AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And you think you can be that man?” she whispered.
Wade lowered his face closer to hers—enough that he could hear the raspy sound of her breathing. “What you don’t seem to understand is that I’m already that man.” His gaze dipped to her mouth, lips parted just enough to bait him. He was inches from her, and stealing a kiss would be nothing—or everything.
He shut his eyes tight. She’d insisted she didn’t want to kiss anyone unless she was ready. There was only one problem. He’d kissed her before—a quick smooch when he’d dropped her off from their date. He already knew the taste of her, and as hard as it was to see her spending time with Tad, it was harder to pretend that they didn’t have a history.
“Wade,” she murmured under her breath.
His eyes snapped open.
She moistened her lips, her own lashes fluttering as she blinked rapidly. “We should get back before Tad…”
Wade pulled away from her.
Tad.
That miserable Australian was the only reason Brielle had given Wade a shot. If he hadn’t shown up, then Wade would have still been in limbo.
Wade gritted his teeth hard in an attempt to remind himself not to say something he’d regret. He gave her a short nod, but that was all he could manage.
She glanced at him once more before she hurried over toward her horse and retrieved the reins. Then she was gone.
Brielle did things to him. When he was around her, it was hard to maintain his composure. His head told him to do one thing—logical things that would improve his situation. But then his heart went rogue and had him saying or doing things that would push her away.
His hands balled into tight fists and he resumed his pacing. This was just a setback. He didn’t have to be this guy. He’d reformed himself once; he could do it again.
He’d start by setting small goals. Perhaps he’d observe Tad and his bizarre, over-the-top, old-fashioned ways.
Wade cringed. He’d do it, but only for Brielle.
Especially if that was what she wanted.
With the horses in hand, he made his way back to the picnic table. Brielle sat perched on the edge of the table, chatting with Tad, who sat mere inches from her. They were laughing about something, and just like that, Wade’s defenses went up. He couldn’t leave Brielle alone with the guy for even a second. Doing so would result in the tables being turned on him.
Wade rolled his shoulders back and strode toward the table. Both Brielle and Tad glanced at him but continued their conversation.
“I can’t believe you flew to Texas to look for me.” Brielle laughed. “Is there really an Elle Callahan there?”
“Oh, they’re all over the place. You wouldn’t believe it.”
“Why didn’t you just track down the person who threw the party that night? I’m sure they would have had contact information for someone who knew me.”
Wade froze. It was brief, no doubt about it, but Tad flinched almost like he’d swallowed a bug. Was this the tell that Wade had been looking for? Then Tad twitched again and slapped his hand on the back of his neck. Maybe it really was a bug.
“Ididthink about that, but by then, there was no real use. The guy who threw that party invited people off the street. I figured that could have been where he found your friend Trish.”
“That makes sense. Trish always had a hard time telling people no.”
Tad grabbed her hand, tracing the back of it with the pad of his thumb. “I’m just glad we were able to finally reconnect. I waited for you to submit the paperwork to get a divorce, but it never came. You don’t know how much hope that gave me.”
Wade’s resentment continued to grow as he watched this guy do what it had taken Wade months to build up the courage for. To so easily caress her, speak to her—simply be with her in that way had been something he’d wanted for as long as he’d known her.
And all Tad had to do was walk right back into her life, and he was able to make it happen.
Tad’s eyes lifted and locked with Wade’s. The smile he wore wasn’t for Brielle. There was something about it that made it clear Tad was messing with him. He wanted Wade to know he was winning.
Wade didn’t want Brielle so he could stick it to Tad. He wanted her in his life because he wantedher. Anything more, and it felt wrong somehow. Tad wasn’t as good as he was making himself out to be. This wasn’t about Brielle for him. It was a competition. He wanted what he didn’t have. Wade glowered at the man. If there was anything to push him to step up his game, it was the knowledge that Tad didn’t deserve her.
The temptation to step in and pull them apart nearly tore him in two, but before he did something he might regret, Brielle removed her hand from his and hopped off the table. She retrieved a brown sack and took a few steps to close the distance between them. “Here. You’re gonna want to eat something before we head back.”
