Sweet As You

(38) Cade

Cade checked the time on his watch before stepping out of the elevator to his floor. It was early and apparently the first time. Seeing Joe's surprised face at the reception desk made him sure of that. The concierge's reaction reflected his own.

He was home early. And with a bouquet of flowers in hand. For the woman who spent the entire afternoon slaving away in his kitchen to make him dinner. He knew because she's sent him multiple pictures of herself while she was at it. And while a couple of recipes hadn't worked out, it was still something to smile about.

The elevator door swished open and he walked down the hall, stopping at his door. It opened at the same time he had his keys in his hands.

As if counting down the minutes he texted he was at the lobby, Kathie beamed at him. Her rich brown eyes that were sparkling sparkled even more when she sees the flowers.

"Is that for me, Cadey?" She opens the door further and swiped a flour dusted hand over the front of her pink apron.

He looks down to the flowers. "Do I get a kiss for this?"

Her head tilt to one side thoughtfully. "Maybe. Two kisses on the cheek and a peck on the mouth. Sounds good?"

"Tempting enough. Can I claim them now?" He smiles.

Kathie giggles, rolling to her tiptoes and putting her arms around his neck. She peppers two kisses on his cheek and rewarded him a lingering one on the side of his mouth.

He could get used to this.

"Can I get my flowers now?"

He nods, leaning in for another kiss.

Kathie playfully smacks his chest. "Sneaky."

Cade chuckles, handing her the bouquet of flowers and holding her to his chest. He breathed her in, enjoying how she always smelled sweet. Well, sweeter tonight. She smelled of flour and strawberries. "What have you been up to?"

"Making you dessert." She steps back from the hug and tugs him inside. "Oh, and your mom and sister dropped by."

"They did?"

"Yup. They're still here," she answers, smelling the bouquet of flowers.

He frowned. "They're still here."

"Don't frown. They're the reason I got the Chicken Teriyaki and Chicken spinach pasta right. And the very reason I had time to make dessert." She led him to the kitchen where his mother and Chandra was happily decorating cupcakes on the counter.

Strawberry cupcakes.

They both give him a meaningful look that he answered with a scowl.

"Those flowers are lovely, honey." His mother grinned.

Kathie held it out like it was the most valuable gift ever given to her. "And they smell so sweet."

Chandra gives the last of the cupcakes a final touch before lightheartedly narrowing her blue eyes at him. "Where's my prissy brother? What have you done to him?"

He swung a glare her way.

Kathie laughed and pulled at his sleeve. "Stop frowning. Remember, they're the reason you're eating a home-cooked meal rather than a pizza."

He could only roll his eyes.

"Why don't you take a shower and put something more breathable than a suit and tie?" She tugs on his sleeve as if physically persuading him.

He clicks his tongue. "Fine."

Kathie smiles broader. And he couldn't help but smile too.

He lowered his head, aiming for a kiss before he leaves to take a shower. He froze, taken aback at how natural it felt to reach down and kiss her. In front of his mother and sister whose grin stretched a thousand miles more. He half-expected Kathie to pull away. And he would simply understand.

Kathie, though, took liberty in the fulfillment of the kiss. She pecks on his cheek and then made a shooing gesture at him. "Don't make us wait."

He left the women in the kitchen to change into a white shirt and dark khaki pants. When he got back to the kitchen, dinner was set on the table but only for two. The flowers were put on a vase he didn't even know he had.

They seemed to not have noticed him so he stopped by the doorway, his hands in his pockets. He didn't want to interrupt the lively chatter... which was mostly about him in an embarrassing childhood memory.

He's starting to regret eavesdropping.

Kathie has paid close attention to his mother who was telling the funny stories with even funnier hand movements. Chandra supplies the story with the enthusiasm of a toddler.

Okay, enough of this.

Cade clears his throat to get their attention. "Don't make my life unlivable with embarrassment."

"Oh, hush. Kathie here seemed to enjoy them."

Chandra wiggled her brows at him. "Besides, she says she loves hearing all things Cade, right, Kathie?"

He left them barely half an hour ago and now their ganging up on him. "I'm hungry."

"Oh, right. You guys should have your dinner. We're off to Andrei's restaurant. Your Aunt Rebecca's celebrating her birthday." His mother lifted her purse off the counter and exchanges air kisses with Kathie.

"Guess whose birthday's coming up?" Chandra rubbed her hands together, mischief in her eyes.

His lips thinned. "Don't."

"They already told me." Kathie bats her thick lashes at him.

He resisted a groan.

They ushered them to the elevator after they bade them goodbye. Kathie wiggles her fingers at them just before the elevators was closing on them.

"Have a wonderful night, you two," his sister called out before she was cut off by the elevator closing.

Kathie clasped his wrist as they walk back to his apartment. He adjusted his hand, so hers slid to his palm. "You don't always have to listen to my mother. And I know my sister can be a lot."

"What are you talking about? It wasn't just me trying to be polite." She elbows him.

"Politeness comes easy to you, Kathie Jane."

She snorted. "It wasn't politeness to your mother and sister. Not entirely."

"What else was there?" He lets go of her hand, finding the small of her back to let her get in to his apartment first. He closes the door behind him, pausing when Kathie stood unmoving.

"It was a little bit of politeness to your mom," she began, "but there's also my likeness of you."

A small smile settled on his lips.

Color spread across her cheeks as if hearing the words aloud just now. She turns away.

Cade lifted a hand to her cheek, urging her face to him. "I have a likeness of you too."

Her cheeks turned rosier. "You do?"

"What can I say? You have sweetness I really have a likeness to." He shrugs.

Kathie giggles, her smile radiant. They don't have to go into details. Not yet. Or they both avoided it because they might find it's complicated.

He doesn't want to either. For the first time in his life, Cade Parkinson – who grew up searching logic in the smallest things – doesn't want to be logical.

He only wants to believe what he feels is right. And his breath is taken away by how perfectly she fits in his life.

Hi, guys! Happy reading. I hope you're all doing great. My week has been, I don't know, eventful. lol. Anyways, tell me what you think on the comments below. I would love to read them. Also, don't forget. Stay safe. Always.

Love you! Xoxo