A muscle flexed in his jaw. “Did you ever think maybe I was trying to impress you?”
She sobered. No, she hadn’t. And that still didn’t make sense. “Why would you ever want to impress me? You weretheCade Landry. You had the football team doing your bidding and two prom dates. Everyone loved you. I was a nerd with safety goggles who could do splits in the air.”
“Or maybe they only loved mebecauseof my family name and connections.” Cade pushed forward before she could form a response. “Regardless, you’re only making this money thing your problem now because you’re so bent on keeping secrets.”
Her chest heated. “I’ve told you more of my secrets than I’ve ever told anyone else.”
He leveled his gaze at her. “And why is that? Why me?”
“I don’t know.” No fair, him being so calm when she was so annoyed. Also no fair him looking so attractive when she was this annoyed.
“Think about it, Ace.”
Somehow, they’d inched closer to each other during the argument, and now, the tent shrunk until her senses could only absorb the fire lighting in her chest, the spark in Cade’s brown eyes, the spicy cedar scent of his cologne.
“I guess you seemed…trustworthy.”
He cocked his jaw. “Past tense?”
“Present.” She licked her dry lips, trying not to let her gaze fall to his mouth. He’d always challenged her, but this was new. This made her want to believe him.
Believe in them.
Silence pulsed between them. Comforting, like a quilt on a cozy night. One Rosalyn wanted to sink into.
Then—“I liked you in high school, you know.”
A sudden wash of cold shocked her body. “What?” Rosalyn’s eyes widened. “You never let on.”
“Why would I? Amber was always in your head.” He shrugged. “I guess I assumed you thought the same way about me that she did, so I eventually stopped trying to impress you.”
“I did let her influence me.” Rosalyn grimaced. “But Amber was wrong about you.” Should she tell Cade what she’d found out Harper?
His gaze fell to her mouth, then, and the last thing she wanted to do was talk about another woman.
But Cade didn’t lean in. He stayed steady, reclaiming her gaze with a new challenge. “Maybe I can tell my dad my secret about running for mayor if you tell your parents your secret.”
That, too, wasn’t fair. She shifted away. “You know I can’t tell my parents everything. Not yet. Some of it, not ever.”
“I understand, but…” Cade took her hand, his palm pure fire against hers. “Give people a chance to decide how they feel about you, Ace.”
She stared at their entwined fingers. “Are we still talking about my mom?”
“Did you ever think maybe your mom is proud of you and wants you to stick around?” He squeezed her hand. “I know I do.”
Her stomach twisted. “My future is a question mark. And you’re about to be mayor, or at the least, keep being the face of Magnolia Bay.”
“I know.” He grazed her fingers with his. “We’ve been around this loop a few times now, but it doesn’t change the fact I want to kiss you again.”
She swallowed hard. “I want you to kiss me too.” There went her stomach again. The air hummed.
He reached over with his free hand, tucked her loose hair behind her ear. His face lingered close to hers, and he squeezed his eyes shut as if in agony. “You understand why I can’t yet, right? Not until the dissolution is accepted.”
Her skin tingled, disappointment mixed with electricity. “I understand.” Pretty honorable stuff. Heroic.
Made her even more scared of falling.
But maybe some fears were good.
