She realized his tirade wasn’t directed at her. It was directed at himself on her behalf. She needed to stop him soon, calm him down and make him realize that none of this was his fault. But watching his possessive, obsessive behavior toward her was just a little intoxicating.
When he stopped speaking to take a breath, she asked curiously, “So Tate Colter is another rich guy? A friend of yours?” They’d been to the police station to give a statement, and Tate had been there, but Asha hadn’t really been able to talk to him for long. She was still reeling from the truth of what her husband had done to his two female employees and just how vile he truly was.
“Travis’s buddy. I know him through Travis, but he’s been friends with Travis since college.”
“And he was your spy?” Asha asked innocently.
“It wasn’t like that,” Kade answered irritably. “Colter wanted to get out of Colorado until his leg healed. The winters are brutal and he was in a cast, on crutches. Travis found him a place.”
“And that just happened to be across the hall from me? In the same apartment building? Why couldn’t he stay with Travis? Or at least get a nicer place if he’s that rich?” Asha hesitated for a moment before adding, “And how did he meet some woman in such a short length of time?”
Kade grimaced. “The woman was his sister. She’s happily engaged, but she wanted to see Tate and make sure he was feeling all right after the accident. Yeah. Okay. We sort of thought it would be nice to have Tate there to watch out for you. You took off without contacting anyone. You obviously didn’t want me or anyone else you knew around. Tate volunteered and we set up the apartment for him. Yeah…he’s filthy rich, but he’s lived everywhere. What he told you about being Special Forces was true. ”
“I thought he was my friend,” Asha said wistfully, disappointed that Tate had only hung around with her because of Travis and Kade.
“He is your friend. Believe me…if Colter didn’t like you, he’d watch out for you, but he wouldn’t give you the time of day. Tate’s pretty raw. Just like Travis.” Stopping in the middle of the room, Kade eyed her speculatively. “You like him?”
Asha shrugged. “Yeah. I do like him, even though he was only sent on a spying mission by you and Travis.”
“He wasn’t a damn spy. He was just there to help if you needed him. You were alone,” Kade grumbled. “But I still want to kick his ass for approving that car.” After a slight hesitation, Kade asked, “How much do you like him?”
Asha looked up at him, startled. Kade’s voice was radiating jealousy, and his jaw muscles were twitching. In spite of those facts, he looked vulnerable.
“I like him as a friend. He was nice to me. He joked around with me. I haven’t ever really had that before with a friend.” She sighed. “But he’s not you and he never will be.” Asha slid off the bed and went to stand in front of Kade, never breaking eye contact. “When I thought I was going to die, the only thing I really regretted is that I never told you how I felt about you. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you now, but I don’t ever want to feel that way again. I want you to know exactly how I feel with no regrets.”
“Tell me,” Kade said huskily.
“I love you,” Asha said in a low whisper, barely able to get the words out over the lump in her throat. “I know you didn’t ask for it and you probably don’t want it, but it’s there, and I’m tired of trying to bury it. You’re the one I was longing for in that picture I drew of myself, the hunger that I thought would never be satisfied. I think I’ve longed for you my whole life. I just didn’t know it.”
“Tell me you really mean it,” Kade demanded. “But I’m warning you, I’m never fucking letting you go if you do. Oh hell, I’m never letting you go, anyway. But I want you to tell me.”
“I mean it. But I don’t want you to feel obligated because—”
Her words were effectively stopped by his mouth seizing hers, his hands on both sides of her head to keep her still as he devoured her. His kiss was alternately carnal and adoring, demanding and giving, his tongue and lips owning her, yet also giving himself to her. He grasped her ass, picking her up, his lips never breaking contact.
Asha found herself on the bed, Kade having hastily removed her tray of food, making his way to his closet, and returning with several of his ties. He dropped the ties on the bed and began unbuttoning his pajama shirt, baring her breasts as he came to the last button. “You look sexy as hell in my shirt, but I need you naked,” he rasped, his expression serious and eerily calm.