Cade couldn't remember why he wasted weeks trying to put her off. As he watched her bite into her burger the week before, he knew they would have sex again. He hadn't expected her to want to go slow when she had been very keen on fast before.

He could take it slow, especially since there were so many things he wanted to know about her. Feeling her melt into him as he kissed her brought joy. Real joy which he hadn't experienced in a very long time. Still, his mistrust and fear had him looking at the endgame. A guy had to protect himself.

He pulled away. "We can't be like you and Tyler."

She frowned. "Because you excite me."

He laughed. "No, because of who you are. Your father would never let you date Pacheco's stepson."

"My father likes you."

"No. He. Does. Not." Cade shook his head and walked over to the sofa. He sat and patted beside him. Confetti jumped up and Blue followed. He laughed. "I didn't mean you two clowns." He smiled at Meg. "And you were worried they wouldn't get along. I guess you'll have to sit on my lap."

She laughed, before gazing at him as she bit her lip. "Did you say you want to date me?"

He didn't want whatever was happening to end. "I like you. You make me laugh. I want to spend more time with you. Not just kissing, I like talking to you too."

She sat on the other end of the sofa. "Let's talk."

"You are two dog lengths away."

Patting Blue she looked up at Cade. "Isn't it widths?"

Measurement was important when designing games. "Technically. What's your job like?"

She sighed. "I edit. Which means I'm good at grammar."

He scrunched up his nose. "I speak well, but I never know the rules when I write."

"I know them all, but I believe in casual speech with my friends. I don't correct people's sentence structure. It would be like a doctor asking health screening questions at a cocktail party."

He chuckled. "Some might ask for some free medical advice."

"True. The doc is probably at risk of people asking about their aches and pains."

"I doubt people are saying pass the wine. What's a preposition?"

Meg laughed. "Nope."

After watching her pat, the golden fur, he reached across and put his hand on hers. She linked her fingers around his. Holding hands was underrated. As they walked home, the touching of their hands filled him with a bouquet of feels he had been missing.

"So you like your job? I tried to find you at different magazines in the area, but hit a wall."

"You did?"

He nodded. "I needed your help."

She sighed. "That was all?"

"No. Yes." He ran his free hand through his hair. "I was facing a murder charge. Remember, you were like my life raft in a storm."

"I thought of you too, but to answer your question, my job is okay. I deserve a promotion, but my boss said, I'm too good at my job."

Cade frowned. "That makes zero sense." He listened as she explained her work situation. His older sister taught him a lot about women. Not solving their problems was rule number one. He squeezed her hand. "Anytime you need a friend, I'll listen."

She smiled. "Thanks. It goes two-way."

Confetti sighed loudly and jumped down and walked away. "We're boring him." Blue looked up, but was happy not to move off the sofa.

"Blue's tired. She's not used to running. She gets small walks except on Sundays when we, um, they take a long walk."

Cade sighed. "I feel lucky you're here and not with him."

Confetti started barking and Cade froze as all his muscles tensed. "Are you okay?"

He breathed out. "Probably just the neighbors."

Meg squeezed his hand before letting go. "I'll check." She stood and walked to the window. "Kids."

Cade took a deep breath and blew it out. "I knew that. I'm messed up and understand if you want to leave."

Meg turned and looked at him. "I don't want to. Honestly, I can only imagine what you went through." She touched her heart. "I'm so sorry I dragged it out." She stepped over to him. "Anytime you want to talk about it, I'll listen. If it's too difficult, I understand." She sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck.

He shut his eyes as her lips pressed into his. Her kiss was tender and sensual. When she pulled back, he looked into her green eyes. "Your kiss makes it better."

He pulled her into him, so her chest thrummed against his. Her strength flowed into him. Meg wasn't weak like his mother, she was a warrior princess like Leigh. When he tried to dismiss her, she never gave up.

"I'm glad I'm here with you. I want to know everything about you."

He smirked. "You know the important stuff."

She shook her head. "No, I don't. Did you play games as a kid?"

He chuckled. "None of them were as good as the games kids play today."

She pulled his hair gently. "Boasting." Her smile faded. "Was it hard to sell it?"

Cade looked into her eyes for a dozen heartbeats. "Yeah. They kept contacting us and we kept saying no. Meanwhile we worked all the time. I mean seven days a week for twelve hours a day. Joe was tired, and he suggested we see what they were offering."

"You didn't take the first offer?"

He chuckled. "No, even though it was good, Eden said they expected us to negotiate. Eventually, they offer too much to turn down. Joe's wife was unhappy with her ghost of a husband. She wanted to have a baby, and she is." He smiled.

"Wow! Good for them."

"Do you want to go down that path?"

Meg bit her lip. "Eventually. My mother. Forget it. I wanted to be an editor first." She frowned.

"Hey, when Leigh quit her firm for me, I offered to finance her own practice. I would do the same for you."

"I'm not a lawyer."

He smiled. "I mean finance your own endeavors. Hell, start your own magazine."

She laughed. "I don't think so. I'll figure it out, but thanks." She brushed his lips but didn't linger.

"That was a tease." With her sitting on his lap, all his anxiety vanished. Maybe she could keep his nightmare's away if he held her all night. His lips moved onto hers in a heated, needy kiss. Feeling like a thief stealing her strength, he didn't want to leave her weak. As his dick responded, he changed his mind. Weak and in his bed. His hand reached up and brushed the side of her breast.

She didn't pull away, but he moved his mouth and said, "I remember your dress falling to the floor."

"My sports bar isn't very sexy."

He chuckled. "I bet you're wrong."

Without hesitation, he lifted her shirt over her head. His eyes moved from her pink cheeks to the thick lyra which kept her breast from bouncing when she ran. Cade knew because he checked. Each side had a small protrusion. His fingertips brushed one then the other, and they each grew bigger. She was aroused in ways that couldn't be faked.

As his erection strained against his denim, he reached his hand under the tight fabric. Her breasts were perfect. They met through happenstance and fate brought them together. "We owe it to each other to see what fate has planned."

She giggled. "Fate?" She reached between them and touched his hard ridge. "If this is fate, I know what it's planning."

"I think it was inevitable from the moment we met on the path." She blushed, but didn't remind him he was unkind to her. "Come on. Let's get more space."

He pulled her into his bedroom. Thankfully, he had picked up and there weren't dirty boxers on the floor. There would be soon, he hoped.

If his life was a movie, he was finally in a romantic comedy. As he fumbled to take off her bra, the dogs came into the room. Blue jumped up and Confetti, who had never been on bed, followed. Cade tried to get them off while Meg giggled. When he gave up, her bra was off and exposed her pert breasts.

"So beautiful." His eyes moved from her chest to her face. "So incredibly beautiful."

Her hands reached out to unfasten his jeans. He was still thin enough he could push them off. Unlike her gorgeous figure, his hips were straight. According to Eden he had an ass. Had Meg noticed?

They stood kissing neither in a hurry. Maybe it was because they had all day, or they wanted to make a fresh memory, one with a happy ending.

Kissing. Touching. Cade could continue forever, but as she encircled him with her soft, narrow fingers, he hoped he didn't explode.

"I need you." His teeth gritted as he tried not to lose control.

She may blush, but she was a bold lover. It wasn't the alcohol because she was sober. She pushed him on the bed. He rolled to his nightstand for his small supply. She straddled his legs and was very much in charge, as she rolled the latex over his throbbing cock.

Cade felt as if he had come full circle, through hell and back when she settled on top of him and slowly sunk down. His dilemma was to hold on long enough to offer her what the other guy couldn't. He reached between them, and as if by magic, after only a few strokes, her muscles tensed around him. He watched her face as she leaned back. Instantly, he let go. She fell on his chest panting.

He ran his hand over her hair. "Baby, I've seen the real thing. No way you could fake it."

She hit his chest. "I don't want to think about it."

"Do you remember what I said to you?" She looked at him with a cocked head. Confetti looked up as if he were eavesdropping. "I'm definitely in lust with you."

Meg nodded. "Ditto."

Cade wondered if she would stick around long enough for him to change one word. In his heart, he was halfway there. Halfway to joining the Tyler club.

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