Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)(74)

Me though? I’m not so sure. Bedroom Cade is not Dad Cade. My body tingles in response—I don’t laugh at all.

“I bet you’re . . . behind the shed!” We can hear him jump and then groan when the spot he thought we’d be in is empty.

I turn and give Luke a warning glare because I feel the little puffs of air escaping his lips. After I mouth, Be quiet, he gives me a nod and takes a breath in through his nose.

Cade’s heavy footfalls draw nearer. “How about . . .” He’s approaching the well, but the opposite side. I give Luke a look and point upward, hoping he understands that we’re going to jump.

He nods.

My fingers count down from three.

Two.

One.

“In the well!”

We shoot up and shout, “Boo!”

And predictably, Cade jumps, his tall frame startling as he takes a step back. His handsome face momentarily appears very shocked, and Luke and I dissolve into peals of laughter.

“Gotcha,” I wheeze. “No wet T-shirt this time though!”

“You should have seen your face!” Luke points at him.

“Okay, that’s it. You’re both dead.” Cade points at us, spinning his cap backward and hitting me with a wink.

Dick. He knows it kills me when he wears it like that. Murder me with your dick, please, sir.

Luke turns and guns it for the main house. Cade lets him get a little ahead before his long strides eat up the ground behind him and he scoops Luke up into his arms and starts tickling him. Luke squirms and his light giggles blend with Cade’s deeper baritone.

“Willa! Help!”

“Don’t worry, Luke. I’m coming!” I sprint heroically around the well and get my fingers right up in Cade’s ribs.

He squeals. He straight up squeals, and it is the least manly noise I’ve ever heard come out of such a manly man. We’re all laughing like lunatics, but Cade is stronger, taller, faster—meaner. And somehow, he tosses Luke over one shoulder and hefts me up over the other one.

Luke slaps at his back in breathless hysterics. “Let me down!”

Tossed over the opposite shoulder, I reach down farther and slap his ass, which just makes Luke laugh harder.

“Giddy up, Daddy!” Luke calls, and Cade’s breath huffs out on my bare thigh.

“You two are a pain in my ass.”

“How the hell are you carrying us? This isn’t normal. Put me down.”

“Woman. I can pick up calves, you two are nothing.” His finger traces the inside of my thigh, and I squirm.

“Looks like you’ve got your hands full, son,” Harvey calls out, but I can’t see him. I don’t need to see him to hear the smile in his voice. “Why don’t I take the tiny hell-raiser off your hands for a bit longer?”

“Yes! Save me, Grandpa!” Luke screams, thrashing wildly, shaking his dad’s body as he does.

Cade grunts and sets Luke down instantly. “Good plan, Dad. Divide and conquer.”

I hear Luke sprinting across the driveway away from us as I whisper, “Cade, put me down. I bet everyone can see my ass.”

“They can’t,” he whispers back.

“How do you know?”

“Because I checked. I thought the view might be better than it is. Disappointing, to be honest.”

“Dick. Let me down. I’m not a baby cow.”

Cade just laughs.

“You kids have fun!” Harvey calls, and it strikes me how blatantly obvious it must be that something is going on with us. “I drove past the other day and noticed your lawn. It could really use a good—”

“Dad, just don’t,” Cade grumbles and marches over to his truck with me slung over his shoulder like a bag of feed. Or a baby cow.

“Let’s go, Red. You’re with me today.” He claps my ass loudly to the delighted squeals of Luke and a bark of delighted surprise from his dad.

Blood rushes to my cheeks and I cover my face with my hands. I tell myself it’s because I’m embarrassed, but deep down, I know it’s because this side of Cade is doing something to me.

And that something is going to make leaving when this gig is up damn near impossible.





“Why are we trail riding together on my day off?” I ask Cade from where I’m seated on a pretty dun ranch horse. It makes me miss Tux, but I know he’s fat and happy in a field right now, recuperating just fine. He’ll probably never want to jump another day in his life. He probably thinks he’s retired now.

“Because I wanted to show you the land.”

I eye Cade skeptically. Blueberry’s bobbing head is slung low, totally relaxed as we walk between the sparse bales of hay rolled up behind Cade’s house.

“I’ve seen the land, Cade. I’m feeling pretty familiar with these hay bales too.”

“It’s been a good year for hay,” is his stupid response. He’s all serious, shoulders held taut, hands propped on the horn of his saddle. Stupid hat still backward. “Plus, I feel relaxed out here on the land.”

“You’re acting weird.” I give my gelding, Rocket, a little squeeze, urging him forward so I’m even with Cade. “Why are you acting weird?”

“Can’t I just take you out on a romantic trail ride?”