Page 21 of Seducing Kaden
“The bathroom is down that corridor and the second door on the left,” Kade says, pointing with an outstretched arm.
“Thank you.” I stand up, clutching the clothes to my chest as I take off in the direction he pointed.
I take a hot shower, allowing the water to erase the memory of those guys’ hands on me. The clothes aren’t a perfect fit, but they are soft and comfortable, and I’m feeling a million times better as I walk back out to the main room.
Delicious aromas of garlic and lemon float through the air, making my mouth water and my stomach rumble. Kade has changed into low-hanging sweats and a tight white T-shirt that leaves little to the imagination, clinging greedily to his massive pecs and his tightly rolled abs. I try to rein in my lust, but it’s damn hard. Kade has never looked hotter. Combine that with his chivalrous rescue attempt and I’m a complete lost cause.
He glances over his shoulder, smiling when he sees me. “Feel better?”
“Much better, thank you.” I rest my back against the counter as I join him at the stove. “That smells divine.”
“I hope you still like prawns?”
He remembered. “Yep. I still consume them by the bucket load.” I smile at him, watching as he takes two toasted garlic ciabattas from the oven and loads them with the steaming prawn and chili mix from the pan, adding some fresh herbs on top. “Wow. I didn’t know you could cook.”
He shrugs, jerking one shoulder as he gestures for me to follow him to the island unit. He places both plates on the marble countertop before pulling out a stool for me. Kade always had exemplary manners.
“Thank you.” I sit down and pick up my fork, swirling it around in the air. “Gorgeous place you have here.”
“Thanks. I only moved in over the summer, but it’s great having my own place. My own space.”
“You live here alone?” I ask, groaning as I taste the food he’s made. An explosion of flavors hit my tongue, and I think I’ve fallen in love with him all over again.
“Yeah. My buddy wanted to move in, but I’ve always preferred my own company.”
“I thought you lived with your brother?”
“Used to, but we stopped sharing a dorm a while back.”
I sense he’s being deliberately vague, but I don’t push it. “And your girlfriend didn’t want to move in?”
He almost chokes on his food. “Oh, she did, but it was never in the cards.”
I want to ask why, but I’m being nosy enough as it is. Besides, I don’t want him to think I’m asking for a reason. Because nothing can happen between us. Some things haven’t changed. My current euphoric mood dissipates.
“It was never serious with Tiffani,” he admits, without me asking. I look into his eyes, my heart brimming with emotion. “We were always breaking up and getting back together. It was never going anywhere.”
“So why did you date her then?” I whisper.
He pauses momentarily before answering. “Because I was trying to distract myself from thinking about you.”
Oh. Fuck.
I should feel sorry for the poor girl. I should criticize him for using her, because that’s essentially what it sounds like, but I’m too hung up on the fact he was thinking about me.
When we first ended things, I figured he was probably hurting the same way I was, but, over time, I presumed he’d gotten over it, moved on.
To know he didn’t, he hadn’t, resurrects tons of warring emotions.
We stare at one another, and my chest aches with longing. His gaze flicks briefly to my mouth, and my tongue darts out, wetting my lips, as if it has a mind of its own. His gaze lifts, and his eyes ensnare me, capturing me in place and holding me prisoner. He reaches out, winding his hands through my damp hair. Kaden always had an obsession with my hair. And my hands. When we crossed that line, he was always touching one or the other.
I’ve missed this.
His touch and his devotion.
His obvious care.
“I still love you, Eva.” He drills me with a sincere look. “And that’s never going to change. You belong with me. It’s the only truth that matters.”
