The loud knock has me spinning around and exiting the room. I grab my bag off the couch and meet Cade at the door. “Hi,” I greet, stepping out into the early afternoon sunlight.
“Hey,” he replies, his eyes dropping down to take in his sweatshirt. He grins, but doesn’t say a word. “Ready?”
“Yes.” Glancing down at my outfit, I ask, “Is this okay?”
He takes his time, perusing my body as if assessing my appearance. When his blue eyes return to mine, he nods. “First off, you could be wearing a potato sack, and you’d still be the most stunning woman in the world. But I know that’s not what you meant. You were asking about your attire in regard to our little fishing adventure, and that answer would be yes. As long as you’re fine getting a little dirty.”
My cheeks heat up, because in that moment, I’m replaying the last time I got a little dirty. Friday night, after an exceptionally long day of dealing with Lance at the clinic, we met at my place to watch a movie and unwind. No movie was actually watched, but I had two orgasms right there on my couch.
I slept like a baby that night.
“Knock it off, dirty girl. You’re supposed to be learning the art of fishing today, not thinking about the different things you’d do to my pole.”
Shaking my head, I let a little giggle fly as we walk to his truck. Once I’m inside, on the passenger’s seat, I glance behind me after catching the scent of something sweet. There’s an insulated bag sitting there, and even though I can’t see what’s inside, I have an idea.
When Cade climbs behind the wheel, I ask, “What’s in the bag?”
He grins mischievously. “It’s a surprise.”
“Is it cookies? It smells like cookies. Chocolate chip ones. And brownies,” I insist, watching as the smile falls from his lips.
“How did you know that?”
I want to keep playing the ruse but am unable. I start to giggle, covering my lips with my hand.
“You peeked, didn’t you!” he blurts out, glancing back to see if the bag is open.
Shaking my head, I claim, “I didn’t, I swear. There wasn’t enough time for me to peek.”
His blue eyes narrow. “Then, how did you know?”
Smiling sweetly, I shrug my shoulders. “A woman never reveals her sources.”
Exhaling, he throws the truck in reverse and backs from my driveway. “Lizzie,” he finally states, shaking his head. “Mom took some to Collin this morning too.”
“I heard they’re delicious.”
“They are,” I agree as I head toward Wyatt’s place. “Almost everything Mom makes is top-notch, with the exception of Salsbury steak. She ever makes that, and we’re skipping the dinner invite.”
I can’t help but laugh. “My grandma used to make tuna cakes, and I’d want to vomit the moment the scent permeated the air.”
“Tuna cakes?” he asks, making a horrified face.
“Like crab cakes, but with tuna. Way cheaper to make, and to be honest, completely disgusting. That smell would linger for days, Cade. Days!”
He chuckles. “No tuna cakes, good to know, but what about crab cakes?”
“Those I like. This nice little gourmet restaurant not too far from where I lived back home had them for special every Friday night. I’d order them with a side salad often. They were delicious,” I recall, wishing I were back there for a night, if only to order the crab cakes.
“I’m not sure we have anywhere in Cooper Town that makes crab cakes, but I’m sure they do in North Ridge. I’ll do some checking and see if I can find a place. We can go for dinner one night.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”
Warmth moves through me, spreading from my chest through my extremities. Any time he says something sweet like that I want to swoon. He’s definitely a charmer, and often puts my wants and needs before his, but when he says things like that I start to entertain ideas I shouldn’t. He’s not a relationship kind of guy. I’ve known that from the beginning. So I need to keep those thoughts out of my head. We’ll never be anything more than just friends with benefits, if that’s what you want to call this, so the sooner I get that through my thick skull, the better off I’ll be.
We ride in silence out to Wyatt’s farm, both of us humming along to the song on the radio. Turning into the driveway, I find the barn open with Wyatt’s big truck parked in front. “We aren’t interrupting his day, are we?” I ask, releasing my seat belt as he turns off his truck.
