Page 51 of Riding Hard

CHAPTER

FORTY-TWO

LOOT

I’ve got Juliette’s bag in one hand, and my other hand holds hers as I guide her into my house. I have no idea what she’s going to think of the place. It’s not anything fancy—just a three-bed, two-bath.

One of the bedrooms is just a storage room. Cade has his own room, and the hall bathroom is his. I’ve got the master suite with the attached bath. The living room furniture is only a leather sofa, a recliner, and a television that I hung on the wall the day I moved in. The dining room consists of a card table and four metal fold-up chairs.

That’s about all the furniture I have other than beds. I’m a simple guy, and now I’m wondering if this is too simple. It’s definitely a bachelor pad and not a home where a woman would be comfortable.

“I know it’s pretty bare. I don’t really spend much time here, or at least I didn’t.”

Juliette doesn’t say anything immediately. She takes a step forward and then another before she’s in the middle of the living room and slowly turns to face me. Placing her bag down next to my feet, I watch her, my gaze searching hers as I wait for her to say something… anything.

“It’s perfect,” she says. “You’re a man, and Cade is a boy. It’s exactly what it should be. I think I would be concerned if it were perfect and styled.”

I chuckle, taking one step forward, then another to close the distance between us. Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her body against mine, then tilt my head to the side and touch my mouth to hers. I need to taste her, even if it’s just a tiny taste.

Once I’ve taken what I need, I take a step backward. “Are you ready?” I ask.

She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, inhaling through her nose and then exhaling through her mouth. I watch her nostrils flare. It’s one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen in my life. Not for any other reason than I know she’s nervous, and I think that’s cute as shit.

“No,” Juliette whispers.

Her no doesn’t matter, because I hear Cade open his door and his feet move down the hall. My hands fall from her body and I turn my head to the side. I watch as Cade steps into the room.

I can tell he’s hesitant. Juliette doesn’t hesitate for even a second, though. She turns toward him, closing the distance between them. I would say something, but I don’t think I’m even needed. The moment they lock eyes, it’s like I don’t even exist.

Juliette extends her palm, and Cade slips his fingers into her hand. They shake, and I listen to each of them introducing themselves. I don’t know why, but this is the cutest shit I’ve ever seen.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Juliette murmurs. “I hope you’re okay with me staying here for a few days?”

Cade’s gaze flicks from her to me. I dip my chin in a single nod. Cade clears his throat, then looks back at Juliette. “I think I’d like that,” he states.

Their hands separate, and a silence washes over us. “So what does everyone want for dinner?” I call out as an attempt to break the silence—or maybe the tension, I’m not quite sure.

“Pizza,” Cade cries.

I laugh, not shocked in any way that he would suggest pizza. I don’t know if it’s really his favorite or if it’s something Destinee ordered a lot of because she was a lazy, cracked-out fucking cunt.

“You want pizza, Jules?” I ask.

Her brows snap together, then she looks over her shoulder at me. I arch a brow, tilting my head to the side. I wait for her to answer, but she doesn’t say anything immediately. It makes me think that maybe there is a problem with the pizza.

“Jules?” I ask.

“I would love pizza,” she whispers.

She shifts her attention back to Cade. I don’t hear what they say as they whisper to one another, and then Cade laughs. I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh. He’s smiled, and we’ve cracked some jokes, but he hasn’t truly laughed since I got him from Henderson.

Juliette stands, and Cade walks past her and over to me. I hold my breath for a moment as I wait for him to say whatever is on his mind. Clearly, he’s got something swirling around inside his head.

Lowering down on my haunches, I look directly into my son’s eyes. He lifts his hands, his fingers curling around my shoulders as he leans in slightly. “She’s really pretty, Dad.” His words come out in a whisper.

My lips twitch into a smirk. “Yeah, she really is. She’s nice, too.”

And it’s fucking true. Juliette is nice as fuck, especially in bed. I don’t tell Cade that, though. Instead, I take my phone out of my pocket. “What kind of pizza do you want?”