Maybe it was growing up with four older brothers and never wanting to answer to them, but I had the urge to dig in my heels. “That’s not really any of your business.”
Rance’s eyes narrowed. “It’s a simple question.”
It didn’t matter that it was simple; I didn’t owe Rance any information about me.
He sighed, but a smile played on his lips. “Your stubbornness is one of the things I love about you.”
Oh, schnitzel. We were heading into stage-five clinger territory.
A flash of movement caught my attention. It was as if my body had some finely honed radar for Caden Shaw, no matter how far away he was. I blamed my desperate, short-circuiting brain for the word that popped out of my mouth next.
“Babe!” I called in Caden’s direction.
His gaze snapped to me so fast it made my head spin.
I widened my eyes at him, pouring every bit of silent pleading into the look. He was the last person I wanted to ask for help, but he was all I had.
Caden’s brow furrowed for a moment, but then he caught sight of Rance and glared. He crossed toward us in five long strides, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close. “Hey,babe.”
The gleam in his eyes told me I’d be paying for this one in the form of teasing torture for years to come.
“Babe?” Rance gaped. “But you hate him.”
Caden chuckled, the sound wrapping around me, along with the heat from his body pressed against mine. “Love, hate, two sides of the same coin, right?”
“Love?” Rance spluttered.
Caden squeezed my shoulder. “She’s got me wrapped around her little finger. I’d do anything for her.”
My heart hammered against my ribs, and it became painful to breathe.
Rance’s gaze ping-ponged between the two of us. “You’redating?”
“Oh, I’d say it’s more than dating. Wouldn’t you, Gigi?” Caden asked, glancing down at me.
I let out a tiny squeak. “Yup. It’s pretty serious.”
“Since when?” Rance demanded.
“I’ve had my eye on her since the moment I got back, but I’d say the last couple of weeks really took things to the next level,” Caden said, toying with a strand of my hair.
Rance’s face reddened. “The next level?” His gaze snapped to me. “You can’t think that’s a good idea. He’s a total manwhore.”
Caden stiffened. “I was just waiting for the right woman to come along, and she has.”
Rance scoffed. “I’m sure. Do your brothers know?”
My hand fisted in Caden’s shirt. “My brothers have nothing to do with this.”
He arched a brow at that.
“She’s right,” Caden said, his voice going hard. “Not a damn thing on this planet could keep me from her. And I’ll be honest, it pisses me the hell off that you won’t stop texting her.”
“She didn’t tell me she was dating anyone,” Rance said, clearly flustered by the intensity in Caden’s tone.
“Well, you know now, don’t you?” he growled.
The ferocity in Caden’s words had me glancing up at him and pressing my hand harder against his abs.
