Tiffany Snow - Point of No Return

I sighed. There was no hiding it. I might as well just tell him and let the chips fall where they may. “Because I was out to dinner with Blane tonight,” I confessed, flopping onto my back. “And it felt . . . wrong for me to see him, then come see you.”

Kade was quiet for a moment while I held my breath. Would he be angry?

“Do you want to see me?”

My answer was immediate. “Yes.”

“Then come to me.” The low growl of his voice sent a delicious shiver through me.

My smile was wide as I said, “I’ll be there soon.” I ended the call and bounded out of bed, slipping on flip-flops and grabbing my purse before bolting out the door.

I made record time to the hospital and was now an expert at avoiding nurses as I crept to Kade’s room. When I slowly pushed open the door, I realized the machines had been removed. That was a good sign. That meant they’d be releasing him soon, I hoped.

I tiptoed into the room, conscious that Kade might have fallen asleep. My eyes hadn’t adjusted yet when I felt hands descend on my shoulders. I yelped in surprise, spinning around to see Kade standing behind me.

“You scared me,” I said, slightly breathless.

Kade’s face was steeped in shadow, whereas the meager light filtering in through the window in the door fell on me.

“You’re out of bed!” I said, a wide smile breaking across my face with the realization. “That’s fantastic!”

“Took a shower. Sick of sitting on my ass.”

I took a step or two back to put some space between us, then promptly forgot everything I was going to say.

Kade was completely naked.

Oh God.

“Wh-where’s your . . . your . . .” I stammered, my mind coming up empty. Bandages still covered the wounds in his chest, but it didn’t detract from the hard lines of muscle. His arms were relaxed at his sides, the veins standing out in stark relief from hours of pumping iron. My eyes dropped lower to see that being shot hadn’t affected Kade’s libido in the slightest. My mouth watered at the sight.

He did nothing to cover himself as my hungry gaze devoured him, and when I finally jerked my eyes back up to his, the smirk I knew so well curved his lips.

“See something you like?”

Kade’s low drawl had heat curling low in my belly.

“C’mere,” he said, crooking a finger to beckon me. His hair was still damp, the dark locks a midnight black, and he’d shaved.

I stepped forward, unable to resist the compulsion to obey him.

His hands rested on my hips and he tugged me closer until our bodies touched. Leaning down, his lips grazed my cheek, then whispered down my jaw to my neck.

“You smell like him,” Kade murmured against my skin.

I stiffened, my eyes flying open. I tried to step back, but Kade’s fingers bit into my flesh, holding me still. I didn’t know what to say. Should I apologize? My face grew hot and that squirmy feeling came back into my belly, the feeling like I was doing something wrong.

“I don’t care if you go to bed smelling like him, so long as you wake up smelling like me.”

Kade’s words had barely registered before he was kissing me. His taste was dark and dangerous. Addictive. I couldn’t get enough, and it seemed he couldn’t, either. Our tongues dueled while his hands roamed, sliding inside my shorts to cup my backside and hold me closer to him. The heat of his palm seemed to brand my skin. I couldn’t resist the temptation any longer and reached around him to squeeze his amazing ass. He groaned, the sound quickly consumed by our mouths. His cock grew harder as it pressed insistently against me. It took everything I had not to shove my shorts and underwear down my legs and climb him like a tree.

“You shouldn’t be doing this,” I gasped, pulling my lips from his. “You’re not well yet.”

Kade took my hand from his ass and wrapped it around his straining erection. “Does that feel like I’m not well?”

Desire pooled between my legs, soaking my panties.

“We can’t,” I said, though my words seemed a far cry from my actions as I gripped him, my hand sliding up and down his length.

“Then you’d better stop doing that,” Kade rasped.

Somehow, I managed to make myself release him and step away. I devoured him with my eyes, the fire burning in his gaze making me want to rip off my clothes and damn the consequences.

“Probably wasn’t the best idea to come here,” I admitted, forcing my eyes to look away. “I should go.”

“Don’t,” he said, taking a step toward me. “Don’t go. I’ll be good.”

I glanced at him and the skepticism must have shown on my face, because he followed up with “Scout’s honor.”

I rolled my eyes—Kade had never been a Boy Scout—but watched as he slid back into bed, pulling the sheet up to his waist. It didn’t hide the fact that he was still aroused, but at least it provided something of a barrier between his skin and mine.

“That better?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Not really, I thought with an internal sigh of disappointment. It seemed a shame to waste his . . . energy. Shoving the errant thought aside, I climbed into bed beside him, nestling against his side while he curled an arm around my shoulders. I rested my hand on his chest, careful to avoid the bandages. The strong beat of his heart echoed against my fingertips, reassuring me.

“So Blane took you on a date tonight,” Kade said rather than asked.

“It wasn’t really a date,” I said. “Just dinner.”

“Did he pay?”

“Yes.”

“Did he kiss you?”

A bit of a hesitation this time. “Yes.”

“Then it was a date.” He paused for a moment before he spoke again. “It seems it’s going to be an all-out war for you, princess,” he mused.

I lifted my head, alarmed. “No,” I denied. “I don’t want that.”

“You say that as if you have a choice,” he replied, his tone derisive.

“I won’t have you two fighting over . . . over me,” I stammered, struggling to sit up and slide out of the bed. Kade’s grip tightened on me. “It’s ridiculous.”

Kade moved, turning so he lay half on top of me, pinning me to the bed. The sheet slid away and his leg pressed between mine.

“I want you,” he growled. “And I’m not giving up. Not now. Blane’s going to wine and dine you? That’s fine with me. I’ll just use sex to make you mine.”

I opened my mouth to argue that there was no point to it. Kade himself had said there was no future for us. But before I could, his leg moved and his hand was inside my shorts, his fingers slipping between my thighs. My words strangled in my throat.

Kade’s lips brushed mine, his tongue tracing my lower lip before he drew it into his mouth to lightly suck the tender flesh. His hand stroked me and my nails dug into his shoulders. “You’re so wet for me,” he murmured. “Like liquid silk.”

“I thought you were going to be good,” I managed to gasp.

“It will be,” he whispered. “Just spread your legs for me, baby.”

I couldn’t reply, forming words as far from my current ability to function as it was for me to perform cold fusion. Obediently, I opened my thighs to him, then I was lost in his touch, the taste of him as he kissed me, the feel of his body over mine. My fingers were buried in his hair, the long strands soft and damp.

He slid a finger inside me, then two, pumping them with slow, deliberate strokes while his thumb teased my clit. I moaned into his mouth as the blood in my veins pulsed in time to his fingers.

I had to tear my mouth from his so I could breathe, my panting gasps and moans filling my ears. Kade shoved my tank up, baring my breasts. His mouth fastened over a nipple and I cried out. My body was on fire, every sense focused utterly on what he was doing to me. His teeth tugged and his hand moved faster. A keening cry fell from my throat as stars exploded behind my eyes. I could feel my body convulsing, gripping his fingers as my orgasm washed over me. I pulled at his hair and his lips came back to mine. I sucked his tongue into my mouth, arching my back so my overly sensitive nipples grazed his chest.

Kade groaned, his fingers still buried inside me. It took a long moment before sanity returned. Kade’s mouth moved to my neck, nuzzling the tender skin beneath my ear.

My body felt boneless, the aftershocks still rippling through me. In the dark room with just us, nothing seemed more right than Kade’s and my bodies pressed together.

“That . . . that was . . .” I couldn’t come up with words that didn’t sound . . . inadequate. How to describe the way Kade made me feel? Not just sexually, but how happy I was when I was with him?

Kade’s breath was warm against my neck. He slowly withdrew his fingers, making me whimper. Though his fingers had been a fabulous substitute, I wanted him.

“This hasn’t exactly left you satisfied,” I said, my voice throatier than usual. I could feel his cock, still hard as a rock against my thigh. It had to be uncomfortable for him.

“Well, this wasn’t about me,” Kade said, stretching back onto his side next to me.

“What was it about?” I asked, tugging my shirt back down.

His smirk made my stomach flutter. “It was about reminding you of how good we are together,” he said.

Yes, sex with Kade was very, very good. And yet . . . “Is that all?”

His brows furrowed slightly. “What do you mean?”

I didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to push. I knew only too well how quickly Kade could run hot and cold. The last time I’d asked him to offer me something, he’d walked away. My heart sank.

I shook my head. “Forget it. Never mind.” I scooted out of his hold. “Listen, I’d better go. Let you get some sleep—”

Kade latched onto my arm, pulling me back. “What’s wrong?” he demanded. His eyes narrowed as he studied me.

“Nothing,” I insisted, avoiding his gaze as I tugged on my arm but was unable to break his grip. “It’s just late, that’s all.” Exhaustion was creeping over me. I’d made out with Blane just hours ago, then I’d just done . . . that . . . with Kade. I was turning into someone I despised.

“Bullshit.”

Tears stung my eyes. I had to get out of there. “Let me go?” I pleaded. Reluctantly, Kade released me. His expression was pained and I had to look away. “Get some rest, okay?” I babbled. “I’ll . . . uh . . . I’ll see you later.”

“Kathleen, wait—” Kade called, but I was out the door and hurrying down the empty hallway, my flip-flops echoing in the silence.

Tears were tracking down my cheeks as I hurried to my car. This was getting out of hand and I had no idea what to do. When I thought about losing Blane and Kade, the pain was nearly overwhelming. But when I considered the events of the past couple of days, how I was leading on both of the men I loved, I died a little inside.

Something had to break, before I did.

Bad dreams plagued me that night, with images of Kade lying on the ground and blood everywhere. It coated my hands and my clothes as I tried over and over to wake him. His sightless blue eyes stared at nothing as I screamed and screamed . . .

I came awake with a start, the tang of blood still in my nostrils, and launched myself to the bathroom. The seafood from the night before combined with a gut-wrenching nightmare apparently didn’t agree with me. So much for having a nice dinner, I thought, wiping my mouth before stepping into the shower.

When I got out and went into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, still wrapped in a towel, I saw I had a missed phone call on my cell.

Blane.

I dropped the phone back onto the counter as though it burned, turning away to pour my coffee. I couldn’t see Blane, not after last night. I had hardly been able to look myself in the mirror this morning, much less face him knowing I’d gone straight from his arms to Kade’s.

I pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top and decided I’d tackle cleaning my apartment. I didn’t have to go to work until four, so I had some time. It kept my mind off things, cleaning and scrubbing. The last thing I wanted to do was think. If I started thinking, then I’d have to come to terms with not only what I’d done last night—with Blane and Kade—but I’d have to face making the decision I didn’t want to make.

It was when I was scrubbing out the kitchen sink that I felt water touch my bare toes. Jumping back, I saw the reason for it all too clearly.

“Oh no,” I moaned, hurriedly shedding my rubber gloves and turning off the water. But it didn’t matter. The water kept oozing from the cupboard under the sink. I hurriedly pulled it open, watching in dismay as water sprayed from the pipes, coating everything. Another gush of water came out and soaked the floor. Now I was standing in water.