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"I promise, you won't have to worry about me getting involved in any kind of voodoo. I don't believe it's real. I may be starting to accept this whole ghost, haunted house thing, but voodoo curses. . .ha! It's just stupid." Yeah, she was starting to act a little belligerent, talking too much, and too loud. In her stupor of thoughts, she hadn't realized she was being shushed. All four guys shushed her for talking too loudly about voodoo. Rather humorous for a nonbeliever to see. She giggled and whispered, "Geez, y'all are like a bunch of superstitious pirates. Did anything happen to your uncle? Does he still live in Texas?"

  "No, his mom eventually moved back here after his father's death so she could be near family. So far, nothing has happened to him, but he's married and has three sons. My aunt is terrified something will eventually happen to her husband and/or her sons."

  She shook her head in disbelief. This was all just too much to accept at one time. She didn't know much about voodoo, and believing the spooky coincidental superstitions was nearly impossible. She took another long sip of her drink.

  Ty asked about the ghost. Cade blew it off as no big deal so he wouldn't pry for more information. The guys were intrigued by Caroline's sudden boldness. They asked questions she normally wouldn't answer, but in her current state of mind was more than willing to freely discuss. Chris led the charge.

  "So, Caroline, tell me about that rock on your finger and who put it there." He shot a nervous yet implicating look at Cade. She wondered about the meaning behind that but decided not to go there.

  "What do you wanna know about it? I don't know much about diamonds, so I can't help you there. You looking to buy a ring for someone or are you engaged already?" They all laughed when she hardly paused between sentences.

  "No, I'm not engaged or married, but that's a helluva ring. Beau's not the one who put it there, huh?"

  "Nope, unfortunately not. But it doesn't stop me from gettin' all hot and bothered when I'm around him. Whoo!" Caroline's southern accent more pronounced while intoxicated, she fanned herself dramatically and laughter burst out in the room. Cade's face blushed a bright red. "Wait, what is this? Am I hallucinating? Cade, sweetheart, are you blushing?"

  He smiled and slipped his hand through his hair. "No, beb, your eyes are playing tricks on you. It's that large Ignitor you're drinking, it'll get you every time." The guys laughed in unison.

  "I am engaged to Trevor Callahan from Chicago. He is a very handsome and successful architect."

  Chris spoke again. "You don't sound like you're from Chicago."

  "'Cause I'm not. I'm from Arkansas. My best friend was accepted to the University of Chicago, so I applied for a scholarship there and got it. My mom couldn't afford to send me anywhere else, so I jumped on the opportunity." Sweating now, Caroline leaned her head back to gather her hair and twisted it up into one hand as she fanned herself with the other. She didn't miss Henry's eyes trained on her exposed neck as he tipped his bottle up for another drink. It should've creeped her out, but with effects of the alcohol, it only intensified her sensuality. She closed her eyes and moaned lightly as she massaged the back of her neck. She didn't need to open them to know they were all watching her intently.

  "You said you're a nursing major?" Chris asked.

  "Yep." Caroline popped her eyes open and let her hair down as she reached for her cup.

  "Awesome. So you gonna stay in Chicago after you're married?"

  Parched, she shrugged and took another pull on her straw. "Don't know. Trevor has a great job there, so probably, but I'm hoping we can eventually move back to the South. I don't want to be too far from my mom, especially when I have a baby."

  Cade flinched, catching Caroline's attention. His buddies must have seen it too, because they changed their course of questioning.

  Henry surprised her with the next question. "That man of yours must be pretty good in bed to choose him over a sexy tiger like Beau." They all laughed again except Cade who kept his eyes on his drink.

  "I wouldn't know. I've never slept with him." That shut them up, Cade's head tilting slightly. She'd clearly surprised him with that tidbit. Caroline should have stopped talking right then, but of course she didn't. "Honestly, I've never slept with anyone. Well, technically I've slept with Cade, er. . .Beau, but we didn't have sex."

  The guys looked at one another confused. Cade quickly jumped in to clarify. "We shared a bed, but no clothes were removed and we kept our hands to ourselves. Now, y'all mind your own damn business." The noise level in the place intensified and the heavy accents were flying again. They were clearly teasing Cade for not taking the chance when he had it. He really blushed now. She leaned back in her chair, exposing her slender figure from the hips up, and laced her fingers together confidently behind her head in a leisurely, yet enticing position. With her arms raised, and her body angled in such an inviting manner, her breasts were accentuated and her shirt stretched tightly across the center of her chest drawing their eyes to one location.

  Cade eyed her cautiously. "I think you need to be cut off, cher. You're gonna embarrass yourself if you keep going."

  She leaned forward across the small table, inches from his chair and braced her elbows on the table in front of him and winked. "Looks like you're the one I'm embarrassing, cher."

  Chris boisterously cut in with no intentions of letting anything rest. "Wait, hold up, how old are you?"

  She slowly leaned back in her chair and casually crossed her legs. "Twenty-three. Why?"

  He shook his head in disbelief. "You're twenty-three years old, and you've never had sex before? With anyone? Ever?"

  Caroline laughed. "Nope. Why is that so hard to believe? You make it sound like it's a bad thing." Another sip.

  She had successfully shocked all of them. Mostly Chris. He just couldn't believe it. Cade and Ty gave each other a strange look across the table, communicating somehow. Chris took over the conversation, unable to hide his fascination.

  "No, beb, definitely not a bad thing, it's just. . .wow. It's hard to find a chick nowadays who hasn't been with multiple partners by the time she's nineteen or twenty. A good girl. It's no surprise Beau found you, dude's got all the damn luck," Chris grumbled.

  Caroline noticed the tendons strained in Cade's hand as he mutilated a straw, but couldn't look at his face. She knew his teeth were clenched and that her transparent resolve would fail to hide her weakness for him. Something she couldn't afford to risk.

  "You dumb ass, she's engaged to another man." Henry chuckled. "For once Beau didn't get the girl." Caroline was afraid Cade would knock Henry's lights out; Trevor sure would have if one of his friends had made a jab like that at him. But Cade didn't flinch.

  Instead, he said, "She ain't married yet." Laughter erupted and bottles clinked as high-fives, fist bumps, back slaps, and every other bro celebration was given. Cade smiled at Caroline and commanded her attention as he took a long pull from the straw of his equally strong daiquiri. For a moment Caroline was lost in a mesmerizing hazel fog.

  She noticed Cade's eyes seemed greener while relaxed around his friends. Or it could've been because he was drinking. Or it could've been the simple fact that she knew every color speckle in his beautiful irises. Sometimes golden, sometimes olive, but always alluring.

  Unspoken admiration, maybe desire, some otherworldly emotion that hadn't breached their friendship until now, penetrated her soul as Cade didn't so much as blink to break their connection. A prisoner to his charm, Caroline worried she'd never escape his forcefield of determination. She needed to escape his hold quickly if she wanted to remain loyal to Trevor because Cade's magnetism overpowered her good senses.

  Chris paid her that favor with a bold confession. "Man, I think I lost my virginity when I was fourteen in the bed of my brother's old truck." More laughter filled the room and she finally broke eye contact with Cade to observe more male camaraderie. Caroline couldn't remember ever being around this many guys in a relaxed setting, walls down, raw and exposed. She also couldn't remember the last time sh
e'd laughed this much. Her cheeks ached from smiling.

  Ty spoke with a proud smile. "I lost mine at fifteen in the shed behind my daddy's house."

  Henry had a quiet raspy voice. "I was sixteen and lost it to my best friend's momma. Man was she smokin' hot!" The room erupted with loud praises and hi-fives.

  Then, the moment Caroline had been waiting for, all eyes turned to Cade. His turn to confess.

  "What are y'all lookin' at?"

  Chris prodded. "Come on, bro. It's your turn."

  Cade grinned. "I don't kiss and tell, dude. That's my business." He peeked at Caroline for her reaction. She knew her face reflected her disappointment. She hoped to hear at least the age he was when he lost his virginity. After learning of Trevor's extensive experience, Caroline was anxious to learn Cade's. But she admired his philosophy. A guy who didn't brag about his intimate moments was admirable. It showed respect for others as well as himself.

  Cade spoke playfully now. "Sweet Caroline, you may want to close the line of questioning before you end up getting asked something you don't want to answer. I told ya, you can't take these guys too seriously."

  "Oh, come on, we're having fun, right? It's just talk. Go ahead, you ask one. There's got to be something about me you've been wanting to know. You may not get another chance like this," she said.

  He hesitated and then smiled. "Okay, what is it about Trevor that you don't like?"

  Caroline always thought there was nothing bad about Trevor, that he had no flaws, but he'd changed dramatically since they got engaged. He had a few major flaws, she just never wanted to admit them to herself. Now a bit tipsy with no inhibitions, she answered honestly.

  "Well, sometimes he's jealous. Really jealous. Lately he's had a quick temper, and occasionally he drinks too much. That, of course, is usually followed by him trying to force himself on me." She ran her fingers around the rim of her drink. "Also, he likes to always be in control, and I think he's keeping something from me, but I'm not sure what it is. Apart from those negative qualities, he's perfect."

  Cade's buddies quietly focused on him, who now aggressively flicked his straw. He was tense, almost angry.

  "What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

  Cade commanded her attention, speaking slowly and quietly through clenched teeth without looking directly at her. "Caroline, how many times has he forced himself on you. . .physically?" He struggled to spit out the words.

  "Whoa, chill out. It's not that big of a deal. He always backs off when I tell him to. I told you, I've never been with anyone, and Trevor respects that." She looked to the other guys for some clue. "Why does that bother you so much?"

  Cade pushed away from the table and stalked over to the jukebox. Caroline froze, her heart on the floor and mind swimming in confusion. She didn't know what just happened, but she'd somehow pissed him off. Her eyes searched for answers from her new friends, but their gazes were all averted. They weren't spilling it, whatever it was.

  "Guys, please. What did I say?"

  "A few years ago, Beau's sister was raped by her fiancé," Ty said quietly. "Bastard nearly killed her."

  Caroline's stomach dropped and she instantly regretted her nonchalant attitude. "Oh, hell."

  Without acknowledging the others, she immediately followed him. "Cade, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Is your sister okay?"

  "She's fine," he mumbled without looking away from the lighted buttons of the jukebox. "This isn't about her."

  "Please talk to me." Like magic, her buzz was gone. "I apologize if I upset you. That wasn't my intention at all. I had no idea about your sister. Come to think of it, I didn't even know you had a sister. This is why I try to never drink too much. I've got a big mouth."

  He turned with a solemn expression. "If he honestly respected you, he would never try to force himself on you. Has he ever hit you?"

  "No! No, he's never been physically abusive. What I meant was that sometimes when we. . .well, when we start. . .sometimes things get intense. He tends to get a little carried away." She did not want to explain to Cade the details of her intimacy with Trevor. She nervously fingered a strand of her hair. "Occasionally he gets too worked up, and I'm constantly stopping him so he won't go any further. That frustrates him and it causes him to become resentful. He's never tried to hurt me. He's really very sweet to me. He just has his moments. Don't we all?"

  Cade expelled a relieved sigh and pulled her into him wrapping his arms around her tightly, his strong embrace a security blanket of comfort. There was still so much about him she didn't know, but she felt in tune with him, like they'd known each other their whole lives.

  He buried his face in her hair, his compassionate whisper a plea, a soothing ointment for her wayward thoughts. "I would never raise my hand to you or any other woman. I don't think I could stand it if anyone ever hurt you. I know we just met, but I already feel protective of you and I can't imagine ever not having you in my life."

  Music began playing as if on cue. Cade had purposefully picked a slow song. They danced, swaying slowly. His hand caressed the curve of her back while the other one cradled her head. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that he wanted her. That he cherished her. Caroline closed her eyes and rested her head on his warm chest with her arms wrapped around his waist. Lost in the moment, she nearly forgot where she was when the song ended. His hands gently pulled her away and his soft warm lips touched her forehead in a lingering kiss.

  "You about ready to go?"

  She had completely lost track of time. "What time is it?"

  He looked at his watch. "It's almost four-thirty."

  "Wow, already?" She didn't want this moment to end. "What time do you need to be back to get ready for your show?" Honestly, she wasn't ready to leave yet, but didn't want to make him late for his gig.

  "We should probably get going now."

  "Okay. Thanks for bringing me here. I really had a great time today meeting your bayou boys." She didn't have to force her genuine smile. She looked forward to the next time she saw his buddies.

  They said their goodbyes, and the guys told Caroline next time they would take her out on the boat while they hunted. She thanked them for the offer, but that she'd much rather see the gators when they brought them back already dead. They laughed and spoke to Cade in Cajun again. Very curious, Caroline didn't want to pry. She figured he would tell her when he was ready. She could wait. Maybe.

  On the way home, Cade sat quietly. She ached to hear his thoughts. Unable to stand it anymore, she finally broke the silence. "Your friends are a trip to be around."

  He smiled with a reminiscent look. "Yeah, we've all known each other since we were little kids. Our parents used to get together all the time and have big parties, so we were always close. They're like brothers to me. Especially Ty. He and I have been through a lot together. A lot."

  That may partially give reason to the matching scar. She would have to ask about that soon. But not now.

  "How many siblings do you have?"

  "I have four sisters. One older and three younger."

  Jealousy nibbled at Caroline. "That's awesome. That explains a lot then."

  "Explains a lot about what?"

  "Well, why you are so good about understanding the needs of women."

  He let out a bellowing laugh. "Yeah, right. I don't think any man on the planet has that one conquered yet. Thanks for the vote of confidence, though."

  "Not just the physical needs, you perv, but the other needs as well. The need for comfort and compassion, and listening. You know, the mental and emotional needs that women have. Most men are only worried about catering to the physical needs. It also explains your protectiveness toward women."

  "Thank you."

  "Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything but embarrass you, tick you off, and make a fool of myself today."

  "No, love, you didn't tick me off. I'm thanking you for noticing that I'm not only interested in you physically. Don't get me wrong, I am very much
interested in you physically, but it's more than that. I care about you. A lot." He sighed, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "I just can't stand the thought of a man, even if he is your fiancé, forcing himself on you or getting angry with you for not wanting to have sex with him. It infuriates me."

  She needed to change the subject. "I can't believe I said some of the things I said. I'm so embarrassed."

  "Why? I don't think you said anything too bad. If anything, you made yourself look even better, if that's possible."

  "Are you kidding me? I blurted out details of my lack of a sex life to three, well, four guys I hardly know. That's humiliating. Not to mention the garish confession of my uncontrollable feelings when I'm around you. No more daiquiris for me. I'm cutting myself off completely."

  He laughed, clearly entertained by the memory of it all. "I quite enjoyed your talkative nature. It's definitely a side of you I hadn't seen before. What can I do to make you feel better about it?"

  "Hmmm. . .you can answer a question for me."

  "Okay. What's your question?"

  "I know you said you don't kiss and tell, but it would make me feel a lot better if I knew just how experienced you are."

  She didn't look at his face, but couldn't resist a peek from her peripheral vision. His smug expression didn't give her much comfort. She could only imagine what his number was. Gorgeous and buff, living in a small town with a good family name, he had to be desired by every female who ever crossed his path. Furthermore, having already experienced his phenomenal kisses, Caroline wasn't sure she wanted a number. "No comment?"

  "Just tell me why you want to know?" He didn't seem angry, just pleasantly curious.

  Ugh! Why can't he just tell me and get it over with?

  "I'm just curious. You are an extremely good kisser and, well. . .I, um. . .I am just a little curious how good. . ." she sighed in frustration. "I'm curious about how much. . .practice you've had with. . .other. . .people, er—activities."

  He quietly chuckled to himself at her stumbling and stammering to spit out the right words. She knew her crimson face reflected her embarrassment. Always.

  "Caroline, I love how sweet and innocent you are. It makes me smile. I will be honest with you. I have been with someone before. I dated my girlfriend from high school for a very long time and we did get intimate. I was planning to propose to her when I came back to stay with my parents and finish school, but, through unfortunate circumstances, that never happened. She was the only woman I've ever made love to. There. Now you know. I'm not much more experienced than you are."

  "Oh, I beg to differ! You may have only had one woman, but I'm sure you were with her more than once or twice if you were planning to propose?" If Caroline ever had a taste of him, she would be a nymphomaniac for sure. She stared at him awaiting an answer.

  He nodded. "Yes, we were very. . .active. That's true. I've never been extremely promiscuous. I prefer to keep things more personal. I don't like to go that far unless I'm. . .well, I believe sex is an act of love between two people, and. . .you know, you share a part of yourself with that person mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. So, well. . .I am not all about finding random women to just. . . You know what I'm trying to say, right?"

  Caroline was glad she wasn't the only one stammering over her words now.

  "Yes, I understand exactly what you're trying to say. I completely agree." Unfortunately, she found it harder and harder to not fall in love with this man. How I wish Trevor felt the same way about sex. To him it was a fun game and just physical. You meet someone, do it, and go your separate ways like it's no big deal. That's not how she felt about it at all.

  "So, how long were you with her? How come you guys never got married? Did she not feel the same way about it as you?"

  He sat silently for a few long moments. "We were together for six years. She died in a car accident five years ago."

  Yet again, Caroline felt the ground crumble beneath her feet. How many times must she stick her foot in her mouth around this angel? "I'm so sorry. I understand if you don't want to talk about it."

  "Thanks. I'd rather not, if it's okay."

  The rest of the trip home was quiet. She looked forward to a whole summer of hanging out with the tenderhearted soul sitting next to her. Her thoughts drifted to Trevor, the gnawing guilt slowly fading with the fact he hadn't contacted her much since she'd been here. She wondered about the true purpose for her spending the summer down here. Either way, she wasn't complaining as long as she could spend time with Cade.

  Still, she couldn't understand why Trevor didn't call more. He'd called nearly every day while she lived in Chicago. Even chewed her out for not answering one day when she'd forgotten to turn her phone back on after church. Although, her phone was missing, so she couldn't know if he'd tried or not. Caroline's head spun with the passing landscape, so she surrendered to the overwhelming urge to close her eyes.

  She envisioned her phone carelessly balancing on the ledge of her window sill and reached to save it. Trevor's name flashed across the screen as it bounced from the vibration of the ring. Just before she could grasp it, her phone slipped over the edge and crashed to the ground splintering into a thousand pieces.

  Her eyes popped open in shock, but Cade's expression hadn't changed. He hadn't noticed her flinch, or if he had he didn't comment. She drew in a relieving breath. Just a dream. . .or was it.

  Twenty-Two