“I wanted to,” she returned.
I knew there was no use in arguing with her, but something about it didn’t sit quite right with me. Was she here caring for Lily and hanging around me because she felt bad for us? We were not a f**king charity case for her to take pity on.
Seeming to sense my mood, Alexa dipped her index finger into the frosting of a cupcake and brought it to my mouth, her eyes sparkling with challenge. I reached out and gripped her wrist, my eyes locked on hers as I swirled my tongue gently across the pad of her finger.
Alexa let out a ragged moan. Lily giggled at the sight of us, pulling our attention back to the fact that we had an audience.
I cleared my throat, trying to regain some composure and stop the throbbing ache low in my balls. “Do you want to show Alexa how to start your bath water while I clean up the kitchen?”
Lily hopped up and with one hand holding her walker, she grabbed for Alexa’s hand with the other. “Come on, Lexa. I’ll show you where I keep the bubbles.”
Watching the two of them together had me wondering if Lily needed more a more stable female role model in her life. The thought was sobering.
I cleaned up the kitchen to the backdrop of pleasant sounds of feminine laughter and splashing water coming from down the hall. Once I was through I peeked into the bathroom, finding Lily covered in bubbles, playing with her bath toys and Alexa kneeling over the side of the tub, wiggling that fine little ass at me. I took a moment to inspect her shapely backside, the way her jeans hugged her curves and the way her shirt had ridden up, exposing the curve of her lower back. She was sexy as hell and didn’t even know it. And seeing her nurturing side with Lily—hell, that just set off all kinds of alpha male in me. I wanted her.
They caught sight of me watching, and Alexa straightened, pulling her shirt down to cover the bare flesh of her back.
“Lexa, you can have a bath and use my bubbles when I’m done, if you want,” Lily said.
Alexa’s eyes went wide, blush rising in her cheeks. She gave the little girl a tremulous smile. “Oh, no thanks, sweetheart. It’s okay.”
“Finish up. It’s bedtime,” I growled.
They turned at the gruffness of my voice and Alexa’s eyes lingered on mine. “Come on, lets rinse you off,” she instructed, her voice just as shaky as mine.
Alexa tucked Lily into bed and met me in the living room. Without a word or a single moment of hesitation, Alexa crossed the room, and lowered herself on my lap. I cupped her ass, tugging her in closer, and kissed her. Her soft, tender kisses were messing with my head. This no longer felt like we were just fooling around. It felt like more. Much more.
Chapter 14
Alexa
Cade had turned on a movie under the ploy of us cuddling on the couch, but the way his body was pressed firmly against my backside, and he nuzzled and nibbled at my neck was a teensy bit distracting. I could feel his heartbeat against my body, and relaxed into the comfort he provided, even if it couldn’t last forever.
“Where do you live, Lex?” he asked softly.
“Hm?”
He absently twirled a lock of my hair around his finger.
“Across town.” I yawned. “Why?”
“I don’t like you having to drive home late at night in the dark.” His gentle concern hung in the air around us feeling out of place, but sweet nonetheless. “But if you stayed here… Lily would ask all kinds of questions that I’m not ready to answer.”
What he meant was, he wasn’t yet ready to discuss where this relationship was heading. Were we even in relationship territory? God, I really needed to get a grip. “It’s fine Cade. I live in a safe building. I have underground parking and a doorman.” I didn’t mention the on-site fitness center, spa and twenty-four hour concierge, knowing they were a part of my life that Cade wasn’t used to.
He didn’t press the issue further, but I could tell my answer hadn’t satisfied him. He draped a heavy arm around my middle and tugged me in tighter against him.
“How is it possible you’re still a virgin, cupcake? You’re sexy as hell.”
I considered not only his question, but also my answer. It wasn’t something I’d planned on. “I went to an all-girls private school, and the few dates I had were mostly chaperones to my dances, arranged by my parents. We spent Christmases in Aspen, summers at our lake house, and I guess there just really wasn’t time.”
I shifted, snuggling in closer to his warm body. “I decided to stay nearby for college rather than moving away and finding my own path like I’d promised myself I would. And I guess I just kept right on the living in the mold my parents had created. Stupid, huh?”
“Not at all, baby. That’s not what I meant.” He gave me a squeeze, holding me close. “I know I’m not the type you usually date, but maybe…just for now…”
“Shh. Let’s just go with it, Cade.” I laced my fingers with his and brought them to my lips to press a kiss to the back of his hand. He chuckled against my ear, sending a warm whisper of breath down the back of my neck.
“I can think of something I’d like you kissing better than my hand.” His voice was low and rough.
I reached behind me to feel the growing erection in his jeans and he sucked in a ragged breath. I rolled over on the narrow couch so that I was facing him. His eyes were dark and intense, and full of desire. Wordlessly, we each began unbuttoning the other’s jeans while our tongues collided in a frantic kiss.