Page 15 of Caden

“I did, but I want to eat with you. Fix your plate and we’ll sit down.” He motioned to the table on the other side of the room.

She slid the plate stacked with hot cakes toward him.

“You first,” Olivia said as she reached for another plate then added bacon and two hot cakes to it. She took the jar of apple butter and carried it and her plate to the table before coming back to the counter for a fork and her coffee cup.

Caden topped off his cup, as it was now nearly empty then added bacon to his plate and carried it to the table to join her.

“That was amazing,” he said as he sat back a few minutes later, an empty plate on the table in front of him.

“Thank you. I think the company was at least as good as the food, but I do appreciate the complement.” Her smile lit her face, making Caden want to keep making her smile like that. She watched him for a moment, as if not sure what to make of his invitation, then tilted her head to one side.

“That sounds like fun. I’d like to go with you.”

“Good. I’ve got a couple things I need to do before then, but I’ll pick you up about two?”

“I can do that.”

Caden stood and took his plate to the sink. “You know, as much as I hate to ask. I’m going to need my shirt back to go.”

Olivia looked down at herself then back up at him, a coy smile curving her lips. “But what if I’m not ready to give it up?” She stood, smoothed her hands down the front of the shirt then brought them back to the buttons down the front. Slowly, one by one, she undid the buttons. “Are you sure you want it back now?” she asked as she turned back toward the bedroom.

The last thing Caden saw before she disappeared from view was Olivia slip the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Damn. Maybe he didn’t need to leave just yet.

12

Olivia lay back on the bed and stretched. She couldn’t help but grin at the memory of teasing Caden back to bed, where she had to admit, he’d outdone himself. After bringing her to a boneless, exhausted satisfaction, he’d stayed a little longer then gotten up, dressed and left.

She’d hated seeing him go, but understood he had things to get done. It wasn’t like she wouldn’t see him soon anyway.

Thinking of which, she needed to get up and hit the shower. If she didn’t get a move on, she wouldn’t be ready when he came to get her. She’d enjoyed a formal event with him yesterday, a relaxed one sounded even better for today.

With a sigh, she forced herself to get out of bed. As she made her way into the bathroom, she winced at the ache of beard burn on her thighs. Not that she could regret it. And secretly hoped for more after the barbeque this afternoon.

A hot shower later, she felt like an entirely new person as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror in her underwear working on her hair and make-up. Satisfied it was as good as she was going to get it today, she went for her clothes. A nicer pair of jeans, a cute blouse that stopped just below the waistband of her jeans and boots.

She was checking her hair after dressing when she heard the knock on her door. Excitement bubbled through her as she went to answer it.

Olivia opened the door to reveal not Caden as she’d expected, but Elizabeth. She glanced at the clock before stepping back to let her sister in.

“What’s up? I don’t have a lot of time before my date will be here.”

“The same guy from last night?”

“I have been seeing him for a while now, why would seeing him twice in two days surprise you?” She had to keep up the story she’d been telling her family, so she lied to Elizabeth about how long they’d been seeing each other.

“Do you know who he is?” Elizabeth lowered her voice, as if he was in the house and she didn’t want to be overheard.

“Caden?” Olivia asked. “He’s my boyfriend. He’s a good guy. You met him yesterday.”

“He’s part of the Kings of Destruction.”

Olivia frowned, not seeing why that should matter. She’d heard of the local motorcycle club before, who hadn’t? Especially after the trouble last year where their president and a couple other members had been arrested. But Olivia was sure Caden hadn’t been part of that. Or had he?

No, he couldn’t have. He’d told her he worked out at KMM. She knew they ran background checks to get on so he couldn’t have a criminal record.

“I know, but I fail to see why that makes a difference.” The last thing she would do was let Elizabeth know she hadn’t already known that.