my kiss with a soft kiss of her own and lets her palms graze my ribs as with each second that ticks by she relaxes more and more. I lift my hand to caress her cheek, but that startles her and she quickly pulls away.
“I should go. It’s getting late,” she says, looking down at the ground again.
“Tomorrow night then.”
My making a date for us without her agreeing makes her lift her head, but I don’t see anger in her eyes when she looks at me. If anything, I see fear. Why? She can’t still think I’m an ax murderer, can she?
“I don’t know if I can, Cade,” she says in a shaky voice.
“Why? You had fun. I know you did. You smiled. You laughed. You talked about things that make you happy. Sounds like the kind of time you’d tell people about and say I’m a fantastic guy. I know I’d tell people I had a great time tonight and you’re definitely a fantastic woman. So what’s the problem?”
Her eyebrows draw in and she frowns for the first time since she accused me of stalking her here in the parking lot tonight. I instantly hate that frown on her. I hate that I had some part in putting it there even more.
“I’m not really good at things like this,” she says shyly.
“Talking and walking? Don’t sell yourself short. I think you’ve mastered those quite well,” I say with a smile.
My attempt at a joke doesn’t get me a smile in return, but at least her frown eases a little. “I have, yes, but everything that comes after that with someone I’m not good at.”
“I can tell you you’re great at kissing, so put that in the mastered column with walking and talking.”
She lets out a heavy sigh and finally says what I suspect has been on her mind since the day we met. “Why are you interested in me? I don’t drive an expensive car like you do. I work in a little restaurant that’s nothing like the one your family owns and I doubt it’s as impressive as your club. I’m not the type of girl who a guy with a red Jag wants, so why do you keep coming around?”
Taking her hand, I bring it to my mouth to press a kiss against her knuckles. “I like you because you’re you. I don’t know why I was interested in you that day I saw you looking out the kitchen window at me. I just was from that day. I don’t care what kind of place you work in. I think you’re interesting and fun, and you’re talented at what you do. You’re also beautiful, and why wouldn’t a guy with a red Jag want you?”
“Because I don’t have legs that go on forever. Just regular legs on my five foot five body. My hair isn’t gorgeous and most of the time it stays up in a ponytail. Look at the way I’m dressed. Red Jag women wear little dresses that show off the goods. I’m in a navy blue sundress that’s nothing special. I just wonder if someone like me belongs talking to someone like you,” she says before pressing her lips together, as if she needs to stop herself from saying anything more.
Hailey isn’t wrong. I’ve spent most of my life chasing after women who look like they should be in a red Jag. I’ve had a lot of them too, but they want me for what I have, especially how much money I have. The fact that this is the first time she’s even mentioned my car and still hasn’t asked me to take her for a ride tells me what I have doesn’t matter to her.
Maybe that’s why I like her. Because she doesn’t want anything anyone else has from me before.
“I like the way you look and the way you dress. To be honest, I don’t care what you do with your hair or what you wear. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted to know more about you. Then I found out you were just like Alex, except way prettier.”
Hailey smiles at my joke, so I continue. “I figure if he and I can get along famously for all these years as best friends, maybe you and I can be together and have a good time. You’re both into your work in the same field, and while I don’t do much with food other than stuff it into my mouth,