A/N: Thank you for the reviews for the previous chapter! I've had this chapter written out ever since I posted the last one; it's not very long but I hope it's enjoyable all the same. :) I'll be writing the next one soon. Unfortunately there's only about 5 chapters left for this story and then it's all over. :( But I'll update again as soon as possible. First half is Suze's POV and second Gina's. Reviews are love! x


Chapter Twenty Nine

The fact I didn't get pulled over by the police and get a speeding ticket as I shot out of the club and raced towards Jesse's, was by a minor miracle. Working through the traffic that's dodgy on a normal day without any traffic lights and tourists cutting you up left, right and centre should've been even more terrifying in my rush. But I'd shifted to auto-pilot the moment my foot hit the gas and the car started moving. I was too busy trying to calm my racing heartbeat, my hands clammy and slippery on the leather steering wheel. All I kept thinking was, Jesse, Alisa, Jesse, Alisa.

I've never heard her calling for me in such a desperate way before and it was tugging at all my protective instincts to get there as fast as possible, without killing myself or anyone else in the meantime.

It has to Paige, I told myself. She's done something - that has to be it.

I spared a thought for Gina and how I seem to run out on her from our business more than I should; leaving her all the boring work without me. She never complains and she never pulls me up on it. It's not like Alisa's my daughter, it's not like it's my place to be running off to help her when she needs me. But Gina and I both know that small fact doesn't mean anything to me, because I would do it all again in a heartbeat if Alisa or Jesse asked me too. Just like now, dropping my life again to run to them because they asked for me.

I screeched around into Jesse's street, pulling the steering wheel correct before I spun out of control and righted myself. Hey, I never said I was a very good driver! I pulled to an emergency stop in front of Jesse's house, spotting a car in his driveway beside his that I knew didn't belong to Caden. "Paige," I growled beneath my breath as I unsnapped my belt, grabbed my bag and leaped out of the car. Jesse's front door was open and he was standing there waiting for me as I slammed my door closed, barely remembering to remote lock it before I fast tracked it up his path, my breath stilling in my chest watching him standing there in the shadow of the house.

His daughter was crying for me over the phone, my heart has been racing to get to her and make her feel better; but still, seeing Jesse standing there, tall, strong and handsome and my knees threatened to buckle beneath me. Why has he got to be so irresistible?

"Susannah," He murmured as I stepped close to him, looking up at him beneath my lashes as my hand twitched to reach out and touch him. Time seemed to stand still for those first few seconds as my fingers slowly stretched forward to softly rest on his muscled chest, feeling the warmth through his t-shirt as I laid my palm flat against him. His eyes never tore away from me, but I saw something familiar and reassuring flicker in his dark gaze as he reached out to wrap an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him. "Querida."

I didn't fight him, why would I? I was as desperate to feel Jesse's arms around me as I was to get to Alisa and stop the crying I heard that ripped my heart in two. But Jesse and I needed this too, I could feel it. We both needed to just have our arms around each other, to hold on even just for a few seconds. I pressed my body against him, breathing in his woody, earthy scent as he dipped his head to rest against the side of my neck; his lips brushing over my skin, making a shiver run right through me. I could feel his heart beating as erratically as mine was his breaths as short and labored as mine.

And then it was over; Jesse pulled his arms away from me, cool air sweeping in where his hot body - in more ways than one - had just been. He didn't meet my eyes again; he just silently turned around and led the way into the house, the faint shouts of Alisa coming from upstairs. I kicked the door closed and dropped my bag in the foyer, silently following him down the hall to the stairs, wondering where Paige was lurking, the coward.

My question was answered as I walked up to Alisa's closed bedroom door, Paige leaning impatiently against it and calling to the upset little girl through it.

"Darling, please come out of there. There's no need for you to lock yourself away," She was pathetically calling through the wood, one hand cocked on her hip as she drummed her fingers. Way to make a kid who's never met you before feel relaxed and friendly towards you, I thought, let them see how impatient and selfish you are. She won't be winning any mother of the year awards anytime soon. Not that she was going to be before this mess. "Alisa."

"Go away!" Jesse's daughter shouted back, the sound of something hitting the door seconds after. "I want, Sooze. I want Sooze!" Alisa's voice ended on a sob and my instincts kicked into over-drive as I stepped around Jesse and glared at Paige. She looked about as happy to see me as I was her. My hands curled into fists at my side as I sucked in a deep breath and told myself beating the crap out of her wasn't going to win me any awards either.

"Paige, I told you to leave her alone," Jesse said his tone so angry it made me flinch. "Go downstairs."

"I thought I told you to keep her away from my daughter!" Paige huffed, pointing a finger at me as she straightened up from the door, ready to battle.

One look at Jesse told me she wasn't going to be getting very far with that though, so I stepped aside wanting to get involved, but knowing I wouldn't be helping whatever is going on with Jesse and me if I did. So, somehow I kept my mouth shut and itched to go to the door and let Alisa know I was there and eager to get to her. I watched the heated stares pass between Jesse and Paige, before Jesse's gutturally low, "Go," snapped Paige out of her glare and made her stalk past me and down the stairs. The way he said it, I probably would've moved my ass too!

Wasting no time, I stepped up to Alisa's door and knocked lightly before calling, "Sweetie it's me, Suze. Can I come in?"

Jesse and I heard the front door slamming hard downstairs, but neither of us paid it any attention as we heard Alisa cry, "Sooze?" before she shuffled behind the door to open it and looked up at me, looking hopelessly rumpled, her curly hair framing her face with frizzy curls as her red, bloodshot eyes stared up at me in a way that made what was left of my ripped heart to shatter into tiny pieces and fall at my feet, my knees giving out as I held out my arms for her to fall into as I held her close to me and rocked her back and forth as she cried into my shoulder, unintelligible whispers drifting to my ears every now and again.

I ignored the tears running down my face as I picked her up in my arms and walked her over to her bed, setting her down on it but still keeping my arms around her. I saw Jesse walk into the room out of the corner of my eye and stop before reaching us, but I got the impression it was taking all of his restraint to not join us. I couldn't begin to imagine how he was feeling knowing his daughter was so distraught and it wasn't him she wanted to make her feel better. But I shot him a smile as reassuring as I could make it, even if he didn't send me one back.

"So - oze," Alisa hiccupped as she pulled away from me minutes later, her small hands holding on to my top so I couldn't go anywhere. Moving from where I was kneeling on the floor in front of her, I sat down next to her on her bed and pulled her into lap, she relaxed the moment I put my arms back around her. "Do - do you not like me anymore? Is that why the - the other lady is here?"

"Oh my God," I murmured beneath my breath, feeling like I'd just been sucker punched in the gut. Of course she'd think something like that, what five year old wouldn't think it was something they'd done?! She's so like Jesse, I want to pinch myself. "Alisa, believe me when I say this - I love you with all my heart and nothing and no-one will change that. Paige is here - well, Paige is not here because of that I promise, sweetie," I replied, as reassuringly as I could. I glanced up at Jesse over her head, worried I hadn't said the right thing, or had said the wrong thing and made everything worse. But the stricken look on his face told me he probably hadn't even heard my answer so I looked back down at Alisa.

Her little face scrunching up with all the concentration she could muster, Alisa nibbled her lower lip for a few seconds before she looked back up at me, another question in her eyes. "Daddy told me she's my mommy. But - " Turning to look around at Jesse standing by the end of her bed Alisa dropped her head and turned back to me, her fingers twisting around the ends of the hair. "I don't want her to be my mommy; I don't like her." She whispered at the end, looking up at me like she might be in trouble for saying that.

It took all my control to not burst out laughing when her expression changed and an angry little scowl came across her cute face, so I pressed my lips together and looked up at Jesse again. He seemed to be having the same reaction I was as he rubbed his hand across his jaw before running it through his hair. Not that what she said wasn't serious, but she looked and sounded so annoyed that I had to close my eyes and count to five before looking at her again.

"OK," I started, clearing my throat and smiling at her. "That's OK, no one is telling you to call her mommy if you don't want to. So how about you get to know her as a friend first? Would you like that?" Even though the words left a chalky and bitter after taste in my mouth, the idea of encouraging Alisa to get know Paige giving me a minor headache, I'd be a horrible kind of girlfriend to Jesse and an even worse role model to Alisa if I encouraged her to openly dislike Paige. She's still Alisa's mother, as much as I hate that fact.

"I don't want another friend." Alisa sulked, crossing her arms over her chest grumpily, her rose colored lips turning into a pout as she stared back at me defiantly. Oh yeah, she is definitely her father's daughter.

Coming forward Jesse knelt down in front of Alisa like I had and took her small hands in his, the size difference massive in comparison. Losing the sulky attitude, Alisa looked up at her dad with so much adoration, love and trust that I felt the hot sting of tears in the back of my throat, making my nose burn. I really hate crying; really it's the absolute pits. Reaching up with a finger Jesse wiped away a tear from Alisa's cheek and tapped her on the end of her nose making her giggle and relax back until she rested against my chest again.

"Just give it a little time, princesa. I won't ask anymore of you than that." Jesse soothed, rubbing her small hands with his thumbs.

Seeming to think it over for as long as possible, eventually Alisa nodded before yawning and snuggled in closer to me. "OK daddy," She murmured, giving him the smallest, tentative smile before giggling again when he leaned forward to kiss the end of her little button nose. We could see her epic crying jag had taken it out of her, leaving her exhausted and drowsy. Her eyes had been gradually getting heavier and heavier as we'd talked, her small body trembling from the after affects. Wriggling off my lap, she lay down on her bed and pulled on me until I was lying down stretched out next to her. "Will you stay with me, Sooze?" She asked around another yawn as I pulled a blanket up off the end of her bed and laid it over her.

"Of course sweetie. I'll stay until you fall asleep." Leaning forward I kissed her on the head, breathing in the scent of her strawberry shampoo.

"I love you daddy. I love you, Sooze." She whispered sleepily, her eyes closing and staying shut even as she said it. Before either of us could think about saying it back, her breathing evened out as Jesse and I watched her fall into a deep sleep. Lifting a slightly shaky hand, I softly ran my fingers through her tangled frizzy mane of hair until it was smooth and soft again, splayed across her pillow. Closing my eyes for a few seconds, I let myself relax running my hand up and down her arm, all the ugly emotions I've been feeling for the past day and a half falling away as Alisa's breathing soothed me.

When I opened my eyes again and looked up, Jesse wasn't there and I was alone with Alisa sleeping.

Confused and tired, I carefully untangled myself from Alisa and left her bedroom, slowly making my way downstairs. I knew Paige wasn't in the house anymore; she'd made it pretty clear when she left, but I wasn't in a great hurry to leave either. It didn't seem like Jesse shared the same need though, because when I reached the bottom of the stairs his front door was wide open, an invitation to leave I guessed. Hurt that he was dismissing me already, I marched to the door, grabbing my bag up off the foyer floor and thumped out on to the porch.

The creak of his weight shifting in his porch swing to the left of the house quickly made me snap around to look at him.

Suddenly losing all my irritation and hurt that I thought he was kicking me out, I sighed and deflated as I watched him staring down at his bottle of beer clutched between his tanned, strong hands. Maybe he didn't really want me to leave yet; maybe he just wanted to come and sit out on the front porch and left the door open as an invitation to join him there. Taking a few steps towards him with my hope sat up high on a pedestal I slowly started to smile. Maybe things aren't as bad as I think they are. Maybe he just needed to see me with Alisa to remember that he doesn't need to push me away.

But then I watched his knuckles turn white and his back stiffen as he heard me come closer and I stopped in my tracks.

Stupid . . . Idiot . . . Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

That was as clear a sign as any that he didn't want me to stick around and all the hurt I've been burying deep since yesterday came rushing back to the surface and made me take a step back in shock. Because - well that sucked. My chest felt like a vice had been wrapped around it, pulling all the hope I had into a snarled black mass that settled down deep in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't figure out who I was madder at, Jesse or myself. I knew - I knew as soon as I heard who Paige was that things were going to change between Jesse and me. I just never expected it to happen so fast. I never expected him to pull back so quick he was giving me whiplash.

But all that bitter emotion didn't completely hide the fact that I still wanted to go to him and wrap my arms around him and tell him it's going to be OK, because I'll help him make it OK. I wanted to run my finger through his scarred brow and kiss his lips until he didn't think about anything but me. I wanted to tell him that I loved him so he would see that I'm serious, that I'm sticking around and I'm going to fight for him, no matter how much he tries to push me away.

But I didn't do any of that, I just slowly paced back until I was by the steps of the porch again and turned around, going down one of them.

No, to hell with that!

I spun back around and took a few steps back up to him, my hands clenched around my bag and keys.

"Would you be happier with her?" I started, the words tumbling from my mouth before I had a chance to think about what I was saying, or what impact they'd have on him, if any. But once I started, I didn't want to stop. I wanted - I needed to know. I needed to hear what he had to say, even if I was terrified of the answer. "Is that what you want, to be a family again? Because just say and I'll walk away from you both right now; it won't be easy and sure it'll break my heart. But if it's what will make you happy, then I'll do it. I won't come in between your chance of being a family again." The words were rushed and breathless, but I felt a weight starting to lift as I said them.

But if I wanted a response, I wasn't getting one. Jesse just carried on staring down at his beer, barely moving. The only sign I had that he heard anything I said was a slow blink and a heavy sigh.

Biting my lip I half turned and had every intention of walking away. I didn't of course; I just turned back in time to see him lift his head to look at me, shock and relief turning his dangerously handsome face into a frown as he watched me. "Dammit," I muttered, staring out at his street as I sucked in all the confidence I had and looked at him, hard enough to make him sit up straighter. Maybe I'm getting somewhere, I thought.

"She's not good for you, handsome," I started, falling back to my familiar nickname for him. "She's not good for either of you! You - you should know that."

Jesse gazed at me for long, slow, agonizing seconds, his stare stripping me bare, like he was trying to see right into my soul. I tried not to squirm and fidget, the fire in my belly igniting because I'd love nothing more than for that fire to consume us both again and we could go back to the way things were before Paige. When he'd look at me like he wanted me and made me feel like the most amazing woman he's ever set eyes on. He makes me feel like that, like I'm special and only for him. Putting his beer down, he slowly got to his feet and stalked towards me, stopping so close his breath was brushing my hair. I craned my neck back to look up at him, my knees starting to shake a little.

"And you know what is?" Jesse asked, one hand coming up to graze a thumb across my cheekbone, leaving a trail of heat behind.

I sucked in a shaking breath, my emotions all over the place; one minute he's asking me to leave, the next he's calling me over for help and hugging me like I'm a life-line. Then I'm back to feeling pushed out and forgotten, just for him to look at me like he wants to rip my clothes off and do sweet little affectionate things like caress my cheek. I didn't know what to say or what to think, my brain was turning to mush. Only Jesse could do that with a simple touch to my cheek.

"Yeah, me," I answered, raising my hand to settle over his where it rested against the side of my neck, holding me there like he was going to kiss me but he never moved. "I'm good for you both. I can make you happy; I want to be the one who makes you happy. I want to be with you."

"Why?"

"Because - because I care about you - a lot." The words were shaky because I just couldn't figure out what he was thinking, what he was feeling. I like to hope he was as caught up in the moment as I was. I wanted to say the three words that might change everything, or might mean nothing to him. But I wasn't going to do that. When I tell him that it won't be because I've just settled his distraught daughter, or tried to convince him that his crazy wife - ex-wife is no good for him and that I am. I said what I wanted to; I wasn't going to say anymore.

It didn't look like he was going to kiss me either.

Sure, I could see the battle warring in his eyes at what to say or do. But in the end, he didn't say anything and I wasn't going to stick around feeling more vulnerable and weak than I already did. So I pulled his hand away from me, reached up to lightly kiss him on his warm lips and walked away from him again. He knows where I am if he wants to find me, I'm not going to stand around and wait for some miracle to happen and get trampled on in the meantime. He never called after me as I walked away and I never turned back to look. I knew I'd feel guilty the moment I did and go running back up to him. So I did what any smart self-respecting woman would do . . .

I got back in my car and drove away, pretending there wasn't tears running down my face and that I didn't need a giant tub of ice-cream at all.

xXx

Picking up my phone for the hundredth time since Suze ran out of the club like the devil was licking at her heels, I suppressed the urge to toss the damn thing across the room just so I wasn't tempted to check it again. She'd call if she needed me, I knew that. But it didn't stop me from wanting to call her myself and just double check she was alright. I can see how much it's getting to her suddenly having Alisa's mom in the picture and it's not even been forty-eight hours since she's been here! Damn woman has a nerve from what Caden's told me. As if I couldn't figure out the giant elephant in the room myself.

And Caden - damn, but he's a whole other issue to try and figure out.

Suze was front of my mind right then; I know she's a big girl and can cope with whatever boyfriend drama she's got on her own. I taught her well. But this is a whole different situation she's never been in. She's not had a man who's got the added baggage of a kid before - not that she doesn't love Alisa, because she does; you'd have to be dumb to not see it - but I worry it's something that goes a hell of a lot deeper than simply really great sex and a lot of fun together. Hell, I know it goes a lot deeper than that for both of them.

OK, so I'm not one hundred percent sure with Jesse, but I've got a gut feeling and usually that's good enough for me.

I don't want to see my best friend getting hurt because of some manipulative rich bitch has suddenly decided she wants to play happy families and fuck everyone's lives around in the process. Yeah, that sort of stuff just doesn't sit well with me and she'll know it the moment she steps into my path. I don't give a damn if it causes friction between Jesse and me, I'm looking out for my home-girl and good luck to anyone who gets in the way of that. Trying to talk myself out of shaking some sense into Jesse is going to be harder though. That's one step too far if I want to bring on the wrath of Suze. No thank you!

Feeling my fingers twitch to pull my phone out again, I quickly started to re-stock the fridge at the bar upstairs. It was a good distraction and cooled my anger at the same time. Because I just couldn't admit to myself that I'm annoyed about Suze hiring Caden without talking to me about it first. OK, so she was right I would've said no before yesterday; I still want to. But we're supposed to be a team and I don't want to be mixing business with pleasure. It's not the way I work. Our club/bar is my baby and I don't want Caden suddenly getting too close to that. He's close enough in my life; I don't think I can handle the idea of having him here too.

Then my thoughts turned back to yesterday evening and the long, intense and damn uncomfortable chat we had over coffee and pie. So sue me, I find it easier expressing myself through using my feminine wiles. It's worked for me in the past and has worked with Caden pretty damn well too. I just hate doing the whole intense talking about feelings thing. Someone else, I'm your go-to agony aunt. My feelings? Not a chance, I'd rather chew nails thanks.

That's probably why he was so intent on making us hash it out. He knew he was taking me out of my comfort zone and deep down, I know he was stepping out of his too. I guess that's more proof that he's willing to try and change, to get him some help. The Caden I know - or thought I knew - before that night, would've run out the door the moment anything touchy feely came up, or gotten angry and loud, or done what I do and jumped my bones. But he did none of the above and instead was the one who instigated the raw hashing of feelings between us.

"God I need a stiff drink," I muttered to myself, going for a pure OJ instead of reaching for the tequila. Just what I needed to start doing, reaching for alcohol to numb the memories of days gone by where I tried to kid myself into thinking I could be in a relationship with someone who has more baggage than - well, me. Caden knows the memories we share are going to take some time to work through, to learn to trust him again. But it works both ways and I know he needs to learn to trust me too. We both fucked up in different ways that at least we both agreed on last night.

The talking through how he made me feel during his 'episodes' though - that I'd love to shove in a mental box and bury it as deep as possible. I'm not really one to linger on the past because there's nothing I can do to change it. But even I'll admit being terrified the way I was is going to take some time. It doesn't stop me from being torn; when he came back to our apartment last night I wanted to offer for him to crash with me, strictly hands off after we agreed to try again a lot slower, but part of me was trembling at the possibility he'd say yes and then he'd wake in the night having another nightmare.

I guess he must've picked up on that because he just looked sad for a minute before he wiped his expression clean and threw himself down on the couch, pretending to fall asleep instantly.

I guess I've got more to work through than even I realized.

But I guess at least we're starting, beginning with some therapy for him and me separately and together. I'm not afraid to admit that maybe I need a little more help than my best friend can offer. I'm not saying it's easy admitting I have a weakness, but at least I'm willing to do something about it. What kind of would-be-girlfriend would I be if I wasn't supportive or try and show him that I'm just as serious at having another go and helping him too? I'd be worse than I've already been, that's what. Caden deserves for me to make more of an effort than that. I deserve more.

Another thing he's willing to do is find a group of other people - or more specifically soldiers - who are suffering with PTSD too. That's potentially going to be harder than therapy for him, but he knows he's has to try if he wants me to stick around in the romantic sense. But that also led on to other ideas too, possibly new business ventures in the future for him. He's got the experience of being a marine, there's a lot he could do with something like that; becoming our security manager apparently being one of them. He said Suze's offer's given him a brainstorm of other ideas. Whatever helps him battle his demons gets the green light from me, and I told him so.

We both know he needs an outlet too that isn't aggressive or violent. I suggested yoga but he shot that idea down in flames, before making a point of reminding me he's all man and doesn't do girly things like that. I wanted to rap him upside the head for that comment, but I settled for an easy glare instead.

Macho men and their chauvinistic ideals - I'll have to work of beating that out of him too.

"Hey boss, there's some sexy hot man at the door asking for you," My bartender Carrie Whitman grinned, appearing the other side of the bar not dressed in her regular uniform Suze and I had all our staff wear. It wasn't as if it made them look ugly, I was personal stylist for crying out loud! But she just doesn't seem to listen when we tell her we don't want her dressing like a hooker. "He said his names, Caden. Should I let him in?" Carrie bounced on the soles of her high heeled feet - fifty bucks says she'll be limping up and down the bar within ten minutes of us being open - her eyes lighting up at the idea of being able to go down and personally invite Caden in.

I stamped down hard on my jealousy with my Jimmy Choo shoe and heaved a sigh. As if it wasn't bad enough I'd been thinking about everything we'd discussed, now I have to watch Carrie drool all over him and inflate his giant ego even more than it already is.

"Sure, go ahead I'll be right there," I brushed her off, turning back to finish putting the last of beer in the fridge before discarding my left over OJ and moved away from the bar to go and meet Caden. Carrie had moved off as fast as her shoes could take her the moment I opened my mouth to give her the go-ahead so I took the few seconds it would take for her to latch on to Caden to smooth my hair down and my clothes before I realized what a pathetic thing that was seeing as we've already seen each other at our worst and best and met him at the bottom of the second floor stair case.

"Hey Kitten," Caden smirked at me, ignoring Carrie pushing her breasts up as prominently as she could to get his attention as she touched his arm to get his attention. He barely spared her a glance as he brushed her off. "Thanks for the help," He smiled at her, not encouragingly, but not exactly innocently either. I watched trying not to laugh as confusion crept across her pretty face before she let his arm go and took a step back. Flushing with embarrassment she scarpered off without a word and only looked back him a few times. "I hate breaking hearts." Caden grinned up at me, telling me he missed nothing that had just happened.

Ignoring his remark I looked up at him. "What are you doing here?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

Chuckling he leaned up against the banister and swept his eyes over me. "Would you believe me if I said I missed you?" He asked, going straight back to his flirtatious ways. I knew he hadn't forgotten a thing that had been said between us the night before, flirting is just his defense mechanism, so I just raised an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms. "OK, I came by to see if you wanted to go out on an impromptu date with me tonight?" I saw the hopeful look in his rich blue eyes and tried hard to ignore the flutter in my chest that he was a tiny bit nervous asking me out, even though it's what we both agreed to.

"You know big words like 'impromptu'?" I asked disbelievingly because the suddenly heavy atmosphere was just a bit too much for me. It seemed to do the trick though because he threw back his head and laughed at me, the sound felt like a heavy warm cozy blanket wrapping around me and I wondered when I'd suddenly turned into such a sap. The moment Caden swept you off your feet, my inner Suze voice told me. "Seriously, I can't though. Suze isn't here and I had last night off so I need to cover; rain-check?"

"Ignore her, she'd love to go out on a date with you tonight," Suze piped up out of no-where coming up behind Caden all stealth like. "I'm back so I'll cover again. You've done it enough times in the past for me, I owe you."

Narrowing my eyes at my best friend, I zeroed in on the fact she looked like she'd been crying. She can try and cover it up with as much make-up as she wants, but I still saw it and I wanted to punch the person who made her cry in the first place. The look she gave me was quick and succinct - drop it or I'll make you. Taking a mental step backwards I looked at her properly and realized she'd seemed a lot less tense then she was when we were talking earlier. Maybe the crying - whatever it was for - was just what she needed and I needed to butt out and wait for her to come to me if she needed me.

She could see that I'd backed down so she smiled and waved us both away. "Go, have fun kids. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Laughing, even though it wasn't the usual care-free laugh she normally has - she walked away and left Caden and me alone.

"I guess that's a yes then?" He double checked, his dimples showing as he grinned at me boyishly. Or as boyish as a six foot four muscled man could look.

"I guess it is," I smiled back, unable to help myself. "Pick me up at seven and don't be late."

"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted sloppily before quickly wrapping his very strong arms around my waist and pressing his lips to mine for a brief, but heated kiss that made my head spin and toes curl in my Jimmy Choos. I pressed my body against his feeling how much strength and power he was holding back by holding me the way he was. When he pulled away and set me back down on my feet I reached out to clutch on to him, my legs shaking a little while my world righted again. "Yeah," He drawled cockily. "I've still got it."

My head was too fuzzy to figure out straight away what it was he still had, but once he'd gone and I could think clearly again the annoying inner Suze voice piped up again whispering to me . . . You - he's still got you because he never lost you in the first place.

"Shut up," I muttered to myself because I really hate it when that voice is right.