But I want to lift the hem, pin her against the wall, and take her.
I raise a brow. “Are you expecting someone?”
She scrapes her teeth over her bottom lip, a habit I’ve noticed she has when she’s nervous.
She clears her throat. “A group is coming in from New Orleans. They’re considering us for one of their restaurants.”
“Sounds promising.” I meet her eyes.
She shifts nervously before waving a hand over the bottles. “I’m getting ready.”
“I can see that.”
Silence stretches between us, but I don’t fill it in.
That blush still stains her cheeks.
I want to kiss her again. I want to make her mouth swollen and red, so she doesn’t look so proper.
She tilts her head and a lock of hair falls behind her shoulder. Her hair is partially pulled back, worked into soft waves. She looks very southern today, like she should be sipping a mint julep and lunching with the garden club. It’s a look she wears well, but it doesn’t quite fit the wantonness she displayed the night before.
I wonder which one is more real. Maybe they both are.
She takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. “Can I help you?”
At her prim, businesslike tone, I cock a grin. “Did you sleep well?”
Her spine straightens, and her gaze darts around the room. “Is how your boss sleeps of any consequence to you?”
Ah, calling attention to her position over me, wanting to distance herself.
I shrug. “I was merely being polite.”
Her shoulders square as she becomes more and more a proper southern lady by the second. “I slept fine, thank you.”
I take a few steps closer to the bar that separates us.
Her gaze widens, like a startled deer.
“I was just checking, since you didn’t answer my text.”
She smooths her dress again. “It didn’t require an answer.”
“True.” Another step and I’m at the edge of the counter. I lean over and place my hands on the glossy wood.
She points to me. “I just polished that.”
“It shows.” I let a smirk slide over my lips. “I hope all your…”
Her expression turns downright horrified.
I repress my laugh. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t fucking help twisting the knife.
I skip down her body before returning to meet her desperate gaze. “…hard work paid off.”
“Time will tell.” Her voice is a creak.
“I find if you keep at something long enough, good things are bound to come.”
Her fingers toy with the neckline of her dress. “Can I help you, Caden? Because I have a lot of things to get ready before the group arrives.”
“Nope. I just wanted to see how you were feeling this morning.” I dip my gaze to her lips. “If blowing off all that steam relaxed you.”
She can’t hide the gasp. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“At the bar last night.” I grin.
“Of course.” Her words are quick, breathless.
“So we’re on the same page.”
She waves at the door. “You can go now.”
“Fair enough.” I straighten. Point to a stray smudge on the bar. “You want me to rub that out for you?”
“No!” Her voice is a shriek.
I’m horrible. I know that.
In fairness, I never claimed to be a good guy. Repressing my true nature is clearly starting to strain. I shrug. “All right, no need to get your feathers ruffled.”
“Get out!” Clearly she’s lost her patience.
“I’m going.” A man knows when it’s time to exit, and my time has come. “Good luck. Be sure to tell me how it goes. Although I’m sure you’ll wow them and have them eating out of your hand.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” She glances pointedly at the door. “Things to do.”
I look her up and down. “You seem tense. Maybe you need to take the edge off.”
“Get the hell out of here!” she yells, practically stomping her foot.
I chuckle, turn, and walk toward the exit before swinging around one more time. “Oh, and Cat?”
“What?”
She sounds like she’s on the edge of smacking me.
Excellent. I smile at her. “You look very pretty today.”
She jabs a finger at the door. “Get out or I swear to God…”
“Swear to God what?”
“You’ll pay,” she sputters.
“So you can’t think of anything?”
“Leave. Now.” Her hands are clenched into fists. “Before I start throwing things.”
“That sounds fun, but maybe it’s not the best time.” And with that, I turn and walk out the door.
10
Cat
Somehow I managed to keep myself together and finish what I needed to before the restaurant owners arrived. Greeting them was a welcome distraction from my run-in with Caden, and I threw myself into the meeting. My brother