Tuesday she sent her team members a gigantic muffin basket. Sending them on an all-inclusive weekend spa retreat would have been more appropriate, considering how snippy she’d been. But the muffins seemed to do the trick. She worked late on her presentation for the next day’s meeting, picked up the wedding dress from the shop and dropped it at Bianca’s on the way home. They had dinner and watched some crappy television, but she decided to crash at her own place. Her pillow smelled like Patton, but she couldn’t bring herself to wash it. She tossed and turned most of the night.
By Wednesday, she was already ready for the weekend. Instead she was faced with meetings all day. She’d managed to remain calm and positive, even if Charles wouldn’t look her in the eye. She introduced a series of trainings she wanted to implement for anyone interested in transferring into coding and her team, to help make things uniform. After the training modules were complete, candidates would test before their request was considered. To her delight, Mr. Hembrecht was in full support.
Cady glanced at the clock. It was only six fifteen, and she was on fumes. She tried to focus, but all she could think about was a bubble bath and a bottle of wine. But before she collapsed into her evening’s entertainment, she needed to call Bianca and let her know when she was dropping by. They’d exchanged a few texts about going to a late dinner and a pajama screening of some classic horror flick downtown. That would definitely perk Bibi up, if Cady didn’t fall asleep first. As the final meeting wound up, she pulled her phone from her purse.
“Cady?” Mr. Hembrecht had waved her over. “Can I have a word?” She smiled, tucked her phone back into her purse and nodded at her boss.
“Are you free for dinner Friday?” he asked. “I have a few things I’d like to discuss with you before the weekend.”
Friday night. “Let me check.” She scrolled through the planner on her phone. Friday was free. Saturday was supposed to be the bridal shower at Tucker House. She frowned. She needed to take Bibi away—maybe use of some of her vacation time for a girls-only holiday? She smiled at her waiting boss. “Yes. I can do dinner.”
“Excellent.” He smiled. “Can you walk with me? I want to hear more on your idea to develop defined user levels for our larger clients’ databases.”
She followed Mr. Hembrecht back to his office, discussing some of her thoughts on this simple way to streamline and strengthen security. He listened carefully, asking the occasional question now and then. That he was receptive to her idea was heartening, even if it did keep her in the office that much longer.
On her way down the elevator, Meg thanked her—again—for taking her home after the office party and invited her to the gym. “We can burn some calories and pick up some hotties?”
Cady almost turned her down. Almost. But maybe a good workout was just what she needed to shake her restlessness and perk up her energy. “Sure. You can have the hotties.”
“Still enjoying being cuffed to your cop, huh?” Meg grinned. “I so don’t blame you. Yum.”
Cady swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Still involved with that lawyer?”
Meg frowned. “No. Turns out he wasn’t as single as he said he was.”
Cady frowned. “Ouch. How’d you find out?”
Meg frowned. “I went out to dinner with my sister and saw him at the restaurant. With his wife.”
“What did you do?”
Meg shrugged. “I waited until he went to the bathroom, confronted him and left. I didn’t have the heart to say anything to his wife.” Meg shrugged. “So I’m totally serious about you setting me up with one of Patton’s cousins.”
“How can you remember that? You were so drunk.”
“Um, have you looked at Patton? Of course I’m going to remember there are men with that DNA available—drunk or not.”
Cady smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Must be nice to date a guy who’s so obviously stuck on you.” Meg sounded wistful.
She didn’t have to worry about Patton being married or cheating on her—because he wasn’t hers. She was almost getting used to hurting when she thought about him.
She hit the gym hard. She and Meg parted ways in the parking lot—without a hottie.
Twenty minutes later she was on the side of the road, her car having overheated. So she waited more than an hour before the tow truck came and watched her sports car get pulled away before walking three blocks to a sports bar. She was so hungry she inhaled a burger and some onion rings—getting sucked into the MMA fight on the huge television and drinking way too much before she realized it was getting late. By the time the cab dropped her at her building and she stumbled out of the elevator, she was practically asleep on her feet.
She walked down the hall to find Patton pacing the hall outside her door. His hair was mussed, his shirt rumpled... He looked gorgeous. He froze when he saw her, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, stunned and more than a little excited. Had he been thinking about her? Missing her? Because she had missed him. So much.
“Where have you been?” His gaze was hard, his jaw rigid. He had dark shadows under his eyes and a thick stubble along his jaw. “Bianca said she’s been trying to reach you for the last three hours.”
As if he had any right to be scowling or angry with her. Or hot. So, so hot. “Why are you here?” she asked, wishing she sounded more offended.
“I was picking up the dress from Bianca. She was pretty frantic that she couldn’t reach you,” he explained, his gaze fixed on her.
Bianca didn’t need anything else upsetting her. Poor Bibi... “I didn’t get any messages.” Cady pulled out her phone. It was dead. She shoved it at him. “I’ll call her.”
But he was already texting. “She was very upset.”
“You said that,” she snapped, overwhelmed with disappointment. It shouldn’t matter that he’d been sent here. But it did matter. A lot. She’d thought about him far too much since their blowup in the car. Sometimes she’d wanted to yell at him, maybe even pound on his broad chest... But most of the time, she’d hurt. She’d never ached for another person. But Patton made her ache.
Her wants had nothing to do with his visit. He was only here because Bianca had sent him. Not because he wanted to be here—wanted to be with her, to talk to her, to fix things.
His frown grew. “Have you been drinking?”
She narrowed her eyes. Really? “Among other things.” She didn’t need to explain anything to him. She’d had a hell of a week, no thanks to him. And now he was going to show up, teasing her in his tight pants, and drill her with questions? She fished her keys out of her bag, trying to ignore the heat that rolled off him. Or his delectable scent flooding her senses. She would not turn into him, she would not reach out for him. “I’m a young, single adult, Patton,” she snapped, unlocking her door and brushing past him into her apartment. “I can do what I want. I sure as hell don’t need anyone checking up on me—”
Patton spun her, his hands cupping her cheeks as he kissed her—fiercely, desperately. His mouth parted hers, the stroke of his tongue stealing the air from her lungs. She was vaguely aware of him kicking the door shut as she twined her arms around his neck. Her fingers slid into his hair, pulling him closer. Every inch of her was instantly on fire.
“Cady—” he growled.
This wasn’t going to help her get over him. But she needed this—needed him. Her fingers tugged his head forward, drawing his mouth back to hers. His hands gripped her hips, lifting her. She wrapped her legs around him, grinding against him...
They didn’t make it to the bedroom.
He was impatient, stripping down to nothing before she’d managed to unbutton the blouse she’d worn to work. She sat on the couch, mesmerized by the raw hunger lining his face. And his amazing body... There was no
denying the extent of his need. The sight of him made her ache for him. She reached out, taking the heavy length of his erection in her hand.
He stopped her, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. “I need you.” He pulled her up, removing her clothes with a single-minded determination that ratcheted up her hunger. In the back of her mind she knew this was wrong, that this needed to stop before her heart was shredded all over again. But then she was naked and the contact of him, skin on skin, was all that mattered. “Cady... Damn I need you.”
She nodded, moaning when he filled her. It was hard and fast. His hands. His mouth. Every thrust. He consumed her and she loved it. She clung to him, gripping his arms as he drove into her. She pressed her lips to his neck, savoring his rough stubble and heady scent. Every nerve, every sense, was flooded with Patton. His fingers brushed over the heated nub between her legs and sent her over the edge. Her release rolled over her, dragging a raw cry from her lips. When they were still breathing heavy, legs and arms tangled together, she looked at him. His eyes were closed, but his face was rigid.
The prick of tears stinging her eyes terrified her. “You should go,” she spoke quickly, desperately.
“No, I shouldn’t,” he argued.
She sat up, away from the comfort of his touch. “I’m too tired for round two.” She was, she was exhausted. Not just her body but her heart, too. “You told Bianca I’m okay so—”
“She wasn’t the only one worried, Cady. I was worried about you.” His words were hoarse. “I volunteered to come.” He pushed himself up to sit at her side.
She turned to face him, her eyes locking with his. “You did? You were?”
He nodded, pressing his hand to her cheek. “Hell, yes.”
His touch was distracting and so were his words. “Mr. Hembrecht asked me to dinner Friday—”
“Why?”
“He wants to discuss work.” She paused, but he didn’t say anything so she went on. “My car overheated—”
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, frowning at her.
She shook her head. “It’s not your job to take care of me. I take care of myself.”
She saw him swallow, saw the slight flare of his nostrils.
“By the time the tow truck got there, I was hungry, so I walked to Chris’s for a burger—”
“Best onion rings in town,” he interjected. “But you shouldn’t be walking around town in the middle of the night, Cady—”
“I ate, had a few beers and watched a few fights.” Why was he looking at her like that? “I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”
“You’re okay, that’s all that matters.”
She was all too vulnerable to this man. Her body hummed with awareness, but her heart was resistant. She couldn’t forget that things were different now. And once he left, she would be crushed all over again. “It’s late. You need to go.”
“Cady, I need to say something.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for what happened.”
She nodded, fighting the instinct to lean into his hand. “This was apology sex?” she quipped, hoping to defuse the tension.
“This is because I can’t keep my hands off you,” his voice rumbled, sending chills along her already supersensitive skin.
“We’ll have to work on that.”
He looked at her for a long time, his gaze exploring every inch of her face. “I’m sorry. I was trying to do what was best for them, for all of us.” He shook his head. “Turns out I don’t know shit. Zach is at Bianca’s right now. I made him come with me to pick up the dress.”
“Why?” she asked, stunned.
“She wouldn’t answer his calls. And they need to talk.” He stroked her cheek again, leaving a trail of fire. “I apologized to Bianca. Now I’m apologizing to you—for hurting you and jeopardizing your friendship.”
She stood up, wrapping herself in the throw draped over the back of the couch. She needed distance between them so she could keep a clear mind. “I trusted you. I don’t do that easily,” she managed. “But I forgive you. I know you love your brother and want what’s best for him. Even if I no longer agree with what we did.” She paused. “Did you know GG married her husband a week after meeting him?”
He shook his head, his eyes searching hers.
“Next to that, Zach and Bianca’s engagement doesn’t seem so rushed,” she murmured. Her family might not understand what love and commitment meant, but she was beginning to. It didn’t matter where she was, in the boardroom or staring at her computer screen, Patton was always on her mind. She wanted him safe. She wanted him happy. Even if he didn’t love her. If this was what Bianca felt—what Zach felt—she wasn’t going to stop them. She drew in a wavering breath. “So maybe it’s possible?”
“That they love each other?” His voice was gruff.
She knew it was possible. It had to be, how else could she feel this way? She loved Patton completely. As scary as that was, it was true. “I...I won’t deprive them of happiness. If they decide they want to go through with it, I’ll support them.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
She blinked, waiting. “Just like that?”
“Zach is different with her. I’ve never seen him so eager to please someone else—and be so damn happy about it. Seeing him this last week, so lost and hurting... I think he does love her. If he’s willing to take that chance, I’ll be happy for him. And I’ll have no problem reminding him of that if there’s ever a need.” He paused, shaking his head.
She knew he meant it, too. He had a protective streak that would include Bianca once she was family. “Who knew underneath all these hard muscles and tough attitude was a true romantic?”
“Guess this whole experience has made me see things differently.” He stood in front of her, making the air spark.
“Differently bad or differently good?” she asked.
His eyes nailed hers, spearing her heart with the intensity of his gaze. “Good. Definitely good,” he whispered.
She waited, longing for some sign that she might be what he liked, too. That she might be something he’d take a chance on. As great as it was that he was willing to give Bianca and Zach a chance, she wanted more. Never in her life had she imagined she’d want what Bianca did. Not that she’d ever give up her career, it was too much a part of who she was. But with Patton, the house, the companionship, the dog—even the kids—were starting to sound appealing.
“You should go,” she said again. “Thanks for checking in on me. And the sex. It was fun.”
“Cady—” He frowned, a mix of sadness and frustration in his voice.
“I’ve got a lot of work before I can go to sleep,” she lied, needing him to go.
“Okay,” he relented. “I’ll see you again?”
“Maybe.” She shrugged, trying to act like her world wasn’t falling apart.
He tugged his clothes back in place and pulled her against him. She didn’t melt against him, she was proud of that. She stayed stiff and rigid in his arms. When he let her go, she smiled but didn’t make eye contact. She locked the door behind him, turned off the lights and collected her clothes before heading to her bedroom.
Then Cady stood under the shower and cried.
13
CADY STRAIGHTENED ONE of the bows on the back of the chair. Everything looked perfect, almost magazine-worthy really. Bianca and Zach had been lucky Mrs. Ryan had managed to get the library that Saturday at Tucker House for the wedding shower. Considering they’d had only two days, it was amazing how everything had come together so perfectly. The library was smaller than the sunroom they’d originally booked, but no one seemed to mind. Cady preferred this room. With its massive floor-to-ceiling casement windows and a glorious view of the lake, the setting was already lovely.
She and Celeste had been working since the ea
rly hours of the morning, setting up tables and chairs, draping tables in peach cloth and arranging countless flower arrangements. Cady had never been much of a do-it-yourself kind of woman, but Bibi was determined to keep their costs at a minimum. And that included decorations. Sure, she’d burned two fingers with a hot-glue gun and sliced her palm with some wired ribbon, but the battle wounds were worth the effort. The room screamed romance.
She smiled as she assessed the space. As much as she’d fought against it, her best friend was getting married in two weeks. And she was going to be the most enthusiastic maid-of-honor-cheerleader ever. Bianca deserved nothing less.
“You two are amazing.” Bianca’s hazel eyes took in every detail.
“We are good.” Cady hugged Bianca. “Seriously, I just did what Celeste told me to do. This was totally her vision.”
“I’m trying to convince Cady to change careers,” Celeste said, nudging Cady in the side.
“So you can expand into wedding planning and parties?” Bianca nodded. “It will happen Celeste, I know it will.”
Cady’s attention wandered to the door. She was going to be fine. She’d be better if she stopped looking for Patton. He would be here. And she needed to get a grip. If she was lucky, no one but Bianca—and Zach since Bianca told him everything—would pick up on the fact that she was crazy in love with him.
“We’ve got you set up in the front,” Celeste said. “You have the gift registry list, Cady?”
Cady snapped to attention. “Yep, we’re ready.” She led Bianca to the front of the room.
“You holding up okay?” Bianca whispered.
“I’m fantastic,” Cady answered immediately, winking.
Bianca rolled her eyes and took her seat. “You don’t have to pretend you’re fantastic, Cady. I know you’re hurting.”
Cady wrinkled her nose. “Who, me? I’m fine,” she teased. Yes, she was hurting. But it would go away, she knew that. She had to be strong. She had to resist the pull between them and keep her hands to herself. Seeing him would be hard, but she was going to put her best foot forward—for Bianca and Zach.
Seducing the Best Man (Wild Wedding Nights #1) Page 17
