Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise #2)(38)

I smoothed a hand down my skirt and stepped closer to where he sat. He hadn’t moved, but his demeanor wasn’t calm. Instinctively, I reached for Grandpa’s Passion, a hard liquor that was enough proof it didn’t register. Other than it being strong, I didn’t care what was in the alcohol at the moment. I poured Cain and I each two fingers’ worth. He tipped his glass to mine before I raised it.

“Are we really gonna do this?” I questioned. The path was the same. He was offered this drink, then the next thing he knew; we were married. Legally.

“Yep,” he said, throwing back the glass. He didn’t choke or sputter as he had the first time he took a sip of this potent concoction. He gently tapped the glass back on the bar and spoke.

“Whatcha reading?”

I had to laugh. His memory was incredible.

“Inside My Body,” I stated, and I watched as he swallowed hard. His eyes opened wide and he bit his lip to contain the surprise.

“Human anatomy?” he questioned, forcing me to remember my line. It’s what I’d been reading when we first met. This textbook was also human anatomy on a greater scale of detail.

“Yes,” I said, my voice breathless for some reason. He nodded once toward the stack of books.

“What else you got?” His lips curled slowly. His dark eyes darkened and twinkled in the dim light of reflecting candles throughout the room.

“Your Body, My Body,” I snarked, raising an eyebrow in jest. His smile grew and his lips twisted to prevent a laugh. He wasn’t accepting that the books I mentioned were real, especially not actual textbooks for my class.

“I see one more down there,” he said, implying the stack.

“The Naked Body,” I sputtered, as calmly as I could. His hand smacked the countertop and he sat back slightly. His shoulder hitched backward before he let out a laugh.

“God, I…” he stopped himself and the rough laughter died on his lips. I remained frozen behind the bar, my eyes not leaving his face. I wanted to know what he intended to say. I wanted him to complete the phrase. Instead, he cleared his throat.

“So where’s this Jacob dude?” he questioned, the atmosphere between us instantly changed to thick negativity instead of the playful energy of moments ago.

“He isn’t here,” I replied noncommittally, reaching for his glass and pouring in more of Grandpa’s Passion. I hadn’t even touched my own and Cain’s eyes fell to my glass on the bar.

“Oh no,” he clarified. “This time, I intend to remember.”

“If I remember correctly, you were ready to prove a few things to me.” I raised an eyebrow in implication. In our first meeting, he was eager to support his claim that he was a big man, all over, but I didn’t need him to prove anything to me in this conversation. I already knew the truth of his body. He was large - everywhere.

He didn’t follow my attempt to return things to playful. He leaned forward again and grew serious. He averted his eyes as he stared at the grained lines of the wooden bar. My name was called by another worker, and I excused myself when Cain didn’t respond to me.

As I passed by him on my way to Shannon, the hostess, Cain’s hand shot out and circled my wrist. I stopped in my path, but didn’t turn to him. His hand loosened and his fingers tenderly dragged up and down the sensitive skin of my forearm.

“I’m here to prove a few things again.” It wasn’t merely a statement: it was a warning. I scampered off to help Shannon before my heart could hope in anticipation at what his words possibly meant.





No room at the inn was an understatement. The place was busy. Sofie explained to me previously about the First Wives Club, which I encountered on my original stay here. There also seemed to be a wedding rehearsal celebration, and a few sets of couples smattered here and there in the wine bar. Sofie worked swiftly and efficiently, distributing drink orders, logging in food orders, and passing out warm welcomes to all. I could compare her to a whirlwind of activity, but through it all she was calm and reserved. Her shyness was endearing and people didn’t make demands of her. This wasn’t Vegas: this was Napa. The vibe was sedate, restful, and pleasant.

She worked until midnight then had to help with some close down, like cashing out the register and stocking for the next night. Through it all, I sat at the bar and watched her. She was so beautiful. Her red glasses and twisted hair made her look studious, respectable, and not at all what I would typically attract. The loud divorcees in the corner, or the women in clothes so tight there was nothing left for the imagination, were the types that gravitated toward me. Sofie was quiet and her flouncy skirt and red t-shirt reminded me of when I first met her. Red was her color. It was bright, but calm. Sinful, but seductive. I liked it on her, but I liked it more so off of her.

It wasn’t until she finished working and turned off the final lights that I broke the news to her.

“I don’t have a room.”

She stared at me as we stood in a darkened entryway.

“What?”

“I don’t have a place to stay,” I clarified.

“You came all this way without a reservation?”

“Well …” I smiled slowly, “I was hoping to stay with someone.” Her eyes opened wide, and I held my breath. We’d had a fight, but I didn’t want to argue with her. I fought with everyone else in my life.