Chapter Sixteen
On edge from the silent ride to the restaurant, she sat still as a stone while he seemed to contemplate whatever he and Garrett talked about. His fingers hadn’t stopped moving since he’d gotten in the car. He tapped the seat, his leg, the dash of the car, the radio, and the steering wheel. He tapped his thigh as they waited for the hostess to take them to their table. He tapped the goblet before the waitress filled it with water. He tapped the white linen covered table. His mouth didn’t move, but his hands were in constant action.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Talk to me. Talk, Cade. Tell me what you’re thinking. She placed her hand over his and ended the incessant finger movement. “Maybe dinner is a bad idea.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and I get jumpy when I’m hungry.”
She exhaled, the tension from the silence easing. She had to give him an easy out, even with the brewing chemistry between them. She removed her hand from his and clasped her hands together on top of the table. “We spent a weekend together. Go find someone less complicated. You don’t owe me anything.”
Cade covered her hands with his own. “Our weekend changed my life. I don’t care that your life is complicated. My life is complicated sometimes. Wait until you come to a Jackson Family Intervention. You don’t know complicated until you’ve experienced one.” His smile flashed all the way to his eyes.
She laughed. Cade in any kind of intervention seemed ridiculous. The man was too perfect. “A Jackson Family Intervention?”
“I don’t want to scare you off, so I’m not going to elaborate. But we typically have one or two a year, and I’m hosting the next one unless I’m the one who is getting the intervention. We typically rotate homes.”
“Who are you, Cade Jackson?” He had barely texted her while he was gone. Now, they were having dinner like they were a long-term couple after he challenged Garrett for her hand like she was a prize. Well, she kind of liked the way that made her feel. Really, every part of her liked it. He was going to fight for her, but for how long? Garrett wasn’t a give-up kind of guy. He’d often told her he would “never fail, never give up, never back down,” but he’d done all those things. Would Cade stick around through tough times? Surviving Garrett’s challenge would be enough of a test to find out.
“What do you mean?” His face softened to a cute bemused smile.
He embodied honesty, determination, security, loyalty, and humility—all the things she’d come to know him as over the past year. She didn’t want to give up being with him, but she wasn’t ready for a commitment, either. She had a house to sell and a substantial amount of debt to get out from under before she could even think about making some kind of promise. Even then, she wasn’t sure marriage was in her future.
“Mr. Jackson,” a man’s voice said from behind Ella.
Cade looked up.
“Yes, sir?” His eyebrow shot up, seemingly irritated at the interruption.
“Could my wife and I have our picture taken with you?” he asked. “We’re both big fans and saw you speak on Tuesday at the conference in California.”
“I’m in the middle of dinner.” Cade tilted his head to the side and shook his head. His fingers tapped the table near his water goblet.
Ella laughed. Cade has fans? She glanced over her shoulder.
“Oh, Kenneth.” She jerked her head back.
The short, mousy man with dyed blond hair and a spray tan who stood behind her wearing a designer suit had worked for Greg. Her husband fired him because money disappeared.
Last she’d heard, Kenneth had opened his own financial consulting business and was doing very well—probably cheating his clients out of their retirement.
A beautiful, slender redhead in her early thirties wearing a green designer dress posed like a model beside him. She held her cell phone out to Ella.
“I’m sorry about Greg,” Kenneth said politely.
The man didn’t have a genuine bone in his body. He leaned over. The scent of a heavy musk fell from him. She arched to the side to get away from the stench. The man took his time looking her up and down like she was a commodity he considered buying.
“Thanks.” She pulled the hem of her shirt down to straighten the sweat-wrinkles, suddenly aware of how underdressed she was compared to everyone else in the restaurant. “Congratulations on your new marriage.”
“Thanks. I didn’t realize I was interrupting business.”
“She doesn’t mind taking the picture, Kenneth,” the snobby redhead interjected, and gave Ella the same thorough once over. “She obviously works for him. She can think of it as part of her job.” The redhead swung her hips, flaring the skirt of the dress out to show off her lean legs, as she walked around the back of the black leather booth to Cade’s side. An aroma of chemically-derived rose petals smacked Ella in the face and smothered the musk of Kenneth’s scent. The redhead bent over, shoved her ass up next to Cade, and reached across the table in a grand gesture of offering her phone to Ella.
What a bitch. I should cut her out of all the pictures. Heck, maybe I’ll make them all blurry. She accepted the phone from the woman. One pic and they’ll be gone.
****
Cade gripped his knees so he didn’t push the woman with her ass near his face to the ground and stomp on her damn phone. He had no idea who the couple was, but his Ella certainly did. Her entire demeanor changed as soon as the tiny man named Kenneth appeared.
She stiffened as the redhead pointed to the oil stain on Ella’s shirt.
“You should change from your dirty uniform before entering this establishment.” The bitch spoke as if Ella was nastier than moldy garbage instead of his girlfriend.
Ella’s beautiful, summer-blue eyes dulled to a rainy-gray. She sat up straight with the phone in her hand and held an expressionless smile, so unlike his genuine and easy going woman.
“You don’t mind, do you, Ella?” Kenneth’s condescending tone pushed at Cade’s patience. Fury surged as his blood pumped adrenaline in preparation to fight to the death for his woman. Words didn’t come. His mind froze at the audacity of the couple’s actions. Are they fucked in the head?
Kenneth’s gaze dipped to Ella’s chest and lingered.
The asshole wants my Ella. No chance you prick.
Kenneth joined his wife at Cade’s side, standing as close as they could to him.
“I don’t mind.” Ella tapped the screen and lifted the phone.
“I mind.” Cade squeezed imaginary stress balls in his hands. “I stayed for hours answering questions and taking pictures all week. I recently arrived home and want a private dinner with my girlfriend. Catch me another time and a quick picture won’t be a problem, but right now, I’m busy.”
He stretched his fingers and reached across the table. He gently removed the cell phone from Ella’s hand. Kenneth could kiss his ass for looking at his girl. No one treats my future wife like she’s a piece of meat. He handed the cell phone back to the redhead.
The redhead huffed. “It’s just a picture.”
“Then get it another time at one of my public events.” Bitch. How dare you talk to me or my Ella like…
Ella grabbed the phone from the redhead.
“Just smile for the camera,” Ella said. “It’s not a big deal.” She stood up and tapped the screen. She winked at him, and the pretty blue returned to her eyes. She stayed glued to his gaze. “Smile.”
He frowned as the phone flashed. He didn’t want the rat and his flirtatious wife to have a picture worth displaying.
Ella tapped a few times on the phone. “Cade, smile this time.” She seemed tickled with his defiance. “Come on, honey. Smile for me.”
He smiled and showed off his pearly whites for his Ella, not the interlopers.
“Perfect.” She handed the phone back to the unnamed redhead.
“Thank you,” the redhead said. “Who are you again?”
“Ella Winthrop.”
“Oh.” The woman’s face paled. “Related to Gregory Winthrop?”
Ella nodded. “My late husband.” Ella’s eyes sparkled like stars in the midnight sky on a clear night. The love and longing in her gaze reminded him of the way his mother looked at his father, even now, after forty-eight years of marriage. Whatever problems she and Greg had before he died, she loved him as much as Josie had said. From his conversation with Garrett earlier, Greg loved her more than he loved anyone else in the world. Could she love like that again?
“Oh.” The redhead froze in place.
Interesting her late husband’s name would instill that kind of reaction three years after his passing. Had Greg threatened the couple?
“Did you know him?” Cade asked the redhead.
She nodded. He was dying to know why she was so affected by Greg’s name. He needed to find out more about Ella’s late husband. He’d learned a little from the boys, but not about the man’s business acumen, not about life outside being a family man.
Kenneth put his arm around his wife and nodded to Cade. “Have a nice evening, Mr. Jackson.” He smirked at Ella. “Found another big fish I see.”
“I haven’t found anything, Kenneth.” The vibrant blue of her irises seemed to fade to a distant gray again.
Whatever that comment meant, it pained her. She’d been hurt enough. He wasn’t going to put up with some idiot upsetting her.
“Cade, I’m ready to go.” Ella slid out of the booth. Without looking back or hesitating, she walked, favoring her right leg, past the obnoxious couple toward the exit and out of sight.
Cade stood up. “Give me your phone.” He held out his hand to the redhead.
She handed him her phone.
He deleted the picture of them. “You just pissed off the wrong person.” He tossed cash on the table and walked out of the exclusive steakhouse hoping Ella waited outside. He questioned if she would be there, a feeling he wasn’t used to having, and one he didn’t want to experience again.
He rounded the corner of the restaurant. Ella stood alone by his car, looking beautiful in her little, white T-shirt and loose khakis. Her long, brown hair pulled into a ponytail showed off her smooth, clear skin and delicate features. She had no idea how naturally stunning she was. Every man in the restaurant had watched her with desire in their eyes as she walked in and out of the building.
“Hey,” he said. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. Can you take me home?”
He opened the passenger door, and she climbed in without looking at him. He walked around the front of the SUV and got in the driver’s seat. He didn’t want to take her home without having dinner first. She looked like she’d lost some weight since he last saw her, and she couldn’t afford to lose anymore.
“Are we okay?” He started the engine and drove out of the parking lot toward her house.
“Why does Kenneth Kraus think you’re a celebrity?” Ella gazed out the side window.
“Haven’t you heard of me?” Surely you checked me out on Google.
“No, should I have?” Her tone held an undercurrent of hostility. She crossed her arms over her chest.
You didn’t? I’ve been a client for more than a year, and you never Googled me? “Most people know me. Cade Daniel Jackson Enterprises ring any bells?”
“Nope. I guess I should see what I can find about you, Mr. Jackson.”
“I’m not that big of a deal.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her head turn.
She gazed at him with a smug smile on her sexy lips. “Glad to hear that. I was starting to think you suddenly turned into an egomaniac.”
Maybe she wasn’t angry at him. Maybe something else bothered her. “No, sweetie. No ego here. My girlfriend keeps me grounded.”
“Am I your girlfriend? What if I go out with Garrett?”
He rubbed his lips together. Yes, you’re my girlfriend. “Do you want to go out with Garrett?”
“I don’t know.” She squeezed her arms together under her breasts, accentuating their fullness. Her lips flattened to a straight line. “Am I your girlfriend?”
“Do you want to be?” He planned to solidify his title as boyfriend and turn it into husband as soon as possible.
He took a left onto Poplar Avenue and headed east to her house.
“My life is complicated.”
His hands tightened around the wheel. “We’ve established I can deal with complicated.” He needed to relax, or he’d lose her. Pappy said she would set up roadblocks to any real commitment out of fear. Keep to Pappy’s rules. Listen to her. Show her unconditional love.
“Garrett is difficult.” She paused. “Please, don’t be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry with you.” I’m angry with me. I keep making the same mistakes with you. “I know Garrett is the one you were waiting for before I came along. I think you need to make sure you’re over him. I’m good with that.”
“You’re good with that?” Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink. “How good with that? So good you can share me?”
Where did sharing you come from? Is that one of the fantasies Garrett referred to? Do you want to have a real ménage? Me and Garrett?
His dick twitched. If she wanted me and Garrett to fuck her together, I’d try…but damn. I don’t know. Ella brought out the caveman in him. Cavemen didn’t share. He contracted the muscles in his hands around the steering wheel and relaxed them.
“I understand why you’re hesitant to commit to me now that he’s in the picture. Make no mistake, Ella, I do not want to share you. I’m not good with sharing you forever.” Unless there is no other way to have you. “Because of the circumstances, I’ll tolerate us not being exclusive for a short period of time.”
She turned the rest of her body toward him and leaned against the door. “Why would you tolerate it? There are lots of women who would love to be with only you.”
“Garrett was right. I’ve never been faithful to one woman, not that I’ve been unfaithful. Until you, I’ve never wanted to be exclusive with one woman, never said I’d be exclusive to a woman. Ella, I want you. Only you. You need to figure out that you want only me.” His hands relaxed as she exhaled. The tension between them lessened with each breath she took.
“I don’t know what I’m doing. My life is not my own right now. My boys need me. My daughter, as independent as she is, needs me too. ”
“Your kids are your top priority as they should be, but your kids aren’t kids anymore. Kyle and Jason are days from turning eighteen. They’re eager to start their lives with all the difficulties that go along with adulthood. You can trust me to walk the road ahead with you. I’ll be by your side the entire way. Just…” He exhaled. “…Trust me.” Your boys trusted me enough to confide about the problems with their history teacher. Can’t you believe in me too?
“Can I trust you? Can I really trust you?”
“Yes, you can.”
“Can I trust you not to tell anyone something really private?” she asked.
“I won’t tell anyone anything you don’t want me to. You can believe in me.” Please talk about the messy financial situation you’re in. Confide in me about the last few years with Greg. Your leg injury. I want to take care of you.
“I’m selling my house,” she said.
Not quite the non-secret I hoped for, but I’ll take it.
“What do you need me to do?” Take it slow, and show you I love you—the woman inside, not just the hot, little, shy, sexy woman I made love to last weekend. Damn. I could pull over, and we could relive the crazy fuck we had in the car on the way to Maddie’s. Start by unzipping my pants and licking my cock. Then open your mouth and suck the head. Suck it and swallow…
“I need a favor.”
He cleared his throat and tamped down his desire.
“Sure. Anything.”
“Could you…” She closed her eyes as if she wasn’t sure he would do what she was about to ask.
I will do anything you want.
“…Um, could you help me and Jason fix a few things around the house? My realtor thinks it will sell quickly, but I’m not so sure without some touch ups here and there. I have the tools and paint, but Jason might need some help with the carpentry work. I’m not great with power tools. I can’t risk injuring my hands.”
He made a right onto her street. “Absolutely.” He would finish anything left over from earlier. Helping his future wife wasn’t a favor, it was a privilege. He relaxed into his seat and felt good about the future. He pulled into her driveway, and watched her face beam with joy as she gazed on the newly manicured lawn and sculpted flower beds. His heart skipped a beat as the tension she’d held onto since he walked into her spa fell from her face. He had made that happen.
She swung open the car door in a hurry and jumped out of the SUV. “Oh crap.” She landed awkwardly and fell down. “Shit.”
Cade ran to her as she forced her body up. He picked her up and cradled her like a baby in his arms.
“What happened?” Did you reinjure your leg?
“I was stupid. That’s what happened. It’s an old injury. The weather is screwing with it. I’m fine. I can walk,” she insisted, but didn’t even give a half-hearted struggle to get out of his arms.
“Okay.” You don’t have to ask me to take care of you, I’m just going to do it. He carried her into the house.
“We’re home,” he shouted. He expected the boys to rush to the foyer, and tell her all the things they worked on in the house and then point out the new ivory leather sectional in the living room he’d bought her.
“We’re in the kitchen,” Garrett’s voice rang through the house.
“Mom, I’m home early. I’ve got a big surprise I want to share.” Must be Colleen.
Ella wiggled in Cade’s arms. He hesitantly helped her down.
“It sounds like Colleen has already adjusted,” she mumbled. Her small hand trembled as it slid into his. She looked down at the wood floor. “He wasn’t supposed to see the boys without me. Please stay.”
“I’ll stay for as long as you want me.” Hopefully forever.