Chapter Four

Audrey set four places at the wooden table, laying down the plates and ignoring the large man who hovered nearby, supervising.

“You’re so incredibly domestic, Audrey. First dinner and now the table?” Reese tsked and shook his head, pretending to be impressed. “You’re going to make Cade a lucky man.”

She glared at him, clenching the last plate in her hand as if she wanted to strike him with it. “Will you shut up, already?” Audrey glanced around the room, making sure that Cade was nowhere to be seen. “He’ll hear you.”

“Sorry,” he said in a tone that indicated that he wasn’t sorry at all. “I thought I’d help you set the table.”

“You’re clearly being such a help,” she said in a nasty tone. “What with your standing around and being in the way.”

He chuckled. “What can I do to help you, then?”

Go away. Go away and never come back. “Go tell the others that dinner’s ready.”

“That, I can do.” Reese strolled out of the small kitchen, whistling, and Audrey gritted her teeth again. At least he’d listened to her for once.

It had only been a few hours and he was already driving her crazy. The man seemed determined to make her lose her temper. Not only was he constantly hovering around and making cracks, but he seemed to delight in doing nothing more than heckling her.

She wished that Cade had stuck around, but once he’d unpacked, he’d taken a walk around the lake. He’d asked Audrey to go with him, but she’d declined, wanting to stay close to the cabin in case Daphne needed her. She’d suggested that Reese go instead, but he claimed to be tired and laid down on one of the couches in the living room.

Of course, no sooner had Cade disappeared that Reese had been back up again, bothering her and asking her questions. How long had she been in love with Cade? Had she ever told him about it? Had she ever seen him naked? Did she get jealous when he dated other women? Did she date other men?

She’d ignored his questions and gone into the small kitchen, determined to make dinner. It was something to keep her busy. The only problem was, she wasn’t much of a cook. When they were younger, her older sister Gretchen had always cooked for the family, and she was wonderful at it. Living in New York City, Audrey had never needed culinary skills, not when there was a restaurant on every corner. But the groceries that Cade had brought seemed to be healthy, wholesome foods, and she guessed that someone would have to cook for them.

And given that the men had disappeared from the lodge, she supposed that fell to her.

There’d been a recipe for meatloaf on the back of one of the packages of meat, and so she’d decided to make that for them. It didn’t look so hard. They were missing a few of the spices, but she figured that she’d just add some extra salt and pepper. When she pulled it out of the small oven, it looked good and smelled even better. Pleased, Audrey set the pan down on the table and returned to the kitchen to make a small tossed salad to accompany it.

It wasn’t high class cuisine, but it was a nice-looking dinner. She wanted things to be comfortable for her twin while she was struggling to get clean, nice, and wholesome dinner with friends would be a great start. If she could keep Daphne distracted and relatively content, this could work. And with Cade at her side, between the two of them, they could keep on Daphne at all times.

This was going to work, Audrey decided.

While the food was cooling, Reese and Cade returned and washed up and sat down at the table. A moment later, Daphne descended down the stairs, each step shaky and weak.

Audrey’s heart sank. It had been less than a full day and her twin looked like hell. Dark circles lined Daphne’s eyes and her entire body shook with small tremors. Her steps were small and shuffling, and she seemed thinner than ever.

Audrey went to Daphne’s side, wrapping an arm around her. “How are you feeling?”

Daphne brushed off her arm irritably. “Don’t touch me. Hurts.”

Immediately, Audrey released her, feeling contrite. “I’m sorry. What can I get you?”

“Glass of water,” Daphne said, and licked her lips. Audrey noticed that they were dry and cracked, as if she’d gone weeks in the sun. Was detoxing supposed to be this hard on her twin? Audrey had never done drugs, so she didn’t know, but she was concerned.

“I’ll get it for you,” she told her. “Go sit down at the table.”

“Not hungry.”

“Well, sit down with the others at least. I’m sure Cade will be happy to see you,” Audrey said, keeping her tone bright and cheerful. “Go say hello to him.”

Cade got up from the table and approached Daphne, extending his hands to her. “Hey, beautiful.”

Daphne managed a tiny smile and put her trembling hands in his. “You’re such a tease,” she told him. “I look like shit.”

“You’re too hard on yourself,” Cade told her quietly. “You’re going through a hard time.” He took her hand and gently guided her toward the table, then pulled a chair out for her.

Audrey smiled at the sight. Having Cade here was wonderful. He always knew what to say to her twin to make her behave, to make her respond, and he always treated her like a lady, even when Daphne was at her lowest. “I made meatloaf and salad, Daphne,” she said, setting the glass of water down in front of her. “Do you want to try it?”

“You should,” Cade said softly. “Your sister worked hard on it.”

Daphne shrugged her thin shoulders. “I’ll try and eat.” She glanced over at Reese, who sat on the opposite end of the table. “Hey. You’re the guy from the hot tub, right? You’re still here?”

“I am,” Reese said pleasantly, glancing at Audrey. “Your sister offered to give me a ride back to town but I was enjoying her company so much that I thought I’d stick around.”

Audrey snorted. She wished it was that easy to get rid of him. She finished dishing a small serving onto Daphne’s plate and then took Reese’s plate and began to slop a large amount on there. The meatloaf seemed a bit . . . pink in the middle, but she figured if you could have a steak rare, you could have meatloaf rare, too.

When he raised an eyebrow at the amount she piled on his plate, she gave him a saccharine smile and thumped it down in front of him. “I figured you probably have a caveman-like appetite to go with that caveman personality of yours.”

“Is that a hint for me to drag you off into my cave?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

She shot him a withering look. “Not in the slightest—”

“Well,” Cade said, interrupting. “I’m starved and it smells great, Audrey. Thank you so much for fixing dinner.”

“She’ll make someone a terrific wife someday, won’t she?” Reese said casually.

Audrey froze, then turned to glare at him.

He gave her a wicked smile, unfurling his napkin and placing it on his lap.

“That she will,” Cade said, missing the tension between the two of them. He glanced at Daphne fondly, then smiled at Audrey when she set a plate of food down in front of him.

“Eat, everyone,” Audrey told them, serving up her own plate and then sitting down. “You don’t want it to get cold.” Her gaze slid over to Daphne. Her twin had a fork in hand but she had yet to take a bite. Instead, she was poking at the food with the fork tines, dismantling it and shoving it around her plate. Wasn’t she hungry? She hadn’t eaten earlier, either. She cast a concerned look at Cade, who shook his head, indicating that she should leave Daphne alone.

A choked sound came from Reese, and Audrey looked over just in time to see him spit a mouthful into his napkin. His eyes began to stream as he coughed.

Her eyes widened. “Did you swallow wrong?”

“Yeah. I tried to swallow. That was the problem.”

“Spitters are quitters,” Daphne said from the far end of the table, her voice low and tired.

Audrey looked over at Cade, who had a pained expression on his face. As she watched, he reached for his water glass and politely coughed into his hand.

A hint of a smile touched Daphne’s mouth. “You guys shouldn’t have let Audrey cook. She kind of sucks at it.” She pushed the meatloaf around on her plate a bit longer. “Glad I’m not hungry.”

It couldn’t be that bad. Casting another angry look at Reese for joking around when her twin clearly needed to eat, Audrey took a tiny bite of the meatloaf. Wet, half-raw hamburger meat and onion touched her tongue. The salty, greasy taste was overwhelming. With a gagging noise of her own, Audrey quietly followed Reese’s lead and spit into her napkin. “I must have missed something on the recipe.”

“Like the instructions?” Reese told her.

She tossed her napkin down on her plate. “I didn’t see you volunteering to do anything in the kitchen, did I?”

“Is that a challenge?” he told her. “Because I’m up for it. You want to make a bet on who can make a better dinner?”

“I’m not betting anything with you, idiot,” she bit off, and then glanced over at Cade and Daphne, mortified at her outburst. “Sorry,” she said, bringing her voice back down to a modulated, calm tone. “I’m just a bit frustrated.”

“So you don’t think I’m an idiot?” Reese teased at her side.

“I didn’t say that,” she said tightly.

Daphne sighed heavily and drank her water.

Cade pushed his plate aside and focused on his salad. “Well, the effort was appreciated nevertheless, Audrey. I appreciate you. Maybe it’ll taste better as leftovers.”

She beamed at him, feeling warm at his praise.

“Fuck leftovers,” Reese said. “Mine’s going in the garbage. The maggots can have it.”

Immediately, Daphne plunked her water glass down. Her face turned green and she bolted from the table.

Audrey cast a withering look at Reese as she got to her feet. “Can’t you watch your mouth for five minutes? Look what you’ve done.”

“I don’t know,” Reese said blandly. “I kind of think she did it to herself.”

Tamping down her outrage, Audrey followed Daphne through the lodge. She found Daphne huddled on the floor in the bathroom, her face in the toilet as she vomited. Audrey sat down next to her and pulled her twin’s stringy, dyed hair out of the way, rubbing her back as she threw up.

When nothing else seemed to be coming up, Daphne rested her cheek on the side of the toilet and gave a weak sigh. “I hate this.”

“I’m sorry,” Audrey said. “I wish I could help.”

“You can. Go to town and score me something. Just a little something to keep me going.”

“No, Daph—”

“Not much,” Daphne said, her voice desperate. “Just enough to take the worst of the edge off. It’ll help me cut free if I don’t feel quite so shitty.”

“I can’t. Even if I knew where to get drugs, I wouldn’t get it for you.” She shook her head. “I won’t do that to you.”

Daphne turned and gave her a vicious shove, knocking Audrey into the tub. “It’s your fucking fault,” she snarled. “I had enough drugs for this month and you fucking flushed them. You trying to kill me? I can’t go cold turkey.” She began to sob, laying her cheek back down on the side of the toilet as dry heaves began to take over her again. “I need my pills. I can’t do this.”

“It hasn’t even been a day yet, Daphne.” Audrey struggled upright and sat on the edge of the tub, then began to stroke Daphne’s back again. “Be strong.”

“If I was strong I wouldn’t be here,” Daphne sobbed. “Take me back to the city. Please. I’ve changed my mind.”

Hurt and despair welled up inside of Audrey. Daphne was giving up already? It hadn’t even been a full twenty-four hours and Daphne was determined to give up. This was just like every other time Daphne had tried to get clean. She’d talk a good game and then when things got difficult, she’d cave in. “If I take you back to the city, you’ll end up just like you were before,” Audrey whispered, her heart aching as she continued to stroke her twin’s back. Daphne was so thin she could feel every bump of her spine, and it made her want to weep with frustration.

If this didn’t work, her twin would die. It was only a matter of time before Daphne showed up on the cover of a tabloid with the headline “OVERDOSED.”

“I hate you,” Daphne cried. “I can’t do this.”

A shadow fell on the doorway, and Audrey looked up to see Cade standing there, a stricken look on his face. “Is she all right?”

“She’s fine,” Audrey began, only to be interrupted by Daphne’s retching cough, and then more dry heaves.

Cade knelt beside Daphne and brushed his fingers over her sunken cheek. “You okay, Daph? What do you need?”

“Need my pills,” she sobbed, making small whimpering noises in her throat. “Something. Anything. I hurt so bad.”

“What were you taking before you came here?” Cade asked her.

“Everything,” she wept.

Audrey felt sick to her stomach. What kind of trouble was her twin in?

“What did you need to have, though? Which ones could you not live without?”

“Coke,” Daphne sobbed, and wiped her running nose with the back of one hand. “And my pills.”

“What were your pills?”

“Xanax. I need them,” she said in a trembling voice. “They keep me calm.”

To Audrey’s horror, Cade produced a prescription pill bottle and held it out. As she watched, Daphne’s hands formed small claws and she reached for the drugs, only to have Cade hold them out of reach again. “Just one, Daphne.”

“Just one,” Daphne agreed, breathing heavily. She held her hands out, and Audrey was horrified to see how much they were shaking.

“Cade, no—” Audrey began, but he shook his head at her. She pursed her lips and sat in silence as Cade carefully fished one pill out and handed it to Daphne, who gobbled it down like it was candy. Then, she lay her cheek back down on the side of the toilet and sighed, closing her eyes.

Audrey was not so happy, though. “Can I talk to you, Cade?”

They left the bathroom and walked away a few feet, and Audrey had to clench her fists at her sides to keep from shaking him. “What are you doing, Cade? We brought her here to get clean!”

“I had a talk with her manager,” Cade said in a low, easy voice. “She’s been taking a lot of Xanax over the last year or two, and it’s dangerous to stop her cold turkey. Her manager keeps a supply at hand, and I talked with a few of my doctors about the side effects. They feel that weaning off her slowly is safer than stopping outright.” When Audrey continued to frown at him, he added, “I’ve also flown in my personal physician to stay at a nearby cabin in case we have any emergencies. I want what’s best for her, too, Audrey. You know I do.” He reached out and rubbed her shoulder. “Trust me.”

That hand caressing her through her sweater was so comforting. “I do trust you, Cade. I’m just . . . really concerned about her. It’s so hard to see.” A sudden rush of tears flooded to the surface, and she pressed her palms to her eyes. “I’m just so worried.”

“I know it is,” he said softly. “But I’m here to help.” He glanced at something behind her and nodded. “Why don’t you go take a walk with Reese? Get some fresh air?”

She glanced behind her and, sure enough, Reese was hovering nearby. The ever-present smirk was gone from his face. He looked somber. She didn’t want to go anywhere with Reese, though. She needed to stay right here, especially when Cade was touching her. She wanted to throw herself in his arms for a hug, but she forced herself to stay right where she was. “I can’t leave. My sister . . . Daphne . . .”

“I’ll take care of her,” Cade said. “Go on. You look rattled.”

“Yeah. Come on, Audrey.” She felt Reese’s arm settle at her waist. “We’ll go for a walk around the lake and you can give me that kiss you promised.”

Horrified, she stared up at Cade and twisted out of Reese’s grip. “I did not promise him that!”

Cade only chuckled. “You two have fun.”

“We will,” Reese said with a smirk. “And she did promise me that. Or don’t you remember, Audrey? I seem to recall a conversation we had—”

She clapped a hand over his mouth. “Shut up!”

Something warm and wet stroked over her palm—Reese was licking her hand. A bolt of sensation shot through her body, and Audrey jerked her hand away, dazed.

That had felt . . . good. A little too good. Her eyes narrowed and she waited for Reese to say something now that she’d retracted her hand, but he only smiled down at her.

“You have your phone on you? I can call you if something comes up,” Cade said easily, ignoring her reaction to Reese.

“Mine’s in the hot tub,” she said, lowering her hand and glaring at Reese. “Someone threw it there earlier.”

“Do I want to know what you two were doing in the hot tub?” Cade asked.

“Nothing!” Audrey retorted.

“I don’t have my phone, either,” Reese said. “It left with my date. Don’t worry, though. We’ll be fine.” He looped an arm around Audrey’s shoulders and grinned. “I’ll take good care of her.”

***

Reese was pretty sure that this weekend was a recipe for disaster. He could just see it now. Mix one junkie pop star with a do-gooder billionaire who’s hiding a secret crush on her. Add in the lonely twin sister crushing on the billionaire, and make all three parties completely unaware of the other’s interest. Stir with that giant stick up Audrey’s ass. Watch fireworks explode.

At any other time, he’d find the combination utterly amusing. Hell, Cade was a big boy. His buddy could take care of himself. And he figured that if Daphne was old enough to get hooked on all the drugs that the tabloids said she was on, she was responsible for her own fate. He didn’t have much sympathy there.

But the factor that was bugging him in this was Audrey, and he wasn’t quite sure why.

Maybe it was the fact that she got so flustered when he flirted with her. Maybe it was the way she carried herself, so incredibly stiff and rigid that sometimes he wondered if she even knew how to relax. Maybe it was the way her full mouth thinned out at the sight of him, and it only encouraged him to be even naughtier.

Hell, it was probably all of that.

But sympathy for the little ice queen who was bound to get her heart broken in multiple ways? That one had been harder to explain to himself. He told himself that he liked a challenge, that he was simply bored and looking for a diversion, and her prickliness was definitely a diversion. But when she looked up at Cade with those wide, shining eyes and that soft smile? Like he was Sir Galahad reborn and had arrived to save the day?

Reese had to admit, he got a little jealous. Not of Cade, of course. Cade was oblivious to Audrey’s devotion, seeing it only as the affection of a friend, or worse, a little sister. It was the way she gazed up at him as if he were her hero. As if, now that Cade was there, everything in her world would be all right. Like everything was good again, simply because he’d arrived.

And Reese had realized that no one ever looked at him like that.

Which was not to say that he didn’t get female attention—the opposite, really. Women had ceased to be a challenge long ago. Throw a little flirtation their way, laugh at their jokes, flatter them, pay attention to them, and he’d have a woman eating out of the palm of his hand within hours.

It was no challenge whatsoever. And once they found out he had money? It just became even easier. He was good looking and knew how to charm. Women often looked at him as if they wanted to devour him whole, or test out how he was in bed.

No one ever looked at him like Audrey looked at Cade. Like he was a motherfucking hero.

And for some reason that bothered Reese and challenged him all at once. Audrey cast him withering glare after withering glare, but because Cade helped her put away groceries and rubbed Daphne’s back while she barfed, he was worthy of adoration and blind devotion?

The competitive side of Reese made him want to see if he could get Audrey to look at him the same way. And it had been that competitive side that had made him speak up and insist on the kiss she’d promised him.

Audrey had turned bright red of course, the freckles standing out on her skin. And she’d huffed and blustered, but had been quick to escape once Cade turned his questioning gaze on her. Yeah, she didn’t want to explain that one to Prince Charming, did she?

Oddly enough, it made him feel protective of stiff little Audrey. Perhaps she had a naughty side after all, and was doing her best to hide it from Cade. Not to worry, Reese thought to himself. If there’s a wicked side to you, I’m just the man to find it.

Even her steps down the dirt path to the lake were jerky and irritated, he noticed with amusement. She walked a few paces ahead of him, arms crossed over her chest, back ramrod straight. It was cute, much like the way a pissed-off rabbit would be cute. Fluffy and harmless.

He let her continue on for a few minutes, and when they got to the dock at the edge of the lake, she turned to glare at him, shivering a little. She hadn’t worn a jacket and it was bitterly cold outside with the night wind. “Is this enough of a walk for you? Or should we go back to the house and see if you can humiliate me again?”

“Here.” Reese shrugged off the jacket he’d borrowed from Cade’s closet and offered it to her.

She took it, giving him a wary look. “You’re not cold?”

“Nah.” He watched her as she shrugged it over her shoulders, holding it tight to her body. “It’s a little small for me.”

“All of Cade’s clothing is a little small for you,” she told him, her gaze straying to the too-tight fitness club T-shirt he wore.

“Yeah. These jeans are seriously crushing my balls. I’m gonna be gelded before the weekend’s over.”

She got that weird look on her face that told him she was probably blushing in the moonlight, though it was too dark to tell. “Well, maybe you being gelded wouldn’t be such a bad thing,” she told him in that prim little voice, “considering your reputation.”

“I’d be depriving the world of greatness if that happened,” he drawled, enjoying when her posture got just a little stiffer.

“You have a very high opinion of yourself.”

“Someone should.”

“Yes, I suppose someone should,” she said, and gave a haughty little sniff.

Time to wipe that smugness from her face. “So, you ready to give me my kiss now?”

Even in the shadows, he couldn’t miss the withering glance she shot at him. “Do you know how much I hate you right now?”

“Don’t know, don’t much care, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

She was mutinously silent.

“It won’t be that bad,” he teased her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning up against a nearby pier beam. “I’m told I’m quite a good kisser.”

“You do have quite the ego,” she muttered. “Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want to kiss you? That I’m not bowled over by your so-called charm?”

“Is it because you think you won’t be any good at it? Performance anxiety?”

She sputtered.

“That’s it, isn’t it? I can give you lessons, you know. So you’re good and ready by the time Cade pulls his head out of his ass.”

Audrey’s gritted teeth flashed in the moonlight. “I despise you.”

“So, lessons?”

“Not in your wildest dreams,” she bit out. “That wasn’t part of our negotiation. Our agreement was one kiss in exchange for your silence.”

He rubbed his chin as if pretending to consider this. “I’m pretty sure we didn’t give specifics.”

“We should have!”

Reese gestured at her. “Let’s set the groundwork, then. You tell me what you thought our kiss should entail and I’ll tell you what I thought, and we can meet in the middle.”

The look she gave him was wary, but hopeful, and she clutched the borrowed jacket tighter to her shoulders. “That sounds reasonable.”

“I’m a reasonable man.”

She snorted with disbelief, and he had to grin at that. Perhaps that stick wasn’t crammed so far up her ass after all.

“A kiss on the cheek,” she offered.

“Get real,” he told her. “We both know that wasn’t the bargain. I’m talking an honest to goodness kiss.”

“You didn’t specify where. I should get to choose where I’d want to put it, and I’m saying there.”

“Well, since we’re picking body parts out of the air, I’ll say that I want the kiss on the head of my cock.” At her outraged gasp, he continued blandly. “So I guess we can meet in the middle and settle on the mouth.”

“You’re despicable.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re the one who started the bidding low, sweetheart. I had to go high to counter it.”

“I’m not your sweetheart! Fine. On the mouth. But no tongue!”

“Oh, there’ll be tongue,” he told her. “But if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll lead.”

“You’ll lead?” There it was again, that weird, half-startled, half-mortified look on her face that told him she was probably blushing again. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean my tongue can do all the work. You can just let me be in charge of any tongue action.”

She shook her head again. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t agree to tongue.”

“It’s not a kiss if there’s no tongue.”

“Gee, you sure didn’t seem to be thinking that when you suggested I plant a kiss on your dick!”

He laughed, surprised and amused by her retort. He liked her, stiff shoulders and all. “Now now, how do you know I wasn’t referring to tongue?”

She made a choked sound of fury.

“Don’t distract me from our bargain,” he teased. “Let’s keep things on track here. How long?”

“How long, what?”

“How long should the kiss be?”

“I don’t have a timer!”

“Should you get one?” He gestured at the cabin up the hill. “I can go back to the house and tell Cade that we need one to make sure we get the kiss right—”

Her hands went to his chest, stopping him as he pretended to get up. “You’re not going anywhere.”

A smile tugged at his mouth. “Whatever you say.”

“I sincerely wish that were the case,” she told him pertly.

He laughed again. “So we agree to three minutes on the kiss?”

“Three seems like a long time.” She gave him a skeptical look. “I vote one.”

“Three.”

“We’re settling on two, then.” When he didn’t challenge that, she added, “What about hands?”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You want to start the bidding on that one?”

“No thank you. I learned my lesson with the lips bargaining.” She put her hands on her hips, challenging him. “I just wanted to know where hands factored into this equation.”

Reese grinned. Quick learner. “I suppose we can leave hands off the table for now. Unless you object.”

“Hardly.” She contemplated for a moment, and then gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Did we leave anything out?”

“You tell me.” He was enjoying this far, far too much.

“I feel like if I miss something, you’re going to use it against me.”

He laughed. “Double entendre?”

“See, there you go again.”

“Hey, I’m ready whenever you are.” He gestured expansively. “Just waiting for you to get a move on.”

“Me?” She sputtered again. “Why do I have to make the first move?”

“Because you lost the bet. Those were the rules.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Now quit stalling.”

“I’m not stalling!” Her shoulders rose in a huff.

“Aren’t you? Because I can go back inside if you want to call this whole thing off. It’s clear to me you have no intention of going through—”

His words cut off because she surged forward and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling his mouth in against hers. Her lips brushed his, and then he felt the barest flicker of tongue against his mouth.

And holy fuck, that was hot.

Reese had been so surprised at her impulsive move that he hadn’t had time to anticipate the feel of her mouth against his. He was surprised by the utter softness of her lips, the sweet, delicious give to her mouth as it parted against his own. Her hands were cold against his cheeks, which made the warmth of her lips even more of a contrast. And those impressive breasts were pressing up against his chest, right where his arms were crossed.

He’d been so startled that he hadn’t been able to respond at first, and she took his lack of response as some sort of challenge, he guessed, because she gently sucked on his lower lip, coaxing his mouth open. “Lips,” she reminded him in a whisper.

He parted for her, and her tongue slipped into his mouth, dancing against his own. Delicate but determined, she stroked against his lips with the tip of her tongue, outlining the seam of his mouth before sliding the tip inside and rubbing it against his tongue.

Goddamn, Audrey’s mouth was amazing. He was shocked that the prim woman could kiss. More than that, she kissed like a demon. Like she knew she was in charge and she was putting him in his place.

Her tongue stroked against his once more, boldly, and then retreated. “Tongue,” she whispered.

“Mmm,” he groaned when she gave a small sigh of pleasure and began to stroke her tongue into his mouth again. He slid his tongue along hers. She gave a little start when he began to respond, but then she yielded against him, and their mouths began to meld in a sensual interplay.

The kiss was incredible. Her soft tongue dancing along his, her sweet mouth parted, her lips joined to his. She tasted delicious, too—warm and like honey. Reese needed more of her. He let his arms fall to his sides and then his hands moved to her hips, close to her ass but not quite touching it. He knew if he grabbed at her, she’d flee, and he wanted more of this.

This sexy, confident Audrey that kissed like a fiend was at total odds with the sour, too proper woman with the stiff back who he had such fun teasing, and fuck if it wasn’t making him hard as all get out. It was a surprise and a turn on all in one. His hands anchored at her waist, holding her against him. His cock had stirred at the wet thrust of her kiss, and within moments he was as hard as a rock. The press of those full breasts against his chest were almost as distracting as the slide of her tongue into his mouth.

After a moment, she pulled away with a small whimper, her mouth gleaming wet in the moonlight. She looked up at him with dazed eyes. “Pretty sure that was two minutes.”

He groaned, leaning in toward her mouth again. “Fuck the two minutes.”

She leaned just as far away from him, her nose wrinkling as if displeased. “Two minutes was the agreement.”

And he was . . . a bit stumped. Wasn’t she enjoying the kiss as much as he was? She’d sighed with pleasure. Her lips and tongue had been enthusiastic against his own. She’d pressed against him. And now that she’d gotten him all worked up . . . she was done? He growled low in his throat. “We can keep going if you want.”

“I don’t want,” she said, and slid out of his grasp, taking a step backward. “This was just because you blackmailed me.”

Somehow he doubted that. Reese hadn’t missed that little jolt she’d made when he’d began to tongue her back, or the little groan of response she’d made. But if she wanted to play games with him, that was fine. She’d learn that he was the king of playing flirty games, and they were just about to get started. “Whatever you say,” he forced out in a casual voice. “You going back to the house now?”

“Yes,” she said in a prim voice. “I am.”

And she whirled and bolted for the house, her steps hurried.

Reese rubbed his lips, still feeling the slick warmth from their kiss, and grinned. Audrey might claim to be unaffected, but he’d bet money that it was a lie. There was a lot more underneath the surface than that girl let on.

And damn it all if he wasn’t interested in finding out more. Now he needed to think of more ways to get that impulsive, fierce little hothead to show up once more.

***

Dear, sweet Lord, she was in way over her head.

Audrey raced back to the house, clutching the borrowed jacket to her shoulders. Her breath was coming fast and her legs felt wobbly and weak. It didn’t make her stop, though—she raced up the wooden steps to the lodge and flung open the door, crashing into the house.

Cade glanced out of the bathroom doorway, seated on a small wooden stool he’d pulled into the bathroom. The sounds of retching continued, and Audrey knew her twin was still in there. “Everything okay?”

His beloved face looked so concerned, so beautiful . . . and she didn’t want to see him at the moment. Not after she’d been kissing another man. Shame rocketed through her.

“Just fine,” Audrey barked out, her voice a little more high-pitched than she would have preferred. A hot flush began to form on her cheeks, and she took a step toward the bathroom out of concern for her twin. “Is she okay?”

Cade nodded. “I’ll stay with her. Keep her company.”

From inside the bathroom, Daphne mumbled something that Audrey couldn’t hear, and for a moment she was oddly thankful that Cade was the one volunteering to sit with Daphne. She didn’t think she could at the moment, not with the way her mind and body were racing. She gestured at the stairs. “I’m, um, just going to go upstairs.”

“Okay.” He turned back to Daphne and began to murmur something.

Audrey raced up the wooden stairs to the second floor of the lodge, where the bedrooms were. Daphne’s shoes were kicked off in front of the last door on the end, so she guessed that was their room. She headed inside and frowned. The room stank of cigarettes and stale smoke. Heading toward the window on the far side of the room, Audrey opened the shutters and then cracked the window to air out the room. A rush of cold air came in, and she pulled the jacket closer to her.

It smelled like Reese. For a moment, she wanted to fling it off her body, but she glanced around the room instead. It was dark, and the only light coming in was from the full moon outside. No one would know she was up here. So she cautiously pulled the jacket closer and gave it another sniff.

If she had to admit it to herself, the scent was . . . wonderful. Reese smelled like soap and warmth and the outdoors and that spicy, musky scent she was starting to identify as pure Reese. Inhaling his scent made her think back to the kiss on the dock, and her gaze automatically went to the window, looking outside for a familiar form.

He was still there where she’d left him minutes ago. Slouched against the wooden railing of the dock, his stance casual and easy. His hand was lifted to his mouth and, as she watched, she could have sworn he was rubbing his lips.

It made a quiver erupt deep in her belly. Had he been affected by their kiss, too?

He glanced up at the lodge and, as soon as he did, she yelped and bolted away from the window, hiding behind the wall. She immediately chided herself for the foolish move. He wouldn’t have been able to see her watching him, sniffing his jacket and basking in his scent.

Still.

Audrey put her back to the wall and slid down to the floor, pulling her knees close and wrapping the jacket around her body.

Cade was here tonight.

Cade was here, and she’d gone outside and kissed another man. What was wrong with her?

She’d been dreaming of spending a quiet weekend alone with Cade for years. Fantasized about the two of them spending time together, rekindling the old, comfortable friendship they’d had, and—in her eyes—maybe turning it into something more.

She hadn’t factored in a sick junkie sister who would eat up Cade’s free time. She certainly hadn’t factored in Cade’s buddy who would drive her insane in the space of mere seconds.

She could handle Daphne, though. Cade adored Daphne also, and her sister was such a mess that she wasn’t really competition for Cade. Not on a romantic level, anyhow.

But she’d never factored in Reese. Reese, who’d been making out with a gorgeous, naked blonde when they’d arrived. Reese, who crawled under her skin and infuriated her with every word and smug smile on his handsome brute face. Reese, who’d blackmailed her into kissing him. She should have told him no. She should have told him to go ahead and tell Cade. What was the worst that would happen?

But instead, she’d gone outside to kiss Reese, even though she couldn’t stand him and his arrogant ways. And she’d negotiated with him about where and how long the kiss should be. And even though she’d despised him for holding her to the bet, she’d had a wild, sick little butterfly of excitement in her stomach.

It had been so incredibly naughty. It was something that the good twin would never do . . . unless forced. And somehow because the control had been out of her hands, she’d wanted to do it. Not only that, but she’d wanted to prove to Reese that he wasn’t the only one who could take someone by surprise. So she’d taken the plunge and kissed him.

She knew she was a good kisser. She’d had plenty of boyfriends despite her torch for Cade, but she’d only slept with a few of them. She didn’t give it up easily, preferring the long weeks—and sometimes months—of endless petting and kissing to the actual consummation. And she’d had lots of experience with kissing, and she knew what would make a man sit up and notice. And she’d used every dirty trick in the book to rock his world and wipe that smug smile off his too-handsome face. She’d wanted to shake him up a little.

She hadn’t counted on enjoying the kiss that much herself. But she had. Oh, she had. That butterfly of excitement returned, low in her belly, and she pressed her thighs together tightly. His lips had been soft and full, and he’d tasted so good. And he knew how to kiss, too. When his tongue had begun to stroke back against her own, she’d forgotten all about teaching him a lesson and had simply enjoyed the kiss for the kiss’s sake.

It was because it was forbidden, she told herself. Nothing more. She wasn’t supposed to be out on a dock in the middle of the night, kissing a cocky stranger. She should have been in the house, at her twin’s side, showing Cade how good and devoted of a sister she was.

Showing him that she was the good, sweet twin and was so right for a man as kind and devoted and handsome as himself.

And instead she’d been tonguing Reese Durham.

And she’d liked it.

Mortified, Audrey buried her head in her hands. Unfortunately, that only made the scent of Reese waft more closely around her, thanks to the jacket.

He’d liked the kiss, too. She could tell that her aggressiveness had startled him in the beginning, and then he’d appreciated it. It had stroked her ego, to have this big, confident man taken down a peg by her kiss. But then she’d gotten lost in it. And then he’d offered to continue the kiss.

And she’d told him no. Put on the stiff poker face of the Audrey Who Meant Business.

But she’d really, really wanted to say yes. Oh, she’d wanted to say yes. For a brief moment in time, she’d wanted to be the bad twin, the wild twin, the twin who would sink down to the floor of the dock and make love to a man she barely knew just because he excited the part of her that she tried so hard to wrestle into control.

But Audrey was determined to be the good twin at all costs. Cade was a good, kind man with a virtuous heart. He wouldn’t fall for someone who had a wild and impetuous side. He needed someone trustworthy and honorable, like himself.

And since all she’d ever wanted for herself was Cade’s love, she’d pulled away.

So why was she regretting it, all alone up here in the dark?

It didn’t make sense. And she kind of hated herself for it, even as she rubbed her own lips in memory.

***

Audrey woke up the next morning, curled on her side of the king bed. She’d slept on top of the covers and left the window open. The room was frigid and smelled of pine trees and ice, and the jacket she was cuddled in no longer smelled of the man she’d kissed last night. Just as well.

She’d slept on top of the covers, fully dressed, and vaguely remembered dozing off while waiting for her twin to return. The other side of the bed hadn’t been touched, though, and Audrey rubbed her face, then changed into a new set of clothes for the day—a plain gray long-sleeved shirt and her favorite jeans. She splashed a bit of water on her face, then used her wet hands to smooth her wild hair into her typical no-nonsense bun. Then, she headed downstairs.

The lodge was silent, and Audrey crept down the hall, wondering where everyone was. Was she the first one awake? She supposed she should make breakfast if that was the case. Surely she couldn’t mess up toast.

She crept into the living room area and paused. On the sofa directly across from the now-dark fireplace, Daphne was sprawled out, facedown. Her twin looked like hell; her skin was pasty, her features were haggard, and her hair was sweaty and plastered against her pale skin. Her face rested on a cushion in Cade’s lap as he slept upright, his head tilted backward, his blond hair mussed. His mouth was open, a hint of a snore echoing from him. A plastic bucket rested between his feet, clearly for Daphne’s use.

They both looked exhausted. Audrey felt a twinge of dismay at the sight. She should have been the one helping her twin through the night. Instead, she’d been wrapped up in her own turbulent thoughts. Cade, being the gentleman that he was, had taken over the task. She watched him sleep for a moment, admiring his clean, handsome features. There was a dark shadow of facial hair along his jaw, chin, and upper lip, and it was the first time she’d ever seen him look even slightly rumpled. It was a bit odd to see. Even his dress shirt was wrinkled, the sleeves rolled up at his elbows. He seemed oddly vulnerable, and she smiled to herself at the sight.

She was glad he was here, though. Not only was he helping with Daphne, but this would give her time to spend with him, too. She’d been dreaming of the day they would finally reunite, and though she hadn’t planned it quite like this, she couldn’t be sorry for it. Today, she resolved, she was going to spend at her sister’s side.

And if Cade was there, too, even better.

She’d let them sleep for now, though, and she’d make breakfast. Audrey passed through the living room on silent, careful feet, and then headed through the swinging door into the kitchen.

The sight that greeted her there made her stop in her tracks.

His massive back was turned to her, muscles rippling and shoulders moving as Reese reached for something in one of the cabinets. The sleep pants he wore were hideously checkered, but they were also incredibly tight across his firm ass and low enough that they showed the indent of his lower back . . . and the fact that he wasn’t wearing underwear. His feet were bare.

He turned and glanced at her as she stood in the doorway, petrified, and he gave her another one of those lazy, smug smiles. “Good morning,” he whispered. His gaze seemed to pause at her mouth, then took in her tightly bound-up hair, and the smile grew amused. “Armoring up for battle?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she whispered back. “I came in here to make breakfast. I didn’t realize anyone else was in here. What are you doing in here?”

“You,” he told her with a point of the potato peeler in his hand, “are not getting anywhere near this food. Not after last night’s debacle.”

She padded to his side, crossing her arms over her chest, and studied the counter space in front of him. There was a bowl of beaten eggs, another bowl full of pancake batter, and he had a stack of washed potatoes in front of him. “What’s all this? Don’t tell me you’ve decided to cook?”

“Someone’s got to do it,” he said with a lopsided grin. “And those two in the living room look like they had a rough night.”

“They do,” she admitted. “I feel bad that it’s not me out there.”

“I don’t,” he told her. “You were busy keeping me occupied.”

She smacked his arm and picked up one of the potatoes. “You want me to peel these?”

“I don’t know.” He leaned against the counter and gazed down at her. “Think you’ll mess it up?”

She glared at him. “I have some skill, you know.”

“Oh, I know that,” he drawled, and it made a blush creep up her cheeks. She bit her lip when that crazy flutter began in her belly again. “But I was talking about potatoes.”

She rolled her eyes and took the peeler from him, then grabbed a few potatoes and headed over to the garbage can. “I’ll peel while you cook.”

“Suit yourself,” he told her, handing her the rest of the potatoes. He pulled out a skillet and set it on the stove top, then began to flip a few of the dials with the casual expertise of someone who had cooked plenty of meals. He whistled quietly under his breath and headed to the refrigerator, then bent over, his pants nearly splitting at the movement.

Audrey froze at the sight of his ass in the air, the pants pulled impossibly tight against his skin. She could practically run a ruler down the cleft of his ass. And it was a rather fine ass. She gaped at it a moment more, then forced herself to focus on the potatoes when he straightened and turned around with a package of bacon in his hand. She gave one of the potatoes a few awkward scrapes.

“Were you checking out my ass, Audrey?”

She sighed heavily. “You were sticking it in the air, Reese. It’s hard not to.”

“Did you like what you saw?”

“No,” she said in her best prissy voice. “You have cellulite.”

He laughed softly at that. “You’re such a liar. Your face is all red.”

She glared at him and scraped the potato a little harder.

He pulled out a knife from a nearby block and gestured at her. “Try and leave a little of the potato there for the actual pan.”

She glanced down at the potato in her hand and noticed she was gouging half of it away with her angry scrapes. Damn it. She finished peeling it and tossed it on the counter with an irritated look at him, then grabbed the next one. “So you’re leaving today?”

“Nah.” He laid a couple of strips of bacon in the pan. “I needed a vacation, and that hasn’t changed even though Camilla left.”

She began to scrape the next potato angrily. “You weren’t invited.”

“Actually,” he said in a lazy voice. “I was.” He finished laying bacon in the pan and then closed it up, returning it to the fridge. “Just because you didn’t invite me doesn’t mean I’m not welcome here.”

“My sister’s trying to get clean. She doesn’t need someone like you disturbing her.”

“Have I disturbed her at all? Has she indicated to you that I’m making her unhappy? Oh, that’s right. You wouldn’t know that because you’ve been too busy mooning after Cade and spending time with me to bother with her.”

Audrey’s wild scrapes took on a furious edge. “That’s not it at all. I—ouch!” A sharp burst of pain blossomed in her finger and blood welled. She’d missed the potato and scraped her finger.

Reese gave a sigh and plucked the potato from her hand, tossing it in the sink. “Did you have to go and hurt yourself?”

Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her onto the counter next to the sink, as if she weighed nothing. Her jaw dropped. Daphne was the lightweight. Audrey was . . . well, Audrey was solid at the most flattering of terms. But he’d picked her up like she was nothing. When he tugged her hand free from the fist she’d clenched it in, she allowed him to examine her wound, staring at him in dazed confusion.

He calmly turned on the water and ran her finger under the tap, fingers on her wrist. With his free hand, he pulled open a drawer and grabbed a box of Band-Aids, tugging one out. “This is why I’m not letting you cook, Audrey,” he said, his voice teasing. “You have a nasty temper and you don’t concentrate when you’re mad.” He glanced up at her through surprisingly thick lashes. “And around me, you seem to always be mad.”

“Am not,” she said in a soft voice, but he did have a point. She worked so hard to be controlled and efficient in all areas of her life, but this man seemed to undo all her efforts in the blink of an eye.

He turned off the water. Another drop of blood welled up on her finger even as he grabbed the Band-Aid from the counter. “It’s still bleeding,” she pointed out.

Reese leaned in and swiped his tongue over the small wound, licking it clean, and then slid the Band-Aid over it while she sat, frozen and in shock. Heat pulsed low in her belly at that small, impulsive gesture. She squeezed her thighs tight again.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she breathed, surprised at how husky her voice was.

He glanced over at her, his gaze moving to her mouth, then back to her eyes. “Why is that?”

“I could have a disease.”

That cocky grin spread across his face again. “You? Miss Proper? Miss Not a Hair Out of Place? I imagine you’d be Ms. Safety in the bedroom.”

He made her sound so boring. For some reason, it bothered her. “You don’t know what I’m like in the bedroom,” she blurted. A split-second later, she was horrified that those words had come out of her mouth.

“I’d like to learn,” Reese told her, leaning close. His warm, musky scent filled her nostrils and her breathing started to speed up as he moved in. She thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, or touch her, or something, and that fluttering in her belly went wild with need, her pulse pounding at a spot between her legs that made her entire body ache.

But all he did was offer her a hand to help her down from the counter. She took it, hopped down, and then looked up at him in confusion.

“Bacon’s burning,” is all he said, turning back to the stove. “Why don’t you set the table? Less chance to injure yourself.”

And when he gave her his back—and that tight butt—she found she wanted to kick him all over again. Preferably in that tight butt.

***

Breakfast was incredible. By the time Audrey had finished setting the table, Reese had arrived out of the kitchen with a plate full of perfectly cooked bacon—burning, her ass—a stack of fluffy pancakes, and the most perfectly cooked scrambled eggs she’d ever seen. There was a plate of dry toast and a pot of coffee on a potholder, and everything looked and smelled amazing. Audrey was impressed. How did such an arrogant, good-looking jerk turn out to be such a domestic when it came to the kitchen? He put her attempts to shame. She’d have to find out; there was more going on beneath the surface than she’d realized when it came to Reese Durham.

She forgot all of that, however, when Daphne and Cade appeared in the doorway. Her twin looked greenish beneath her pale skin and her hair was a tangled mess. Daphne’s mouth was pressed tight, and without the thick fake lashes and heavy eye makeup, she looked wan and tired and far too old for her age. Audrey immediately rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist. “How are you feeling?”

Daphne pushed her away irritably. “I’m fine. Leave me alone. Christ, you’re hovering.”

Hurt, Audrey took a step backward and glanced at Cade, who seemed tired but gave her a gentle smile. “Thanks for cooking breakfast, Audrey. You really outdid yourself.”

“Oh, I—”

Before she could finish her protest, Reese came up behind her and smacked her on the shoulder. “She did a terrific job, didn’t she? I woke up this morning and there she was, hard at work, slaving over the stove.”

Audrey cast him a withering look, but he only grinned down at her. Now what was he up to?

Daphne slumped into the nearest seat, then pressed a hand to her mouth. “I can’t eat any of this. It’s making my stomach turn.”

“You should eat something,” Audrey protested, anxiousness stirring through her. Daphne did look rather ill.

“I’ll eat once I get my next pill,” Daphne said, and gave Cade a hopeful look.

He checked his watch, then shook his head. “Not for another twelve hours. Sorry.”

Daphne’s mouth twisted and she pushed the plate in front of her away. “I’ll eat in twelve hours, then.”

“Daphne,” Audrey began.

“You’re not my mother, Aud. Shut up already.”

Reese stepped forward and, to Audrey’s surprise, he plunked down a mug in front of Daphne and filled it with black coffee. He tossed two pieces of dry toast onto her plate and pointed at it. “I’m not your mother, either, but you’re going to eat that.” He pointed at the coffee. “And you’re going to drink that. And you’re going to shut up about it.”

Silence filled the room, and then Cade cleared his throat. “Well, the rest of us can eat, at least.” He pulled out the chair next to Daphne.

Reese patted the chair next to where Audrey hovered, on the opposite side of her twin. “Why don’t you sit here next to Audrey, Cade? She’d probably like that.”

Audrey glared at Reese. God. Why not be totally obvious about her crush?

Cade grinned at her. “I was thinking she’d probably want to sit next to you, Reese.”

Oh, my God. Surely he didn’t think she was interested in Reese. That was her worst nightmare come to life. “I can assure you that sitting next to Reese is the last thing I want.”

“In that case,” Cade said, pulling out Audrey’s chair for her. She sat and gave him a radiant smile. He was such a wonderful man.

Daphne snorted and picked up one of the wedges of dry toast, nibbling on the corner and giving Reese a hateful look as he sat down next to her.

And that was how their first meal together at the cabin proceeded. Daphne picking at her food, Cade seated next to Audrey and keeping up the bulk of the conversation, expertly involving all parties so no one would feel left out, and Reese sitting across from her and giving her smug smiles as she ate the delicious breakfast he’d cooked and claimed she was responsible for.

It was a rather messy dynamic, Audrey thought to herself. And she imagined it was only going to get messier.

***

Out of guilt, Audrey stuck close to Daphne’s side all day. She helped her twin take a shower since Daphne felt too weak to stand up on her own, and when Daphne took a nap and then threw up on their shared blankets, Audrey immediately changed the bed and did the laundry without a word of protest. Daphne, on the other hand, was surly and unpleasant to Audrey at all times, which only made Audrey want to try harder to please Daphne. She knew this was hard on Daphne, and she was there to help her get through it.

So she picked up after Daphne, and made her twin toast when she needed it, and read a book in the room while Daphne was sleeping. When Daphne was awake and throwing up, Audrey changed out her bucket, wiped her brow, and unpacked their things, keeping busy.

In a word, she hovered.

It wasn’t that she thought Daphne would appreciate it. She didn’t. It wasn’t that Daphne needed her. She didn’t, really. It was guilt, pure and simple, that kept her glued to Daphne’s side.

She felt guilty about a lot of things. She felt guilty that Daphne was so sick and she’d pawned her off on Cade last night. She felt guilty that Daphne resented her. She felt guilty that she should have been concentrating on getting her twin better instead of her crush on Cade.

And she really, really felt guilty about last night’s kiss with Reese. Or this morning, when he’d lifted her onto the counter and then licked her finger. She felt horribly guilty about how turned on those two simple things had made her.

She was in love with Cade. She was here for Daphne.

So why was she so utterly focused on Reese Durham? She didn’t even like the man. He was a jerk and a player—two things that she despised. He was her opposite in every way. He’d blackmailed her into kissing him, for pete’s sake.

But . . . when he was around, she felt alive. And a bit wild and carefree. And incredibly, incredibly aroused.

And all of that was bad. She was the good twin. She was here for her sister. She was here because Daphne needed her, and Audrey was here because she wanted time with Cade.

Reese did not play into any of that.

So she hovered and mothered Daphne until her twin was slapping her hand away every time Audrey tried to put a damp towel on her forehead. And she continued to try to be helpful until Daphne screamed for her to fuck off. Cade arrived a moment later, pill and glass of water in hand, and Daphne had melted like putty in his hands.

And that just made Audrey feel worse. So she’d gone downstairs with her book, intending to spend a little time away from her twin. She’d automatically looked around the lodge to talk to Reese, but he’d been out taking a walk, and she told herself that the disappointment she felt was stupid.

She’d laid down on the couch in front of the fireplace and started to read, but had quickly drifted off to sleep. When she woke up later, it was dark, the fire out, and someone had put her book on the ground and covered her with a blanket. Tucking the blanket around her, Audrey headed back up the stairs and into the room she shared with Daphne. Her twin was huddled under the blankets, her barf bucket close at hand, and sweat covered her brow. The sheets were soaked with it.

Maybe the couch hadn’t been such a bad idea after all. She returned to it and curled up with the blanket, imagining that Cade had seen her sleeping and lovingly tucked it around her. But for some reason, she kept seeing Cade’s face with a smirky, un-Cade-like smile framed by a wicked goatee, and in her mind, the blanket smelled like Reese.

***

The next morning, she woke up to the quiet clank of pots and pans in the kitchen. Audrey yawned and rubbed her eyes, then crawled out from under the blankets and headed for the kitchen.

Sure enough, there was Reese, stirring a large pot on the stove, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee in the air. She appreciated the sight of his tight buns for a moment, then cleared her throat to announce her presence.

He turned and gave her a lazy smile. “Morning, sunshine.”

For some reason, that look of frank appreciation in his eyes made her feel warm and fuzzy. Ugh. Hormones, nothing more. She was just thrilled someone had said something to her that didn’t involve cursing and begging for pills. She leaned over the stove and peered into the pot. “What am I cooking for breakfast this morning?”

“You decided to make a big batch of oatmeal since it’ll be easy on your sister’s stomach,” he said easily, sprinkling some brown sugar on top of the thick mix. “Good call.”

“I’m an amazing cook,” she said dryly. “Care to tell why you told everyone it was me?”

“You’re trying to snag yourself a man,” he said easily. “Wouldn’t hurt to let Cade think you’re a domestic goddess. He likes traditional women.”

“Does he?” She filed that bit of information away. “Thanks, I guess.”

He shrugged and glanced at her hair. “Rough night?”

Her brows drew together. “What makes you say that?”

“Your bun is askew.”

Audrey’s fingers flew to her hair. Sure enough, it was lopsided and puffy on one side. “Damn it.”

Reese set down the spoon and turned to her, reaching for her hair. “Here, I’ll fix it for you.”

She frowned but stood still, dropping her hands. “That’s very domestic of you.”

“Nah. I mostly wanted to see what this looks like when it’s not in a grandma style.” And he reached forward and snipped the band with a pair of scissors.

She yelped, pulling away even as he ran his fingers through her hair, making it puff out into a halo around her head. “You asshole!”

“Look at that! All that loose, untamed hair!” He teased, even as he tried to run his fingers through it again. “It’s like you’re a wild woman. What will people think?”

She gave him a light punch in the gut, trying to get him away from her. “I hate you so much!”

“All that red, luscious hair,” he teased, massaging her scalp, undeterred by her declarations of hatred. “You want to get a man, you need to wear it down instead of dressing like a spinster schoolmarm.”

“I am not a spinster schoolmarm,” she huffed, twisting away and slapping at his hands when he reached for her hair again. “You’re just saying that because you have a secret fetish for schoolmarm hair.”

“You think so?”

“I think that’s why you wanted me to kiss you so bad,” she snapped. “I—”

“Hey, Cade,” Reese said quickly, staring over her shoulder.

She gasped and whirled around to see.

No one was there.

That jerk. Audrey turned and smacked Reese’s arm with her open palm, ignoring his mischievous grin. “You are such an asshole.”

“And you are totally transparent.” He gave her hair one last look of approval and then picked up his wooden spoon again, stirring the oatmeal. “Why not just tell the man you’re in love with him? He’s going to figure it out the way you keep fawning over him.”

“I do not fawn over him,” she said in a curt tone, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

“You do,” he said. “Any man can tell that you’ve got the hots for him. What’s it about him that jerks your chain? Is it the white knight thing? Blond hair? The money?”

She snorted, not bothering to dignify that with a real response.

“It’s the money,” he said smugly. “I knew it.”

“Not the money,” she gritted between her teeth. “Cade’s different than most men, that’s all.”

“Different how? Because he’s not trying to look up your skirts?” He gave her another appreciative look, his gaze lingering on her wild hair. Was that . . . attraction in his eyes? God, he was such a pig. And God, why did it make her want to preen a little? She was just as bad as he was.

“Cade’s a gentleman,” she said. “I don’t know why I have to explain to you why I like Cade, but it’s everything about him. It’s the way he puts others before his own needs. It’s the way he’s always been so protective of us. It’s the way he’s friendly and polite to everyone. He’s smart and successful without compromising his integrity. I’ve met few men like that.” She cast him a sideways look and blew on her coffee a moment before adding, “Most men seem willing to use people just to push themselves ahead.”

“You mean like me with the heiress in the hot tub? You can come right out and say it. It won’t hurt my feelings.”

“I mean exactly like that,” she told him in a crisp tone. “It’s not something that a man like Cade would do.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, and then turned to face her. He didn’t look offended. If anything, Reese had that challenging gleam in his eyes as he studied her. “You want to know the difference between me and a man like Cade, though? I’ll actually get what I want. Cade’s too polite to admit what he wants, and he’s going to end up unhappy. Me? I go after what I want and fuck it all if people don’t like it. You can’t live your life trying to please everyone but yourself, because you’re going to end up the only person unhappy.”

“And how do you know what Cade wants?”

“I’m his friend. It’s obvious to me.”

“And I’m not his friend?”

He shrugged. “I think your feelings for him—or what you think your feelings are for him—get in the way of what you really want.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know what my feelings are for Cade, thank you. I don’t need you telling me otherwise.”

“Oh, I’m not. So how good of a kisser is he?”

Her mouth opened, and then closed immediately. “That’s private information.”

“You’re

Date: 2015-02-03; view: 552