Bride & Seek

by Samantha Chase

  Dixie’s gaze remained neutral. “I think I would have heard if you punched a guest.”

  “That might have been the easier route.”

  “Cade…”

  “I kissed her.”

  “And?”

  He was confused. “And…what? I kissed Cammie in the middle of the damn lobby.”

  And then it hit Dixie. “Ooohhh…she didn’t ask you to kiss her. You just kissed her. Got it.” Then she frowned. “If you’re asking if she lodged a complaint or said anything to me, she hasn’t. Do you think she went to human resources or to upper management?”

  Cade shook his head. “Not that I know of.” He raked a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. “If she had, I probably would have heard by now, right?”

  Dixie nodded. “I take it you haven’t spoken to Cammie since this happened.”

  “Exactly. Haven’t seen her either. For all I know, she quit because of me.”

  “That confident in your kissing skills?” she teased, but as soon as Cade shot her an annoyed look, she turned serious again. “Okay, you want my advice as your friend or co-worker?”

  “Let’s go with friend first.”

  “You can put your mind at ease. She didn’t quit. We have a wedding expo coming up that she’s in charge of, so she’s been swamped.” She paused. “And I think you’re making more of this than you need to. It was an awkward situation, and you simply reacted. If Cammie were upset about it, you would have heard about it. The gossip grapevine around here would have been all over it, and I don’t doubt for a minute that someone would have been over here to call you out on it.”

  Cade felt himself relaxing. “Okay. Thanks. Whew…”

  “Now as your co-worker and someone in management…”

  “Shit…”

  “Yeah,” Dixie began. “It is definitely not cool for you to just… kiss someone who didn’t ask to be kissed. You need to go and make sure she’s all right–but talk to her in front of one someone if you can. Or I can go with you.”

  “Okay,” Cade said. It was no more than what he’d been telling himself. When he looked at her, he noticed the expectant look on her face. “You mean now?”

  “No time like the present.”

  This time the curse that came out was a little more colorful. “It’s a Friday, Dixie. And you told me she’s been busy. Plus, I can’t go walking around the resort like this.” He motioned to his dirty work clothes.

  Rather than respond, Dixie pulled her phone out, typed out a quick text, and then waited a minute. Cade heard the ding of response and watched as she rose from her seat.

  “Come on. Anna May said Cammie is in the office and they have about thirty minutes before they have to go and do a walk-through for an anniversary party we’re having here tonight. Let’s go clear this up.”

  Cade followed like a man being led to his own execution and wondered why he even thought talking about this would be helpful.

  “Stop looking like that,” she said, grinning. “It’s not going to be so bad.”

  “Um…it’s going to be awkward. That’s pretty much a given.”

  They walked the rest of the way in silence and were in the lobby when Cade spotted Cammie walking at a brisk pace away from the office with her phone to her ear.

  “I thought you said she was going to be in the office for another thirty minutes. It took us less than five to get here.”

  Dixie shrugged. “That’s what Anna May texted. Maybe something came up?”

  “Maybe.” Cade looked around the lobby area and saw a well-dressed couple walking toward the offices, and even though he had only gotten a quick glimpse last week, he was pretty confident it was the ex again.

  The sound of Dixie’s groan confirmed it.

  “Does this guy have a job or did he quit it so he could hang out here full-time?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m beginning to think they’re not as interested in the wedding as they are in being a nuisance.”

  He looked in the direction in which Cammie took off and barely gave Dixie a glance as he said. “I gotta go.”

  Maybe she called after him. Maybe she didn’t.

  Either way, Cade was going to find Cammie.

  Who would have thought hide-and-seek could be this much fun?

  4

  Cammie still had a hard time remembering where anything was and there was zero time to stop and ask for directions. And now when she really needed a place to hang out where guests weren’t allowed, she seriously wished she had a better grasp of the lay of the land.

  Preston and Whitney had shown up unannounced again. Anna May agreed to handle them–quickly–and told Cammie to take a break before they had to be down in the ballroom for tonight’s event. Maybe she should have just gone down to the lake instead of trying to find a place inside to hide, but she wasn’t thinking clearly.

  “Aha!” she murmured, spotting a supply closet. She knew she could just slip in there and check her email on her phone or text her mom to kill some time. With a quick peek over her shoulder, she slipped into the closet and shut the door.

  It was dark, and she was starting to feel around for a light switch when the door flew open. She gasped and was just about to scream when…

  “Cammie, shh…it’s me.”

  Cade.

  “Oh,” she whispered and took a step back as he came inside. “I was trying to find the…” The light went on and just the sight of him took her breath away. “Oh.”

  He was smiling at her but he also looked a little…nervous. Shy, almost. “I take it you’re hiding because that was your ex I saw heading down toward your office?”

  “Yup. As usual, Preston has no consideration for anyone’s time. They didn’t even call first. They just showed up. Again. Anna May told them we were getting ready for an event and they swore they just needed a few minutes of her time.”

  “Yikes.”

  “Exactly.” Unable to help herself, Cammie drank in the sight of him. He may have been a bit sweaty, and his clothes were dusty from a day working on planting and keeping the grounds manicured, but he looked… yummy.

  She hadn’t been able to wipe the thought of their kiss from her mind, and as much as she had wanted to seek him out, she was utterly embarrassed by how… enthusiastic she had been with the whole thing. Poor Cade was only trying to be nice and help her out in an awkward situation and she had practically mauled him.

  And right now, she wanted to again.

  She felt a little nervous, a little excited, and somehow, they moved around each other–as if their steps were choreographed. Cammie’s back was against the door and Cade moved in close. Her heart rate picked up as she slowly lifted her gaze to his.

  Cade cleared his throat. “I saw you walking across the lobby and turn down this hall. Then I thought I saw your ex. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” His voice was low and a little gruff, and damn if that wasn’t a turn-on too.

  So he was just being a good guy again.

  Damn.

  Looking down at her shoes, she did her best not to let her disappointment show. A small part of her had been hoping he’d followed her in here because he wanted to see her again, kiss her again.

  Clearly, she was wrong.

  Then he reached out and cupped her chin in his hand. God…his hand was so big, and the skin was so rough, and…she was a complete mess.

  “Cammie?” he said softly. “Look at me.”

  She knew if she did, he’d be able to tell she wasn’t looking at this as just a casual, friendly thing. All her life, people had told her how her eyes always gave her away.

  Cade repeated her name.

  And it looked like they were going to do it again.

  Tilting her head back slightly, she looked at him. And was surprised to see the same heat and desire she knew she was feeling. His name was barely a whisper on her lips when he ducked his head and kissed her.

  There was no time to think about asking him why; she was too anxious for the
feel of him, the taste of him. Cammie’s arms immediately looped around his neck just as his banded around her waist. With the door at her back and Cade at her front, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

  Well…maybe not exactly, but it was pretty damn good.

  There was no rush this time. Last week in the lobby, it had been a quick and frantic pace–clearly a distraction. But this? This was slow and sweet and oh-so-sexy. And deliberate. She relaxed against him and sighed. Over and over his lips claimed hers and now that her head was clear and she knew he was kissing her because he wanted to, it diminished every fantasy she’d ever had about Cade Taylor.

  He was sweet.

  He was sexy.

  And his kisses were better than any sex she’d had in…well, ever.

  Wow.

  Her hands raked up into his hair, and as if of one mind, she hummed and he growled.

  Nice.

  Cade lifted his head but immediately took a breath and began kissing her cheek and her jaw–softly whispering her name as he moved. His breath on her skin, along with his hands, which were now moving up and down her back and stopping just shy of cupping her bottom, had her on total sensory overload. Another minute and she’d be tempted to lock the door and take this up a notch.

  As his hands began to move a little lower, she was about to say a prayer of thanks when a door down the hall slammed shut. They both jumped and Cade instantly took a step back. Their breathing was ragged. Cammie took a step away and turned when Cade cursed.

  Not a good sign.

  “Damn, Cammie…your dress…”

  She looked down, and sure enough, her yellow dress was now slightly stained with the dirt and grass from his clothes. Her first thought was to try wiping it off, but that only served to smear some of the stains and, therefore, made them worse. “Oh no…”

  “It’s on the back too…”

  A quick look at her watch showed she had seven minutes to get down to the ballroom to help with tonight’s party. Showing up with a stained dress was so not the way to make an impression on her boss or how she wanted their clients to see her.

  Cade looked just as panicked as she felt. “Okay, okay, okay,” he began, “tell me what we need to do? Do you have a change of clothes in the office? Do I need to go and buy you one from the boutique in the lobby?”

  Cammie shook her head. “Dammit, that’s something I should always have in case of emergencies! Why didn’t I think of that?” She said it more to herself than to him, but her mind was racing with how she was going to fix this problem.

  “Text Anna May and see if she has something you can wear,” he suggested. “You’re about the same size…”

  “And how do I explain this to her?” she cried. “Honestly, I’m beginning to think this job is jinxed! I’ve had nothing but bad luck since I started here!” Immediately she realized what she said and saw the small look of shock on Cade’s face. “Cade…I…I didn’t mean…”

  He quickly shook his head. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t. We need to get you fixed up. That’s the priority here. Text Anna May and make sure the coast is clear and if there’s something you can change into back at the office.”

  Phone in hand, that’s exactly what she did, and, luckily, Anna May had several options for her–because they all knew to keep a change of clothes on hand. Plus, Preston and Whitney were gone. “Okay,” she said with a sigh. “Crisis averted.”

  “Good. That’s good.” He paused and looked at her, seemingly unsure what to do or say.

  “I really have to go, Cade. We’ve got an event tonight, two tomorrow, and another two on Sunday.” Reaching behind her, she opened the door and stepped aside. “I…I’m sure I’ll see you around.” She had one foot out the door when he stopped her.

  “Cammie, wait!” When she stopped and looked at him, his expression had gone serious. “We’re okay, right? This wasn’t…I mean…I don’t want you to feel like I’m pressuring you or…”

  “Oh, good heavens,” she said with a small laugh, “no! I don’t think that at all! But…I really have to go. I’m sorry. Have a good weekend!”

  And then she quickly dashed back to her office and prayed she wouldn’t have to explain how she managed to get dirty handprints all over the back of her dress.

  Usually, weekends were like a welcome retreat for Cade. He enjoyed having the time to relax at home and have some time to himself. His social life typically consisted of either going up to Asheville to visit his now-retired parents and hang out with his siblings while he was there or doing a little hiking or fishing for himself. His brothers and sister all left Emerald Grove for bigger cities. For the life of him, Cade couldn’t understand it. This was home. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

  Landscape design had started out as a hobby back in high school and he was fortunate he was able to make a career out of it without going to college. Some people might look down on him for what he did because it was a lot of manual labor, but he loved it. Nothing made him happier than working outdoors and watching the transformation of the grounds.

  Working at the resort was a damn dream. And even though they’d pretty much landscaped every inch of the place, it was always going to need maintaining, and every couple of years, they’d change things up. It wasn’t rocket science, but it challenged him in its own way.

  It was Saturday night and he was sitting alone on his back deck enjoying a beer. It was peaceful–just as he liked it. There was a standing invitation to hang out with his friends at the local sports bar–it’s where everyone seemed to hang out on Saturday nights–but he rarely went. And tonight, more than any weekend in the past, it held even less appeal.

  He wanted to see Cammie.

  Be with Cammie.

  Just…get to know Cammie.

  Twice the woman had knocked him on his ass with a simple kiss. Then he snorted with disbelief. There had been nothing simple about either of those kisses. He took a long pull of his beer and put his feet up on the wooden table that matched the sofa he was sitting on. Both of which he built himself. Looking up at the sky, he could see a blanket of stars and wondered if Cammie was looking up at them too. Was their event tonight an indoor or outdoor event? Or did she slip outside to get a break from the hustle and bustle of it all?

  He shook his head. He was losing it. Seriously losing it. When was the last time he’d gotten so twisted up over a woman that he was fantasizing about them looking at the same stars? Maybe he should have gone out. It would have been a welcome distraction.

  But in the next instant, Cade realized he didn’t want a distraction.

  He liked Cammie. And from what he could tell, she seemed to like him too. So…there really wasn’t any obstacle here. Come Monday, there was no reason he couldn’t seek her out and ask her to dinner. And then they could see where this could go.

  Feeling like he’d lifted a massive weight off his shoulders, Cade relaxed in his seat and looked up at the sky again, feeling nothing but peace.

  It was–of course–short-lived peace.

  Apparently, Cammie had Monday and Tuesday off because she’d worked the entire weekend. On Wednesday, Cade ended up having to spend the day away from the resort–first going to Asheville and then Charlotte in an attempt to get a new motor for one of their mowers. It had been a painfully long day, and by the time he got back to Emerald Grove, Cammie was gone for the day.

  Luck was finally on his side on Thursday. He spotted her walking along one of the paths in that determined way she had, and he jogged to catch up to her. Today she was wearing a deep coral colored sheath that hit mid-thigh with mile-high matching stilettos.

  Damn.

  Her hair was pulled back in the sleek ponytail she seemed to favor, and all Cade could think about was how she’d look with her hair loose around her shoulders. His fingers almost twitched with the need to find out–to slip the little silver clip from her hair and then feel for himself if her hair was as soft as he was imagining.

  Stargazing and hair cli
ps. Yeah. He was losing it.

  “Hey,” he said, slightly breathless when he was beside her. “Are you heading somewhere specific or looking for a place to hide out?”

  Cammie stopped and laughed softly, a slow smile crossing her beautiful face. “I’m actually heading down toward the lake to look at the setup for tomorrow night’s wedding. Dixie’s trusting me to do the first round of inspections.”

  “Inspections? Really? The crew could probably handle that sort of thing.”

  “That may very well be, but I’m feeling kind of jazzed that she’s trusting me to come down here and look it all over on my own. It means she trusts me.”

  He nodded. “Mind if I tag along?”

  Her smile grew. “I would like that very much.”

  “How has your week been?”

  “Busy,” she replied. “This pace is somewhat new to me. I majored in hospitality and hotel management–that’s what my degree is in–but I never held a position that kept me running quite like this. I worked for a bridal shop for the last two years and I thought things were hectic there.” Laughing, she shook her head. “It’s not even close. If this keeps up, I’m going to have to switch to sensible shoes.”

  There was humor in her voice, and Cade did his best to keep his own horrified reaction off of his face. It would almost be a crime if she had to lose the stilettos!

  “Don’t do anything drastic,” he said teasingly. “I see Anna May and Dixie running around here in similar shoes. Maybe you just have to build up a tolerance to it.”

  Please let that be a thing! Please let that be a thing!

  “Hmm…maybe.”

  They turned and were almost on the sand. The lake was man-made and the sand was a fairly new addition to the landscape to give a little more of a beach area for guest to walk along. It had been hell to get the equipment down to the water to tear off so much grass and clear away the brush, but he had to admit that it really looked amazing.

  Stopping, Cammie rested a hand on Cade’s arm as she reached down to take off her shoes. “I hate sand in my shoes,” she said with a grin. When she straightened, he noticed how much more petite she looked beside him.