Love in the Light - Laura Kaye Page 0,22

Caden.” She forced his arms to part and pressed herself against him, both of her hands cupping his face. “You’re the only man I want. You.”

For a moment he didn’t say anything because he couldn’t. Relief made his throat go tight and his chest ache with pressure.

“Do you remember the night we met, before we went to bed? I mentioned how late it had gotten and you thought that was me trying to tell you to go?” Caden nodded. That night had been so amazing with her that he hadn’t been able to avoid wondering when the other shoe would drop. He’d thought it had been that moment. “Do you remember what I said?”

“You called bullshit on me,” he said, the memory pulling a little of the heaviness off his shoulders.

Makenna smiled. “I totally did. And I said, just so there’s no more weirdness or uncertainty, I like you.” He nodded, the memory tugging at the corner of his lips. “Well, I’m saying it again right now. Just so there’s no more weirdness or uncertainty, I like you. A lot.” She nailed him with a stare, her blue eyes blazing.

“Shit. I get caught in my head sometimes, Makenna,” he said, throwing out a lifeline.

She caught it. “Oh, Caden, I know you do, but it’s okay. I hated to even dump all this on you, but I also didn’t want to keep it from you. That didn’t feel right.”

Knock, knock.

“Yeah?” she called, not letting him break the embrace.

Patrick popped his head in the door. “Dad said breakfast is ready.”

“Be right there,” Makenna said. Her brother ducked back out. “Are we okay?” she asked.

Caden blew out a breath, some of the tension bleeding out of his body with it. It was just, on top of Ian’s comments, he’d been so ready for more bad news. Instead, she’d given him her honesty and understanding, and it made him love her even more. No sense in denying that’s what it was anymore.

“Yeah. I’m sorry,” he said, feeling a little drained. Life was a lot fucking easier without all these emotions coming at him all the time. Makenna had opened him up, and sometimes it made him feel like an exposed nerve that was too sensitive, too vulnerable, too unprotected.

He was always going to be a lot to take on board, wasn’t he?

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” she said. “I’m sorry you even have to deal with any of this.”

“No, I’m glad you told me,” he said. And he was.

Sometimes his brain got stuck on a loop of negativity, spiraling him down and down and down, and having her words saying the things she’d said was the best cure for when that happened. He needed her words, just like he’d needed them that night they’d been trapped in the elevator. Then they’d kept him from succumbing to his claustrophobia. Now they kept him from handing a microphone to his darkest fears so they could convince him those fears were real. Both times, she’d pulled him back from the brink.

“And for the record, I like you, too. A lot.” His feelings ran deeper than that, obviously, but he was too bare, too raw, to contemplate confronting his fears by saying anything more just then.

Her smile was radiant. “Best thing I’ve heard all day.” She rested her hands on his chest. “Look, if you want to go back to Virginia, we could leave today. I know Cameron being here made this trip more stressful than it should’ve been.”

Caden immediately shook his head. “No. No way. I’m enjoying your family.” Well, most of them. “And I know you love being here. I don’t want to go home early.” No way would he do that to her. He knew how important her family was to her.

“I would go, for you.” Earnest blue eyes stared up at him.

He knew she would, and it was part of why he loved her. He shook his head. “And I’m staying for you.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Despite the rocky start to the morning, Makenna had a great day with Caden and her family. Breakfast, a late lunch full of yummy leftovers, and an afternoon of board games that had everyone laughing and teasing. With Cameron gone, the whole atmosphere changed from tense to easy, at least that was the way it felt to her. She was itching to confront Ian about inviting him, but she didn’t want to create new tension. It could wait until after the holiday.

It was late as their group walked