Caden (Loving the Sykes Book 1)

by Elizabeth Stevens

  “Makes sense.” I shrugged. “But are you sure?”

  “You can have me bare, or not at all, Caden Reece.”

  “Fuck…” With an ultimatum like that, I knew what I was going to choose.

  She opened wide for me and I slid in slowly. I’d thought she’d felt good the other day? Fuck, bare she was even better. Everything was heightened and she felt so right.

  “Shit…” she moaned, taking me deeper.

  “You like that?”

  She nodded, biting her lip in that way that made me crazy. “Did you know how good it was going to feel when you got it?”

  I knew she was talking about my piercing, the apadrayva Gunner and I had dared each other to get.

  “Hell no, we just thought it would be funny to put each other through it. Put us out of commission for a while, but I’ve since found it adds to both party’s pleasure.”

  She smiled. “As epic as it feels, I’m not sure I need the reminder of all the other women you’ve been with while you’re thrusting into me.”

  I slid out of her slowly and pushed back into her deep. She gasped and gripped my back hard. I repeated the action, hastening my strokes as her hips worked to meet my thrusts “Would it help if I told you this was the only place I ever want to be?” I asked, knowing it was revealing too much but, with everything I was feeling, I couldn’t stop myself.

  “It might, if it were true,” she breathed.

  “Have I ever lied to you, Lulubell?” I said, pushing myself as deep into her as I could.

  She grabbed my face as kissed me hard as we moved together, letting my mouth capture her moans as they rose in volume. I could tell she was close, her movements got faster, jerkier, as she ground us together, her hips moving in perfect sync with mine.

  She felt fucking amazing, and that was even when I discounted everything else I was feeling. She knew my body inside out, and I knew hers, like we’d been at this for years – in my dreams, maybe – instead of it being the second time I’d had her.

  Her head fell back as she got closer and I kissed her neck as I took her hard and fast. She was moaning my name as she panted until she cried out, her fingernails digging into my back and her body tensing around me. She twitched and I felt her pussy clench around me. It only served to send me over the edge and I came hard.

  My name ripped from her lips, then they were searching for mine. I moved inside her gently as we kissed slowly, wringing the final waves of pleasure from the both of us.

  I looked down at her, overwhelmed with how much I loved this girl, how much I’d always loved this girl. I had the mad urge to just come right out and tell her, but she’d always hated heat of the moment declarations.

  I couldn’t decipher the look in her eyes, but the way she held me, running her fingers through my hair and down my cheek, I didn’t think it was anything bad.

  Suddenly, she laughed.

  “What?”

  “You’re covered in sweat,” she said.

  “I’m not the only one.”

  “Then I think a shower’s called for. Last thing I need is to be walking around as living proof you took me to nirvana.”

  “I took you to nirvana?”

  She grimaced. “It sounded way less corny in my head.”

  I laughed and kissed her. “I like the sound of it, actually.”

  She grimaced again and made to push me up. Reluctantly, I rolled off her and pulled her off the bed. I grabbed my towel of the chair and dragged her to the shower.

  She laughed again, the sound making my heart swell. “I didn’t mean we needed to shower together.”

  “Does that mean you don’t want us to?”

  She blushed. “I never said that. But if you want some time to yourself…that’s okay.”

  I pulled her to me and walked her through the bathroom door. I held her with one hand while I turned on the shower with the other.

  “I’d much rather have as little time to myself as possible while I’m home,” I said.

  She frowned a little. I watched her, wondering what was going through her mind, as I checked the water temperature. When it was warm enough, I lifted her in as I kissed her. She seemed hesitant, not unwilling but distracted.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked.

  She wouldn’t look at me, but I felt like, if I made her, she wouldn’t tell me.

  “I just… I shouldn’t have said all that before, Cade…”

  My heart seemed to stop beating. Had the heat-of-the-moment-declaration-hater made a heat of the moment declaration she now regretted?

  She sighed. “You know I’m always here for you, but…but I want you to know I don’t expect anything from you. I…” She seemed to search for the right words. “I know I have no right to expect anything…”

  I wanted to tell her she had every right to expect everything from me, but I wasn’t sure how to put it into words without it coming out too intensely. And the last thing I needed was for her to freak out on me.

  “Luce…I don’t know what this is between us,” I knew what I wanted it to be, but that wasn’t up to me, “or how long we have together. But I’m in this for as long as we get…” As long as we have until the idiot you love wakes up and realises how great you are and decides to fight for you, at least…

  She still wouldn’t look at me, but she smiled and nodded. It was as much confirmation as I needed to know she felt the same.

  I stood watching her for a while until she reached out and ran her hands along my chest, my abs, my arms. She followed the lines of scars and ink as though memorising each one.

  “Your leg?” she said after a while.

  “What about it?”

  “The cut…”

  I nodded, knowing what she was asking. “Partly when the SUV flipped, partly from surgery.”

  “One day, will you tell me about each of these?”

  I took her hand in mine and kissed it. “I’ll tell you anything and everything I can, Lulu. But it might take a while.”

  She looked up at me and smiled. “Tell me about one now, then.”

  “Scar or tattoo?”

  She scrunched her nose adorably as she looked over my body, trying to decide. Finally, she pointed to a tattoo on my right side. “This one.”

  “That’s my team’s insignia. Our codename is ‘Falcon’.”

  She frowned. “Should you be giving away those secrets?”

  I laughed and pulled her to me. “’Falcon’ isn’t our official name, besides which bad guys do you have to tell?”

  She pouted very sexily and I felt my cock twitch. “Some very prominent ones, I’m sure.”

  I laughed. “Of course, mustn’t forget your badarse connections.”

  She smiled. “Have I told you how glad I am that you’re home?”

  I pretended to think. “You might have. I can’t recall.”

  “Well, I am. I’m very happy you’re home.”

  I picked her up and pressed her against the wall. “I’m sure I can make you happier.”

  “Really?” she asked, a challenge in her eyes.

  I slid her down onto my shaft and watched as that challenge became pure pleasure and she melted into me. I kissed her tenderly and took her slowly as the water ran over us until we came together, panting each other’s names.

  I would never get enough of her. I just had to convince her she felt the same.

  16

  Lucy

  I lay in bed, thinking about the day before. I didn’t know exactly what had happened, but Caden and I had definitely had a moment, or two. He hadn’t sounded like a man madly in love with someone else, but I’d be stupid if I let myself get carried away.

  He’d said himself he didn’t know how long we had. I didn’t know whether that just meant before he went back to work, or if he was still holding out hope that girl he loved would come around. Whoever she was, I thought she was a freaking idiot for not realising how wonderful h
e was. But, for now, I felt like there was a part of him I could call mine, and it wasn’t just the pleasurable part.

  I wondered if it would make any difference if he knew all of me was his?

  He’d called me his girl… I reminded myself.

  What that actually meant, I had no idea. In a way, I’d always been his girl, but that had been the same way I’d been Dad’s girl, or Oscar’s, Carter’s, or Luther’s. For years, I’d been the only real girl in their lives. The way he’d said it yesterday had seemed…so much more.

  After the shower, we hadn’t had time to talk or spend any time together. Luther had come home from the garage for lunch, then persuaded Caden to go back to work with him for the afternoon. By the time they were back, Carter was home. We spent a few hours sitting around chatting, but I’d felt hot and horny under Caden’s knowing gaze and gone to bed before Oscar had come home. I didn’t know how late they’d all been up and slept through whatever noise they’d made.

  I had no idea what I was going to face if I left the relative comfort of my bed. I didn’t think Oscar was on lunch shift, but sometimes his roster changed if someone was sick or they were busy. Carter and Luther were likely at work, but might not have left yet, and who knew what Caden was doing.

  Me, hopefully, I thought, then chastised myself. I did not need to be thinking about things like that when I had no idea who or what was awaiting me.

  I pulled myself out of bed and pulled my hair up haphazardly. I contemplated running a brush through it, but just because Caden and I slept together didn’t mean I needed to start dressing myself up for no reason. He’d seen me at my worst at many points over the years, a little un-brushed hair wasn’t going to hurt my chances.

  I stumbled out of my room and heard voices in the kitchen so made my way in that direction after a quick stop at the bathroom.

  Someone laughed loudly and Luther nearly bumped into me on his way out of the kitchen.

  “Morning, little sister,” he said, kissing my head. “See you later.” And he disappeared out the front door.

  “Yeah, bye,” I called as I wandered into the kitchen, plonked myself down in a chair and rested my head in my hands.

  “Elbow off the table, Lu,” Carter teased.

  I grunted at him and he laughed.

  “You want coffee?” Oscar asked.

  I grunted at him as well.

  “Still as much a morning person as ever, huh Lulu,” Caden chuckled.

  “Shut up. I’m lovely,” I mumbled.

  I heard a chair scrape. “Yes, you are, Lu. Just not first thing in the morning,” Carter said from next to me and I felt him kiss my head. “I’ll see you lot tonight. Maybe we’ll stop by the restaurant for dinner, Oz?”

  “Yeah, let me know and I’ll save you a table.”

  “Will do.”

  I waved over my head. He laughed and ruffled my hair, and I grunted at him, swatting his hand away.

  “Love you, Lu,” Carter laughed.

  “Love you, too,” I mumbled.

  He laughed again and left.

  “So, plans for the day?” Oscar asked.

  “Not really,” Caden answered, “Cart’s being trying to get me to go past the gym, but my therapist is all kinds of no about that yet.”

  “I can imagine. That all going okay?”

  “Yeah, not bad. Be a few weeks at least ‘til I get full movement they reckon, then I’ve gotta hit training again.”

  “Cart will be pleased about that.”

  I didn’t know whether Caden going back to training meant he’d be leaving, or if he’d still be here for a while. But I didn’t want to think about him leaving. I knew he’d have to at some point, but it was way too early in the morning for that and I needed caffeine. And Oscar had abandoned the coffee machine.

  I stood up and went in search of mugs. Naturally, there were none I could reach.

  “Guys, come on…” I whined. “How hard is it really? Short sister, mean when not caffeinated, leave her the–”

  I knew it was Caden behind me before he’d spoken. “Here.” He got a mug down for me, put an arm around my waist and kissed my temple. “Would hate for you to be un-caffeinated.”

  His hand was a little lower on my stomach than it strictly needed to be, but I wasn’t going to call him out on that. I smiled and nodded. “Thanks. Hey Oz, what were you saying about lunch before?”

  “I thought we could all go out. I don’t have to be at work ‘til two-thirty, thought it might be nice to hang out,” he replied.

  Caden tickled me and I batted him away. “Stop that,” I giggled before turning to Oscar. “Sounds good, anywhere in mind?”

  Oscar smiled and shook his head. “Nah, just thought we could wander down Main Street and see what took our fancy.”

  “I like it. You need to shower?”

  “You saying I stink?” he asked.

  Truthfully, I had no idea if he stunk, but I wouldn’t mind a few minutes alone with Caden. I didn’t know if he was thinking the same thing I was thinking, but anything was better than nothing.

  “No,” I laughed. “Just wondered.” I tried very hard not to look at Caden who was leaning on the counter next to me.

  “Yeah, I’d best.” He drained his cup and stood up. “I’ll go now then.”

  I nodded and we watched him leave. As soon as he was up the stairs, Caden took my cup from me and put it on the bench.

  “What happened to me being caffeinated?” I asked.

  He grinned. “I think there are better things for you to be right now,” he practically growled as he grabbed me and sat me on the bench.

  He kissed me hard, his hands sliding up my top and brushing my nipples. I wrapped my legs around him and brought us closer together. Caden’s kisses travelled down my neck.

  “Have we still got half an hour?” he asked between kisses.

  “Yep.” I nodded. Oscar had always taken half an hour in the bathroom, no matter the occasion, the weather or his age.

  Caden’s hand had just begun to slid into my pyjama shorts when Oscar’s voice came closer towards us. I pushed Caden away and slipped off the counter.

  “Lulu, while I think of it, do you know where–?”

  “Yeah, I’ll go deal with it.” I smiled as he popped his head around the kitchen door.

  “Thanks, sis.” He grinned then disappeared again.

  Caden made to grab me but I slipped out of his grasp. “Not now,” I hissed as I stuck my head out the kitchen door. I felt hands on my hips and I swatted at him. “Seriously, if he comes back down again…”

  “What do you need to deal with?”

  “I need to iron his chef’s whites,” I answered, heading for the laundry and keeping an eye on the upstairs landing.

  “Are you sure that’s what you need to deal with right now?” he asked and I heard the smile in his voice.

  I pulled the ironing board out and smiled at Caden. “Now, I said I would, yes.” Actually, I had an ache between my legs I desperately wanted to take care of right away, but the likelihood of Oscar coming back down because he forgot something else niggled at me.

  “The iron has to heat up anyway.”

  “Since when do you know anything about ironing?”

  “Since I’ve lived by myself for six years.”

  I looked up as the water started running upstairs.

  Caden picked me up and pinned me against the wall, pressing his hard length between my legs. “Are you sure there’s nothing else you’d rather do right now?”

  “Oscar’s right upstairs!”

  “We have thirty minutes and you can be quiet.”

  I looked at him sceptically. Being quiet had not really been par for the course so far. “Can I though? How about you try not making me feel so good and I’ll try not expressing my pleasure?”

  He pressed up against me harder, rubbing us together in just the right places. I sighed.

  “I live to
make you feel good, babe,” he said before he kissed me.

  I felt a thrill when he called me that. Nothing at all like the annoyance and disgust I’d felt whenever Tommy said the word. Both men made it sound possessive, but I liked it when Caden sounded possessive.

  I nodded and he pulled back slightly. “Okay, okay. Quick and quiet, though.”

  He grinned and I laughed. “I can do quick and quiet, babe. Follow my lead.”

  Caden gave me a look of challenge and I nodded. He put me down and pulled my shorts off before he spun me around so I faced away from him. He kissed the back of my neck as he reached around and stroked me. I pressed my arse back into him and felt how ready he was.

  He slid a finger down my slit and groaned against my skin. “I love how wet you are.”

  “I can’t help what you do to me, Cade. I want you bad, all the time. Even when I’m not with you, I imagine your hands on my body, the feel of you inside me.” I didn’t know when I’d started being so vocal about those sorts of things, but I could tell he liked it.

  “Fuck, babe. I need you. Now.”

  He angled my hips back and thrust into me. The feeling of the ends of his piercing as they rubbed against me at that angle was amazing, igniting a fire inside me as he circled my clit with his fingers. He pounded me hard and fast, holding me tight against him. I managed to keep my moans to a minimum. Something about Oscar being upstairs was thrilling and the wave of pleasure built inside me quickly.

  “Oh, Cade. Fuck me, yes…” I breathed.

  He moaned as if I’d made all his dreams come true and drove into me harder and faster as his fingers worked my clit furiously. The last stage of pleasure mounted slowly and hit me so hard I could barely see straight and I felt my legs go weak. Caden held me tightly as he spilled inside me, grunting my name.

  We leant against the wall for a few minutes, getting our breath back. He placed light kisses along my neck and shoulders and I felt a huge smile on my face.

  Suddenly, I realised the shower had stopped running.

  “Shit, Cade…”

  He pulled away from me and helped me into my shorts; he hadn’t taken his pants off, he’d just pulled them down far enough. He gave me a kiss.