Allie

I woke with a start.

The fading dream of Blake looming over me slowly dissipated. My pulse evened out.

I was safe.

I was in Caden's bed at the hotel.

It was late afternoon now. I'd spent the morning with Caden and Ollie, gorging on ice cream and Pop Tarts. Then I'd crashed, and Caden had gently bullied me into his bed for a nap.

Now I wanted to see him.

Caden was in love with me. Giddy warmth filled me.

I rose and ran my hands through my hair to tidy it. As a walked out of the bedroom, I heard Ollie's familiar giggle.

In the living area, two males—one big and one small—sat crouched by the coffee table.

God, could a heart burst open with happiness? They were making a LEGO build together. Ollie was chattering away as he placed blocks, and Caden was nodding.

"Hello, what are you two doing?" I asked.

"Allie!" Ollie bounced up, raced over for a hug around my waist, then raced back to the table. "Caden got me a LEGO set."

"I see that." A large set, by the looks of it.

"It's a police station. It's got a prison cell and everything. I'm going to lock the bad guys up in there. Then they can't hurt anyone."

My heart squeezed. I knew he must be working through what had happened. I'd need to talk to his therapist to make sure he was processing it. When he smiled up at Caden, I was happy to see that he seemed fine.

Caden rose, his dark gaze scanning my body from head to toe.

I held my arms out. "I'm fine." My face was throbbing a bit, but Caden had iced it earlier and given me several painkillers.

Gently, he ran his knuckles over my cheek. Then his mouth was on mine, and the kiss was slow and thorough.

" Mmm ." I pressed my hands to his chest, enjoying the drugging warmth.

Then I spotted Ollie watching us, grinning.

"Is Caden your boyfriend now?"

"Um, well?—"

Caden slung an arm across my shoulders. "Yes, I am. Is that okay with you?"

The little boy cocked his head. "So you're not leaving Windward?"

Caden looked down at me. "No, I'm not. If that's okay with you two. I'd like to stay with you."

I leaned into him. "Yes. It's more than okay."

"I might have work trips away sometimes, but I'll always come home."

Ollie nodded. "When moms and dads go on trips, they bring presents home for their kids." He paused. "Like LEGO sets and stuff."

I laughed. My kiddo.

"Right." Caden nodded. "I can do that."

Ollie beamed. "Good."

"Girlfriends like gifts too," I murmured.

He nibbled my lips. "I can handle that."

"But you coming back to us will be the best gift of all."

He touched my hair, running the strands through his fingertips. "I want that. I want to move in. I want to sleep beside you, cook together, help with Ollie."

Everything inside me melted. I felt those tingles again that had freaked me out at first, but now, I loved.

"I want that too. You're mine, Caden Castro. Every overprotective, paranoid inch of you."

A few weeks later

"Two kids just spilled two giant cups of soda in the restaurant. Wade, can you take point on that?"

"You betcha, Allie." The young man grabbed his gear and headed out.

Swiveling, I tapped on my tablet. It was a busy day at the Langston Windward.

Winter season had started and snow was falling. Once we got a good amount of powder, the hotel would be bursting at the seams with skiers and snowboarders. I wrinkled my nose. They'd be tracking slush and mud inside in no time. It was a lot of extra work for my team.

I grinned. But we could handle it.

I didn't miss New York at all. While I still missed my brother fiercely, I was glad I'd come home to Windward. My life before was now just a faded memory. My life after, a vibrant tapestry of love and happiness.

And now I had an amazing man in my life, my happiness levels were off the charts.

Ollie was blooming with a man in the house. The condo wasn't really big enough for the three of us, and Caden and I had talked about house hunting in the spring.

Caden was blooming too. He smiled a lot more and he slept more too. He still had nights when he couldn't sleep. My lips curled. Luckily, I had a few tricks for helping him clear his mind.

"She's daydreaming again."

Sierra's voice made me look up. She, Jazz, and Tessa were grinning at me from the doorway to Tessa's office.

"I don't daydream."

"These days, you daydream all the time," Tessa said. "We all know you were thinking about your Broody."

"I thought he'd seem less scary now that he's in love." Sierra shook her head. "But he's just as dark and scowly."

Not with me he wasn't. "That's how I like him."

I'd gotten him to call his mom and sisters.

We'd done a video call last weekend. It would take time, but his family were keen to rebuild their relationships.

They loved him, they just hadn't known how to help him when he'd first come home.

His mother hadn't hidden her joy to hear that he'd fallen in love.

We'd had one disastrous call with my mother. I'd introduced her to Caden, and she'd been surprised but polite. Then she'd started in on me about the clothes I was wearing and my terrible cooking. She'd accused me of not taking good enough care of Ollie.

Caden had snapped. In his coldest, calmest voice, he'd told her that I was an exceptional, loving mother, a hard worker, and the most beautiful woman he'd seen, whatever I was wearing.

He also pointed out that I was here, with Ollie every day, while his grandmother and grandfather were conspicuously absent.

That had shut my mother up fast. I'd been so giddy, that I'd kissed him, then and there.

I didn't think my mom would call again for a while, and I was okay with that.

"When's Caden back?" Jazz asked.

"This afternoon." He'd been gone for two days in Denver doing something at the Langston Denver. At least he hadn't gone far or for very long. I knew he'd have a trip to the Maldives soon to assess a new Langston acquisition.

Sierra gave a gusty sigh. "You three are in love with your hot guys, getting breakfast in bed and regular orgasms. Meanwhile, I need to order new vibrator. I've worn mine out."

I slipped an arm around her. "The right hot guy for you will turn up."

Sierra sighed. "It's lucky we have a busy winter season ahead. I think I'll be doing lots of skiing, and binging on sugar-packed baked goods."

My friend had a serious sweet tooth. I had no idea how she managed to stay so trim.

"This one is perfectly fine," a sharp female voice snapped, echoing off the walls. "These are the best uniforms on the market."

The three of us swiveled at Piper's tart voice.

We watched her and Everett come into view.

Everett was striding down the hall, wearing jeans and a blue flannel shirt. Piper—wearing a snug black skirt and Louboutins with sky-high heels—was trotting after him. She held a khaki work shirt in her hands.

"Murray, you'll wear this. You've turned down all the other options." She tossed the shirt.

It hit him in the center of the back. He spun fast and caught it. "I don't need a uniform, big city."

"My name is Piper."

He balled the shirt up. "I'll wear this on the day you wear a flannel shirt."

Piper gasped. "I'll never wear flannel shirt."

He grinned at her. "I know."

She set her hands on her hips. "I'm doing my job. Trying to upgrade and improve things around here."

"More like making rule after unnecessary rule."

"Making things better."

"You need to loosen up, big city."

She hissed in a breath. "Wear the damn shirt."

Everett crossed his arms. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll wear it on the day you wear a flannel shirt—" he leaned in so their noses almost brushed "—with nothing else under it and crawl to me."

Outrage filled Piper's face and she let out a strangled noise. "Murray, I'm going to—" They stalked off down the hall and disappeared, still sniping at each other.

The four of us were silent for a moment.

"How long until they bang each other's brains out?" I asked.

"That, or murder each other," Tessa mused. A speculative look filled her face. "Let's start a betting pool. I've got fifty bucks on them doing it next month."

"Three weeks," Jazz countered.

I tapped a finger on my chin. "Two weeks."

Sierra smiled. "Two days."

We all burst out laughing.

"We are due for a cocktail night," I said. "We can interrogate Piper then." That's when I saw a man enter the back office area.

Dark eyes locked on me and my heart leaped.

Caden was back.

"And we've lost her," Tessa said. "Bye, Allie."

Tessa, Jazz, and Sierra walked past my man, calling out hellos.

He didn't slow down as he walked toward me. Then he picked me up and his mouth was on mine.

Yum . I kissed him hard and coiled my legs around his waist. Spinning, he pinned me to the wall, his hard body against mine.

"Missed you," he murmured.

"Missed you too."

His hands slipped down my back and into the waistband of my work pants. He cupped my bare ass and groaned. "It drives me crazy knowing you have no panties on under your uniform."

I wriggled against him. "You drive me crazy every time I look at you."

He kissed me again. Things were just getting interesting when I heard a harrumphing sound.

I looked over Caden's shoulder. Coral was staring at us with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Hussy," she muttered.

"Hi, Coral."

Caden didn't turn to look, and I could see him fighting a smile.

"This is a luxury hotel, not a brothel." With a sniff, she stomped past us.

I laughed and Caden grinned.

"Did you get Ollie a gift?"

"That dinosaur LEGO set he wanted."

I nipped Caden's bottom lip. "And me?"

"I got you something too."

I undulated against his hard cock. "I know. I can feel it."

He snorted and set me down. "You can have that later." He reached a hand under his jacket, then pulled out a small, wrapped gift.

Grinning, I tore it open. Then I gasped. It was a tiny fairy made of delicate metal. Her back was arched, her head thrown back, and she had a set of magnificent, delicate wings.

He'd bought me quite a few fairy statues over the last few weeks. My man liked to spoil me.

"She's beautiful," I breathed.

"She made me think of you."

"I love you, Broody."

He hauled me back. "I love you too, Allie." He nuzzled my neck. "When we get home, I'll show you how much."

Home. Our home. I loved hearing that.

"Have I ever told you that I love that you're a man of action?"