While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3)(26)

*

I pulled the frozen towel out of the freezer and picked up the fresh thermos of lemonade I’d prepared for Cage. He had returned an hour ago and I’d waited until he was busy to take his things out to him. It wasn’t that I wanted to avoid him as much as it was I liked the game it had turned into. He wanted to catch me leaving him the towel and fresh drink. I preferred to remain the invisible fairy. Smiling I headed for the door when it swung open and Daddy walked inside.

“You bringing that to me?” he asked, staring down at the ice towel like the ones he kept in the freezer for himself. I never took things out to Daddy. He always came inside when he was hot and thirsty. Cage didn’t do that. He just stayed outside in the heat.

“Um…” I wasn’t sure how to answer this. I didn’t want to lie to him because I was pretty sure he’d see right through me and it would make a bigger deal out of this than it was.

Daddy stood there frowning at me and I knew I needed to answer him before he came up with the worst possible scenario.

“Cage won’t come inside when he gets thirsty or hot. I haven’t been real welcoming. So, when he is busy I go leave him a towel and a drink so I don’t have to talk to him.”

That was the truth or at least it was up until about an hour ago in the lake.

Daddy let out a sigh and nodded his head. “You’re a good girl, Eva. That boy probably ain’t had a whole lot, if any, extra care taken with him. He’s a hard worker though. That’s for sure. Guess I should’ve been worrying about him over—heating and dehydrating.” He stepped around me and patted me on the back.

He wasn’t going to get mad about this. Relaxing, I let out a quiet sigh of relief and took a step toward the door.

“Don’t mean he’s good enough for you. Keeping your distance is what you need to do. Just ‘cause he’s a good worker don’t mean he ain’t dangerous to a pretty young girl. Especially an innocent.”

I couldn’t agree with him. I knew better. Cage wasn’t dangerous at all. He was nothing like Daddy assumed. Nodding my head was the best I could do. I stepped outside into the heat and headed down to the barn.

Cage rounded the truck shirtless and carrying a shovel. I almost tripped over myself. His nipple was bare again. As much as I liked looking at the piercing I was thankful. He was right about Daddy. He wouldn’t like it much. He stopped walking when he saw me coming and a grin instantly lit up his face. Reminding myself that Daddy was probably watching from the window of the kitchen I knew we would have to play this cool.

“What’s this? Eva Brooks bringing me an ice towel and a thermos of water? Better watch it, my invisible fairy will get jealous. She’s the possessive sort.”

I had to bit my lip hard to keep from smiling. “She’ll get over it and it isn’t water. It’s lemonade,” I said, setting it down on the tailgate of the truck.

His eyes left me and scanned the yard. He was looking for Daddy.

“He’s watching us from the kitchen window. Just take it. I’ll see you later.” I gave him a small smile and then turned and headed right back to the house. I just hoped he wasn’t watching me walk away. Daddy wouldn’t like that at all.

“Thanks!” he called from behind me and I kept on walking.





Chapter Eleven


Cage



For three days she’d been gone. Three very long days. When I’d woke up to find a letter had been left beside my bed I’d been hoping it was a sexy letter letting me know when I would get to be alone with her again. Instead it was a letter telling me that Jeremy was coming to get her and take her to visit his family in Louisiana and that she’d be back in a couple of days.

I had been anxious since she left. I knew he was telling her about his plans and it was making me nervous as shit. I didn’t like thinking about her being off somewhere and upset. Reminding myself that Jeremy knew how to deal with her emotions just fine was hard.

Low would be here to get me in the morning and I didn’t want to leave without seeing Eva first. I wouldn’t enjoy my day off without knowing she was okay. How did I not have her damn phone number? I’d slept all night with her in my arms and I’d given her an orgasm in the lake. I didn’t normally plan on seeing a girl again so I never asked for their numbers unless they knew the score. Eva didn’t fall into either of those categories. She was… more. I needed her f*cking cell number.

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. Maybe I could call Low and see if she just wanted to do something around here for a few hours. I didn’t have to go check on my apartment. The idea of hanging out with Preston and picking up girls on the beach no longer held the same appeal. Eva Brooks was screwing with my head.

I picked up my phone and pressed Low’s speed dial number.

“Cage?”

“Yeah, you good?”

Larissa squealed in the background and started clapping while calling my name.

“Someone wants to talk to you, hold on.”

Smiling, I waited for Larissa’s little voice. I hadn’t seen her since I came out here. Larissa was Low’s niece. Until Larissa’s father decided to become part of her life I’d helped Low take care of Larissa while Larissa’s mother did other things. At times it was like Larissa was Low’s child. Things changed though once Low’s fiancé, Marcus Hardy, walked into her life. Now, Larissa only came to visit Low when Low asked for her.