by Ava Riley
“Hey, where are you?” Tessa’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.
“What?”
“I asked where you were. You seemed a million miles away. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just lost in my thoughts. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep, let me just grab my purse and we can get out of here.”
As Tessa headed out of the kitchen, Rowan grabbed her and gave her a long hug. She looked up at him a little baffled.
“What was that for? Are you sure you are okay?”
“What? I’m not allowed to hug my sister without you thinking something is wrong?”
“Of course you can hug me, but you just seem kind of not right.”
He gave her a little push toward the door. “You’ve been telling me that since we were kids, not much has changed has it. Let’s go, before I change my mind and go back home to bed.”
“Okay, I’m glad you’re coming with me. You can help me pick out the champagne because I have no idea what I’m looking for.”
Tessa and Rowan spent the rest of the morning shopping. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until they were out and about. She’d been so caught up in spending time with Cade and then trying to get everything done for the calendar that she had not spent much time with Rowan. It was so good to be hanging out with him. She was a little worried about him though. He seemed kind of distant and she wasn’t sure if he was just tired from working so much, or if something was bothering him. She had asked him a several times, but he had just brushed off her questions. As they got in the car to head back to her place she couldn’t take not knowing what was bothering him any longer.
“Rowan, what is going on with you? You haven’t been yourself today.”
“I’m just tired, Tess. It’s nothing.”
“Bullshit. I know you well enough to know it’s not just you being tired. Is it Cade and I? You know I like to give you a hard time and joke around, but if my relationship with him is bothering you, you need to let me know and we’ll work it out.”
“It’s not bothering me how you think it is.” He let out a sigh. “I’m happy for you two. Things seem to be going well and I am glad that you two discovered there was more there than just friendship.”
“Then what is it, Rowan? What aren’t you telling me?”
“When I came over this morning and saw the disappointment on your face when you saw it wasn’t Cade, it made me realize I want someone in my life that gets disappointed when they see it’s someone other than me. I don’t even know if that makes sense.”
“Rowan…”
“It’s okay, Tess. Really. I’m happy for both of you. I know my time will come.” He shook his head as Tessa started the car. “You know, when I called off the wedding with Erin, I didn’t think I ever wanted to get into another serious relationship. I’m tired though, Tess. Tired of going home alone, tired of waking up alone. I guess I’m just tired of being alone.”
“I had no idea. I’m sorry. Here I am always trying to torment you with my relationship with Cade and I never stopped to think once that it might be hurting you.”
“It’s not. Don’t think that way. Seeing you and Cade, it gives me hope that there is someone out there for me. It’s good to see that he makes you happy and to know that you make him happy. Besides, when has it ever bothered you to know that you can torment me?”
Once they got back to Tessa’s, she had to rush to get everything together to head out to Cade’s. She and Rowan had taken longer shopping than she had planned. Rowan helped her pack up the picnic basket and even gave her a few pointers on the use of the strawberries. She really had no idea what she was doing, but had remembered reading in one of those girlie magazines, while waiting to have her hair cut, that champagne and strawberries were a must for a romantic picnic. And although Rowan was a little freaked out by the idea, he was very helpful. As soon as Rowan left, she put everything in the car and headed over to Cade’s.
Chapter 22
The first thing Tessa noticed when she arrived at Cade’s was that his Jeep wasn’t there. Here she was already late and he wasn’t even home. Her initial reaction was to be upset with him for making her wait, but really she was late herself so how could she be. Just as she started to dial his number, he pulled into the driveway and bolted from the vehicle.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I got called to the hospital because one of my patients was rushed to the E.R. I hope you weren’t waiting long.” He sounded like he had just run a marathon trying to explain why he wasn’t sitting at home waiting for her.
“Actually, I just got here myself. Rowan came over this morning and we lost track of time. Is your patient okay?”
“Yeah, he’ll be fine. A six year old. He had an asthma attack. Poor little guy was so scared. It was the first time it happened to him, so it was a little scary for both him and his parents. We got it under control though and he should be fine. Come on in while I change.”
Tessa followed him into the house, amazed at the compassion he spoke with as he explained the situation with the little boy. She hadn’t really heard him talk much about work, but as she listened to him, she realized that what he did was more than work to him. It was a part of who he was. Most doctors went into the field to make money or to get the chicks. She remembered when he and Rowan had decided to become doctors. They, too, had talked about all the money they would make and all the girls they would get, but as time went by she saw a change in both of them and the compassion they had for people.
Cade was really drawn to children. Even as a teenager, he would mentor kids younger than himself. One summer, he had even volunteered in the children’s ward at the hospital. She hadn’t thought about it much back then, really she thought he was just trying to hit up on the nurses, but looking back now, he really did take an interest in what he was doing with those kids. She would occasionally, when he would come to their house, overhear him talking to Rowan about each and every kid on the ward. He knew the name of every one of them and what they were in for. Thinking about that made her heart swell even more for him. It was a rare thing nowadays to find someone who put others’ well being before their own and that was the kind of person Cade was. He made her want to be a better person just for being who he was. It also made her realize for the first time what a wonderful father he would be someday. It was the first time she’d ever seen him in that light. As he led her up the walkway to the house with his hand on the small of her back, she couldn’t keep the smile or the pride from showing on her face.
“What’s that look for?” he asked suspiciously.
“Nothing, I was just thinking how wonderful you are.”
She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. As she started to pull away, he pulled her into his arms and held her for just a moment. With all the excitement from his trip to the E.R., he felt emotionally drained and holding her in his arms seemed to bring back his strength. She was his anchor and he wanted to hold onto her forever. Reluctantly, he released her and guided her into the house.
“Give me just a second to take a quick shower and change and then we can head out. Did you eat anything this morning? I didn’t get a chance. If you want, we can grab something on the way or I can make us a sandwich for the road.”
“Why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll make the sandwiches.”
Cade gave her a quick wink and leaned down for a kiss. Whispering against her lips, he said, “Make yourself at home.” What he was really saying was, stay…don’t leave, I want you to fall asleep with me every night and wake up with me every morning. He certainly couldn’t say that yet though. He hadn’t even told her he loved her and he certainly couldn’t just jump in with the whole move in with me.
As Cade showered, Tessa did make herself at home. She had only been to his house a few times and never stayed long enough to explore. As she wandered around before heading to the kitchen, she definitely saw Cade in every detail of his home. The cream colored couch and matching loveseat
in his living room were accented by the tan carpet. In his office, he had two bookshelves lined with medical books. Tessa found herself running her fingers over the bindings of the books, not because she was fascinated with the books themselves but because Cade’s hands had held each one. The pictures strewn throughout the house on the walls were of friends and family, and some were from photographers like Ansel Adams, one of Tessa’s favorites. One picture in particular that sat next to the basket that held his keys by the front door, caught her eye though. It was a string of pictures that were from one of those picture booths, like in the mall that teenage couples always seem to find themselves in. She remembered when she had gotten into that damn thing. She and Rowan had gone shopping one Saturday after breakfast and they had been silly enough to play around in the booth, each taking a turn at having their pictures taken. While she watched her pictures develop, she had laughed so hard at the different, stupid faces she had made. Rowan had snatched them out of her hand as she went to throw them in the nearest trash can. She had begged him to throw them away and he had promised that he would. Now, here they sat on a table in Cade’s home. Not just any table either, the table he passed by and looked at every day. Why, she wasn’t sure. She grabbed the pictures and headed to the kitchen to quickly make the sandwiches. Minutes later, Cade strolled in looking sexy as ever. As she turned and looked at him, her breath caught in her throat. He was absolutely gorgeous and he was all hers. He wore blue jeans that clung to every inch of his lower body and that left no room for the imagination, although she didn’t have to imagine, only remember what those jeans held underneath the cloth. He wore a black t-shirt that emphasized his defined chest and arms. And his hair hung as it always did in a perfect mess. He looked absolutely amazing.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted me to wear for the shoot, so I just threw this on. I can change if you want me to.”
“Nope, that is perfect, besides the shirt won’t be on for long anyway.”
“That’s what I was hoping for. What about the jeans? Will I be keeping those on today?” he asked as he walked up beside her to start helping her with the sandwiches.
She couldn’t help but laugh at his question. “Of course you are keeping your jeans on. The calendar is not of nude doctors, just hot ones.”
Cade noticed the pictures of Tessa sitting on the counter right next to the loaf of bread and was a little taken back that she had them in there. He quickly picked them up and started walking back into the living room. Tessa followed right after him.
“Wait a minute, what are you doing with those?” she asked.
“Putting them back where they belong,” he said casually, as if they were talking about the weather.
“No. I mean, why do you have them?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Cade, first of all, Rowan was supposed to throw them away and, secondly, they are the worst pictures I have ever taken.”
“These are not bad pictures at all. And Rowan had planned on throwing them away when I found them tucked inside one of his medical books I borrowed. I confiscated them before he could toss them. These pictures are the true Tessa Worth. Your personality is all throughout these five little pictures and I plan on keeping them right where I had them.”
“If you want a picture of me, Cade, I have better ones that I can give you. I look horrible in those.”
“No.” That was all he had to say about the matter. “We better get going if we are going to get this photo shoot done.”
“Cade, seriously.”
“I’m not talking about it anymore, Tess.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her mouth, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened up to him. He kissed his way from her mouth to her ear and whispered, “Now, let’s go, because I really do want to spend time with you today outside of you working on this shoot.”
He slowly released her, walked to the kitchen, grabbed the sandwiches Tessa made, and walked with her to her car. It fit her personality perfectly, a sporty, red Mazda 3. The little red car was fast and furious just like her. They talked the whole drive up the coast, to what she now considered their beach, about everything under the sun. She learned that Cade not only liked dance music, but also classical, which was a little hard for her to envision, but liked the idea of him sitting in a dimly lit room soaking up the sounds of Mozart. She’d told him about her fear of heights, which no one other than Rowan knew about. They also talked about Rowan and how she was concerned for him and she realized that Cade was also. What they were going to do about it, neither of them knew, but it was a topic best saved for a later time. It was a nice drive that seemed to end way too soon.
Once they reached their destination, Tessa went into photographer mode. She not only wanted to get the shoot done quickly, but she had promised herself that she wouldn’t treat Cade any different than the other doctors she had photographed. She was a professional and for the time set aside for work today, she would separate her work from her relationship with him. As soon as she was set up, she got to work. Cade stripped off his shirt and her whole “be a professional” attitude went to the sand beneath her feet, along with that black piece of material. No matter how many times she had seen his bare chest, she was still in awe of the beauty of it.
“Where do you want me?” he asked with a smile on his face. He knew exactly what the sight of his skin did to her and he was enjoying every minute of it.
“On top of me,” she said absently.
“What?” Cade was trying not to laugh, but found it hard to keep the soft chuckle from gliding past his lips.
“I mean on top of that boulder right there. The boulder, on top of the boulder,” she said shaking her head trying to get her control back. The sooner she got this shoot over with the better. If for nothing else, for her own sanity.
Cade was a natural in front of the camera and it made it easy for Tessa to get the shots she needed. This beach was the cleanest she’d seen in California and the ocean water was a crystal clear blue offset by the deep blue sky. Each time she glanced into the viewfinder, she was amazed at how well Cade contrasted with the setting. The boulder he sat upon was whitewashed from the elements and the denim Cade wore and his dark skin accentuated each other for some amazing pictures. When she snapped the last photo, though she was a little biased, she thought that Cade’s shoot had gone the best out of all of them. As Tessa started to pack up her equipment, Cade grabbed her camera and started snapping pictures of her.
“Cade, what are you doing?”
“Well, you said you wanted me to have a different picture of you and I’ve noticed that you are always the one taking the pictures, never having yours taken. So, therefore, in order for me to have one, I will have to be the one taking it.”
“There is a reason for that. I hate having my picture taken. Now give me the camera back.” She stood with one hand on her hip and the other stretched out while tapping her foot.
“Why do you hate having your picture taken? You are so beautiful.” All joking gone from his voice.
“Cade -” she started to protest his compliments.
“Don’t. I hate when you disagree with me on this subject. I’m an expert on the matter you know. What was it you called me? A man tramp? So, I should know a beautiful woman when I see one and there’s no one more beautiful than you in my eyes.”
Tessa quickly snatched the camera from his hands and tucked it away into her black camera bag. She really did hate having her picture taken and with Cade’s words, felt even more self-conscious. She didn’t think she would ever get used to hearing him talk about her that way.
“Are you ready to eat?” she asked trying to quickly change the subject.
“Sure. Let’s put your things in the car and we can get the basket I saw you brought.”
“You weren’t supposed to see that. It was going to be a surprise.”
“Well, I don’t know what’s in it, so it will be.” He winked at her as he grabbed the majority of the camera equi
pment and headed for the car.
Chapter 23
After packing away her equipment and grabbing the basket, Cade led them to the alcove they had spent time in the first night he brought her up to this beach. This was absolutely his favorite place to be. It’s so peaceful and free from the hustle and bustle of the beaches in the heart of California. Here, he knew he would be able to spend time with Tessa without any interruptions or the worry of others overhearing him. He had been going over in his head all day how he wanted to express his feeling to her. He was as nervous as a teenage boy on his first date. He wanted it to be perfect for her. He was going to tell her he loved her and she deserved only perfection. After laying out a teal blanket she brought, Tessa pulled out the bottle of champagne that was tucked in the basket. Cade was relieved. A little something to calm his nerves was just what he needed. Some liquid courage to help him say what he needed to say the way she deserved for it to be said.