Country Kisses (3:AM Kisses Book #8)(60)
Piper comes over and helps me to my feet as well. “Everything fine and dandy?”
“Piper”—Cade touches the back of his hand to his cheek and inspects for blood—“we haven’t had a second together.” He winces over at me. “Cassidy,” he presses my name out with such heartache I can’t help but bleed for him—for the two of us.
“He sort of had a conversation with my sister.” I nod over to Caila as Piper squeals like a little pink piglet full of Sunday joy.
“Did she get you?” Piper howls and claps up a storm. “I remember when I thought she was a stripper myself.” She glances to Caila. “No offense.” She turns back to her brother. “I about had a heart attack. Did she take off her shirt? Did you see her boobs and die right there?”
“Yes.” Cade nods incredulously at his baby sis before glancing to mine. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’m sorry about getting on stage and disrupting your routine.”
Piper sucks in a hard breath. “You went up on stage?”
“He sure did.” I glare at him a moment, still not quite sure what to make out of his runway routine. I know he was trying to protect me—but that declaration of love. Was that real? Or just a ploy to get me—Caila—to put my shirt back on? “Well, I’m here, and you’re talking to me. Go ahead, Cade. Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of the people here. I don’t think we have anything else to hide.” I swallow down the heart-shaped lump in my throat. I’m sort of hoping he breaks into song again—the one with the words I never thought I’d hear from a man.
Cade looks around before landing those steel blue beams square over mine.
“I love you.” He staggers forward, landing his strong, warm hands over my arms. His eyes bear into mine with a desperate look of longing. “I mean it, Cassidy. I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my life. What we have is real. I swear to you, it’s too good to pass up. Please, can we go somewhere alone and talk?”
That knot builds in my throat ten times harder than before as I glance to my sister.
“You want to go anywhere with him?” Her eyes cut like glass. I’ve been holing up with Caila this last week and a half. It’s been some long overdue sisterly bonding time, and I don’t regret a minute. Piper knew where I was the entire time, but I swore I’d pop her hot little head right off her body if she uttered a single word. And, true to Piper form, she was loyal to a fault. A part of me wishes she had uttered a word. I’m pretty sure she’s not the reason I’m standing next to her brother at the moment. Only the good Lord knows how, but that boy tracked me down on his own.
“I guess we can go somewhere.” My entire body lets out a sigh of relief. It’s as if the moment I left his presence I was holding my breath again, hacking my way through the woods of life just struggling to survive.
Piper offers up a tight embrace and whispers hotly into my ear, “Be nice to him. If Cade says he loves you, he means it. You already know that I love you.” She pulls back with tears in her eyes. “I love you both.” She gives a little shrug as Owen takes her by the hand, and they take off into the night.
“Well, I’m starting to feel like a third wheel.” Caila steps up to Cade with her arms folded tight across her chest. If Cade thinks his little sister is a pistol, he’s about to be bested by my personal AK-47. “Nice to finally meet you, too, Mr. Cade James.” Caila may sound sweet enough, but that hard-as-galvanized-steel gaze of hers lets you know exactly what she’s thinking, or at least the not-so subtle hint of it. “Rumor has it, you like your women in pairs.”
Cade closes his eyes a moment and bounces a soft nod. “No, I like my women singular. I don’t have anyone else.” He reaches over and brushes my cheek with his thumb. “This girl, right here, is all I need.”
“Good answer.” Caila is not impressed. That little smirk she’s giving him is a telltale sign. “You do realize Cassidy is special.” Her entire demeanor softens, and I freeze just looking at her in horror as she readies to sell me out.
“I’m not special,” I hiss the words as if they were dirty. “I just needed some space.”
“You are special—to me.” Cade draws my fingers to his with apprehension. “I’m not going to hurt your sister, Caila. I promise you that.” He doesn’t break his gaze from mine.
“I’ll leave you two alone. Cass, if you need me, you know where to find me. Don’t take crap from anyone. If that little Tennessee tart gives you a hard time, you know what to do.” Caila struts off with her shoulders back, head held high as if she’s just conquered the world, and here I am with my tail between my legs, the man of my dreams declaring his love for me, and I don’t know what to do with it. Romantic love has always been a far-off concept reserved for other people—and here I am, the square peg trying to fit into a round hole. It won’t work. It can’t. Right?
“I guess this is the part where I apologize.” It comes out breathy as I glance to the ground. “Cade, I—”
He shakes his head. His brows dip into that sexy hard V I adore, and his lips bleed a sad smile my way.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for. You were honest and upfront with me the day we met. You said you wanted to keep things low-key. I’m the one who tried changing the rules, so I apologize.” The moon kisses his dark hair, giving it the illusion of blue icicles slicked back in smooth shards. He lays his hand over his heart, his eyes never leaving mine. “Cassidy, if all you want from me is what we had going, then that’s what it will be. I’ll take anything you’re willing to give me.” His Adam’s apple rises and falls with so much drama my stomach sinks at what he might say next. “But—”