“Thanks for always pulling up the rear.”
“Oh, Blake, please. You know I always come through.”
After squeezing Alana in that friendly embrace, he turned his attention to Cadence. “Thanks for coming with me for the food run earlier.”
“Sure.” Cadence just smiled and nodded.
“I can’t get a hug?” Blake asked, drawing his cheeks down into a pout.
Cadence cast her eyes heavenly, shook her head and stepped into Blake’s waiting arms. When Blake fastened his arms around her, he sucked in a delicate whiff of her natural scent mixed with her floral perfume. Instinctively, his eyes closed and his gut tightened. The soft feel of her cool supple skin was almost intoxicating. After letting his embrace linger, he reluctantly pulled himself away. His earlier thought returned. He wanted more of Cadence.
“Let me take you ladies to dinner. It will be a token of my appreciation for all your hard work today. You have to be hungry. I know I’m starving.”
“Of course you can take me to dinner! I say no to drugs, not food!” Alana said. They all chuckled before turning their attention toward Cadence, who had yet to respond to Blake’s invitation.
Cadence’s response was already etched into her face. Blake could see it. His knotted stomach also felt it. “Not to—”
“Come on, Cadence!” Alana cut into her objection before she could get it all out. “You just said you were hungry,” Alana blurted. Cadence stretched her eyes at Alana and cut her a sharp glare. Alana dismissed Cadence with a wave and turned her attention to Blake. “Where are we going to eat? She didn’t drive, so she’s riding with me.”
Cadence tossed her hands up in defeat. “I guess I’m going to have dinner with you two.” She cut her eyes back toward Alana. “Next time, I’ll bring my own car.”
Alana smiled and winked at Cadence before turning her attention back to Blake. “Don’t mind her. She’s just a homebody. Sometimes I have to practically drag her out of the house.”
“You like Asian fusion?” Blake directed his question toward Cadence.
“Sure,” she said, with mock enthusiasm.
“Let’s go to Asia Moon on Franklin,” Blake suggested. “It’s not too far from here.”
“Oh yes!” Alana said. “I could use one of their martinis.”
“Okay. Let me grab my stuff and close things out over here. I can meet you there in about—” Blake looked down at his watch and mumbled as he calculated “—twenty minutes?” Blake waited for the two of them to nod their approval before turning and jogging back to the table where his laptop still rested. Thankful for Alana’s insistence, he felt like jumping in the air and clicking his heels. Because of her, he’d have another few hours to work his charms on Cadence.
One way or another, he was determined to break through that shell that Cadence had erected around herself. He snickered when he thought scandalously about what he’d find on the inside—all puns intended.
“Now you owe me!” The words shot out of Cadence’s mouth like cannonballs. She jammed her seat belt into the slot, sat back and folded her arms.
Alana snickered. Cadence glared at her and Alana fell into a fit of laughter as she maneuvered the car out of the lot. “Stop acting like you don’t want to go to dinner with that man—that fine man!” she sang.
“It’s really not a big deal.”
Alana slammed on the brakes, forcing Cadence’s body to jerk forward. “Girl! It’s me! Don’t sit here and act as if you don’t find him attractive. He was all over you today.” Alana shook her head, looked both ways and continued driving.
“No, he wasn’t.” Cadence rolled her eyes, pressing back her smile.
“Please! Cadence wants pizza, we all have to eat pizza,” Alana said, waving a hand in sweeping gestures. “Wanna come with me to get the pizza, Cadence?” she said, pulling her voice down a couple of octaves to mimic Blake. “He looked at you like you were his lunch. Let’s not even mention the hug before we left. I thought he would never let you go.”
Cadence turned her head to face the passenger window so Alana wouldn’t see her blush. “You’re exaggerating,” she finally said, once the burn in her cheeks subsided.
“I don’t know why you are playing games. You haven’t had a man in over half a year and here comes this tall drink of refreshing spring water, flowing from a crystal glacier. No. Scratch that! A fine specimen, complete with multiple degrees and the body of a god. He’s the perfect catch. I can’t believe you want to just toss him back in the water like he’s some ugly catfish!”
Cadence cut her eyes at Alana’s overzealous description of Blake. “If he’s so great, then why don’t you date him?”
“Blake is off-limits. I used to date his brother,” she said matter-of-factly.
“What? You didn’t tell me that. Which one?” Cadence didn’t hide her surprise. “I thought I knew all of your boyfriends.”
“Drew. It wasn’t serious. We went out a couple of times.”
“Oh.” Cadence held her smile on the inside, happy to hear that her friend wouldn’t possibly be interested in Blake. “I don’t like playboys, and besides, I doubt I’m his type. My boobs aren’t large enough to choke me when I lie down, and I don’t speak bimbo.”
“Ha! Those brothers attract all types. He’s a good catch and he gives back to the community. In fact, they all do. That’s what I like about them.”
“I can see that.”
“Blake is very active in this organization that mentors young boys. He’s always taking them out and doing things with them. It’s really cool. I think it helps to keep him grounded.”
Cadence quietly pondered what Alana had just said. She admired people who gave back.
“Plus, he seems to be genuinely interested in you. Just give it a chance. You never know what can happen.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just not ready to date.” She’d gotten over Kenny, but not those feelings of rejection. The last thing she wanted was to get her hopes up about someone who probably didn’t take a woman’s feelings seriously. He may have been a reasonable humanitarian, but he was still a man who appeared to be a playboy.
“Well, you may not be ready for him, but I know for sure that he’s ready to get to know you a little better.”
“What makes you say that?” Cadence tilted her head, eager to hear Alana’s response.
“Ever since the mixer, he’s been asking about you.”
“You didn’t tell me that.” Cadence rose in her seat and then sat back, hoping she didn’t appear too anxious.
Alana shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“We’re here.” Alana peered over the dash to get a better look at the front of the restaurant. “That’s it right there. I’m sure there’s more parking in the back. I’ll pull around.” Alana whipped the car into the lot and pulled into the first available spot. “This is probably the closest we are going to get. It looks crowded.”
The ladies checked their faces in the visor mirrors and headed inside. Alana stood on her toes, craning her neck over the crowd in search of Blake, while Cadence discreetly