Incandescent

“She wanted to know if I liked apple pie. Told me she’ll make one from scratch and bring home ice cream.” His mind is blown that people make them from scratch. I laugh at his reaction. I’d like to think I’m a good cook, but I don’t do any baking and obviously his mother has never baked him one.

“She told me she would make lasagna again too,” I tell him, more excited for supper tonight.

“Yes!” he fists pumps, his smile breaking out over his face again. She made it last Sunday night for di

I love my brothers and the support they give me, but I needed to be with Z, and most of all, Z and I needed to be alone.

Kadence didn’t have a choice, Z wanting her to come with us. I knew she wanted to be there for him, but watching her face as Z confessed to some of the things his mom had been saying and doing, I could say we both needed each other. She cooked us di

By the end of the night, we were all drained and ready for bed. Before Z went up to bed, he told her that if she was staying the night, she didn’t have to sneak out early like all the other times last week. A blush flooded her neck and over her cheeks as he laughed himself up the stairs. He had admitted during our talk that he knew someone was here last week, heard them talking when he had woken early one morning. He just didn’t know who it was.

It was a moment that made a tense night feel like things were going to be okay. She stayed that night and every night since, and not once has she had to sneak out in the morning. In one week, we’ve created this routine that I don’t ever want to break. Z has moments where I can see what the truth of this week has done, completely shifting his life around, exposing the secret he’s hidden. He’ll look lost trying to process it all, and then Kadence will walk through the door, and I’ll have my son back.

“Come on. Let's go down. She'll be here soon,” I tell him, standing from the bed. He follows, excited to see Kadence. Even though that warms me, it also fills me concern. Pushing it away, I turn and face him. “Z.” I stop and look down at him.

“Yeah?”

“I love you, buddy.” I scruff his hair, knowing more than anything, he needs to hear it.

“Love you, too, Dad.” He smiles, and for every smile he gives me, a small amount of that stagnant anger that lives in me leaves.

***

“Oh, God,” Kadence whimpers as I place my hand over her mouth.

“Shhh, babe. You’re go

“Well, stop fucking me so good then,” she pants behind my hand.

“Never.” I quicken my movements, as I feel her tighten around me. Her head thrashes to the side, her teeth biting into the soft flesh of her upper arm to soften her cries.

“You. Feel. So. Fuckin’. Good.” I punch out with each thrust. Her orgasm takes over, her unique kind of blush making itself known as it creeps across her skin. Fuck, I love it. Her pussy tightens around me, milking my orgasm from me. My cum fills her as I release my frustrations of today with each brutal pound. She takes it all, every hard and harsh thrust while begging for more.

Fuck, I’m in— I love this woman. Love? Even if I tried to deny it, my head wouldn’t let me.

I move my hand to the side of her neck and plant myself as deep as I can and let the orgasm ride out. Her head turns; the warmth of her lips find the inside of my wrist. I’m lost in the moment, forgetting about the shit week we’ve had.

“Are you okay?” The softness of her voice and the closeness of our bodies make me want to tell her that I’ve fallen in love with her. But I don’t. I know she’s not ready to hear it, and with the shit going on with Z, I wouldn’t be able to handle it if she pulled away.

“Yeah,” I breathe out. Leaning down, I kiss her forehead and pull out, rolling onto my side.

She turns facing me. “It’s going to be okay, Nix,” she promises, and as much as I believe her, I’m still struggling.

“I know, Kadence. It’s just being his dad is the most important job to me, and I can’t help but feel like I’ve let him down.”

Her head shakes in disagreement. “You’ve got to stop blaming yourself.”

“I know. It's just hard when he responds better to you than me,” I admit. Fuck, I didn’t mean it like that. I just know Z feels more comfortable with her.

“Is my being here too much?” She comes up to her forearm, her eyes now concerned.

“No. No, I’m not saying that. I just feel like he’s relying too much on you as a buffer to me. I feel like I need to co

“And you can’t do that with me here,” she finishes for me.

“I want you here, babe. I do. But I’m thinking of takin’ Z up to my pop’s cabin for the week. I think it would be good for both of us.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Nix.” She smiles, reaching out to stroke my face. I fucking love it when she touches me.

“It will only be for a week, five days even,” I repeat, hoping she doesn’t think I’m pushing her away.

“Honey, if you needed a month, I’d give it to you. It’s okay.” She leans forward, bringing her soft lips to mine. I don’t deepen the kiss; instead, I pull back to look at her. Her eyes open and meet my gaze. Behind her pale blue eyes, I recognize something that she hasn’t given me before, something that I know she doesn’t want to admit, but staring back at me, it's written all over her face. She’s falling in love with me.

“What did I do to deserve you?” I wonder aloud, feeling like this woman just doesn't stop bewitching me.

“Nothing really. You bossed me into dating you. Fucked me good, and then you wouldn’t leave me alone. Now you’re stuck with me.” She laughs at her own take of how things are.

“It’s more like you’re stuck with me,” I tell her. Her eyes sparkle with happiness, like the thought of it couldn’t get any better. Her mouth descends to my ear, and quietly she confesses, “I wouldn’t want to be stuck with anyone else.”

Yep, I’ve fallen in love.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kadence

The school bell rings above my head letting me know that the long week I’ve just had is almost over. The kids pile out, happy their weekend is here, while I’m quietly dreading mine.

It’s been four nights since Nix took Z out to his dad's cabin two hours away, deciding to have some one-on-one time together. Nix needed to make sure Z is handling the change. I understand his decision to go to his pop’s cabin. His dad is his only family left and he needed to be with him, to surround Z with people who he trusts. I just wish I could join them.

Grabbing my bag and the worksheets I need to grade over the weekend, I shut down the classroom and make my way to my car. I wave over at Brooks sitting on his bike, two rows down. Nix still hasn’t eased up on the guys watching over me, especially with him being away. Brooks waves back and I get in the car. I honestly have no idea how I used to do this every weekend before I met Nix. When you’re so used to having someone around breathing in your presence, you forget how lonely you were before.

My phone rings in my hand and I can’t stop the thrill of thinking it might be Nix. Seriously, Kadence?

“Hello,” I answer without even looking at the screen.

“Hey, baby girl,” my dad’s voice booms down the phone. Even though I wanted to speak to Nix, my dad is my other favorite guy in my life, so my disappointment is short lived.

“Hey, Dad,” I smile into my cell.

“Don’t hey, Dad me. Where the hell you been? You haven’t come to see us in over four weeks, girl.” He sounds concerned, but I don’t get a chance to respond when my mom takes the phone off him.