AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Not only that, she seemed to have gotten brazen, stronger. Now she was standing up against him and speaking her mind. And he had to admit he liked this new side of her.
Damn it.
He threw open the glass doors that led onto the balcony and welcomed the fresh, salty Cancún air. The waves of the ocean were soothing to both listen to and observe.
Curling his hands around the wrought iron banister, he watched as the glowing orange sun started to make its descent into the water. The day was coming to an end and still no word from Abby.
She was probably just busy planning his wedding.
His wedding. Words he never thought would enter his mind, much less be put into action. But everything in his career was falling into the perfect place and his upcoming arrangement with Mona was just another step in his intricately laid plan.
He needed to talk with Brady as soon as possible, but he wanted to make sure both the wedding plans and business plans were set in place and ready to go before he broke the news of the merger.
At the knock on his door, Cade turned and headed back through his spacious, tropical suite.
When he opened the door, though, everything in his mind vanished. How could he form a single thought when Abby stood in his doorway wearing…God, what was she wearing? Something wispy and sheer that had been wrapped around her so many times that all he saw was flowing material and creamy skin.
Her shoulders were bare and her hair had a tousled look. She brought to mind the image of a wanton woman wrapped in her lover’s sheet after making love.
“Throw on something casual and meet me on the beach,” she said through pink glossy lips. “You’ve got five minutes.”
And with that she was gone, leaving Cade to watch the material flowing behind her, beckoning him to follow.
More than curious and, he hated to admit, aroused, he changed from his dress pants and silk shirt to a pair of khakis and a simple white short-sleeved button-up shirt, cursing himself all the while for allowing sexual thoughts to creep into his mind when he was marrying someone else in only a month. Whether he was in love or not wasn’t the issue; he intended to be faithful to Mona.
He grabbed his room key card and headed down to the beach directly in front of the resort. But he came to an abrupt halt when he saw a deserted beach, save for Abby with her flowy material, hair dancing about her bare shoulders and a table for two set complete with candles and flowers.
Oh, boy, was he in trouble.
Four
Nerves danced through Abby’s body as she stood next to the intimate table, the soothing ocean waves at her back. She prayed to God that her smile looked genuine and not twitchy. At this stage in her plan, she couldn’t afford to appear unsure or jumpy. If there was one thing she knew about Cade Stone, it was that he was strong, independent and powerful. He would expect nothing less from the woman in his life.
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, hoping to break the tension.
Cade, still rooted in place only a few feet away, glanced from her, to the table, then back again. “Is this for…us?”
Us. How could such a simple word hold so much meaning and sound so right?
Abby gestured toward an empty chair. “Who else? We’re researching, remember?”
With slow, cautious steps through the thick sand, Cade moved toward the seat. “Researching?”
“Honeymoons. You are getting married. Right? And I’m in charge of planning everything right down to the romantic getaway. I know, I know,” she cut him off before he could say a word. “You’re not marrying for romance or love, but you still need time to yourselves before you and Mona take on the real estate world.”
Abby waited until Cade sat down before popping the champagne and pouring a glass for each of them. After setting the bottle back in the ice bucket, she lifted off the silver dome lids to their plates and took a seat across from him.
“I hope you like what I ordered.” Abby smiled, even though Cade hadn’t taken his eyes off her and still looked confused and amazed all at the same time. “This was short notice considering I put all this together after we landed.”
“I’m impressed.”
Giddiness coursed through her. “I know how much you like fish, so I knew that was a safe choice, as were the steamed veggies. But the dessert threw me. I couldn’t decide between the Key lime pie or the chocolate truffle.”
He eyed the smaller dome next to his plate. “And you chose?”
“The truffle.”
Easing back into his seat, Cade smiled. “Perfect. I’d always choose chocolate over a fruit dessert any day.”
“Me, too.”
Could the man be more perfect? Sexy, powerful, and he loved chocolate. What single, sane woman wouldn’t want a relationship with that? All the necessities to form a firm foundation.
