will keep you from her.”
“Kaden is completely full of shit,” Hilary said, sipping on her tequila sunrise. Before her drink was finished, she waved over the waitress for another round. For a petite woman, she could drink most men under the table.
Annabelle, on the other hand, felt dizzy after one shot.
Tuck’s Bar was crowded for a Tuesday night. Annabelle and Hilary were just in time to grab the last available booth in the lounge area. The place was filled to the max with mostly singles. Annabelle really wasn’t into the bar scene, but Hilary was in her element. These guys weren’t looking for anything more than a hot night of sex.
Perfect for Hilary and her short attention span.
Normally, Annabelle would’ve said no, because she had to be up at four in the morning to start baking, but another night of watching television reruns wasn’t enough to keep her mind off a certain someone.
Annabelle swirled the straw in her rum and Diet Coke. “No, he felt bad because he was being overprotective.”
She rolled her eyes. “He was jealous. You seriously don’t see that?”
I wish. “Kaden is not jealous. He’s had a zillion opportunities to ask me out and he never has.”
Hilary tapped her index finger against her temple. “Right, but he’s never seen you accept a date from another guy before.” She took another sip of her mixed drink. “Men are dumb. Sometimes it takes a little competition to make them see what they’re missing. Trust me, he’s jealous.”
It felt silly to admit, but the idea of Kaden being jealous made goose bumps rise across her forearms. Just as the smallest sliver of hope surfaced, her better judgment was already dismissing the idea. “Even if you’re right, it still doesn’t change things between us. It’s not like he asked me out afterward. Matter of fact, he was encouraging me to go on the date.”
The waitress returned with their refills, and Hilary handed her money. “That’s exactly what you should do, and I’m going to help you!”
Annabelle sucked down half her drink in one gulp. “I feel like I should be afraid right now.”
Hilary leaned forward with her arms crossed on the table. “Look, it’s obvious that Kaden needs some encouragement, so that’s what we’ll give him. He’s going to show up at your apartment before the date, right?”
She already didn’t like where this was going. “Yeah.”
The crowd got rowdier as a fast-paced rock song played. Hilary scooted closer to Annabelle, her voice much
louder. “When you open the door, you won’t be cute little Annabelle from the bakery. You’ll be a sex goddess in a dress clinging to every curve you have on your body. He’s going to go wild, and I’m going to teach you how to push his buttons until he breaks.”
Sex goddess was not her thing. The first time she’d tried to seduce someone, it had ended in total humiliation. During her senior year of college, she’d decided to make a move on her chemistry partner. She was supposed to meet him at his fraternity party but had been so nervous she drank several shots on an empty stomach. When they made it back to his room, she threw up all over him. She’d had two lovers since then, but the sex wasn’t what she expected. Unlike Hilary’s wild sexual escapades, neither lover had made Annabelle orgasm even once. She had reached a point where she wondered if someone could make her orgasm.
The embarrassing trip down memory lane made Annabelle’s cheeks burn.
Hilary hadn’t noticed. She was busy staring at one of the bartenders. The guy was definitely her type. Cute with muscular arms and some badass tattoos. Annabelle’s eyes nearly popped out of her head when Hilary ran her tongue over the tip of her straw. The grin across the bartender’s face told Annabelle that she’d be leaving the bar alone tonight.
She leaned toward her ear. “Kaden will never buy it.”
Hilary wiggled her eyebrows with a wicked grin across her face. “Oh, he’ll buy it, all right. He’ll be begging for it.”
A pang of guilt rushed through Annabelle. “And what about Michael? It would be wrong to use him to try to make someone else jealous. I mean, he’s your friend.”
Hilary waved her hand in the air. “He’ll get over it. I’ll find someone else to hook him up with. Besides, it’s only one date we’re talking about. If you feel really bad, offer to pay for it.”
“You’re a mess.” As different as they were, she couldn’t imagine a better friend than Hilary. They’d been besties since they shared a dorm room in their freshman year of college. If it weren’t for Hilary bringing her out of her shell, Annabelle would’ve missed most of the fun of college. “What would I do without you?”
Hilary laughed. “You’d probably be one of those cat ladies on Hoarders.”
Annabelle finished her drink while Hilary continued her seduction. The alcohol buzz made her ears hum. She watched the crowd sway to the beat of the music. “I’m not doubting your expertise in this area, but how do you plan to turn me into a sex goddess?”
“I’m going to come over after the bakery closes,” Hilary said, squeezing her hand. “That gives me plenty of time to get the goodies you’ll need.”
I’m afraid. Very afraid.
Chapter Five
Annabelle didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror staring back at her. The shy bakery owner with a fondness for shorts and tank tops was gone. In her place was a woman in mile-high stilettos and a skintight black cocktail dress. Hilary had certainly gone all out on this one—she’d manicured her from head to toe, using hot curlers on Annabelle’s stick-straight hair, giving her volume and loose waves. Smoky eyes and glossy lips were the final step in her transformation.
But the physical changes were by far the easiest. Annabelle had spent the last hour practicing everything she was supposed to say to Kaden. Unfortunately, every time she said the words out loud, they didn’t sound right. The worst of it was the sexy gestures she tried to practice in the mirror. Oh, she was about as sexy as a parking ticket. She put her face in her hands. Hilary was the master of seduction. How could she expect Annabelle to pull this off without looking ridiculous?
Mr. Crisco—her orange tabby cat—sauntered into the room. He rubbed his husky body against her calves. Bending down, she scratched his chubby belly. She had to stop giving him scraps from the table. It was time she got tough and put him on a strict diet. He glanced up at her, scowling. It was as if he knew what she was planning. “It’s for your own good, buddy. You’re starting to look more like a butterball than a feline.”
Her cell phone rang.
She rose up, then cringed when she read the name on the screen: Mom. Of course she would call now. As far back as she could remember, her mom had seemed to have an otherworldly psychic connection to her. Anytime she even thought about doing something sneaky or risqué, her mom was two steps ahead of her. “Hey, Mom, I’m in the middle of something. Can I call you back tomorrow?”
“You’re always in the middle of something. I swear, you’re the busiest person I know.”
How did she manage to fit a ping of guilt into the simplest of sentences? “Actually, I’m getting ready for a date.”
“Really?” She could almost hear her mother’s ears perk up. “Kaden finally asked you out?”
Ever since her mother had met Kaden a few months ago, she’d been convinced he was the one for her. There hadn’t been a single conversation since then that didn’t include him in some way. It was the one single reason Annabelle had come to dread her phone calls. His lack of interest was hard enough to deal with without her mother pushing the issue. “No, my date is an accountant from Hilary’s firm.”
There were a couple of seconds of dead silence. She was about to check to see if her mother was still on the line when she finally spoke. “You’re wasting this poor man’s time. He’s not the one for you.”
Knowing what she had planned for Kaden, she almost wanted to agree with her. No way would she tell her the truth about Hilary’s seduction plan. That was not a conversation she was ready to have. “Mom, you’ve never even met Michael. He’s a really nice guy. How could you possibly know things won’t work out between us?”
Her tone turned serious. “A mother knows, Annabelle.”
Mom had spent most of her life honing in on her matchmaking skills. She would not relent until she was sitting in their family church watching Annabelle walk down the aisle—with Kaden waiting at the other end, of course. “I have to go, Mom. I promise, I’ll call you first thing tomorrow morning.”
Her mother must’ve sensed the tension in her words, because she took another deep breath. “All right, I get it. You’re an adult and perfectly capable of running your life. You’ve accomplished so much already. I couldn’t be prouder. I just want you to have it all, sweetheart.”
Her heart filled with joy, knowing her mother was proud of her.
Annabelle wanted it all—Kaden, two-point-five kids, a furry dog to chase Mr. Crisco around, and a house with a white picket fence—but she also had serious doubts that Hilary’s plan would work. Regardless of Kaden’s reaction to her date with Michael, she didn’t believe he was interested in her. “I know, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you too. Talk to you soon, my girl.”
The call ended.
Wine, she needed a glass of wine.
She opened the refrigerator door, popped the cork, and took several gulps right from the bottle. Not very classy, but it got the job done. A lightweight, the buzz hit her within minutes. The tension in her shoulders lessened and she closed her eyes. She tried to convince herself that she had nothing to lose. If Kaden wasn’t interested, she still had his friendship, which meant more to her than anything else.
Her apartment call box chimed.
He stood outside her bakery door wondering why he had stupidly offered to come here. Had he really planned to smooth things over with Michael? Not hardly. His mind swam with the notion that she might be his mate. Somehow, he had to find out the truth without complicating their relationship with sex. Unless he was sure she was his mate, he wouldn’t take the risk. Besides, he doubted one night of sex with Annabelle would leave him sated. Once he truly had a taste of her, there would be no way for him to go back to a simple friendship.
“Kaden?” Her voice rang out from the call box speaker.
The corners of his mouth curled. Her tone was always breathy when she said his name, almost like a moan. “Yeah, Bells, it’s me.”
“Great, I’ll be right down.”
She sounded a bit too excited for his t
aste. He hoped her mood was about him and not that human. His stomach coiled at the thought.
A minute later, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The lights flicked on, and the door screeched opened. Kaden swallowed hard. Slowly, he took in her sultry gaze and pouty lips. His eyes trailed down to her exposed cleavage. The night air had pearled her nipples, and instantly, his pants tightened. Her tiny dress was a bit bunched in the middle, drawing his attention toward her curves.
“I’m so glad you’re here. Can you help me out?” she asked, a bit nerved.
“Sure,” he said, following her inside and locking the door behind him.
“Would you mind zipping me up? I can’t quite reach.” She turned around and pushed her hair to the side. Her naked back was now on full display.
The open zipper at the bottom revealed two important details: her ass was as luscious as he had imagined, and she wasn’t wearing any panties. His palms started to sweat. How was he supposed to fasten her dress when all he wanted to do was tear it off?
Okay, I can handle this. It’s no big deal.
He tried to disconnect from the situation, thinking about television shows and songs he’d heard on the radio. Anything and everything raced through his mind. But his body continued to turn against him. Moving closer, he gripped the zipper between his fingers. The lavender-and-vanilla scent of her perfume filled his nostrils. His hand shook as the dress came together. When he reached the top, she turned around, and their eyes locked. In those high heels, she was only an inch or two shorter than him. Her breath hitched, and his body responded. In an instant, he was as hard as concrete.
“I can’t,” he snarled.
“Kaden, are you okay?” she asked coyly.
Her green eyes darkened to a deeper shade of emerald. When she licked her bottom lip, he nearly lost control of himself. “That dress…it’s too much for a first date. I think you should change before Michael gets here.”
Under His Skin Page 3
