Scent of a Nightmare, page 17
It was safer for him.
It was safer for us.
His face fell after watching me for a moment.
He saw my flight senses taking over.
And the idea of leaving him and never seeing him again was worse than the idea of dying.
He stood from the floor and walked over to me. He wrapped a hand around my waist and pulled me against his body. Then he leaned into my ear and whispered to me. “Please don’t run without me.”
My heart seized in my chest. He pulled back and hugged me tight as he spoke again.
“I have to go home and get ready for work. I’ll call you later.”
“Tate...” I started.
He kissed my forehead. “I had fun with you last night.”
My stomach dipped at the thought of us last night and I replayed the things we did in my head.
“I had fun too.” I told him, looking up to his brown eyes.
He kissed me slowly and then he left.
TATE
“HI.” CADENCE SAID ON the phone, quietly.
“What are you doing?” I asked, leaning over the banister of my front porch. I heard her light a lighter in the background and wondered what she was burning.
“Sitting.” She said quietly.
“Are you ok?” I asked her.
She didn’t say anything, and I just wanted to go to her. The run in with Shane really shook her up. She hadn’t been acting the same the past week and I worried she was planning on running. I still feared that I would wake up and never see her again.
“What’s going on, beautiful?” I asked her again.
I heard her suck in a drag and sounded like she was smoking. I had no idea she smoked. I hated that we still had secrets between each other, but if this is what she did with her anxiety... who was I to tell her what to do?
“I’m coming to get you.” I told her.
“No.” She warned. “I am not good company today.”
“You are always good company for me.” I told her.
She hung up the phone on me and it made me chuckle how feisty she was sometimes. I got onto my bike and started it, before I moved, I sent Kellan a quick text.
Is the restaurant closed now?
They should be out in a half hour. Why? Kellan sent a reply.
I’m going to do payroll. I hated lying to him, but I was about to do something that would piss him off if he found out.
At midnight?
When opportunity hits man. I lied again.
Huh... ok. He replied and then left it at that.
I got on the bike and drove it to Cadence’s grandma’s house.
When I got there, I parked the bike and swung my leg over. I noticed a small figure with a little orange light sitting on the dock in the backyard. I secured the helmet with the other one and started towards my girl. I knew she heard me, but she was ignoring me.
“I told you to leave me alone.” She said, with her back to me.
“I know.” I replied as I knelt behind her.
She took another drag of the cigarette. It looked like a new one.
How many of those had she smoked today?
She rubbed her eyes and her shoulders sagged. I reached around and grabbed the cigarette from her fingers, and she didn't fight me. I put it out and walked it to the neighbor's garbage can on the side of the house. I walked back to Cadence and knelt behind her.
“Come on.” I told her, reaching a hand to her.
“No.” She turned her back to me.
“Aren’t you a little bit curious where we are going?” I stood.
She looked up at me and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. I hated how sad she was. I wanted my happy Cadence back. I wanted to hear her jokes and the smart comments she made.
“Maybe.” She said, eyeing the bike.
“I promise you will like it.” I told her.
She sighed and reached for me. I entwined my fingers into her small hands and lifted her. She stood, wearing a pair of blue cotton shorts and one of my black t-shirts. It was long on her and made her almost look like she had no pants on.
Some part of me almost went feral at the sight of it. I loved her in my clothes.
We made it to the bike, and I secured the helmet on her head. I climbed on first and she got on behind me. I started the bike, and we were on the road again. We drove through the empty street where the cafe was. I glanced at it and noticed it was still dark inside and sighed relieved that no one left anything on. Cadence gripped me hard, and I reached to touch her hand with mine. I laced one hand through her fingers and rubbed my thumb in slow circles on her small wrist.
I took her to the restaurant, and I parked the bike in front of it. I hoped Kellan wouldn’t want to hang out tonight while I did “payroll.”
I turned the bike off and got off of it. Cadence followed me and we removed our helmets.
“What are we doing?” She asked.
I grinned at her. “Something that will piss Kellan off.”
“Tate...” She started and then I nodded for her to follow me to the back door. She had no idea I co-owned the restaurant. I didn’t want her to know I owned it yet. It took away the excitement of breaking in.
We approached the back door, and I unlocked it. She gasped at me.
“Tate, what are you doing?
“I borrowed the keys from Kellan.” I lied.
“He’s going to be pissed.” She whispered and then her eyes lit up like she did when I first met her. When she saw me for the first time in front of her at the coffee shop. She looked at me with a wild unsure expression.
Kellen was definitely going to be pissed.
But it was going to be worth it.
“Probably, but he’ll get over it.” I told her as we entered the restaurant. I turned the alarm off with my phone discreetly and then locked the back door behind us. I disabled the cameras on my phone as well and I figured that Kellan would be sleeping so he wouldn’t notice.
Fuck, I hope he didn’t notice.
She walked to the bar and took a seat in front of it.
“What are we doing here?”
“I don’t know. Just sounded like fun.” I shrugged, walking behind the bar. I pulled out two glasses from under the bar. I set them on the counter and poured her half a glass of red port wine. Then I poured myself the same. She reached for one, but I pulled it back and shook my head.
“Tate? What is going on?”
I nodded my head for her to follow and she hesitated before she slid off of the bar stool and followed me to the kitchen. I turned the light on and felt bad how spotless it was. The counters were completely sterilized for tomorrow and the equipment was all cool and cleaned off, ready to go for brunch crew to restart it in the morning.
I set the glasses on a prep counter, and she reached for it again, but I grabbed her hand and pulled it back. I kissed her knuckles, and she bit her lower lip at me.
I groaned at her. That move right there makes me want to take her on the counter.
But I also wanted to give her some release in what she loves to do.
Show her it’s ok to feel the way she does, but to not give up on what she loves to do.
She loved to cook.
I wanted her to cook for me.
To show me her true self when she wasn’t using a cigarette to escape the anxiety that was eating her alive.
“What pairs well with this wine?” I asked her.
She raised an eyebrow at me.
“You want me to cook for you?” She asked, a light dancing behind her beautiful hazel eyes. Her lips twitched and she tried to hold back her excitement.
“Yes.”
“In here?”
“Yes...” I said raising my hands to show her that the kitchen was hers.
“Anything?”
“Anything you want.” I took a step closer to her. I ran my hand down her arms, and she shivered.
If this was my house, I would have fucked her on the counter.
“Okay Mr. Adams.” She said and a chill went down my spine. She reached for the wine and took a sip. She tasted the port and then she pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. Then she walked over to the sink and washed her hands. I sat on a counter and watched her.
“What are you doing?” She asked me.
I shrugged. “Waiting to see what you make.”
“If you are going to be in my kitchen, you are going to help me.” She demanded and fuck that did something to me. It made me need to take a minute to stand.
“Yes Chef.” I winked at her because I knew it made her flush every time.
I washed my hands and came up behind her. I kissed her neck, and she dipped her head back to me.
“Tate, grab me a pan.” She ordered me and I did just that.
She listed a set of ingredients she needed, and I grabbed them for her.
I did what she told me to and then I came up behind her as she started cutting slices of several different cheeses. She grabbed a tomato and sliced it too.
I placed my hands on her hips and kissed her neck again.
I couldn’t help it.
I just needed to touch her.
She bent down to reach for another cutting board under the counter and her ass pushed into me. I groaned at her as she stood back up.
“I’m trying really hard to be respectful.” I whispered to her.
Her body stiffened and she grinned as she bit her lip again. She didn’t say anything as she started to reach for the knife, but I grabbed her hand. I spun her around and my mouth was on hers. She gasped and then she wrapped her arms around me.
I was losing control.
Her hands were on me. She reached for my shirt and pulled it over my head. She dropped it to the floor and I copied her. I pulled her shirt off. Her hands were on the waistband of my shorts, and I had to get her out of the kitchen.
I couldn’t fuck her in here.
Well... I could fuck her here.
I wouldn’t do that though.
It didn’t feel right, here.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her from the kitchen, and I pressed her against the wall outside of the swinging door.
“I need you.” She whispered to me, against my mouth and fuck I needed her too.
My hand was at her back, and I unsnapped the thin lacy bra from her body. She pulled her arms through the straps and my hands were on her breasts again. She arched her back against the wall and this sight alone almost ended this before it started for me. Her hands were at my shorts again and I pulled her over to the bar.
We were behind the bar when I set her on it.
“Tate, the windows.” She gasped.
“Are one way.” I replied as I pulled her shorts and underwear from her magnificent thighs. I trailed my mouth from her chest, down her abdomen, and to her hips. Her soft skin slid over my mouth and the taste of coconut body wash lingered on her thighs. I could live here with my mouth on her skin, breathing in her scent. I didn’t think someone could be as intoxicating as this woman was. I had never needed someone as much as I needed Cadence Evergreen.
“But..” her voice stopped talking and turned to a moan as she leaned back and bucked her hips against my mouth. I grinned at her with my mouth against her apex of her thigh. It wasn’t until I moved to a place she wasn’t expecting, that I knew I had her where I wanted her.
I knew what she needed. What her body craved. I craved it as much as she did. I wanted more of her. She pressed into me harder, and I shuddered at the feel of her body clenching around my mouth. She was panting loud, and I had to remember that I wanted this to last. I wanted to be the release she needed. I wanted to be the reason she wasn’t thinking about all the evil shit in her life. I wanted this very moment to be a permanent resident in her brain.
Her body tightened around me, and my heart thudded loudly in my chest at the excitement of her release and my name that she filled the empty restaurant with. I stayed there and listened to her breathing and grinned.
I came up, looking at her, as I slid my thumb over my bottom lip at her. She panted hard as she watched me with that intoxicating needy smile. The sight of her naked body on my bar, in my restaurant, the way she said my name, was the most stunning thing I had ever seen. She was the definition of beautiful... She was perfect.
“Tate.” She whispered and I wrapped my arms around her bare waist as I hoisted her off of the bar. She pulled me to the floor, and I let her do whatever she wanted... whatever she needed from me. I gave her whatever she wanted.
CADENCE
“GRILLED CHEESE?” TATE asked me.
I nodded at him.
It was my comfort food, and they had the most amazing selection of cheeses to choose from. It went well with the two bottles of port wine we devoured too.
I used an aged Gouda, sharp cheddar cheese, and a little bit of Parmesan cheese on top. Then I sliced a tomato and fried some bacon. This was my deluxe grilled cheese. I put it all on a sourdough bread and I used mayonnaise as butter to fry it up. It was greasy and it was unhealthy, but it was what I liked. I toasted the bread in the Parmesan cheese to give it a crunch.
Tate and I split it as we sat behind the bar. I was in my bra and underwear, and he was in his boxers. He cradled me in between his long legs.
We were drunk and it led to more questionable choices we made behind the bar... several enjoyable choices that left me feeling like a new person. I hoped the cameras were off because if not, then Kellan was going to have quite a show. My face flushed at the idea of him seeing me naked on the bar while Tate was going down on me... or the things that happened after... a chuckle escaped my mouth at the thought.
Tate looked over at me, curious. “What’s funny?”
“I was picturing us on camera.” My face flushed. “Kellan’s face.”
Then we both were laughing, as if we were thinking the same thing. Tears were falling down my face at how hard I was laughing. His body was shaking in laughter behind me.
“He’s going to be pissed.” Tate said.
I shot him a look of surprise, slightly sobering up a little. “Are we really on camera?”
Tate shook his head. “Nah. You think I would let another man see you like that?”
I shook my head at him and then laid my head back into his chest as I polished the rest of the wine.
“I can’t believe you had a whole kitchen with any ingredient you could choose from, and you made a gourmet grilled cheese that tastes almost as good as you.” He said as he nuzzled his mouth into my neck.
I sucked in a breath and choked on the wine I was polishing off.
“You are insufferable.” I giggled as I turned and kissed him.
“You forgot handsome.” He said against my mouth.
We were silent for a moment, staring at each other. My heart swelled at the sight of him, his disheveled hair and flushed cheeks from the wine.
“I love you.” I told him as I ran my hand through his hair.
He kissed me deeply this time. He tasted like the wine and everything I needed.
“How are we getting home?” I asked him.
“Apparently me.” A voice spoke at the end of the bar.
I gasped as I looked up and saw a tall dark-skinned man with bright green eyes looking at us. He was glaring and had his arms crossed over his chest.
“Shit.” Tate whispered and then we started laughing.
“He’s mad.” I said, loud to Tate.
“Yeah, he is. Don’t tell him about the kitchen.”
“Oh, I saw it.” Kellan responded.
“Oops.” I giggled. “At least he didn’t see what you did to me on the bar...”
“Shhh.” Tate pressed his hand against my mouth, and we laughed harder. “I don’t want him to know you were the appetizer.”
“You were what?” Kellan yelled at us.
I started to sober up, at his anger.
“Is he really mad?” I asked Tate and then we laughed again.
“He’s pissed.” Tate replied.
“I’m sorry, Kellan.” I spoke.
“I'm not.” Tate whispered into my ear. Chills ran down my spine. “I want to do it again.”
“Hmmmm.” I closed my eyes, feeling a pull in my lower abdomen.
“Let’s go.” Kellan cursed at us, and we stood. He avoided looking at me and then I realized I was practically naked. He handed me the clothes in his hands and then Tate's. We got dressed on wobbly legs and then Kellan led us out of the restaurant and into his red Charger.
“Kellan’s car is red.” I told Tate and we giggled again.
Kellan rolled his eyes as he shut the door on us. I leaned over Tate’s lap and laid my head in it as I watched the streetlights flash past us as we drove.
“Kellan is the best.” I told Tate.
“I’m sorry about your bar.” I giggled and Tate covered my mouth.
“Shhhh.” He told me and I giggled until my eyes grew heavy.
I don’t remember when, but I fell asleep in the backseat on Tate’s lap as he brushed the hair from my forehead.
When I woke up the next morning, I wasn’t sure where I was. The room was too bright and my head felt like it was splitting in two. My face pressed against Tate’s chest. I was sprawled on top of him and his leg was hanging off of the couch. I reached for my phone and found it on the coffee table. I peeled myself from Tate’s chest and saw a shirtless Kellan sitting in the kitchen. I figured I was in his apartment by the bachelor pad vibes it was giving. Tate and I were on his leather L shape couch and the TV that was hanging on the wall across from us was stuck on a Netflix show. I glanced at Tate and grinned at how he let me use him as a mattress so I didn’t have to touch the leather couch. He refused to have me touch the leather fabric... my heart swelled in my chest.
Even drunk he thought of me.
Kellan’s apartment had an open concept. His kitchen was simple, and he was sitting at his high-top table. He was playing a handheld video game as he leaned back in the chair, drinking a cup of hot coffee. My head throbbed and I felt the contents from last night rise slightly. I sucked in a deep breath and slowly stood.
