Daring Wes: Cade Brothers Series Read online

  Her smile faded and she studied his face. He was serious? “Why? We’ve only recently cleared the air over the past, and you didn’t seem pleased to have me at your brothers’ beer night.”

  His face hardened. “That was because you were flirting with another man.”

  “You were jealous?”

  He tightened his arms around her. “Jealous of the guy drooling all over you tonight during dinner too.”

  She chuckled. “No need to be. I just met Ted. I barely know him.”

  “He wants you.”

  She shook her head. She might be attracted to her ex, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea to go there. “Why would it matter?”

  He seemed to catalog her features, his gaze dropping from her eyes to her nose to her lips… “Do you need me to spell it out?”

  “Yes.” Wes was…well, Wes. The man was handsome as hell, confident, and she wasn’t kidding about the hip-gyrating thing. It had been erotic and made her think of other stuff. But no way would she give in. Her mouth firmed and her voice turned icy. “You’ve been hot and cold since I came into town. What is it you want?”

  He grabbed her bottom and pulled her up, searing her lips with a quick, hot kiss. “Let’s try again, Kaylee,” he said low, hovering above her mouth.

  Wes lowered her to the dance floor but kept her pressed against his chest and thighs.

  Her breaths came out choppy. She tried to respond—to unleash some fury on his ass—but his hands on her bottom were ruining her concentration.

  She eased back a few precious inches. “Are you insane?”

  His gaze fell to her lips, like he might take her mouth again. “Not in the least.”

  She couldn’t help it: she laughed. This was absurd.

  “Why are you laughing?” he said. “Do you find it funny that I’m attracted to you?”

  Her smile fell and a wash of exhaustion came over her. “Tragic—I find it tragic we’re eternally attracted to each other. That’s just cruel on the universe’s part.”

  He dipped his head and breathed in beneath her ear. “Not tragic. Maybe it’s destiny.”

  She jerked back. “Holy shit. That was the corniest line that’s ever left your lips.”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “Can I help it if poetry spouts from my mouth when you’re near?”

  She laughed. “I’m not sure I’d call that poetry.”

  He frowned and squeezed her bottom tighter. Fortunately, the dance floor was crowded, or they’d be putting on a show right now.

  “Wow. Okay. You really want this?” She watched him leerily, though she was silently soaking up the heat of his body, because Wes.

  Kaylee had always been attracted to this man. Nothing had changed there. It was everything else that had shifted.

  “We’re older, more mature,” he said as though reading her thoughts.

  “Exactly, which means we have to be able to do better than rebounds and repeats.”

  “I’m not the one rebounding,” he said, and led her to the side of the dance floor as a fast song came on. “And there was nothing wrong the first time we dated. Just bad timing and miscommunication.”

  She pulled on his hand to get him to stop and look at her. “There was so much wrong the first time. It tore my world apart.”

  He squeezed her hand. “My biggest regret is what you went through and that I wasn’t there for you. But not everything between us was wrong. We can’t help what happened. That part was a tragedy, but the rest…” He stared into her eyes. “I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you.”

  Feel. He said feel—as in present tense.

  Wes slid his hand to her lower back and walked them toward the ballroom exit. The only reason he got away with it was because she was still reeling over his declaration of “feelings.”

  “That’s not enough,” she finally said, attempting to clear her head. One of them had to think straight, because she could easily see herself falling for Wes again. And that was frightening.

  Falling for Wes nearly killed her the first time.

  “Where are you taking me, anyway?” She glanced back.

  He gave her a wicked grin. “Out.”

  “But the wedding—”

  “Is over. There’s only dancing left.”

  “Exactly. Dancing. The reception? Won’t your brother be angry?”

  He shrugged lazily. “Probably. But only until he leaves with Hayden. For some reason, this wedding has him stressed out.”

  “Weddings can do that.”

  He looked down at her, concern in his eyes. “Are you sad? That today should have been your day?”

  She shook her head slowly. “No. I’m relieved. Discovering Eddy had cheated saved me from a divorce. His infidelity didn’t change what was already wrong. It was never right between us; I know that now.”

  Wes nodded and walked on, out the back doors and past the lazy river. They turned into a semi-hidden nook with two lounge chairs behind the fire pit island. The nook had a pristine view of the lake and a part of the South Lake Tahoe lights.

  Obviously, Wes knew every inch of the club. Including supercool hidden spots with great views. She wondered if he took many women here.

  He gestured for her to have a seat on one of the lounge chairs. “Would you like anything to drink? Champagne?”

  She held up her hand. “No. Thank you. I’m tempering my alcohol consumption after the Fireside Lounge with you and your brothers. Clearly, I’m a lightweight these days.”

  He unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket and straddled the lounge chair next to her, easing down with his arms folded behind his head. “I guess that night got us to this point. What you said might have slipped out eventually, but I’m glad it came out sooner rather than later. I would have always wanted to know.”

  “I should have told you years ago.”

  He looked at the view. “Things work out the way they’re meant to. We’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

  She felt his stare land on her again. The heat of it. The weight. “Speaking of here and now,” he said, “why don’t you come closer?”

  She tilted her chin down. “You’re bad. I can’t believe you kissed me in front of everyone.”

  “Come on, Kaylee. That kiss had been brewing for weeks. It was inevitable.”

  It had been, much as she was loath to admit it. And it was cold out. The season had turned quickly from summer to fall, the chilly air nipping at her skin.

  Who cared what they did? Especially now that there were no more secrets. They were both single… “Fine. But keep your hands to yourself.”

  “I am a gentleman. I would never touch a lady. Unless she asked me to.”

  Kaylee heard the humor in his tone. Saw the twitch of his lips. She rolled her eyes but scooted onto his lounge anyway.

  Of course he didn’t give her room, which meant she was smashed up against him, practically sitting on his lap. “You can put your arms around me. It is cold out. And it’ll prevent me from falling off this thing, since you’ve given me half a cheek’s worth of space.” She shot him a disgruntled look over her shoulder.

  It was all for show, though, because she liked being right up next to Wes. He said he’d never felt for anyone what he felt for her. Well, she’d never loved anyone the way she’d loved him.

  Wes sat up and took off his jacket, then draped it over them. He slid his arms around her waist, tucking her head beneath his chin.

  His hand made a lazy pass up and down her arm. “Better?”

  Better? It felt amazing. Like there was nowhere else she should have been all this time except in Wes’s arms. But that couldn’t be right. This wasn’t real. The past was real—visceral.

  She spun around until she was facing him, her chest pressed to his. “Why was golf more important than me?”

  The kiss, them hanging out—it wasn’t going anywhere, even if she was attracted to Wes. She didn’t know why she felt the need to dredge up history, but she did.

  Fin
e. She was considering seeing him again as more than friends, since he’d put his lips and hands on her, igniting all sorts of naughty thoughts. And if she was considering naughtiness, she needed to know what had gone on inside that stubborn man brain of his when they’d dated.

  Wes adjusted his arms with the new position, but kept them wrapped around her. She sensed him shake his head above hers. “Golf was never more important. You were…”

  She lifted her chin so she could see part of his face. “I was what?”

  He leaned back and looked down. “Everything.”

  Chapter 20

  Wes lifted Kaylee’s chin and kissed her lips lightly. When she didn’t object, he slid his hand to her lower back and pulled her closer, dropping his mouth to hers again and parting her lips.

  His heart thundered in his chest, his body heating. He might combust just from the glide of her tongue against his. And then she pulled away.

  “What do you mean I was everything? Clearly I wasn’t, or I would have never broken up with you.”

  He scrubbed his face with his hand. “In my head you were everything. I just…didn’t know what I was doing. You know I didn’t grow up with a mother. And my father wasn’t around much. I learned about affection from my brothers.” He smirked. “Think about that. It’s like the blind leading the blind. The only thing we had going for us was that we were loyal. But there was competitiveness. A need to win and prove one’s worth—or that could have only been me.”

  He looked intensely into her eyes. “Success in golf was what I thought I needed to deserve you. It wasn’t until you came back into my life that I realized I’d only needed you.”

  Her eyes widened and she stared at him. “Damn you,” she said. And then she pulled his head down and attacked his mouth with her tongue and her lips and her teeth.

  He tilted her chin with his thumb and forefinger, getting just the right angle to love on Kaylee’s beautiful, full mouth. To taste and worship her the way he’d been secretly fantasizing about these last few weeks.

  He’d told himself that the reason she was in his dreams at night was because she was the woman he’d spent the most time with. That he checked her out when she wasn’t looking, because she was a beautiful woman.

  It was all a load of crap.

  He wanted her.

  He’d meant what he said. Golf had never been more important than Kaylee. But what was he without his sport? He’d never been good at anything besides golf. And he thought he wasn’t enough for her without it. But fuck that. If she was willing to stick around, he was going to do everything he could to make her happy.

  He’d won the jackpot when this beautiful girl had shown up at a college party and turned out to be the perfect woman for him. He’d thought all he needed was to build a life for them. But somewhere along the way, he’d lost track of what she needed. And then he’d lost her entirely.

  Now Kaylee was back. And he wasn’t letting her go so easily.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he took the opportunity to glide his hand down her waist and over her hip. He gathered the fabric of her dress and ran his fingers over her silky leg. And then he eased it over his own, bringing her closer.

  Kaylee moaned, and his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head at the feel of her heat pressed against his erection.

  His dick was in its happy place, so close to Kaylee and yet not close enough. But that was fine. Wes could deal with this form of punishment. It was the pain he’d experienced after she’d left him that he didn’t want to go through again.

  He kissed her neck and the top of her breasts. “Do you want to take this somewhere more private?” Pain or no pain, Wes had ideas. Slippery, naked ideas. And why the hell not? This was his girl—the only one he’d ever claimed.

  He tugged her bra down and darted out a tongue to her nipple.

  She pulled at his hair, rubbing against him. “Huh?”

  “Too public here. Anyone could walk by.”

  “What do you suggest?” Her voice came out breathy and a little high—just like it used to when she was turned on.

  He grew harder.

  He kissed her long and deep. “That a yes?”

  She hesitated, giving him just enough of a pause to make him worry she might say no. “Yes.”

  He grinned and pulled her up.

  “Wes,” Kaylee said as she tried to keep up. He might have been walking fast. “Where are we going?” She glanced back in the direction of the lounge chairs he’d had placed for his private use.

  Most people didn’t know about his secret spot. The chairs were tucked away, and he went there when he needed time to himself. Occasionally, one of his brothers joined him. It was private, but not nearly private enough for what he had in mind.

  “I could carry you if your feet hurt,” he said. “Do you want to hop on my back?”

  “Or, here’s an idea,” she said sarcastically, “you could slow your pace.”

  Was it his fault he was in a hurry? This was going down, and there was no way he’d waste the opportunity. “Can’t. I want to get right back to where we were.” He looked back and grinned. “Ever gotten naked on a golf course?”

  “You are very presumptuous.”

  “Wishful. Now, answer the question.”

  “No. You know I haven’t. Who would I have been naughty with on a golf course, except you?”

  “True.” He squeezed her hand. “Let’s remedy that.”

  She tugged on his arm. “I don’t want to go to your favorite hookup spot, Wes Cade.”

  He placed his other hand on her soft, small bottom and hurried her along. “I’ve never hooked up there before.”

  “Never?” He felt her stare. “Not once?”

  “Nope. It’ll be my first time too. And that makes sense.”

  She tucked the arm he wasn’t holding around her waist. The temperature was dropping quickly. Even Wes felt the cold. He’d given her his jacket, but she was wearing a thin dress. “How so?”

  “Because I’ll be making love for the first time on a golf course—with the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

  Kaylee stopped and let out a heavy sigh, but she was squeezing his hand and staring at his mouth. “Super presumptuous.”

  “Hopeful, Kaylee. Hopeful.”

  “I never could resist you. And now you’re bringing out the big guns with that sweet talk.”

  He cupped her face. “I want to try… If you’ll give me another chance?”

  She blinked for several seconds, studying him. “Let’s start with sex and go from there.”

  He grinned and squeezed her to his side, lifting her off the ground. “My favorite place to begin.”

  * * *

  Kaylee let out a squeak. “Wes! You just broke a rib.”

  “Sorry.” He set her down gently. “Wait here, okay?”

  Kaylee stared, dumbfounded, as Wes jogged toward the pro shop.

  He wouldn’t, would he? “Wes, if you even think about grabbing your clubs to hit a few balls, I swear to God, you will find yourself without your favorite pair!”

  Wes froze with his hand on the door handle. “Crap, Kaylee, don’t put that image in my head when we’re about to get busy.”

  But he was smiling as he swept inside the store. He returned a few seconds later with what looked like cloth inside clear plastic.

  Wes tucked it under his arm and grabbed her hand. “Blankets.” He held up a box of condoms. “And other essentials.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  Was she really doing this? Having sex with her ex? “You sell condoms in the pro shop?”

  “Men play golf, Kaylee. Sometimes they need a few items before they leave for the day.”

  “I’m a woman, and I play golf.”

  “Fine, carrying condoms was my idea.” He grinned devilishly. “It’s convenient.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Did you really believe I’d grab my clubs after everything we’ve been through?” He sounded sincerely hurt.
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br />   She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “You’ve done it before.”

  He stopped and gently turned her to face him. “And I learned my lesson. There is nothing—nothing—I’d rather be doing right now…than you.” He grinned lewdly.

  Kaylee smacked Wes in the chest. “That is not romantic!” she said, but she was laughing, because he was kissing her neck and tickling her sides.

  “You said you only want sex.” He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. “I’m your man.”

  She loved the playful side of Wes. She wasn’t ready for anything serious. Not after her failed engagement. But this was nice.

  Technically, she had no business getting into a relationship at all. But she was ridiculously attracted to Wes, and he wasn’t declaring love or anything. He seemed perfectly happy with casual. And Kaylee was okay with that, because she felt safe with Wes.

  Stomach smashed against his shoulder, she looked down at the box in his hand. “You know, you won’t need those.”

  He snorted. “Trying to trap me?”

  “You are such an ass! I can’t get pregnant, remember? Only you could make my heartache a joke.” Her words were serious, but not her tone. Guys weren’t the sharpest when it came to feminine things, and Wes was probably just being careful.

  He squeezed her legs. “Not a joke.” He let her body slip down his chest, but not seductively. He stopped her glide downward once they were at eye level. “I’m so fucking sorry, Kaylee. Sorry that I’m the reason you can’t have kids.”

  She rubbed her thumb along his full bottom lip. “It wasn’t your fault. You had no control over what happened. But you really don’t need those condoms. Unless you’ve been a dirty boy. Jesus, when was the last time you were checked?”

  He tossed the box of condoms over his shoulder and hiked her back up. “Told you, I’m as clean as spring rain. Got checked out a few weeks ago. Besides, I haven’t had sex without a condom since we were together. Holy fuck, I can’t wait to get inside you.”

  He started running—running.

  “Slow down!” she said as she bounced on his shoulder. “Do you have any idea how uncomfortable this is?”