Rock Hard (Siren Publishing Classic) (16 page)

“Do you love me?” he asked quietly.

“Yes. I do love you very much. It doesn’t mean we’re meant to be together, though.”

“We’re meant to be together.”

“Oh? How do you know?” she asked.

“Fate keeps tossing you into my lap. I think it’s time we both get on board with this before something goes wrong.”

She tilted her head and walked her hands up over his wet shoulders. “What if I don’t want to jump aboard without a life jacket?”

“You really willing to tempt fate on this again?” he asked.

She pretended to think about it. “Yes. I am.”

He lifted her off her feet, and she screamed as he swung her so easily into his arms. “I know you want me.”

She felt breathless and out of control when she was with him. “Oh, yeah? How can you tell?”

“You get this look in your eyes when you drink me in. Like a cat that’s seen its first meal in days.”

Wynn realized too late that he was carrying her back to the pool party. He hovered over the deep end. “Ready to jump in with me?”

“You wouldn’t dare...”

“Oh, baby, I’m up for everything with you.”

He kissed her hard, flicking his tongue deep within her mouth. Wynn ran her hands through his hair. Kade broke his lips away, and that boyish grin she loved so much spread across his face. Her eyes widened as he jumped into the pool, and she screamed. She surfaced fast with Kade’s arms around her waist. Rachel was standing at the other end of the pool with her arm around Jack’s waist.

“I think Wynn needs a towel,” Kade said.

“So, you changed your mind about staying?” Rachel called.

She kissed Kade fully on his wet mouth, tasting the sweet musk that was all man. “I have.”

Kade beamed. “I was hoping you would.”

“Oh, why’s that?”

“I like what I have with you. I think we’re good together. We make a good team.” He backed her up against the wall. “And I know I’ve fallen hard for you. And I know you’ve fallen hard for me.”

Her heart raced at the possibility of admitting that she had deep feelings for him, too. “There’s one more thing you should know, Kade. I didn’t want to tell you like this. I mean I hadn’t planned on ever telling you.”

He frowned.

“I...um. I’m not good at talking about how I feel. I just want you to know that I’m not a girlie girl that likes to chat about her feelings.”

He grinned and kissed her possessively. “I already know.”

She gasped at the arrogant tone of his voice. “How could you possibly already know?”

“You’re the only woman that looks at me the way you do. I’ve never had a woman that tells me everything I need to know with one look. I love that about you.”

She felt breathless. “Like what?”

“Like you want me to keep you safe when it’s storming outside.”

She swooned, and he held her tight. They started to kiss again, ignoring the whirl of the party around them. Wynn pulled away.

“Happy birthday,” she said.

He grinned. “Thanks. Wynn?”

She felt her heart race, like everything in her life was leading to this one moment. He brushed her wet hair off her temples. “Yes?”

“I only want one thing for my birthday.”

She felt his heart racing beneath her palm. “What’s that?”

“You.”

“Kade...”

“This time apart has been rough on me.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I felt so empty without you.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” she confessed. “I dreamt of you every night.”

“I can’t imagine my life without you. I need you, Wynn.”

She could see that there was more he wanted to say. She touched his cheek and kissed him sweetly. “I need you, too.”

“I only want you, Wynn. Will you marry me?”

She sighed and pretended to think about it. “I always wanted a short engagement. I’ve never been one of those two-year-engagement type girls.”

“Wynn?”

“Yes...I’ll marry you.”

When she started this case, Wynn never imagined that she’d find the love of her life. Somehow she just knew that fate had worked overtime on bringing them together. Love really was like a sinfully sweet arrow to the heart. She kissed Kade again. Life put her exactly where she needed to be, and she wasn’t about to let go again.

Tatum Throne has a master’s degree in social work. She left the field of medical social work to be a stay-at-home mom and to pursue her dreams of writing romance. She has three rambunctious boys with her husband, AJ. When not writing, Tatum enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies, hiking, spending time with her family, and volunteering.

Tatum is a member of RWA and lives with her family in a suburb of Cincinnati. Tatum loves to hear from her readers!

Find Tatum at: tatumthrone.blogspot.com

E-mail Tatum at: [email protected]

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