He's the One (16 page)

Cade scowled at the emptiness and downed the shot of tequila he'd been babysitting for the last few minutes. Zane and Katie didn't know the half of it. He may have only been ten when their parents gave up their parental duties, but he'd protected his brother and sister the best he could.

With the chairs stacked up on the tables, silent shadows played across the walls. The jukebox was switched off, and only ghosts from the past screeched. The place felt empty. Sad almost. He'd never noticed that before. Or shut his mind off from it. Somehow, Taylor had bridged a gap, and now she wasn't around that gap yawned as cavernous as the Grand Canyon.

Back at his desk, Cade spied Taylor's business card on his desk. For a few, indecisive moments he stared at the phone.

A jagged laugh escaped his lips. He'd done this before. Every day, for three days, and here he was again. Waiting. Watching. And hoping?

He picked up the phone and punched in Taylor's number and waited, and waited and for every, long, drawn out second of it, he held his breath.

He didn't have a clue what he would say.

Finally, the answer phone kicked in. Again. Just as it had last night and the night before. Cade cursed, using every expletive he could drum up as if it would make everything all right. It didn't, and lousy didn't even cover how crappy he felt.

Always the answer phone, damn it. Even when he phoned her office during business hours, either her assistant Nita stonewalled him or the phone switched automatically to the answer phone. Cade slammed the phone down. The frustration was killing him. And it wasn't just because he'd had a hard on since Sunday.

What would it take to see Taylor Sullivan?

"Everything set?” Taylor bundled up her “emergency” bag and deposited it onto the back seat of her car.

"Sure. Isn't it always?” Nita frowned. “Don't worry, Taylor. You're an expert at this wedding stuff."

Taylor couldn't help but worry. Something always went awry. It was the nature of the marriage business.

Just like your marriage that never was.

"Seeing Cade later?” Nita looked at her surreptitiously.

Taylor saw the hope in her assistant's friendly eyes. “No. It was a one night stand, remember?"

"One night that lasted three days."

"Well, we got a bit carried away, that's all."

We? You mean you
!

And that was where her guilt escalated. And the hurt. That she'd forgotten her past, forgotten the date. She always went the cemetery on that particular anniversary, but this time she'd forgotten.

Too busy having sex with Cade, that's why.

Taylor's mouth pursed into a thin, disapproving line. Yep, got that right, and because of it, guilt gouged a brutal path right through her.

Rob. The perfect man for her. The guy that tempered her “enthusiasm” her parents had said. The boy next door, the budding mathematician. Perfect for her family.

Taylor slammed the car door closed. Shame she couldn't slam the door closed on her past. Trouble was, her family made sure her past was kept wide open.

"Nice!” Nita cooed still obviously focused on Cade.

And you aren't?

"He's perfect for you."

"Tell that to my parents."

"Taylor, you're twenty-four. When are you going to tell your family to keep their noses out? They've already found one husband for you. Isn't it time you made your own choices?"

"I have."

"You mean your life as a nun who has nothing but work."

"I love my work.” Taylor gave her standard reply to Nita's standard prompt.

Her assistant put an arm around her shoulders. It was nearly the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. “I know you do. But you need Cade."

Taylor bristled. “No, Nita. You're wrong. What I need is to get to this wedding. Last weekend was our only break for a while. Engaged couples are coming out of the woodwork.” Taylor stepped out of her assistant's embrace. “I know you mean well, but I've got to make my own life."

"Isn't that what I'm saying?"

"Perhaps,” she agreed and mentally counted off the list of things she still had to do. “But let me do it my way. I've spent years doing things my parent's way. I'm not a mega brain box like them. I'm creative. They don't understand that."

"They still look down on your success?” Nita's assessment sadly made reality too real.

"To them, this is playing until I get a proper job."

"You mean play doctor or something?"

"Yeah,” she grimaced. “Something like that.” Taylor observed the flicker of worry cross Nita's bright eyes and gave her assistant a reassuring smile. “Don't worry. It's not going to happen. This business is my baby, my life. I'm not giving it up."

"But you're giving up on Cade?

Was she? Had she? Taylor didn't want to think about it, but in truth she hadn't thought of anything else but Cade Harper, his touch, what he made her feel, everything about him, since Sunday. She was a total wreck but with hours of preparation ahead of her she willed herself to stay calm and strong. Controlled. “I never had him, Nita. It was a business deal. Simple as that. Cade's a businessman. He understood the deal."

"And you're good at business."

"Yes, I am. Once I've given him the plans for his new bar, the deal is over."

"No chance of resuscitating it?” Nita asked, ever hopeful.

Could she? Would she? No, that was impossible. “How do you resuscitate something that never was?"

"Oh, Taylor Sullivan, you're fooling yourself. It
was
. Believe me. I see it in your eyes every time the phone rings."

Damn it. Nita saw far too much. While Taylor
felt
too much, and right now she needed to escape. “Gotta go,” Taylor chimed, and spinning on her heels, she climbed into her jeep, belted up and started the engine in quick succession. She gave Nita a wave. “I have dinner with my family tonight after the wedding."

"Fun with the family.” Nita grimaced.

Taylor refused to ponder that particular statement. History reminded her that “fun” wasn't something in her parents’ well-orchestrated and well-pigeonholed lives. While she was the proverbial round peg in their square-holed life.

Cade chewed himself out. He should be anywhere but here. Why the heck hang out at a wedding? He wasn't in the market for one.

He slowed the pickup to a crawl along the curve of the bay, halting across from the reception venue. He switched off the ignition and sat back and watched.

Set against an aqua colored sky mirroring the lilting harbor, and fringed by a row of
pohutukawa
trees whose fallen scarlet flowers imitated a carpet beneath each, the Victorian mansion reconstituted as a wedding venue, bordered one end of the bay was picture-postcard perfect.

The bridal party had finished their photos, but he wasn't interested in the bridal couple, just the wedding planner.

Man, she looked good. For the last half hour Taylor Sullivan, minus her sexy high heels, had waded across the golden sand, circling the couple, arranging the bride's dress and flowers to their utmost elegance for the photographer.

Cade scowled. What a waste. Photos that after a few months would lay deserted in the drawer and, if the marriage went belly-up, would most likely be torn in two during some angst-ridden wailing. He eyed the couple with derision. They looked happy—for now. But Cade didn't care if others succumbed to the marriage game. Just don't expect him to imitate their nuptial joy.

So what brought you here, Harper?

Taylor Sullivan—that's what. She'd haunted his days and nights. He'd tried phoning. Tried ignoring the ache, and that was no bloody use either.

"You're desperate,” Zane had informed him, pleased as punch. “Making you a snappy so and so."

"Get a life, brother."

"I have one. Do you?"

Dead right he did. He was on the way up with a thriving small chain of bars, about to open a more upscale one in the heart of yuppie-ville. What else did he need?

Taylor Sullivan
.

Cade's sank back into the cushioned leather of the pickup, his hands fisting knuckle-white on the steering wheel as his brother's words replayed for the umpteenth time in his brain.

"Cade,” his brother chuckled while helping himself to a whiskey after closing time. “Katie told me you were one unhappy dude."

Cade lifted his head from the drawing he'd spent the last hour doodling—T.A.Y.L.O.R. He screwed up the scrap of paper and tossed it to the bin—and missed. Cursing aloud, he gave his brother his best scowl.

"You two ganging up on me, again?"

"Someone has to."

On and on his sibling had railed at him. Eventually, Cade tuned out, though one part of him knew that deep down his brother and sister cared. They were his
only
family. Zane and Katie were all that mattered. But now, as he waited outside watching Taylor, he realized they weren't the only ones that mattered. In fact, they'd slipped down the caring, sharing ladder a couple of notches.

If he could just see her again. He didn't have to talk to her, but then at least he would be able to explain—to himself, hopefully—the raw need that came over him and finally everything would make sense. Seeing Taylor, he prayed, would help him understand what the hell was going on in his head.

And make it go away.

Cade slammed a fist down hard on the steering wheel, hitting the horn by accident, and a sharp, staccato beep rent the air. Several guests twisted to see where the noise had come from.

"Shit."

Cade craned his neck as the crowd slowly hedged towards the reception rooms, laughing, smiling and dusting the sand off their feet. Taylor was the last. With her back to him, she slipped her heels back on. Killer heels that emphasized her long legs. Sexy legs.

Damn. His eyes shuttered momentarily as he fought to control the scorching desire that fuelled every part of him.

He had it
bad
.

Dressed in a camel colored suit that hinted at no inch of skin, Cade's slow gaze slid down her length, imagining her secret. The one he knew.

His lips lifted into a tight smile. Was Taylor wearing that sexy underwear? The lace and silk that cupped her full breasts, and the stockings. Oh yeah ... The stockings. Cade shifted uncomfortably. Lace edged that skimmed her creamy thighs. His groin swelled, growing harder with every teasing image stored in his memory. He had expected Taylor to follow the guests. Instead, she gave the bride and groom a hug. From his position across the other side of the road, Cade struggled to hear their conversation, but their friendly banter washed away on the breeze. With the bridal couple turning to go inside, Taylor gathered her bag and came curbside. She scanned the street as if looking for someone.

Cade frowned. Who was she waiting for?

A boyfriend?

No. He didn't like that idea. No, siree. Not one little bit.

Scrambling out of the pickup, he dug his hands deep into his pockets. It was now or never. And never wasn't really an option.

As he strode across the road, his blood roared in his head and a trickle of sweat trailed down the side of his head. He'd never felt so like a school kid in his life.

"Taylor?” Cade's breath caught in his throat, his lungs refusing to work, his heart hammering, body alive as it had never, ever been before.

This was life.

Before was—was nothing compared to this. He wished he could freeze the moment in time because for one, infinitesimal second, as Taylor spun round to face him, delight and joy shone in her eyes and spread across every part of her beautiful face. Then it evaporated, disappeared within the flick of an eye. She held her bag in front of her, as if it was a shield against him. He wanted to reach out and hold her, but she was wary, and the haunted color that darkened her eyes held him back.

"What are you doing here, Cade?"

"I...” Yeah why? He couldn't think of the answer, at least not one that wouldn't get him arrested.

"I'm in the middle of a wedding, Cade,” she said, looking back over her shoulder at guests who mingled outside.

"Seems like a success, everyone having a good time."

"You need to go."

Desperation whirred inside him. “I keep thinking about you."

Whorls of scarlet flushed her face, and her lips pursed. He wished he could see her eyes, perhaps then he could really read her soul and understand that was going on.

"You'll get over it. Just hook up with one of those girls that give you the come-on at the bar,” she said, refusing to look at him.

"You sound jealous."

That caught her attention. Her head jack-knifed round, and her mouth opened and closed, but she said nothing. Just looked at him with those dark, cerulean eyes that tore at his soul. He was a drowning man.

"Cade, I can't do this."

He played for time. “This what?"

Taylor looked both ways, as if she was making sure the coast was clear. It revved up the nerve quotient several notches.

"It's okay, it's just us two,” he said trying to get her to relax. “Unless you've got a boyfriend lurking in the bushes?” He'd asked the question before he'd actually realized it, but knew gut deep he didn't want to know the answer.

Scaredy cat!

Too damn right, Cade conceded.

"Low blow, Cade."

He should have felt guilty, but didn't. “Yeah, I'm sorry. Actually, no, I'm not; I'm glad. I don't want you to have a boyfriend."

"Then you'll be pleased I don't."

He stepped closer, appeased that she didn't move away. Instantly, her perfumed assailed his senses and his eyes slid closed for a fraction of time, sparking fragrant memories. “I want it to be me."

"Oh."

"Just ‘oh'?” He watched her intently, waiting for some hint she was interested. “You still haven't given me an answer, Taylor. Why can't you do
this
?"

"Because it wasn't what we agreed. And besides, it was a one-off, a you helping me and vice versa sort of thing."

"True. But rules are made to be broken. Why can't we make a new agreement?"

"I don't want to."

"So that's it, I'm supposed to up and walk away?"