Echo: A Linear Tactical Romantic Suspense Standalone Page 13

  Nobody but Baby threw a sidelong glance in Cade’s direction, so he knew Peyton hadn’t broken the nondisclosure agreement. Damn it, he was going to destroy that fucking document as soon as possible.

  Not that he worried Peyton would say much anyway, although in some ways he wished she would at least tell her friends. Even knowing that once word got out, the Linear guys would kick his ass. Still, he wished she could do it.

  “I’m glad to see Jenna joined them.” Heath Cavanaugh adjusted the strap of the bag he carried with him everywhere. Cade didn’t know Heath well but knew the man-purse—murse—everyone teased him about held a portable defibrillator. He was keeping a close eye on Lyn, as was her brother Gavin. Cade couldn’t blame them; they’d almost lost her not long ago.

  “Who’s that tiny blonde?” Cade asked. He hadn’t seen her around before.

  “Neoma,” Kendrick said. He was Linear’s computer specialist, but Cade didn’t know him very well. “She goes by the name Neo.”

  And Kendrick obviously had eyes for Neo.

  “Honestly, I’m most happy to see Peyton out with them,” Gavin said. “She needs it.”

  Almost everyone murmured their agreement.

  “It looks like her drink is empty.” Gavin shook his head. “It’s not going to take long for someone to remedy that. I think almost all of the men in town have been waiting for some sort of sign of encouragement from Peyton. She won’t have to wait long if she wants company.”

  Cade looked around. There was no doubt the men in the bar were interested, just biding their time.

  Oh, hell no. There was no way he was letting someone else move in on Peyton.

  He ordered one of those crazy blue drinks they’d all been sipping on and walked toward the dance floor. He could hear people murmuring behind him but didn’t care. So what if he made a point to never single out one woman while in Oak Creek, or anywhere for that matter.

  He was singling one out now.

  And hopefully, would be singling her out for a long time to come.

  He walked toward Peyton, drink in hand, careful not to bump into the many gyrating bodies all around her. The line dancing had ended a while ago, and the mood was much more relaxed as the night had worn on. They’d be making last call soon.

  He wasn’t even sure Peyton knew he was here.

  Her back was to him when he reached her. Some of her friends could see him, including Riley, but nobody made any move to block him from talking to her.

  He held the drink over her shoulder so it was right in front of her face.

  “You guys? Come on,” she said without turning around. “You know I’m not trying to get stupid drunk. I’m already making a fool out of myself as I am.”

  He bent down close to her ear so she could hear him without him having to yell. “You are very definitely not making a fool out of yourself. I can promise you that.”

  She spun so fast, her drink spilled on his shirt. “Oh my gosh. I spilled my drink on you.”

  “It’ll be fine. Dance with me.”

  Her eyes grew big as she stood there staring at him. “I don’t know if I should.”

  Another woman, not one of Peyton’s friends, sidled up to him. “I’ll dance with you, Cade.”

  “Why don’t you dance with me, sugar?” Baby swooped in and steered the woman away. “I think Cade’s got his hands full.”

  Baby Bollinger was the best anti-wingman ever.

  “Dance?” He asked Peyton again. “Or if you’d rather sling the rest of your drink directly into my face, that works too.”

  All of her friends had stopped dancing and were staring at them, but Cade didn’t care. If admitting what had happened and that he was a scumbag to her friends would get Peyton back in his life, he would do it in a heartbeat.

  “How about if I hold that and you dance with the man.” Riley took the drink out of Peyton’s hand. “You can see if he might be the electrician you’re looking for.”

  Peyton stared at her friend for a moment, then finally nodded. Riley faded away and he wrapped an arm around Peyton’s slender waist and captured her other hand in his, holding it against his chest.

  “I have to warn you I’m not much of an electrician. But if you need one, I’ll help you find one.”

  A mischievous smile covered Peyton’s face. “No, I can find whatever I need.”

  The beat from the song the DJ was playing was too fast for the type of dancing they were doing, but he didn’t care. She was in his arms. That was all that mattered.

  But he didn’t know how long he had. She might come to her senses at any minute and storm out.

  “I’m not giving up, Peaches. I want that to be clear.” He pulled her a little more closely against him. “However much time you need is fine. I won’t rush you. But I’m not giving up. If friends is all we can ever be, that’s fine. But like it or not, Peyton Ward, you’re the mother of my child. That’s a responsibility I take seriously, and I’m going to do my damnedest to convince you to let me be in as many parts of your and Jess’s life as possible.”

  She swayed with him, staring up at him as one song ended and another one began, this one thankfully slower.

  “I want to know Jess.” He felt her tense, so rushed on. “Not take her from you. I would never do that. I want to know her because she’s my daughter, yes, but I want to know her because she’s your daughter. I would want to get to know her even if she wasn’t biologically mine, okay? Because she’s a part of you.”

  As he looked down at her, he realized he was saying nothing more than the absolute truth.

  She nodded. Then a troubled look entered her eyes.

  “What? What worries you? We can talk through it.”

  “I’m drunk. I’m afraid I won’t remember what you said tomorrow.”

  He brought her hand up to his lips. “Then I’ll gladly say it all again tomorrow. And the day after that and the day after that. Every single day until it’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning.”

  He pulled her against him and held her as they danced. The DJ took pity on him and played a slow song next, which had all the Linear guys out on the floor dancing with their women.

  They were halfway through that song when camera flashes erupted around him.

  Shit. This was why he’d stayed in a back booth most of the night. Paparazzi didn’t tend to follow him around all the time, probably because he didn’t give them much fodder, but him dancing multiple songs this close to Peyton? That was something the gossip rags would want to hear about.

  He immediately turned so he was shielding her face from the cameras and walked her off the floor with an arm around her shoulder, keeping her pressed against his chest.

  The exuberant cameraman followed, but Cade had learned long ago that the best way to deal with them was keep your cool and get out of their sight.

  His friends had his back, stepping into the guy’s way, making it difficult for him to follow Cade off the dance floor. But Cade had to leave. Now that word was out that he was here, more paparazzi would arrive.

  Mark and Everett met them as they cut back toward the bar. Everett looked pissed, but Mark was already working the problem.

  “I’ve got a car ready out back,” Mark said.

  Cade nodded. “I’m going to take Peyton home. I just need a couple-minutes head start.”

  “You got it, boss,” Mark said already turning behind them.

  “You okay?” he asked Peyton, kissing the top of her head.

  She stumbled slightly. “I think so. Are the police after you?”

  He chuckled. “No. The press. Generally, a lot more annoying.”

  He steered her around the bar and out the back door. A nondescript older SUV was waiting in the nearest parking spot. He ushered Peyton over to it, then opened the passenger door and bundled her inside. He jogged around the vehicle, grabbed the key from under the driver’s side tire rim—always the agreed upon place for them to leave the key in a getaway vehicle—and jumped inside.

  He pulled safely but quickly out of the parking lot, thankful now he’d stopped drinking hours before. Mark would’ve never let him get behind the wheel otherwise.

  “Do you have to do this a lot? Make a run for it?”

  Life in the public eye could be crazy. He didn’t want to freak her out so early in their relationship. “Not too often. Usually my team and I are able to plan so it doesn’t get this bad.”

  She laid her head back against the headrest, her eyes drooping. At least he didn’t need to worry that she was becoming nervous about all this. He wasn’t even sure she was going to remember it at all. “It must be nice to have a team.”

  “It is very nice to have a team. I’d like to be part of your team, if you’ll let me.”

  “I’ve never had a team.”

  He kept his eyes on the road but reached out to run his fingers down her cheek. “I know you haven’t, Peaches. I want to change that.”

  “How? What are you going to do?” Her words were a little sharp, but she was rubbing her cheek against his fingers—did she even realize that?

  “First and foremost, I’d like you to come back and finish the job as the director for the documentary and music video. One, because you’re talented, but also because that’s going to give you the financial stability that will make your life easier, you know?”

  “Okay.”

  He rubbed his thumb down her soft skin. “Okay, you understand, or okay, you’ll do it?”

  “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  “Good. You’re too talented not to be behind a camera. And as for the rest of the changes. . . all I want is to get to know you. To spend time with you. To know Jess—without explaining details to her, of course. I just want to have a chance.”

  She was quiet for a minute. “The lightbulb has to be the right wattage or else it can blow a circuit.”

  He wasn’t sure exactly what they were talking about. “Still thinking about your electrical problem?”

  She let out a sigh that turned into an adorable little raspberry with her lips. “I feel like my electrical problem is the only thing I’ve been thinking about since you came back to town.”

  Now he really didn’t know what they were talking about. “I’ll help with it, if I can.”

  “I think that would be nice.” Her cheek rested more heavily against his hand.

  He stroked his thumb down her cheek again before returning his hand to the wheel. She let out a big yawn.

  “Text Riley or someone to let them know I’m taking you home.”

  She took out her phone and typed something, then slipped it back in her purse. “Riley said hi.”

  “Is that what she really said?” He doubted it.

  “She said it’s okay for me to. . .let loose if I want.”

  With her hesitation, he doubted those were the exact words Riley used either. He pulled up in front of her small house and put the SUV in park. “It is okay for you to let loose. But it’s also okay for you to sleep off those Electric Smurfs and decide how much you want to let loose on a different day.”

  She nodded, and he got out of the SUV, walking around quickly to open her door and help her out. He managed not to groan as her body slid slowly down his before her feet reached the ground.

  He offered an elbow out to her. “Can I walk you to your door, Ms. Ward?”

  She smiled—so soft and sweet—all he wanted to do was stare at her in the moonlight. “Yes. Thank you.”

  He took the steps toward her house slowly, wanting to take her inebriated state into account, but more because he wanted this evening to last as long as possible.

  They made it to the door, and she got out her keys. He laughingly shifted her out of the way when she struggled to get the key in the lock. “Mind if I try?”

  “Thanks. I’m not sure what’s wrong with my fingers.”

  He got it on the first try and opened the door for her. “It’s the blue drinks. They’re a killer. Be sure to take two aspirin and drink a full glass of water before you go to bed. Then if you have a queasy stomach in the morning, eat some yogurt. That will help, trust me.”

  She stood framed in the doorway, nodding solemnly. “Aspirin, water, yogurt. Check.”

  He tapped her on the nose. “Good girl.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, eyes becoming more narrowed. Was she about to yell at him again? Tell him to get lost?

  “Cade O’Conner.”

  He braced himself for the emotional blow. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He wasn’t expecting her to step closer to him and grab his shirt by the center. “Riley said it was okay to be loose. Is that what you want, for me to be loose?”

  Oh, sweet lord, he could actually feel her fingers rubbing against his chest. “I think she actually said let loose.”

  She waved the other hand around. “Let loose, be loose, whatever. The question is, do you want me, Cade O’Conner? Do you want to kiss me?”

  Did he want to kiss her?

  He didn’t even honor a question so ridiculous with a response. For someone who made a living with words, he knew that sometimes words couldn’t do a situation justice.

  Only actions could.

  He backed her against the door frame and swooped his lips down on hers. He wanted to be gentle, take his time, seduce her slowly.

  Peyton didn’t seem too interested in that. She wrapped her arms around his neck, plastered her body to his and pulled him closer. The second her tongue licked against his lips, he lost the battle for slow and gentle. He slid his fingers into her hair at the nape of her neck and tilted her head to give him better access.

  Complete access.

  How many times had he dreamed of doing exactly this—kissing her until neither of them could breathe? Yes, he wanted to do all the rest, but kissing her had been what had haunted his dreams for the past five years.

  Their mouths fused together, her tongue danced with his, advancing then retreating, daring him to do more. He loved it, but also knew it was out of character for her.

  He loved the language he was reading in her actions but knew it was the alcohol writing the script.

  There was nothing he wanted more than for her to let loose and be loose with him. But not tonight. He wanted to make sure she chose those things when she had all her wits about her.

  He wanted to be her team. That started right here and now by making sure she made it into bed safely. Alone.

  He forced himself to slow the kiss way down, easing his lips back so he could nip at hers, tease her, kissing her gently and softly.

  He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, forcing himself not to think of other places he’d love to run his tongue, but withdrew when she tried once again to deepen the kiss.

  “I want you. I want to be the one you let loose with.” He whispered the words against her mouth, sucking and nipping gently and between words. “But not tonight. Tonight, all I want to do is kiss you.”

  And he did. He kissed her for the five years that he’d missed. He kissed her for that night at the lake house when kissing her was probably all he should’ve done. He kissed her for every single dream he’d had about her over the years.

  The kisses moved from sweet and tender to passionate to desperate then back to gentle once more.

  Cade only stopped when Peyton finally yawned.

  “I’m sorry.” Her eyes burst open, and she grabbed his shirt, pulling him to her. “I’m not bored, I promise. I just haven’t gotten much sleep the past three days.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers and chuckled. “Me neither. Let’s get you inside and tucked into bed.”

  “But I like kissing you.” She gave him the most adorable pouting look. He groaned and had to take a step back. That look was going to get her so much more than kissed if he didn’t get himself under control.

  “How about you go to bed now, and I promise you can have kisses whenever you want them.” He tapped her gently on lips already swollen from his.

  She swayed gently into him. “We’ll be each other’s kissing team. And light bulb changing team too.”

  “I’ll be on every team you want. As long as I can be on it with you.”

  Chapter 19

  Cade wandered from his room down to the kitchen at four o’clock in the morning to make himself a sandwich.

  Sleep was done for the night, like it had been every night by this time since he’d talked Peyton into giving him a chance. He’d spent the past three weeks trying to keep all the pieces of his life together. . .and separate.

  The label execs were, as always, anxious to get going on the next album. They were excited about what they’d seen so far of Peyton’s documentary and wanted to be able to capitalize on its success when it released.

  Then there was the upcoming tour to think about and the songs that needed to be written or finalized before that. Everett was on him nearly every day.

  Writing music and the tour were important to his friends. Cade understood that. As a co-act, Everett depended on it somewhat for his livelihood. Hell, they all did. But nobody was going to starve if Cade didn’t go out on the road for a couple of years. Right now, he had more important things to consider.

  Like Peyton and Jess.

  He’d finally met his daughter for the first time. Baby had told him how amazing she was, but Cade hadn’t really understood.

  He understood now.

  He and Peyton had agreed that him meeting Jess on neutral ground was probably best. That ended up being on a Saturday at the Linear property. Peyton was no longer working there—Cade had had a direct talk with Zac and Finn himself, letting them know how many hours she was working per week on the video and that she shouldn’t be trying to work more for them. They were now getting a cleaning service to come in weekly, but Peyton had offered to help until the new staff was in place.

  She took pride in her work, even janitorial stuff. Cade found he respected the shit out of that.

  It was also how he found himself emptying trash one Saturday afternoon at the same company he’d helped build five years ago. A set of little hands helped.

  Jess had wanted to go out and play, but Peyton had insisted that if Jess wanted to have money to buy an extra ice cream with her lunch this week, she could do a few minutes’ work. Show Cade the ropes.