The One and Only: A Single Mom Second Chance Romance (Heart of Hope) by Ajme Williams (read any book txt) 📕

I could see Cade’s regret at his own behavior. When we were growing up, he had never been the type to let other people tell him what to do. I guess I’d really underestimated his desire to please his parents.

Cade smiled. “But enough about my woes. You know plenty about them. Tell me more about your plans for your business. You were always ambitious. I loved that about you.”

I blushed and explained what I wanted to do for my business, how I wanted to break into the upper crust of the society and start planning events of true elegance. Cade listened attentively, making a few little jokes here and there, winking at me over his glass whenever he took a sip of water.

This was the Cade that I’d known. This was the one who’d gotten me to fall in love with himself. My heart was in such danger right now, I knew it, but I couldn’t stop myself.

After we finished eating, Cade insisted on paying the bill. “This is my treat, consider it an apology as you won’t be planning a wedding for us anytime soon.”

I tried to protest, but he’d already handed his card over to the server. The band was playing, and Cade leapt to his feet, holding out his hand. “C’mon, it’s been forever since we danced.”

“I’m still no good at it,” I warned him. I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.

“You were amazing at it,” Cade replied, pulling me into his arms and leading me. “You just needed a good leader, and you followed beautifully.”

Cade certainly knew how to dance. His mother had insisted on dance classes, so that he could do well at fancy events for his father, and those lessons had paid off. When we were teenagers, Cade had joked that he’d gone along with it since he’d figured that it was a good way to impress girls. I’d told him that it certainly impressed me.

I hadn’t done a lot of dancing after that.

Remembering those times, and feeling his body against mine, his arms around me…it was easy to get turned on. But I shouldn’t. Going out for food and a talk about old times with him was one thing, but this was quite another. He was leaving tomorrow after all, or at least that was what I assumed. With no wedding, there was no reason for him to stay in Detroit.

Except…didn’t that make it even better? He was leaving. I could be with him, give into my desire for him, have him—I shuddered as I thought it, fuck me—and there would be no reason for him to know about Drew or anything else. I could finally give into my passion and find out just how good of a lover he’d become in the last ten years, without worrying about the consequences.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Cade murmured. His hand slid down from the small of my back to my ass, squeezing. I shivered.

I’m thinking about getting you out of my system once and for all, I thought. “Just thinking about…nothing.”

“Nothing?” Cade’s lips caressed my ear. “The way you’re trembling doesn’t feel like nothing.”

He slid his knee between my legs to turn me, and I whimpered. Cade chuckled. “Careful. I might want to devour you here and now. I’m ready for dessert.”

“Do it,” I whispered, wet and hot with desire and feeling reckless.

Cade immediately put a hand in my hair and kissed me deeply. I kissed him back, not holding myself back for once, indulging in my every desire. Cade moaned into my mouth as he felt me engage with him and I felt triumphant at knowing that I could get him to lose control like this.

Della, and every other beautiful, rich woman like her, wasn’t wanted by Cade. He wanted me. And that set my blood on fire like nothing else.

“Get a room!” someone yelled. I broke the kiss, panting, out of breath and dizzy with it.

Cade laughed and took my hand, pulling me out of the pub. “Time to go,” he said, his eyes dancing with mirth.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“We’re going to follow that kind gentleman’s advice,” Cade replied, leading me out of the pub and to his car. “I’m getting a room for us.”

I knew this was the moment that I should probably stop things. As much fun as spending time with Cade was, as much as I loved flirting with him, sleeping with him was probably a bad idea.

But I wanted him. I hadn’t had fun, hadn’t done whatever I wanted since my son had been born. It was the role of a parent to put their child and their responsibilities first. And I’d had to focus on my career, my business. There’d been no time to have a fling, if I’d even wanted one.

And maybe…this would be the way to get Cade out of my system, once and for all. It was clear that I was still pining for him, still wanted him. If I could have one good fuck with him, then perhaps I could finally move on.

This was the moment of no return, but I didn’t want to return. I wanted to keep going with this. I wanted to indulge myself in Cade.

I let him lead me to the hotel, where he’d booked us a room. He made sure to pick a suite for us, and I couldn’t help but feel that that was sweet of him—if a bit unnecessary. After all, I had no intention of really taking in the room’s décor or amenities.

Cade unlocked the door with the room key and stepped inside. I could feel the hum of arousal and anticipation between us like it was a live creature.

Cade closed the door behind me, and immediately pressed me up against it. I gasped, the heat of the moment making me breathless, as his body pressed against mine. I moaned, already feeling frantic with desire. I hadn’t been with