19

Lilith’s POV
What the hell was happening to me? In just a few hours, Caden had managed to make me open up, peel away the layers I’d spent years keeping tight. He was drawing me in, closer than I’d ever allowed anyone to get before. And the worst part? He wasn’t just reaching me on some surface level. No, he was starting to dig under my skin… into my heart. I couldn’t deny it anymore. But would this feeling fade once Caleb showed up? Would it all snap back into place, my guard firmly in place again? I didn’t know. Hell, I didn’t even trust my own moods to stay steady when Caleb was around.
But then… I saw it. I saw him with that pup. And when the mother looked at him, her pride so palpable it nearly suffocated the air around us, I couldn’t fight the warmth blooming in my chest. The way she looked at him-like he was something she’d been waiting for, hoping for, and seeing her daughter so clearly touched by his kindness… I couldn’t just walk away from that. It was too much. And I knew that moment would be forever etched in both Elysia and her daughter’s memories. They’d tell everyone. I couldn’t help but think Rose would lose her mind over this, pushing me to tell that female I was their Luna and that I was proud of my mate for being so dedicated to the pack. The problem was, I didn’t even know who her mate was or what he was doing, and I didn’t want to appear fake or insincere.
Caden seemed so… comfortable. It wasn’t just that he fit into this place-he owned it. Every single person we passed greeted him, smiled, nodded, some even stopping to shake his hand. At first, it was a little annoying-people seemed to swarm him. But soon enough, it became something else. Something I couldn’t quite name, but something warm. Unlike Caleb, Caden didn’t wear an ego like a badge. There was no arrogance. It was real. And I felt the pull of it.
A few people asked about his parents, his sister. Some even insisted he didn’t have to pay for anything, but Caden wasn’t having it. He refused to let anyone treat him like that. I found myself quietly feeling guilty about Dahlia offering to pay for things tomorrow, but I was stuck. My bank account wasn’t exactly overflowing, and I definitely wasn’t about to ask my parents to pick up the tab. I just knew whatever Dahlia picked out for me was going to be more than I could afford.
We arrived at the haunted house, and by then, I was starting to get uncomfortable on his back. I slipped down, and Caden made his way to talk to the attendant. Of course, he knew the guy. And of course, Caden slipped him a hundred-dollar bill and a sly wink. That, right there, made something flutter deep in my chest.
“Oh, he’s going to get deep inside… I hope so,” Rose teased, practically giddy.
I rolled my eyes. “Cussing, huh?” I taunted, smirking at her.
She stuck out her tongue, and Caden linked his arm with mine. The attendant put up a sign: *Temporarily closed*. Caden grinned, licking his lips as he swung open the door.
I peeked inside, but all I could see was black. Then, suddenly, a huge Frankenstein lurched forward, a bright light illuminating his face. I jumped, squeezing Caden’s arm. He barely reacted, of course.
“Stuff like this doesn’t usually get me,” I said, trying to mask my surprise. “But I bet you know every trick, don’t you?”
Caden grinned, guiding me further inside. “We helped build this place about eight years ago,” he said nonchalantly, pulling me along.
Rose squeezed her eyes shut as more spooks jumped out, or dropped from the ceiling. I started laughing, because honestly? They were pretty cheesy. But the laughter felt good. Caden led me somewhere, I had no idea where. It was pitch black. The music turned up, and then, in the corner, I saw a faint light. Caden motioned for me to follow, and when I did, I peered into a corner where a severed head was being vacuumed out of sight.
I snickered, watching the guy try to move the dummy, but it was obvious Caden had planned this. He cut the lights, pulling me into a cushioned bench. Before I could process anything, his lips were on mine, and for a moment, I nearly laughed. I remembered my first kiss at fifteen-clumsy, awkward, and certainly not like this. A stupid game at a party, Seven Minutes in Heaven. Just twenty seconds of sour cream and onion chips on a guy’s bad breath. I shoved him away and went home feeling annoyed, unsatisfied.
Rose nearly lost it, teasing, *Not gonna happen now, girl!*
But this? This was different.
Caden’s tongue slid against mine, deeper now, wanting more. My hands tangled in his hair, feeling the roughness of it, the heat between us. His hands were already moving me, shifting me so I was straddling him. Without thinking, I hiked my skirt up, not caring about the world. A low growl rumbled from deep inside him, and I couldn’t help but feel that familiar fire. I didn’t even care if I had invited it or not.
In just a couple of hours, the way he looked at me-so raw, so vulnerable-had ignited something in me I wasn’t sure I could control. He wasn’t looking at me like I was just another body. No, he was looking at me like I was someone he needed, and that, more than anything, turned me on.
Maybe it was the back of my mind testing if he could really live up to his reputation.
Before I could finish that thought, his fingers moved, tracing the inside of my thigh before venturing further.
“Lily, I need to taste you… so badly,” he murmured against my ear, his voice a low growl.
My body reacted before my mind could catch up, and I spread my legs, giving him access, feeling the heat between us build with every second.
“Already soaking,” he murmured, his words a mix of satisfaction and lust as his fingers explored further.
And for the first time, I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t care about the world outside, or the past I had been running from. I wanted this. Wanted him.
My hands tangled in his hair, his hat forgotten somewhere on the floor. Without a word, he shifted me, guiding me to straddle him. I moved instinctively, pulling my skirt up just enough to give us room. A low growl rumbled from his chest, and despite myself, I welcomed it, my body responding before my mind could catch up. In that moment, I wasn’t concerned with intention-I just let go.
In the span of a few hours, he had managed to turn my world upside down. The way he looked at me-eyes wide with awe and tenderness-was far more intoxicating than I’d ever expected. I’d never been seen like this, not just for my body but for who I was, and it shook me in the most thrilling way. His sincerity, his ease, made me wonder if perhaps we were both stepping out of our usual roles tonight.
What started as a playful kiss soon deepened, but it wasn’t enough for me. The back of my mind was hungry, restless-wondering if he could truly live up to the reputation I had heard so much about. Before I could fully process the thought, his fingers began their slow, deliberate journey. First on my thigh, then moving higher, and I couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through me.
“Lily, I need to taste you, so fucking bad,” he said, just in my ear over the music.
I groaned at the thought, hoping like hell he was good. I hadn’t gotten off from oral since the last time I was with Briar, men rarely knew what they were doing. I spread myself to him and his hand wasted no time gripping my panties and shoving them aside.
“Already soaking wet, I knew you would be,” he said, and began assaulting my neck.
I never, ever let someone leave a hickey on me but fuck… I kinda wanted him to.
Yes! More than hickeys, Rose swooned.
His finger instantly didn’t feel like enough as it slid inside me, as just as I thought it, he added another.
” Caden, please,” I said, as his wet fingers rubbed over my clit.
He moved back to my lips and kissed me passionately, with urgency although I had no clue how long we were getting this place to ourselves. I found myself grinding against his hand, inhaling his campfire scent along with my arousal in the air. I just caught it over the smoke smell and whatever else haunted houses smell like.
Suddenly and with no warning he removed his hand, gripped my ass over my panties and stood up. He then laid me on the bench and quickly took off my cute lacy boy shorts and did who knows what with them. I laughed at how ridiculous this was, but it was also still hot as fuck. I spread myself to him and he dove right in, wasting no time. His big hands alternated between groping my ass and gripping my hips as I bucked into him.
His tongue was wide and strong, and it was obvious straight away he knew what he was doing, and he loved it. I wasn’t sure he was breathing but I currently didn’t care. He went deep and then came up to my clit to suck it, repeatedly until I was a panting mess. My mind flashed to the memory of him naked in bed this morning, his morning wood at full attention. I was instantly so … so close.
I put my hands in his hair and pulled a bit, making him vibrate from somewhere between my legs and it pushed me over the edge. I tugged his hair harder and he did it again, causing me to explode with a scream.
He didn’t stop, my reaction only encouraged him as he added two fingers. I writhed against the small bench, my hips and ass moving up and down with his rhythm. I’d lost my shoes at some point and I was positive my hair was a mess. But I didn’t want him to stop, he better … not … stop. We continued for several minutes, as I moaned without a care in the world.
” Caden! Ohh yes,” I screamed, barely registering I’d done it until the name flew out of my mouth. Well hell, I had to give credit where credit was due, this … was fucking … mind blowing.
He finally slowed and then I heard him panting as he kissed my inner thighs. My whole body was still shaking and trying to come back to earth. Maybe I didn’t need to, maybe I could just stay here. Then I had the thought that the night was still young, surely this wasn’t all he had planned?
He quickly shifted and pulled me into his lap again, he moved my hair off my neck and kissed it. I wrapped my arms around his neck and lazily sighed with happy exhaustion.
“Lilith you … are mine. There’s no mistake about that. I’m gonna lick your pussy every damn day,” he groaned, and I felt his huge bulge between my legs.
I laughed and just let him hold me, unsure if he expected me to reciprocate in here or what we were doing. I was so good at giving head, and I’d be absolutely lying if I said I wasn’t beyond eager to taste him too. Some women think blowjobs are nasty, and degrading to a female.
Well they’ve never owned it, literally held a man’s entire universe in her mouth and hands, taking him to the absolute brink of insanity. If you’re that good, you get off it just as much.
“How long do we have this place to ourselves,” I finally managed to ask.
I didn’t want to go down on him in the dark, watching his experience is half the fun for me.
Since Caden is already so expressive, I knew I couldn’t miss that.
“We need to get going, part two of the date awaits,” he said, pulling out his phone for light.
My heart skipped as I saw the wetness on his face, the evidence of our passion. He licked it off with an almost feral look in his eyes, and I instinctively wiped it away with my fingers, tasting myself. His grip on my ass tightened, and he pressed against me, the weight of his desire palpable. I’d seen men burning with lust before, desperate for release. But this… this was raw, undeniable need. His eyes were heavy-lidded with lust, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this turned on by just the way someone looked at me.
“What about you?” I asked, teasing, as I pressed a light kiss to his lips.
“Oh, there’s time for that,” he replied, clearing his throat, before gently lowering me onto the bench. He retrieved my panties from his pocket, giving them a quick glance before handing them back to me. His phone’s flashlight illuminated the small space as I fumbled to put them on, while he adjusted the dummy back to its original position.
I half expected to feel embarrassed walking out, but there was no one around. No one seemed to care. We held hands, exchanging heated glances the entire way back to the car. It felt… intimate, like we were more than just two people out for a date. We were something deeper.
*Yes! We are, we will be,* Rose chimed in, her voice content and sleepy from exhaustion. She could never keep up with me, especially when it came to Caden.
I smirked inwardly, *What if I only want Caden?*
She shook her head, her thoughts almost audible. *You’ll figure it out.*
His chivalry didn’t stop there as he opened the car door for me and held my hand as we drove to the next location. The small talk flowed easily as he pointed out landmarks, describing his parents’ house in detail. The sun had set while we’d been inside the haunted house, and Caden grumbled about not being able to watch it together at the beach. I reassured him that there would always be a next time.
*Next time… at Blood Moon,* Rose mused, her tone matter-of-fact. *We’re coming back here to live, duh.*
I glanced out the window, making a face at her comment, just as Caden stopped in a parking lot. He led me down a long walkway lit by cute solar lights, and my eyes widened when I saw the scene before me: a giant blanket covered in large pillows, spread out on the sand. Fire torches surrounded the area, casting a soft glow on everything. There was a picnic basket and a small table set with wine glasses. Beyond that, I could hear the gentle crash of waves-low tide.
The warmth spread through me, and for the first time in ages, I felt far too much-too many emotions swirling inside me, ones I didn’t quite know how to process.
I’d never had anyone do something this romantic for me before. Was he expecting anything from this? Was this a setup for something more? I couldn’t shake the unease that Caleb might pop out from behind a dune or something. But as I stood there, it was just him-Caden-leading me toward this beautiful bed of navy blue sand beneath the sky.
“Are you sure we’re alone here?” I asked, even though I didn’t sense any other presence. But the world felt so exposed in that moment-vulnerable. Surely someone could have a telephoto lens trained on us.
“I’m sure,” he said, his smile crooked and full of promise. “I’m already gonna have to share you with Caleb. I’m damn sure not sharing you with anyone else.”
His phone played softly in the background, and I recognized the sound of Louis Armstrong singing “Cheek to Cheek” with Ella Fitzgerald. A warm nostalgia washed over me, remembering my parents, hopelessly in love, slow-dancing in the kitchen when I was little. I wondered why they ever stopped.
Caden set his phone down on the picnic basket, took my hands, and led me closer. Laughter bubbled from me as I let him guide me, still in shock that this was real. He held me tightly, our bodies pressed together as we swayed gently with the breeze, completely lost in each other.
~ Heaven, I’m in heaven ~