“With you.” He smiled. “Breakfast sounds pretty good right now.”
Her empty stomach growled in response. “Agreed. Let’s go.”
In the last forty-eight hours, everything she thought she knew about Kaden had been flipped inside out. But it wasn’t just about him. Her entire world wasn’t the same. She wasn’t the same. And as confusing as this had been, she had no doubt it was only going to get worse.
Chapter Twenty
Over the next week, things appeared to return to normal.
There had been no further contact from the mystery alien. Annabelle’s store was up and running and business was once again booming. To the dismay of her fur ball, Kaden had moved into Annabelle’s apartment. Together, they opened the store each morning. During the day, he surveyed the surrounding area, stopping occasionally to check in on her. Their nights were spent watching movies or playing card games with a few stolen kisses in between, but for the most part, he kept his hands to himself.
Taking things slow without rushing into the bedroom, he reminded himself.
Although FBI agents remained in town, he had not been questioned about the amount of time he spent with Annabelle. But he was very careful when they were in public. He kept himself at a distance and tried his best not to stare at her. Beyond finding this new alien, keeping her off the FBI’s radar was his highest priority. It was a training of sorts. If she did bond with him, he could never let on that they were more than friends. At least, not until he figured out a way to strike a new deal with his government handlers.
A cold wind brushed against his face, and he zipped up his leather coat. The temperature was supposed to hit a high of forty-five degrees by noon, but that was two hours away. It was typical weather for the first Friday in November. As winter began, fewer humans would walk along the streets, which worked out well for him. It was easier to survey the area with less foot traffic. The drawback was that Annabelle increased her hours from now through Christmas, making her even more visible to prying eyes.
The ring of the doorbell turned a few heads as he made his way inside Yummy. The college-aged cashier worked the register, while Drew made cakes for prepaid orders. Kaden was surprised at everything he had learned over the past week. He knew so much about her bakery, he’d probably be an outstanding employee. Not that he could ever work with the public. Although he had grown close with Annabelle, he hadn’t reached out to any other humans. He had never intended to have a relationship with any human, and he definitely hadn’t expected to bond with one, but he had learned life didn’t always go as planned.
The clock on her wall read a little past ten. The rest of the crowd should clear out over the next hour or so. As usual, he sat himself in his regular booth. Glancing around, he was surprised he had not seen her by now. With Drew baking, she was usually out greeting her customers. Living in a small town meant everyone knew their neighbor. Her customers were usually regulars and people she considered friends. Many patrons had known her since childhood. It made him think of all the friends he had lost when they left his home planet. He often wondered if any had survived. He hoped this mystery alien was one of those lost friends, but the brick thrown through Annabelle’s window had left him doubtful.
Someone had wanted to get his attention. Mission accomplished.
A vanilla scent wafted through his nostrils, and he inhaled deeply. By the time he glanced up, Annabelle was sitting across from him, white powder smudged on her cheek. Flour or baking soda, he guessed. Rather than tell her, he slid the pad of his thumb across her skin. Her eyes widened with surprise, and a soft blush appeared in the spot that no longer held the splotch. The small gesture sent a ping into his chest. Her physical reaction to even the simplest touch turned him on, urging him to respond.
“How was the morning rush?” he asked before he got lost in his own thoughts of taking her on the table.
She covered her mouth as she yawned. “The usual.”
Glancing around, he noticed only three sets of couples remained in the bakery. “Now that you have employees, you really don’t need to be here. You should go upstairs and relax a little. Take a nap or read one of those books that make your cheeks burn.”
She playfully squinted at him. “How would you know what I look like when I read?”
He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. “I like watching you read.”
“Really?” she questioned. “Why?”
“It’s sexy the way you react to the stories,” he whispered. “Your gestures are usually simple like a giggle or a gasp. But occasionally, your nipples harden.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, I’m glad I keep you entertained.”
His attention wavered between her lips and the small amount of cleavage she had exposed. All he wanted was to reach across the table, take her in his arms, and give her the kind of kiss she would never forget. “Let me take you out on a date.”
“What?” she asked.
His eyebrows furrowed. “Isn’t a date a common custom of human courting?”
She put her hand over her mouth as she laughed. “Yes.”
That wasn’t the response he had expected. Had a week not been long enough for her to consider taking their relationship beyond friendship? “Why are you laughing?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, waving her hand in front of her. “I’ve just never heard anyone say it that way.”
Although he had mastered much of human language and behavior, the rules of courtship were still new to him. “What’s your answer?”
She paused long enough to make his chest tighten. “Yes. I’d like to go out on a date with you.”
Relief spilled over his shoulders, releasing the tightness of doubt that had taken up residence in his muscles. He didn’t want to read too much into her decision, but he was pleased she agreed. “Excellent. How about seven o’clock tonight?”
She bit her lip. “Okay. That sounds great.”
Kaden stood. “I’m going to get back to my surveillance. I’ll be back at seven.”
“What should I wear? Is there a dress code where we’re going?”
He hadn’t actually thought about where they would go. The main goal was just to get her to say yes. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Wear something suitable for a formal dinner.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling from ear to ear as she headed toward the kitchen. “See you later.”
A rush of cold air blew against his face as he left her bakery. While he walked, Kaden tried to convince himself the date wasn’t a big deal, but it was. The nervous energy swirling in his stomach gave him away. He’d never been on a date. Ever. He had met his wife the day they were bonded. He wasn’t even sure of the proper protocol for a human date. His brothers had one-night stands, not dates. There was no way he could ask them. They’d never let him live it down. Perhaps he could find the answer on Google?
With all he had learned since his arrival, he was confident he could figure this out. Besides, this was a date with Annabelle—the one human he had made a connection with. After everything they had been through, taking her out on a date should be easy.
What could possibly go wrong?
It’s finally happening.
After a week of Kaden keeping his distance, Annabelle worried he might have changed his mind. Maybe he had decided a relationship with her wasn’t worth the risk—that she wasn’t worth the risk. But she was wrong. They were going on a real date like any other couple would, except they weren’t any other couple. They never would be, but that was okay.
She had weighed out the risks of being with him. Thanks to her overanalyzing brain, she even went as far as listing the pros and cons on a sheet of paper. But the pros outweighed the cons, and she was ready to give this relationship a chance.
Floating through her apartment like a princess in a Disney movie, she prepared for her date with Kaden. Everything had to be perfect. She showered, shaved, and buffed herself into submission. Her makeup was applied in dark, sultry shades
, and her hair was styled in loose curls. Hilary sat on her bed as she laid out different outfits, trying to pick out the ideal combination. He had said to dress for a formal dinner, so she’d pick something on the fancier side just to be safe.
“I thought you said you decided to be just friends,” Hilary asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
She stared into her closet, trying to hide her cringe. She hated lying to her best friend, someone she trusted with her life, but his secret wasn’t something she could share, even with the people she loved. “Kaden and I are just friends.”
Hilary stood, crossing her arms. “Then why put out all this effort if you’re just going to dinner with a friend?”
“Just because we’re not dating doesn’t mean I don’t want to look nice.” She pointed at Hilary, who was wearing a black Armani fleece sweater and leggings. “You’re just hanging out with me, but you look nice. What’s the difference?”
“The difference is I’m not buying your story.” Hilary made her way over to her closet, positioning herself directly in front of the clothes, and blocked Annabelle from pulling out any more potential date outfits. “For the last year, you’ve obsessed over Kaden.”
Feeling a tad offended, she said, “‘Obsessed’ is a pretty strong word.”
“Really? You refused to go on a date with anyone for a year because you were waiting on your prince charming to get off his ass and ask you out. And now, all of a sudden, he’s practically living in your apartment, and I’m supposed to believe you’re just friends?” She pointed to her temple. “Do I have ‘stupid’ written on my forehead?”
This was going to be harder than she’d anticipated. Hilary wasn’t an idiot. They knew each other inside and out. Even if she was a talented liar—which she absolutely wasn’t—it would be hard to fool her for long. “You know Kaden is staying with me because he’s worried about me. I did have a brick thrown through my window.”
Hilary smirked. “And since then, you’ve upgraded your alarm system and had cameras installed.”
Damn. She was starting to feel like she was sitting on the witness stand answering questions from a prosecutor. “He might be a little overprotective.”
“And you might be a little full of shit.”
“Hilary—”
She held up her palm, silencing Annabelle. “I’ll tell you what. When you’re ready to be honest with me and tell me what’s really going on, give me a call.”
“I’m not lying to you,” she said, sternly.
“You’re hiding something. Maybe the break-in was more than you’re letting on, or maybe something is going on with Kaden. The investigator I told you about couldn’t find any information on him or his brothers, which means he’s not who he says he is.” Hilary picked up her purse and headed for the entrance to her apartment. She opened the door, then peered over her shoulder. “Wear the red dress. You always look amazing in it.”
The door clicked closed and she was gone.
Chapter Twenty-One
Date night.
Thanks to his Google search, he’d been able to plan out what the humans called “the ideal evening formal.” The kind of night Annabelle would never forget. Following the advice of his internet research, Kaden wore a black tuxedo and matching shoes. Living in such a small town, he’d had a hard time finding a limousine service at the last minute, but luckily, he reached a company in D.C. that was more than willing to comply—after they were heavily compensated. When the limo arrived, he was pleased to see it was filled with silver and black balloons as per the prom package he had ordered.
Oddly, alcohol wasn’t included in the deal, but he made sure they added champagne on ice with two crystal flutes. Within fifteen minutes, he arrived in front of Annabelle’s bakery. Nerves jumbled in his stomach as the driver came around to open his door. He hoped everything he had planned was to her liking. Some of the details, like the flower corsage he was holding, seemed strange to him. But all the websites he’d searched said his date would expect to have one, especially if it were attached to a wristband. So, with her rose corsage in hand, he stepped out of the oversize vehicle.
Kaden didn’t have a chance to ring her bell. Through the glass window, he saw her leaning against one of the table booths and his jaw nearly hit the ground. She wore a short red dress clinging to her every curve with just enough cleavage showing to make his mouth water. His desire must have been obvious, because she flashed him a confident smile. How he’d managed to resist this woman for so long, he would never know. Once she put on her jacket, some of the blood returned to his brain. That was, until he saw her shoes. He didn’t know much about women’s fashions, but her heels were at least three inches high. They made her toned legs even shapelier.
He imagined her standing naked in only those shoes, and his erection swelled.
“I feel a bit underdressed,” she said, letting her eyes take him in slowly. “I wasn’t expecting you to wear a tuxedo…or rent a limo. You really didn’t need to do all this.”
“You look amazing,” he said, the only words he could muster.
Her head tilted to the side. “What are you holding there?”
“It’s a corsage.” He had forgotten all about it. “You can wear it around your wrist.”
“I haven’t seen one of these since my high school prom.” She glanced behind him at the open limo door. “Are those balloons?”
High school prom? What had he ordered? He held out his hand, helping her inside the limo. Balloons bounced into one another as she sat on the leather seat. “What is a high school prom?” he asked.
“It’s a formal dance you attend when you’re a teenager. It’s a big deal to get invited,” she replied, swatting at a balloon that seemed to be stuck to her hair. “Most couples rent a limo, wear fancy dresses, and get their pictures taken. It’s a lot of fun.”
He cringed.
What an idiot. When he searched for “evening formal,” he must have been directed to prom websites. He should’ve known by the number of teenage humans on the pages that it wasn’t what he was looking for. Now he had purchased all this ridiculous stuff that had nothing to do with his plan. Wonderful. He wasn’t five minutes into this date and he was already making a fool of himself. “It sounds like a lot of fun.”
Staring down at her corsage, she started to laugh. “Is that what this is?”
He scowled. “Apparently, my internet searches aren’t as savvy as I thought.”
Scooting next to him, she put her hand on his cheek. “I appreciate all the effort you put into this. It means a lot.”
It might have meant something to her, but it was a disaster to him. He’d wanted to show her the most romantic night of her life. Instead, he’d revealed he still had a lot to learn when it came to human customs. He’d better cancel the rest of what he’d ordered to save himself from further embarrassment. Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he typed a short message and clicked send.
“Who did you text?” she asked.
In case he couldn’t catch the human in time, he had no choice but to tell her. “I’m canceling the photographer.”
Putting her hand over her mouth, she tried to hide her giggle. “You hired a photographer? Where was he meeting us?”
Clenching his teeth, he replied, “In front of the restaurant.”
She moaned in playful disappointment. “You shouldn’t have canceled. It would be fun to take a picture. You’ll be laughing at this years from now.”
Judging by the tension in his neck, he doubted he ever would. He grabbed balloons out of the air and popped them between his hands. “Let’s just forget about it and move on.”
“Oh, come on.” She threw her arms around his shoulders. “Don’t be grumpy. You have to admit, this is funny.”
Having her body pressed up against him certainly elevated his mood. This close, her vanilla-and-lavender perfume inundated his senses. He slid one of her legs over his lap, straddling her on top of him. As her core nestled against his erection, he s
aid, “I don’t feel grumpy anymore.”
She moaned. “I’ll bet you don’t.”
He released the top button of her jacket. As he unbuttoned each one, she let out a short gasp. By the time he reached the bottom, her dress was exposed, revealing her peaked nipples. He smirked, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. “I’ve never seen you wear this before.” Running his palms down her sides, he squeezed when he reached her hips. “I know I would have remembered this dress.”
She shrugged. “I don’t really have a reason to wear it.”
“Remind me to give you lots of reasons in the near future.”
Her cheeks flushed. “You really like it that much?”
“Since the moment I saw you, all I can think about is ways to get you out of that dress.” Squeezing her perfectly rounded ass, he softly growled. “So yeah, I like it.”
He was about to slide his hand up her thigh when the limo came to a stop. Dammit, they had reached the restaurant. He released her from his hold, sitting her next to him in the seat. She worked quickly to button up her jacket. The driver opened the door, holding out his hand to assist her. He was right behind her—with her ass nearly in his face—happily.
“You chose the Floating Lotus?” she squealed, her eyes wide with excitement. “This is the most exclusive restaurant in town. How did you manage to get a reservation?”
Cam happened to know the owner. Out of the brothers, he was by far the most social. He seemed to know everyone. Finally, something he’d planned was going right. Kaden made a mental note to thank him when he got home. “Lucky, I guess.”
“Come on.” Annabelle grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the front door.
The pierside restaurant had chosen a suitable name. It was shaped like a huge lotus flower appearing to be made entirely of glass. The interior was just as impressive. Illuminated red paper lanterns provided the eatery with a dimmed, romantic glow. The dark wood dining furniture added a nice touch to the extraordinary setting. Annabelle squeezed his hand and pointed, directing his attention toward the fresh lotus flowers floating in mini pools.
Under His Skin Page 12
