Free A Love Least Expected by C. W. Nightly Page B

long for every day after that. Star quarterback in high school, king of his senior prom, voted most likely to succeed. Everyone expected to see Cade signed with some major football team sooner rather than later until an on field accident ended his career. I knew because I’d seen his year book.
    From our small group, he was by far the most successful having turned his injury into a career. He turned his studies towards business management and after graduation, and through his connections from playing, had secured funding to open his own sports medicine clinic.
    I finally found my voice to answer him. “I don’t know what to say Cade.”
    “Don’t say anything now Pay. Not unless you want to. I’ve waited this long, I can wait a little longer but I needed you to know. I needed you to see me as a man, not one of the girls.”
    “I never saw you as one of the girls, Cade.”
    “No… When I told you I’d carry you, I saw something flash in your eyes then disappear. What was that Pay?”
    I dropped my eyes, the truth of getting caught checking him out embarrassed me. His finger hooked under my jaw and lifted my face back up to his. There was a definite heat in his eyes that I’d never seen before. Or maybe I hadn’t been looking.
    “Forget it Pay, you don’t have to tell me. But let me tell you something, when I touch you my body comes alive, every nerve wakes up. I don’t get this feeling with anyone else, I’ve tried. Only you Pay. There is something between us.”
    As he spoke the last words, he closed the distance between our lips. My body longed for the contact instead of repelling the idea. I waited breathlessly to experience the touch of his lips against mine. The hand on my shoulder cupped the nape of my neck angling my face upwards, I closed my eyes and panted with the anticipation of tasting him. With excruciating slowness, he lowered his face to mine, his breath danced over my skin as he hovered above my lips. The sweet aroma of his drink wafted over me and I swallowed…hard.
    “Pay I want to kiss you, but I’m afraid if I start I won’t be able to stop.” His whispered his words flaying me.
    “Then don’t stop. Kiss me Cade. Please kiss me.”
    As if waiting for permission his lips pressed against mine, I took a deep breath and breathed him in. His tongue teased at the seam of my lips urging me to open to him. I couldn’t resist, his tongue plunged deep into my mouth and his hand tightened in my hair. All thoughts of ending the kiss fled as I leaned further into him. Sweet and strong, his flavor flooded my senses as his other hand traced the length of my back settling at my waist.
    A moan hummed in my throat as he pressed my body tighter against him, and I could feel the length of his arousal through his jeans against the soft skin of my stomach. I threw my arms around his neck and pressed myself to him, losing any inhibitions I might have harbored to the liquid courage flowing through my veins.
    As I dug my fingers into his hair and pulled him towards me, he pulled back and broke the kiss groaning in frustration.
    “You taste like heaven Pay, but not like this. Not knowing you’re drunk.”
    “I’m not drunk Cade. I’m hungry.”
    “An even better reason Pay. I’m not a one night stand kind of guy, at least not with you anyway.”
    I fought the protest on my lips and swallowed the words I longed to say. Whether it was the years of masked attraction I’d been denying, or my lack of a fulfilling sex life, but I wanted Cade. I wanted Cade with and intensity I’d never known. In an attempt to calm my raging hormones, I took a deep breath and clenched my thighs against the powerful pull of lust. My womb rhythmically clenched with desire.
    His hand drifted from my neck down my arm until he held my hand in his. I raised my face to meet his gaze and found regret etched there. Heat rose to my cheeks as the reality of my behavior weighed in. The man tells me he wants a chance and I try to seduce