Stealing Rose (The Fowler Sisters #2)(26)

No. Of course not. If Whitney had been there, Violet would have seen her and mentioned it.

But what if he has another girlfriend? Maybe he has a woman in every city. Maybe he’s a world-traveling trust fund baby who has time to kill and plenty of money to spend. I could do the same if I wanted. In fact, I’m doing exactly that right now, pretending to work at Fleur while I hide out. From what, I’m not sure.

My boring life? My responsibilities? Myself?

Or all of the above?

I’m so lost in thought that I plow right into a solid someone while I’m walking down the street, offering a quick apology as I’m about to dart out of his way when I feel strong hands grip my shoulders and a sizzling awareness heats my veins.

Only one person has been able to make my body react like that.

Glancing up, I’m staring into his face. Caden’s. “Are you stalking me?” I ask incredulously.

He offers me a lopsided smile and slowly shakes his head, his hair falling into his eyes. He looks young. Boyish. That doesn’t distract from his sex appeal, though. “I’d hoped to run into you, but not quite so literally.”

“So you are stalking me.” I take a step back, sad yet relieved when his hands fall away from my shoulders. I can’t think when he touches me. I might do something stupid.

“Sort of.” He shrugs in this completely unassuming way and I’m charmed. “Nigel mentioned you were staying at a hotel not too far from the Swan.”

“And you thought you’d come back out here on a Saturday afternoon and hope to find me?”

“Rather ambitious, right?” He steps out of the way of shoppers trying to pass by and I do the same, the both of us leaning against a brick building that houses a hair salon. He looks good in faded jeans and a black T-shirt, much how he looked last night, only this time there’s more stubble on his face, though his hair is somewhat tamed.

I immediately imagine him rubbing those stubble-covered cheeks against my inner thighs and just like that, I’m wet.

“I’ve always appreciated an ambitious man,” I tell him, folding my arms in front of me, trying to keep my distance.

“Whatcha got there?” He lifts his chin, indicating the tiny shopping bag dangling from my fingers.

“Oh, this?” I glance down at the bag advertising the name of the shop. “Nothing much.” Quite literally.

“I’m sure,” he drawls, his expression knowing. “So tell me … bra or panties?”

Did he see me enter the lingerie shop? How does he know about it? I’ve never heard of the store before and it’s not a chain. Maybe he’s bought Whitney stuff from there.

Ew.

“Like it’s any of your business.” Dropping my arms, I turn away from him, intent on returning to the hotel so I can hide out. It was a mistake, shopping. It was probably more of a mistake to fool around with Caden last night. I know nothing about him. He has a girlfriend. He’s probably a loser. A sexy-as-hell, gorgeous loser, but a loser nonetheless.

“Hey, hey, why the attitude?” He grabs hold of the crook of my elbow, stopping my escape. I glare at him from over my shoulder and the confusion written all over his face doesn’t offer any satisfaction. It just makes me feel bad. “What did I do?”

“You found me, that’s what you did.” I jerk out of his hold. “Go buy lingerie for your girlfriend.” I turn and he lets me leave. I’m fighting the disappointment that’s trying to take hold when I realize he’s walking right beside me. What’s wrong with me? Do I want to shake him or do I want to keep this going? He confuses me completely. I don’t like it.

I stop and so does he. “Go away,” I murmur, keeping my head averted so I don’t have to look at him.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he says for what feels like the fiftieth time. “I already told you that.”

Finally I look at him. “You’re staying with her,” I point out.

“Doesn’t mean that we’re together.”

“Are you sleeping with her?”

“We sleep in her flat, yes.”

I roll my eyes, irritated that we’re talking in circles. “Are you f*cking her?”

He cocks his head, contemplating me as a ghost of a smile plays at the corners of his too sexy lips. “I’ve f*cked her before.”

This time I can’t fight the disappointment. It settles over me heavily, making my shoulders slump. “Then this,” I wave my hand between us, “can’t happen again.” I start walking and damn it, so does he, keeping pace, which means he probably has to slow down because his legs are infinitely long and mine are not.

“Who says it can’t happen again?” he asks.

Do I need to break into a full run to get away from this guy? “I do.” I thrust my thumb at my chest. “I don’t care if you say you’re not with Whitney. If you’re casually banging her, then I’m not going to casually bang you.”

He bursts out laughing, the *. Sexy, insufferable *. “What if I told you the last time I casually banged Whitney was months ago? Maybe closer to a year ago?”

He’s tempting me just by saying that. And I shouldn’t be tempted. I should walk away from this man and remember my two interactions with him fondly. A girl is allowed to indulge. To make mistakes and do careless things, all in the name of stupid youth. That’s all Caden is to me. A careless mistake. A naughty indulgence.