“That’s quite the sigh.” I startle at the voice from next to me, too absorbed in my own head to hear Kade walk up to me. “Want to share what’s on your mind?” He waits for me to share while he holds out a plate with a sandwich on it.
I grab the plate and smile when I notice what’s on it. “Peanut butter and jelly?”
He laughs and refills both of our wine glasses. “It was either a PB&J or a bowl of cereal.”
I take a bite, enjoying the taste of my first PB&J sandwich since I was ten years old. “You made the right choice then.”
“So, are you going to tell me what you were thinking about when I walked in here?” He sounds genuinely curious.
I stare into his blue-gray eyes for a moment, and without permission my mouth does something stupid. “How do I know you’re not lying to me? About everything?” As soon as I say those words, I wish I could take them back. “Shit, forget I said this. I didn’t—”
“It’s a fair question.” His smile is soft, and he doesn’t seem upset I question his honesty. “What exactly is it you question? Like I said, I want to prove to you I’m not the asshole I have been for the past weeks. I think that’s one point we can both agree on. I was a bastard.”
“Well,” I start before I look away from his mesmerizing eyes, trying to gather my thoughts. “You wouldn’t be the first man, or woman, to deny they’re in a relationship when they are just trying to get someone into bed.” The longer I speak, the quieter my voice is getting until I say the last word on a whisper. I’m not sure if I’m afraid to say them out loud because of his reaction or answer.
Instead of getting angry, like I would have expected when questioning his honesty, he calmly grabs his phone and dials a number, putting it on speaker.
“Hi, Kade. Is everything okay?” I hear Lauren’s voice coming from the phone, and I’m surprised that’s who he’d call to verify his story, not that I should be. Who else would know the truth? And she has no reason to lie.
“Of course, why would you ask?”
“Because we got hit by this monster of a storm, and I know you were at the Oakley farm earlier. I was kind of hoping you’d get stranded there with Montana since she’s by herself for a few days.” I can hear her sigh through the phone.
“Why the hell would you hope for me to be stranded with her?” he asks slightly outraged, like he’s offended by the thought. I realize his indignation isn’t real when he’s winking at me with a mischievous smirk.
“Seriously,” Lauren snaps, clearly frustrated at this point. “You know exactly why. You’re into her. It’s actually pretty sickening how into her you are. I might have had my fun with both of you over the past month, her thinking we’re together while you’re being obstinate about it all, but it’s getting annoying to watch your push and pull, swinging insults at each other while we can all tell you want to bang it out. Hell, I wish you’d finally do it to get rid of the sexual tension filling every room you co-inhabit.”
“I see.” His eyes are ablaze with victory while listening to Lauren going on a rant about us being too stubborn for our own good.
“Lauren—”
“Kade, she’s perfect for you, if you’d just open your eyes to what’s right in front of you.”
“Lauren,” he finally snaps, unable to get a word in otherwise. “I hear you, all right?”
There’s silence for a moment after that statement. “Does that mean you’re finally going to stop being a stubborn idiot and make a move?”
“Well”—he clears his throat and averts his eyes—“I’m trying to.”
“I knew she wasn’t going to make it easy and melt like everyone else, just because you smile at her.”
“Yeah, well, she’s as stubborn as you accuse me of being. Doesn’t help she believes we’re still together.” His eyes come back to mine, now flickering with mirth. “So thanks for clearing that up.”
She burst out laughing, her melodic voice filling the dark cabin. “You had me on speaker?”
“He did,” I chime in with a smile.
“Montana, hi,” she sobers slightly, but her voice is still filled with hilarity. “How are you?”
“Good. Though this storm has me freaked out a bit,” I confess as much to her as to Kade. It’s not only the storm making me feel this way, but Kade’s presence in my childhood home.
“Kade will take care of you.” When Lauren’s words register in my mind, my eyes snap to Kade. I’m not sure if the innuendo in her words was on purpose, but my mind wanders there without consent. And from the looks of it, Kade thoughts align with my own.
I can’t help but tease the man after his cocky behavior. “We’ll see if he’s up for the challenge.”
A gagging noise sounds on the other end of the phone, I guess Lauren caught the innuendo as well. “Ew, I really don’t want to hear this.”
I’m still staring at Kade, the smile not leaving my face, when he reaches out to grab his phone. “Bye, Lauren.” He ends the call before she can respond and throws it onto the coffee table. “I got a challenge to
