Truth and Dare

by Candace Havens

  “The hell it isn’t,” Cade said. “I may not have been in a lot of relationships, but I know this is different. Trust me, Patience.”

  Deep in her soul she wondered if his words were true. “You might be right, but I’m not ready for whatever this is. I don’t do this.” She waved a hand toward him. “I don’t do relationships. Any kind. Someone always gets hurt in the end.”

  “Patience, you’ve helped me to see that there’s so much more when you can forgive yourself and others. I thought I’d helped you do the same. Are you saying you don’t have feelings for me?”

  Frustrated, Patience walked away from him. “Of course I do. You’re right. What we have is different, but I can’t know that for sure unless you give me the time to figure it out. You’re pushing so hard, Cade, and as much I want to go with you on whatever ride this is, for my own sanity I have to step back.”

  Cade faced her. “You can step back as much as you want, I’m not going anywhere.”

  Patience released a long breath and gathered her thoughts. “I can see why you’ve been so successful in your business enterprises. Like I said before—”

  He held up a hand.

  “Yes. Okay. For the record we only met two weeks ago, and I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since. I’m a man who’s found the love of his life and he’s worried she’ll try to slip away.”

  “You can’t love me. That’s something that grows as you get to know someone. Maybe lust, Cade, but what you feel isn’t love.”

  He smiled at her. “And you’re basing this on your experience with past relationships? Maybe you don’t love me, but I most certainly love you.”

  “That’s what’s scaring me. I just need—”

  Her words were cut off with a kiss, one that seared her soul. Her eyes closed at the initial contact but she opened them to find him watching her as he kissed her. There was so much passion and love in those beautiful eyes of his.

  This man loved her.

  When he lifted his head, he smiled. “You almost said you needed me.”

  “You make me feel so— I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  “That’s it. I make you feel. You’ve spent so long closing yourself off to everyone around you that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel. You’re right. Love is something that grows. I—”

  “Cade—”

  He put his fingers to her lips. “For now, it’s the last night of the festival, come and play with me. I dare you. Give me this one night, and then I’ll give you the space you think you need.” He kissed her again and this time when their bodies touched she knew she had lost the argument.

  “Fine,” she whispered against his lips. “But I leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

  “Got it.” He smiled.

  “With one condition.”

  He leaned back from her. “What?”

  She tugged him toward the stairs.

  “Oh.” He followed her. “That’s one condition I don’t mind at all.”

  20

  CADE PLACED HIS ARM ON HER shoulders and pulled Patience close as they reached the top of the Ferris wheel. After making love, they’d finally made it to the midway.

  So far he’d won her a stuffed bear that looked like it had seen better days and an expandable ring with a giant plastic pink diamond on it. The delight in her eyes when he handed her the cheesy prizes was something that made his heart do double-time.

  “This is so much fun.” She stuck her right hand out to show off her fake ring. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been on a Ferris wheel. I had to be ten, at the most.”

  “It’s been a while for me, too.” Cade kissed the top of her head. He struggled to believe she wanted to make a clean break.

  Cade was worried, he’d never felt like this about a woman. He knew she was skittish and that commitment wasn’t something that came easy for her. Hell, attachments period were difficult for her.

  He was also certain that had a great deal to do with her brother’s disappearance. She was afraid to care too much for someone. That was something he understood. Finding out the truth about his father had changed his life, and he wished he could return the favor. More than once this evening he’d thought about hiring the SIA to find out what had happened to her brother, but he knew her well enough to understand she’d feel betrayed if he went behind her back. The issue with her brother was something she had to come to terms with on her own.

  They made another revolution to the top of the Ferris wheel. He wondered if this was the right time, but decided to hell with it. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the fairy necklace he’d bought for her the other night. “I want to give you something, so you’ll remember our time together,” he whispered.

  She tilted her face up toward him. “Cade, I have my bear and my fancy ring, and trust me I’m never going to forget.”

  He held out the necklace. “I won’t forget, either, but I saw this and it reminded me of you.” He pushed up her hair and placed it around her neck.

  She picked up the tiny fairy and smiled. “It’s beautiful. I love it. But you didn’t have to do this.”

  “I want you to take a little piece of Phosphor and me home with you.”

  She kissed him then, to a chorus of wolf whistles and “Get a room,” from the fairgoers below.

  Her phone rang interrupting their bliss.

  She checked the number, and then put the phone to her ear. “Mar, what’s up. Yep, I sent you the report. Oh, my phone doesn’t have the best service here. I didn’t see his calls on my voice mail. What? When?” Patience glanced at her watch. “I need two hours to get to my apartment and then another hour to pack and get to the airport. Where was it in Italy? Ah, yes. I know it well. I didn’t realize that’s where he was. Yeah, I’ll meet you at the airport.”

  They’d reached the bottom of the ride and the door swung open so they could get out. “Cade, I’ve got to go now. I’m sorry.”

  “Go where, Italy?”

  She nodded. “I can’t tell you the details, though believe me I want to, but the case involves my dad and a dig he’s working on. I’ve got to get there as fast as possible.”

  She was leaving him, but she needed help, and he had a way to do that.

  “Call your friend back and tell her to cancel the flights. Let her know you’ll meet her at hangar eleven.”

  “Cade, I don’t have time—”

  “I’m sending you on my private jet. It’s not the company’s. It’s mine. My pilot is always on standby.”

  They’d left the fairgrounds and reached his truck. He helped her in.

  “That’s too much. I can’t let you do this.”

  “Patience, you just solved my father’s murder. Helped me know how much he loved me. There’s no price on that. Besides, if you take commercial flights, that’s going to cost you more time. My plane stops for twenty minutes in Atlanta, and you’ll be on your way.”

  “Cade, this is crazy.”

  “Patience, call your friend. Better yet, dial the number and give me the phone. I’ll do that while you finish packing. Then I’ll take you to the airport.”

  They arrived at the B and B.

  “I have my car. I can’t just leave it here.”

  “I’ll have Logan drive it back to Austin. We drove down together. So it’s no big deal.” He held up a hand. “Please, let me take care of you. You’ve been taking care of me the past few days. I want to do these things for you.”

  She stared at him for a moment then reached into her purse. “I hope Logan will fit in my SUV.” She handed him the keys.

  Cade jumped out and opened her door. He followed her upstairs and threw his stuff in a bag, too. He’d check in at work on Monday, make sure everything was going okay, before he came back to Phosphor.

  “He’s a friend. Uh, yes, that kind of friend,” Patience told her colleague, using her cell again.

  Cade bet her colleague would have all kinds of questions once they boarded the plane.
r />   They were at Patience’s condo in an hour and a half, and while she repacked he checked out her place. It was stark and everything was the same neutral color from the walls, to the furniture and floors. But she did have some art on the wall, which spoke volumes about the woman he’d come to love.

  There were playful folk art paintings next to modern masters.

  “I’m ready.” She came out of the bedroom in a gray striped suit with her beautiful hair in a tight bun. Still, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  “Oh, wait.” She pulled out the case where she carried the evidence bags. Picking up her phone, she dialed a number.

  “Scott, yeah, sorry to call so late. Listen, I’m sending you a priority. It’s evidence for a case and I want it handled the way I would do it. Do you understand me?” Her voice had a slight edge. This was the straightforward woman he’d met that first day. “The courier will have it to you in the morning and I’ll email specifics tonight. Got it?”

  Thirty minutes later, they pulled up to the hangar. Her colleague was already there with a man.

  Patience introduced them as Mar and Jackson. They were married and Mar owned Stonegate. There was something in Jackson’s eyes that told Cade the man had seen more than any person should, but he was glad he’d be there to protect Patience.

  “We’ll pay you back for the cost of the plane,” Mar promised.

  “No, you won’t.” His arm slid around Patience’s waist. “I’m doing this for her.”

  “Uh, I think we should probably board,” Jackson ushered his wife to the plane.

  “You really are amazing.” Patience hugged Cade hard.

  He bent down to kiss her and his gut tightened with the knowledge that this would be the last time he saw her for a while. Part of him wanted to follow her on the plane, but he knew that wasn’t possible. She needed time and he had his own business to look after.

  “I’ll call you. I don’t really know specifics. I have no idea how long I’ll be gone.” She hugged his neck and then pulled away. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Patience?”

  She stopped on the first step of the stairs leading up to the plane. “Yeah?”

  “I’ll be here when you get back.”

  He enjoyed the small smile on her lips.

  ON THE PLANE, PATIENCE, MAR and Jackson video conferenced with her father about what he’d found on his dig. Several human skeletons had been discovered and he believed they dated back several hundred years. But he had to prove that to the police right away or his dig would become a crime scene. That’s where Mar and Jackson came in. Stonegate had helped the authorities catch a murderer a few months ago and Mar was going to use her contacts to give Patience enough time to examine the bones and date them. Jackson was there for security purposes. The former CIA agent also knew people in Italy and would help to protect the site. Her father had looked older than she remembered. Though his cheeks had been pink with excitement while he was talking about his dig.

  Mar turned back in her seat. “He let you borrow his private jet?”

  Patience opened her eyes to see Mar giving her a curious look.

  “He’s a nice guy.” Patience smiled at her friend.

  “I know a lot of nice guys, but they don’t loan me their private planes.”

  “I would—if I had one,” Jackson chimed in. His eyes were closed as he reclined in his seat, but he had a silly grin on his face.

  Mar kissed his cheek. “Babe, that’s why I love you.”

  She turned back to Patience, who was seated on the sofa across from their two chairs.

  The jet was decorated better than her apartment and had every amenity one could imagine, including a full bath and a large galley-style kitchen with a chef, who had informed them that he’d made snacks and would have breakfast ready by six the next morning.

  “So, he must be really happy about you solving his father’s murder.” Mar wasn’t going to give up until Patience told her the truth.

  “Yes, he was grateful. Like I said, he’s a great guy.”

  Mar’s eyebrow went up.

  Patience rolled her eyes for the second time that night. “We bonded. What do you want me to say?”

  Mar giggled. “Bonded? Wow. I’ve never heard it called that. It’s obvious he’s pretty into you. I could tell that from just the way he looked at you.”

  Patience had seen that look, too, and it had been all she could do not to beg him to jump on the plane with her. Unfortunately, she’d seen what a distraction he could be and she hadn’t lied about needing space.

  The trip had come at an excellent time. The time apart would give them the opportunity to cool off a bit and see how they really feel. Though, her feelings wouldn’t change. She loved the guy. Oh, she’d given him a line about not really knowing, but she did.

  “So, it’s that intense?” Mar gave her a curious look.

  “Yes.” Patience had been staring off into space so turned her attention back to her friend. “But you know me. I don’t normally do strong emotional attachments, and I need time to sort this out.”

  “Patience, there’s no sorting to be done. It’s written all over your face. You’re in love with him.”

  “That may be true, but I’m not ready. You know I wasn’t looking for anything right now. My life is so full. I don’t know that I would have time for a relationship, not the kind he would want.”

  Mar harrumphed. “If he’s worth it, then you make the time. That’s how it works. You’re right. Your life is full—of work. But take it from me—work isn’t everything. You’ll wake up some day incredibly lonely and wondering why you chose your career over love.”

  “Mar—”

  “There’s nothing wrong with loving your job, as long as you have someone to share it with. If you care about this guy, you have to find a way to make it work.”

  “Well, I guess if you can do it, anyone can.” Patience winked at her.

  Jackson guffawed and Mar chuckled.

  “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard you make a joke like that,” Mar said. “I like what he’s doing for you already.”

  “Are you saying I’m uptight?” Patience asked even though she knew the answer.

  Jackson grunted.

  “Maybe more cautious than most people I know,” Mar answered. “I think this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had and I consider you one of my dearest friends. You’ve never been one to express yourself.”

  Her friend was right. “There was something about his family, and, well, him. I’m more relaxed than I’ve ever been when I was around them. They give each other a hard time, but they’re all so close, kind of like we are at the agency. They would do anything for one another. I guess you’re right. He did help me see things from a different perspective.”

  Cade had opened a new world to her, one, if she were completely honest with herself, she was more than anxious to explore.

  21

  AS THE JET LANDED ON THE tarmac, Patience smiled. She was finally home. When the door opened she expected to see Cade, but there was a driver there instead.

  “Dr. Clark?”

  She nodded.

  “Mr. Randall asked that I take you wherever you need to go. He’s been caught up in a meeting and says he regrets not being able to meet you.”

  She didn’t bother to hide her disappointment, but she understood. Every day for three weeks Cade had called Patience. Most of the time they didn’t have long to talk, but they both enjoyed staying connected. Without giving specifics about the project she was working on with her dad, she’d been able to bounce ideas off him. He, in turn, had done the same with her.

  While he never said how much, Cade had made billions in the merger and he poured the majority of it back into the organization. His company was in the middle of building a huge manufacturing plant outside of Austin. It would bring thousands of jobs to the area, and she was proud of him for that.

  “Doctor?”

  The chauffer held the door for
her, and then loaded her case in the back of the car. Thanks to Cade she’d been able to sleep most of the way there. He’d insisted she take his jet back, and except for the flight attendant and pilots, she’d been the only passenger. Mar and Jackson had flown to London to check on Stonegate’s new office there.

  After weeks of only getting a few hours of sleep a night, it had been heaven to stretch out on one of the jet’s comfy couches. In fact, she felt like a new woman.

  “Can you drop me at my condo?” She gave him the address, and it wasn’t long before they were in front of her building.

  The driver insisted on carrying her case upstairs, even though it rolled and there was an elevator. After he left, she took a quick shower and put on a pair of jeans and T-shirt to go to the office. It was Friday afternoon, but she wanted to file her reports and check with her assistants at the lab to make sure everything was up-to-date.

  As she was getting ready to leave, she felt another stabbing pain in her gut. She doubled over for a moment and tried to remember the last time she ate. She probably needed something in her stomach and to take her meds.

  In Italy her father had taken her stomach pains seriously and insisted on accompanying her to the emergency room. They had run a variety of tests. The doctors discovered she had an ulcer, one that could be treated with antibiotics.

  They had warned her to stay away from the marinara sauce and to reduce her stress. While she’d been careful with the food, there was no way she could keep herself from being nervous, especially when she would soon see Cade. They had talked the night before and he’d been excited about seeing her. But when he didn’t show up as promised to meet her, well, the doubts sunk in.

  When her stomach settled she grabbed her keys and headed to the office. If there was one thing that could keep her from obsessing about what might be happening with Cade, it was her work.

  “Hey, boss, you’re back. We didn’t expect you in until Monday,” one of her assistants greeted her.