Dana walked around the Bar and Grill once last time in search of any messes that could have gone missed. She flicked off lights during the short trip, and then she exited the Abel’s Bar and Grill. The hot air injected itself into every one of her pores.
Kansas summers.
Sighing, she turned and locked the doors before heading toward her car in the side-parking lot.
“Miss Abel, I presume?”
Dana shrieked and spun around, nearly tripping over herself as she did so. She held out her car key in preparation to attack—not that she had ever done so, but she was told a car key could be quite a useful weapon.
The man moved out of the shadow of the Bar and Grill and took off his giant hat.
Dana blinked owlishly, her breathing coming out in harsh pants. “Cade Major? What the hell?”
Delight flashed in his eyes. “You’ve heard of me,” he drawled.
“You’ve been bothering my family, so yes, I’ve heard of you.” She crossed her arms and continued onward toward her car. “Goodnight.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Cade said, jogging over until he was walking right beside her. “Hear me out for a second.”
“No.”
“Your family would still run the place; it would just have a different owner’s name on the lease. That’s it! I don’t see how that is such a huge problem with you folks.”
“No one is giving away our restaurant, and that is that. Now back off.” She walked faster until she reached her car door, her hand all but jamming her key into the lock. “I am going home, and you should go home, too. This is our place and we are not selling it.”
“You’re not really listening to what I have to say, darling.”
She got into the car and locked the doors. Then, as quickly as she could without actually hitting the guy, she backed out of the parking space and drove off.
Cade was seen in her rearview mirror. He leaned back on his haunches, his head tilted to the side like he was a curious cat.
Frustrated, Dana frowned at the sight. He had had the southern accent, though not quite the southern charm. Still, he was trying too hard—the stench of a salesman all over him and his words.
Dana returned her attention to the road ahead of her. She calmed down considerably on the way to her flat, and concerns over Cade were quick to fade away.
CHAPTER TWO
She had foolishly hoped that night would be the last time they had to deal with Cade, but the man proved to be persistent—if not intrusive.
He came in Abel’s Bar and Grill almost every day for the following two weeks. He would come up to the front counter and chat with her father before going over to the side counter where people could sit and drink their alcoholic beverages.
It frustrated Dana that this had become some twisted kind of routine, but her father explained that the man kept paying for the most expensive drinks and the most expensive meals. Annoying or not, he had become one of their best customers.
Then one day, while sitting at the side counter, Cade turned his attention to Dana—through the little kitchen window that she tried to hide underneath.
“You do all the cooking?” he called over to her.
Dana pushed a few plates of food through the window, her gaze shifting to him. Suspicion clawed at her chest. “What’s it to you?”
“Curiosity,” he said with a grin. He was no longer wearing that massive hat of his, his dark and messy hair giving him a rugged look—which Dana refused to find attractive on an intellectual level, even as her libido betrayed her every time he winked at her. “You like what you do here? Cooking all day?”
It was a trap, no doubt. She would answer him, and then he would twist her words into some kind of sales pitch. She should have ignored him. A part of her truly wanted to ignore him.
But that smug grin—like he knew what she was going to say and why she was going to say it. It tore at her pride in a way she could not allow.
“This is my home,” she said. She did her best to angle her head to the side as Lisa took the plates and placed them on a tray. Dana barely managed to keep eye contact with Cade. “I learned to cook here—learned to appreciate family and friends here. I learned how food could be artwork and how satisfying it feels to create something that others appreciate.
“I want to continue my parents’ legacy with this place, and that means keeping the Abel’s name on the lease.
“So yes, I like working here. I like cooking all day.”
Cade’s eyebrows rose, his eyes full of emotions that Dana couldn’t quite identify. His mouth hung ajar for a second before he snapped it shut.
And then her mother sped up to the little window, read out a new order, and put the order on the metal wheel before spinning it.
But once again, Dana struggled to tear her focus away from Cade. Damn her, but curiosity had returned in fold. In the short time she had seen and interacted with him, he had never looked as vulnerable as he did in that moment. If only she knew the cause of it—what specific words she had spoken to elicit such a reaction?
“Dana,” her mother said, snapping her fingers. “Focus, sweetheart. We got a lot more orders coming.”
Dana shook her head and looked at the order her mother had placed on the wheel. Occasionally, she would glance over at Cade.
He did not stare back at her.
Cade remained for the entire day rather than for just one very long meal. As it became later—the Bar and Grill growing quiet—he told Dana, “I have never cared so much about anything as much as you all care about this place. I’ve only been sitting here and I feel trapped. You’ve actually been working all this time, and you…you seem happy. I admire that. Hell, I envy it.”
Dana looked at him through that tiny window. Her heart twisted at the sight of Cade, his eyes flitting over every speck on the counter. He looked tired. Worn.
Her father walked up to him and waved his hand out. “Would you just get going already? It’s nearly closing time, and once again, my answer to your offer is ‘no.’ And it will always be ‘no.’ So how about being a decent guy for once and leave us alone?”
Cade nodded. He grabbed his hat from the back of his chair, put it on, and then spun around before standing and walking away. A crisp twenty dollar bill was left beside his plate of half-finished appetizers.
Dana winced. As frustrating as Cade Major was, he didn’t seem all that bad. Though perhaps that was an act in itself—the sad look, the sad comment, trudging out of here like he was a three-legged puppy with nowhere to go. He could be pretending to be this way simply to tug at her heartstrings and make her go running to him instead of the other way around.
For a second, she had decided that she would remain where she was and not give into his games.
But then she considered the possibility that it wasn’t an act and Cade really was depressed, and alone.
Dana frowned, her determination shattering.
Damn it.
She exited the kitchen—telling her mother she was taking a quick break and that someone needed to cover her. Her parents questioned her, but Dana quickened her step and exited the restaurant rather than confess her current goal.
Cade was sitting on the curb, the soft orange light from the windows cascading over him. He pouted at the ground, his gaze distant.
“Are you pouting because you aren’t getting your way?” she blurted, nearly reeling at how loud her voice sounded amidst the silent atmosphere.
Cade jumped and turned to her. “Yes,” he said with an amused smirk. He blew out a tired sigh. “That’s what I typically do after defeat. And during introspection.”
“Re-thinking some life choices?”
“Yes.” He cocked an eyebrow at her and tilted his hat back. “Are you out here to interrogate me? Because I can leave if you want me to.”
“We’ve wanted you to leave for weeks.”
He snorted, looking away. “That’s fair.”
And yet he remained sitting where he was.
“I didn’t even want this job,” he said, elbows resting on his knees. He stared at the parked cars, a rueful smile on his lips. “But dad’s always big on ‘earning’ things rather than simply ‘inheriting’ things. And then wasting said ‘inherited’ things on world travel and parties.” He hummed, clearly nostalgic. “Those were the days.”
Astounded, she furrowed her brow. “You’re…complaining because you have to work?”
“Of course. Working is terrible. I have no idea how you and your family can be so passionate about it. It’s misery incarnate.”
“It’s satisfying,” she said. “When you earn something, it is truly yours. No one can take it back from you. Not legally, anyway. And there is pride in hard work, too.”
Cade groaned. “Uh, hard work is even worse than regular work.” He leaned his head back so that he could stare at her. “You should try being rich some time. It’s amazing.”
She huffed, smiling. “I’m sure it is.”
“Up until the moment it is taken away from you. Yes, it certainly is. You can pretty much do what you want, when you want. There is no need to worry about survival and bills every single day. How other people stand that is beyond me. I’m getting a headache just trying to picture it now.”
“It’s being taken away from you?”
He grimaced, facing forward again. “I have made some mistakes in the past that dad did not approve of. Nothing big or anything like that, just some gambling here and there that got…out of hand.” He cleared his throat, shoulders hunched. “Anyway, I had to be successful at this job to earn back his trust, and if I failed, he said he would take away my inheritance.” He rubbed his chin and cracked his jaw. “And then I would have to get an actual job. That is going to be so much worse.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” she said, shrugging. “If you put your heart into what you do, it becomes a joy.”
“A joy,” he repeated, laughing. “That’s hard for me to imagine. I spent most of my life having the hard stuff done for me. To think that anyone would actually enjoy doing that…” He shook his head, amusement and bewilderment evident in his gaze. “I don’t think I’ll ever get it.”
It seemed like he was going to be complaining about this for some time. Frustrated—yet still pitying—Dana frowned and huffed a breath through her nostrils. She glanced back at the front entrance before she made her slow way to Cade’s side. Then she sat down and turned to him. “If it’s money you’re worried about…we could hire you.”
He laughed again. “Work here? With all the noise and the demands and the—” He shook his head again.
She scowled. “Fine then, be hungry and homeless. Maybe that would give you some perspective on how to be a respectable adult for once.”
His smile softened, fondness relaxing his expression. “Maybe it will. Or maybe it’ll kill me. I have very little life experience that is of any real value.”
She blinked owlishly at him. She was expecting to fight—to keep insulting him while he insulted her. But he seemed happy, his smile genuine and his gaze weighted with other kind emotions.
“You know,” he said quietly, “it’s been a while since someone’s been so direct with me about anything. You’re probably the first sincere person I have ever met.”
Dana blushed, her heart flipping about. “I…I don’t think…”
His smile widened. “You don’t think? At all? That seems unlikely, considering how well you’ve figured me out.” His eyelids lowered, his posture and face the epitome of calm. “It’s been a while since someone understood me so well. And you listened to me. You actually listened and responded to me rather than pretending to do so.” He snorted. “My father could learn a thing or two from you. My father and many others, unfortunately.”
He was the sincere one, words rasping out of him like an intimate confession. It heated her blood and warmed her heart, and before she could even think about it, she pressed her lips against his.
She reeled back, mortified. “God, I’m sorry. I—” Am lonely, she thought with resentment. It had been so long since a handsome man had paid her any attention, and Cade was being so complimentary and charming…
What pathetic excuses. Her cheeks burned and she made to move away.
But then Cade gently grabbed her face and brought his lips to hers.
CHAPTER THREE
Heat shot through her veins, the kiss making every fiber of her being more sensitive. It was overwhelming yet it wasn’t enough. She desired more—more feeling, more heat—she wanted to get crushed by it all.
Dana grabbed his shirt and tugged, all the while parting her lips in an attempt to deepen the kiss.
His tongue flicked over her teeth.
She moaned, all but falling against him as his arms encircled her. She thought she would drown in him—never come up for air again. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to if one kiss could feel this amazing.
Luckily, he did back up, his breath hitching. “Are we sure this is wise?” he rasped.
She panted, forehead resting against his. He felt…right. If she was more of a romantic, perhaps she could come up with a better word to describe it. But for the moment, all she knew was that being near him felt right.
“Do you care?” she asked cheekily.
He huffed. “Not if you don’t.”
She kissed him again.
Cade continued to visit the Bar and Grill and pester her parents, though he knew what the result of that would always be.
“I just need to buy myself some time,” he had told Dana in private. “Dad needs to believe I’m trying my hardest out here for now, so that will mean coming by your place every day and giving your folks reasons to sell ‘Abel’s Bar and Grill.’”
“And then what?”
He frowned. “I don’t know yet. Rob a bank? Buy a bunch of lottery tickets? I’ve never been great at planning things out ahead.”
It was ridiculous and silly, but at the same time, it meant she would get to see more of him. They bickered when they were actually in the Bar and Grill, but during her breaks—during the night—they would sneak off together. She had never been quite so daring before, and she loved the exhilaration of his secret kisses and whispers.
It was a fling. She had to remind herself over and over again. Eventually, Cade would have to travel back to his father and deal with the consequences of his failure, and he would probably never come back to Kansas again. At least not for her.
But for now, she had him. For now, they could share these sweet, intoxicating moments with one another.
One night, she drove him to one of her favorite places in town to do just that. After she parked the car and put the key in her pocket, Cade cocked an eyebrow at their surroundings—a large park that barely contained any man-made things. Just a parking lot and a fence. The rest of the park was pure forestry.
“You’re not going to kill me and bury the body, right?” Cade asked sarcastically.
“No,” she said.
His eyes lit up. “Are we going to get frisky in the backseat then?”
“No, but would you be a dear and get the blanket from back there?” She winked at him before getting out of the car.
“Tease,” he called after her.
She laughed. “Come on now, hurry up! Stop thinking with your penis so much.”
He got out of the car and went to the backseat. “Can’t help it around someone so beautiful, darling.” He looked over his shoulder, his eyebrows waggling.
She choked on her next laugh. Dear Lord, if anyone else had said such a ludicrous thing to her, she would have ignored them. And yet here she was, blushing and giggling like a teenager.
She turned and hurried onward, excitement and nervousness swirling together inside her veins.
They didn’t travel far when they finally reached the spot: a grassy area with trees circling around it. It was as if trees had been cut down in order to create this perfect circle that revealed the starry sky.
“My friends and
I used to camp out here sometimes,” Dana said, taking the blanket from Cade and placing it over the grass. “Back in high school. It’s a friendly area, and the view of the sky is amazing.” She sprawled on her back on the blanket, her arms behind her head. Her nervousness dulled as relaxation took a hold of her.
Cade didn’t hesitate to lie next to her, his arms resting behind his own head. “So, during high school, your idea of fun was to sleep in a park?”
ROMANCE: ALIEN ROMANCE: Captured by the Alien Dragon (Alpha Male Alien Abduction BBW Romance) (Bad Boy Shifter Fantasy Romance) Page 29