Bride & Seek (Enchanted Bridal #5) - Samantha Chase Page 0,12

and were in the lobby when Cade spotted Cammie walking at a brisk pace away from the office with her phone to her ear.

“I thought you said she was going to be in the office for another thirty minutes. It took us less than five to get here.”

Dixie shrugged. “That’s what Anna May texted. Maybe something came up?”

“Maybe.” Cade looked around the lobby area and saw a well-dressed couple walking toward the offices, and even though he had only gotten a quick glimpse last week, he was pretty confident it was the ex again.

The sound of Dixie’s groan confirmed it.

“Does this guy have a job or did he quit it so he could hang out here full-time?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m beginning to think they’re not as interested in the wedding as they are in being a nuisance.”

He looked in the direction in which Cammie took off and barely gave Dixie a glance as he said. “I gotta go.”

Maybe she called after him. Maybe she didn’t.

Either way, Cade was going to find Cammie.

Who would have thought hide-and-seek could be this much fun?

4

Cammie still had a hard time remembering where anything was and there was zero time to stop and ask for directions. And now when she really needed a place to hang out where guests weren’t allowed, she seriously wished she had a better grasp of the lay of the land.

Preston and Whitney had shown up unannounced again. Anna May agreed to handle them–quickly–and told Cammie to take a break before they had to be down in the ballroom for tonight’s event. Maybe she should have just gone down to the lake instead of trying to find a place inside to hide, but she wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Aha!” she murmured, spotting a supply closet. She knew she could just slip in there and check her email on her phone or text her mom to kill some time. With a quick peek over her shoulder, she slipped into the closet and shut the door.

It was dark, and she was starting to feel around for a light switch when the door flew open. She gasped and was just about to scream when…

“Cammie, shh…it’s me.”

Cade.

“Oh,” she whispered and took a step back as he came inside. “I was trying to find the…” The light went on and just the sight of him took her breath away. “Oh.”

He was smiling at her but he also looked a little…nervous. Shy, almost. “I take it you’re hiding because that was your ex I saw heading down toward your office?”

“Yup. As usual, Preston has no consideration for anyone’s time. They didn’t even call first. They just showed up. Again. Anna May told them we were getting ready for an event and they swore they just needed a few minutes of her time.”

“Yikes.”

“Exactly.” Unable to help herself, Cammie drank in the sight of him. He may have been a bit sweaty, and his clothes were dusty from a day working on planting and keeping the grounds manicured, but he looked… yummy.

She hadn’t been able to wipe the thought of their kiss from her mind, and as much as she had wanted to seek him out, she was utterly embarrassed by how… enthusiastic she had been with the whole thing. Poor Cade was only trying to be nice and help her out in an awkward situation and she had practically mauled him.

And right now, she wanted to again.

She felt a little nervous, a little excited, and somehow, they moved around each other–as if their steps were choreographed. Cammie’s back was against the door and Cade moved in close. Her heart rate picked up as she slowly lifted her gaze to his.

Cade cleared his throat. “I saw you walking across the lobby and turn down this hall. Then I thought I saw your ex. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” His voice was low and a little gruff, and damn if that wasn’t a turn-on too.

So he was just being a good guy again.

Damn.

Looking down at her shoes, she did her best not to let her disappointment show. A small part of her had been hoping he’d followed her in here because he wanted to see her again, kiss her again.

Clearly, she was wrong.

Then he reached out and cupped her chin in his hand. God…his hand was so big, and the skin was so rough, and…she was a complete mess.

“Cammie?” he said softly. “Look at me.”

She knew if she did, he’d be able to tell she wasn’t looking at this