Daring Wes: Cade Brothers Series

by Jules Barnard

  She deserved that much.

  Chapter 5

  Wes headed for the driving range at the time he’d agreed to meet Kaylee, and found her already there with Bella. His star pupil was showing Kaylee how to reposition her backswing.

  Bella shook her head. “Not like that, Kaylee. Watch.” Bella demonstrated the move with her small club perfectly.

  Kaylee raised an eight iron, attempting to mimic Bella, but her angle was off.

  Bella set her club to the side and jumped up, trying to push Kaylee’s club higher and to the left, but she was too short.

  “I got it,” Wes said.

  Kaylee whipped around and looked at him warily. “Wasn’t sure if you’d show today.”

  He touched her elbow and she flinched, her green eyes widening.

  Wes swallowed, ignoring the familiar, clean scent of her—and the heat that licked his body when she was near. He raised the club to the proper position. “Like this,” he said, and stepped back. “Try again.”

  She did as he said, and her position this time wasn’t half bad.

  He nodded. “Good. Now bring it back exactly like that ten times. Then take a full practice swing.”

  Kaylee practiced her backswing and Wes turned to Bella. He sank onto his haunches, putting him eye level with her. “What’s going on? You’re not due here until later.”

  Bella crossed her small arms and pouted. “My parents are at the casino. They told me to go play. I don’t want to play. I want to hang out with you.” She appeared anxious.

  Wes glanced at Kaylee, who’d paused in her practice and was staring at them. He focused on Bella. “You can hang with me. We’ll give Kaylee some tips, okay? At some point, though, make sure to check in with your parents and tell them where you are.”

  Bella nodded enthusiastically and ran to grab her clubs at the end of the driving range.

  Kaylee practiced her full swing, and it was much better than when he’d first seen her with a club. “That was really sweet,” she said without looking over.

  Wes turned to make sure Bella wasn’t near. “Her parents are assholes. Bella’s a good kid.”

  Kaylee nodded, but her shoulders had stiffened and it was affecting the way she held the club.

  And here was his opportunity to be civil. “Everything okay?”

  “Fine.” She took another practice swing. “I’m just glad Bella has you. She’ll remember it, you know? It’ll make a difference that you were there for her.”

  He wasn’t used to being there for anyone aside from his brothers. And, at one time, Kaylee. Only she said he’d failed her, so maybe he was wrong about that.

  He crossed his arms and spread his legs, focusing on her swing. “You’re lifting your front foot and bending your elbow too much.”

  He pointed to her elbow and showed her with his own arm how he wanted her to hold the club. “Focus on those three things: the height and position of your backswing, keeping your foot down, and making sure your elbow is straight. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He went to check on Bella, but his mind raced in every direction, panic settling like a blow to his chest. This was the kind of shit that had drawn Wes to Kaylee in the first place. Not many people would have given more than a second thought to Bella’s situation. It didn’t appear she was abused by her parents, but the little girl was lonely. And Kaylee saw it and worried for Bella.

  Wes related to Bella more than he liked because of his upbringing, with a dead mother and an absent father. The friendship Kaylee had formed with Bella, the way she worried over the little girl… Wes didn’t want to remember all the reasons he’d fallen for Kaylee.

  He’d been raised in a mansion and left to roam a luxury resort. Lonely or not, Wes was used to getting what he wanted. And that confidence spilled over to women as well. Yet in college, whenever his ego had gotten out of hand, Kaylee would either call him out or laugh at him.

  Laugh at him.

  That had been enough to put his ego in check. And to have him chasing her until she was his.

  Wes’s physical response to Kaylee had been pretty fucking intense. Kaylee’s beauty, combined with her kind heart and sass, meant he’d fallen for her hard. Until she’d let him go. Which he still hadn’t recovered from.

  If Wes didn’t know Kaylee—if she was simply some woman who’d come in for golf lessons, with her beauty and kindness—he’d have brought out his A-game and pursued her.

  But Kaylee was his ex. She was engaged. And more importantly, she’d broken his heart, though he’d never admit it to her.

  Wes didn’t trust Kaylee. And what they’d shared had been destroyed long ago. There was no them, and whatever his chest was feeling had better settle the fuck down. Because he wouldn’t take a second chance on her.

  * * *

  Wes watched Kaylee practice alongside Bella for two straight hours. Kaylee had wisps of dark hair stuck to her sweaty face and her arms were limp at her sides, while Bella seemed ready to take on another two hours of hitting balls.

  Kaylee held up her arm and stared at him. “My hands are locked in a claw position. I think I need to stop for the day or I might lose the use of my hands.”

  Bella swung her driver in the next lane over, clocking her ball way the hell out there.

  “Nice one, Bella,” he said.

  “On second thought…” Kaylee stared at Bella wearily. “I should put away my clubs and prepare to sit in the stands. Because, really, this feels pointless next to Bella’s ability.”

  Bella grinned from ear to ear. “Let’s get lunch from the restaurant. You can come, right?”

  Kaylee glanced hesitantly at Wes.

  He took a deep breath. He was turning over a new leaf and letting bygones be bygones. “Join us. The course restaurant has good brats.”

  Kaylee laughed. “Nothing like a big sausage after a long day.”

  He smirked, and Kaylee blushed. She made it too damn hard to pass up grinning when she gave him innuendo ammunition like that.

  “Don’t even go there, Wes,” Kaylee said. “I know where your head is.”

  He picked up Bella’s small clubs. “Not me talking about large sausages.”

  Kaylee glanced nervously at Bella. “He’s referring to the brats and beer we used to grab from a pub on campus in college. Ignore him.”

  “Come oooon,” Bella said, and grabbed Kaylee’s hand, dragging her toward the restaurant. “I’m staaaarved.”

  Kaylee looked back at her golf bag.

  Wes already had Bella’s on his shoulder—might as well grab Kaylee’s too. “I’ve got it,” he said.

  She gave him a light smile and faced forward, walking hand in hand with Bella.

  Wes’s chest tightened. Again.

  Fuck. Being friendly with Kaylee didn’t feel safe. It felt dangerous. Blaming her for all that had gone wrong between them, and for his failed golf career, was much easier.

  But probably not healthy.

  He sighed. He’d always respected Kaylee. He supposed if there was any woman he could be friends with, it was her.

  Wes grabbed Kaylee’s golf bag and tossed it on his shoulder, following the girls to the restaurant.

  Chapter 6

  Kaylee had spent dozens of hours with Wes practicing her golf game these last two and a half weeks. And with Bella. She loved seeing Wes with Bella; they were adorable together. But it also made her heart constrict.

  Wes had said Bella’s parents didn’t spend much time with her, and the evidence pointed to it. Bella had been with them for every practice.

  Kaylee walked from the parking lot toward the golf course, her clubs on her shoulder, and searched for Bella where she always seemed to be—at the driving range. She caught sight of the little girl’s dark ponytail and small stature among the predominately male golfers, and grinned—until she saw Wes standing behind her.

  With his arms crossed over his chest, muscular legs shoulder width apart, he nodded now and then at something Bella did. His mouth moved as
though he were giving her pointers, and then he turned slowly, glancing around until his gaze landed on Kaylee.

  A shiver swept down Kaylee’s spine and her belly clenched. It was extremely annoying that Wes still made her heart race.

  Her fiancé returned in a couple of days. No matter her physical response to Wes, she had an emotional tie to Eddy. He could relate to what she’d gone through, and he would be there for her in the long haul.

  Wes had changed—even Kaylee could see that. He’d always been a good man, but he was a better man now. More mature. More thoughtful. Especially with Bella. But Kaylee would never trust him with her heart.

  “Hey there,” she said, and set her clubs nearby, mentally preparing for another round of kick-Kaylee’s-ass at the driving range. “What’s on the docket for today?”

  Wes waved another pro over. “Help Bella out for an hour?” he said to the guy.

  The club pro squatted beside Bella, a smile on his face as he gestured to Bella’s arm position.

  Wes seemed satisfied, and grabbed Kaylee’s elbow, urging her forward.

  Hello, shivers. His scent—so familiar, so good—wafted to her nose and her heart tapped around in her chest.

  Just physical. Not lasting.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  “About golf?” She looked back at the driving range growing farther away.

  “No.”

  They walked for a long while to a remote part of the resort beach. A jetty provided privacy, and at this point, Kaylee suspected something was up.

  Wes never wanted to be alone with her. At least, that was what she’d assumed, since Bella was always there during Kaylee’s lessons. Either Bella practiced all day every day because of her absentee parents, which would be disconcerting, or Wes planned for Bella to be a buffer between them.

  Wes climbed onto the rocks of the jetty and reached back for her hand. He helped her up and let go as soon as she was steady. He made his way to the edge of the water.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  Obviously it wasn’t, but he was making her nervous and she wanted to get him talking. Wes was a “lay it all out there and knock a girl off her feet” kind of man. But not now. Now there were walls built and banked anger simmering beneath the surface.

  He stared at the lake for a moment, then turned to her. “It’s been a couple of weeks. We’ve gotten along well enough, haven’t we?”

  They’d joked and, dare she say it, had fun on the driving range. Things hadn’t been as easygoing as they used to be between them, but she’d felt the spark of a connection to Wes that she hadn’t in a long while. “Yes, of course.”

  “Good.” He nodded and let out a breath. “I’d like to know what happened when you left college. When you left me.” The hard edge no longer tainted his tone, but tension filled the air.

  They were alone, and she’d come to town for this very conversation. She couldn’t drag it out forever, even if it was difficult to talk about.

  Her hands began to shake and her body grew cold. She sank onto one of the rocks, but Wes didn’t follow. He leaned against a larger stone and watched her. “Before we broke up, it was a really difficult time for me.”

  He shook his head, squinting. “What was hard? School? Your friends? Did something happen with your family?”

  Kaylee looked out at the water, her stomach twisting. “No. None of those things. I was going through something…physical. And I didn’t know how to talk to you about it. I was afraid. You were preparing for the tour. You ate, slept, and breathed golf. It’s all you talked about. Half the time, I wasn’t sure you were listening to me. And then when I… When I needed you, I didn’t feel safe telling you what was wrong. I worried you’d flip out.”

  Wes ran stiff fingers through his dark hair, the tips falling forward and touching his strong cheekbones. “Jesus, Kaylee. If something was wrong, you should have said so. Instead, you fucking left me.”

  She pulled her knees to her chest. “I couldn’t trust you to take it well. I worried you’d make things worse, and I was already barely holding myself together.”

  “So this was about trust?” His jaw clenched and he stared back at the water, his tone as hard as the granite they sat on. “Trustworthiness doesn’t seem high on your list of dating criteria.”

  She looked up, her eyebrows knitting together. “What do you mean?”

  “Eddy.” He flung his arm carelessly. “Your fiancé.”

  “What does Eddy have to do with our past?”

  He pinned her with a stare. “You didn’t trust me and I was devoted to you—loved you. And you’re engaged, to that…that piece of shit.”

  Kaylee stood. “Keep Eddy out of this! You were an absent boyfriend. That’s why I didn’t feel I could go to you.”

  “I don’t see your fiancé. Where is he, Kaylee?”

  “You know he’s away on business.” She shook her head, the air leaving her chest on a wave of disappointment. “God, Wes, I thought we were past this. But all you care about is how I hurt you. Nothing I say will change anything.” She rose and spun to leave, a burning sensation prickling the back of her eyes. She couldn’t talk to him—not now. And maybe not ever.

  “He’s cheating on you,” Wes said, the malice in his tone suddenly gone.

  Kaylee turned slowly back, certain she’d heard him wrong. “What?”

  Wes’s blue eyes churned like an ocean in a storm. “Your fiancé. He cheated on you. At least once, that I know of.”

  Kaylee wrapped her arms around her waist. “Are you out of your mind? You don’t know Eddy.”

  Wes chuckled humorlessly. “I know him well enough. I know his type. I’m him half of the time.” His gaze bored into hers. “Only I never cheat.”

  She shook her head. “You’re wrong. You want Eddy to be the bad guy so it’ll make you look better.”

  “I told my brothers you wouldn’t believe me. Just like you said, you never trusted me. And what’s a relationship without trust, Kaylee?”

  Her lips parted, but she couldn’t say anything. Because he was right. She’d not trusted him when she needed him the most. And she certainly didn’t trust him now.

  “Wes, I’m sorry I hurt you in college. I was in pain and not thinking straight. I had a boyfriend who didn’t put me first, and it scared the hell out of me to go to you with my problem.”

  “So that’s it? You didn’t feel I spent enough time with you?”

  He wasn’t even listening now. “That was part of it.”

  The conversation had gone in the wrong direction. Why did she think he’d listen to her now, when he’d never listened before?

  In some ways, Wes had changed. He was more responsible, seemed to truly care for Bella, when he had no reason to care beyond the money Bella’s parents paid him for her lessons. He wasn’t the same man he’d been in college. Yet in other ways, he was exactly the same. Focused to the point of missing everything.

  He gave her more of that humorless laugh. “Good talk, Kaylee.” Wes turned and stalked away, crossing the large boulders like he’d done it a million times. And he probably had. “Find another golf instructor. I don’t want to see you again.”

  Chapter 7

  Kaylee slowly returned to the driving range, where her clubs sat unused. She picked them up in a daze and headed for her car. Taking golf lessons from Wes had always been a mistake.

  He was right. She couldn’t get married at Club Tahoe. And bringing up the past was her worst decision yet. She should have kept it where it belonged—in the past.

  Only, she’d never gotten over what had happened, and she’d hoped that seeing Wes would help.

  It hadn’t.

  She and Wes were toxic together. The hateful things he’d said about Eddy… God, what the hell was Wes thinking? Was he intentionally trying to sabotage her relationship?

  Wes might have been an absent boyfriend at times, but he’d never been cruel—until today.

  Except that didn’t feel right
either. He wasn’t a cruel person. And she couldn’t believe he’d try to hurt her with lies. So he must have had a reason for saying what he did. But why did he think Eddy was cheating?

  Kaylee made it home on autopilot. She thought about Wes’s words all evening, sleeping fitfully throughout the night. Nightmares from the past—streaks of red, the immeasurable emotional pain that had consumed every ounce of her being—were fresh and piercing. She woke gasping for air and stumbled into the bathroom, staring at her reflection until her head cleared.

  The next day was no better. Kaylee wasn’t trapped in nightmares from her past, but she couldn’t forget Wes’s accusations about Eddy. Because when she thought about it—really thought about it—it was possible. If Eddy had wanted to cheat on her, it wouldn’t be difficult.

  Eddy traveled for his job constantly, and he seemed to have friends in every state and a few countries. Kaylee assumed they were male friends. She wasn’t the jealous type and had never checked. Should she have?

  Eddy had come into Kaylee’s life a year after she’d graduated from college. She’d met him while he was on a business trip to San Francisco. She was working for the San Francisco Women and Children’s Center and living with four roommates in the city. That night, she’d gone out with her friends after work. It had been the first time she’d considered moving on and dating again.

  She hadn’t noticed Eddy at first. When they met, it had been nothing like meeting Wes for the first time, where his very presence smacked her silly. Eddy’s charm had been slow—friendly, even. He’d asked her for her number and said he’d call the next time he was in town.

  Eddy called just as he said he would, and they’d met up for dinner. When he wasn’t in town, he was good about keeping in touch, texting or sending sweet notes for her birthday and other special occasions. The relationship built gradually, and before she knew it, he’d asked her to move in.

  She’d been the original lease owner on her place in San Francisco, with awesome rent control. Her friends had been furious about being forced to move, but Eddy said he wanted a future with her and that they could save money if they lived at her place. It had made so much sense at the time.