home alone tonight. She would much rather be with Cade than avoiding Josh’s constant touches.
“Who’s that?” Josh demanded as soon as Amanda approached the table.
“Cade. He’s a family friend and works for my Daddy,” Amanda responded.
“It’s your play,” Josh, his expression stormy, thrust her stick back at her.
Amanda continued to play pool but she was distracted. She kept watching Cade watching them and wanted to ditch the game; only her desire to not be rude prevented her from doing so. Even with Cade’s distance across the room, Amanda could tell he was in an increasingly bad mood. Making her even more miserable, was the fact that Josh seemed more determined than ever to send the message that Amanda was his.
“Can’t we just enjoy the game, Josh?” Amanda side stepped another attempt at pull her close for a kiss.
“I thought we were,” he returned irritably. Josh stepped up to take his next shot and cracked the balls with enough force to send one off the table.
“Whoa, careful there,” Ben cautioned.
For the next hour Amanda glanced between her increasingly moody date and Cade where he sat drinking a beer or beers, she wasn’t certain.
“I’m sorry,” Amanda finally whispered to Jenny when the tension between her and Josh began to influence their entire group.
“Want me to distract Josh while you escape with Cade?” Jenny teased her friend on return.
“I’m tempted,” Amanda smiled.
“Tempted to what?” Josh was back and trying to pull her close again. Amanda tried side stepping again, only to find he wouldn’t be put off so easily.
“Why are you acting like I’ve got the plague? I thought we were here on a date,” he snapped at her.
“There a problem here? I don’t care if she is your girlfriend, when a woman doesn’t want you touching her, you stop,” Cade, slightly unsteady on his feet, joined the group.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Amanda clarified.
“Then what is this?” Josh demanded.
“A friendly date,” Amanda explained.
“A friendly date!?”
“Amanda won’t commit to anyone, Josh,” Jenny informed the irate man.
“I wonder why that is, Cade?” Jenny turned to pin him with a sardonic smile.
Amanda shot her friend a withering glance before turning back to Cade. He was watching her closely, his expression inscrutable. When he reached for her, she came to rest willingly against his side.
“When a man puts his arm around a woman she should come willingly and if she doesn’t that should be a sign,” Cade shot at Josh.
“Okay,” Amanda sighed out aloud. “Cade, you are drunk; where are your keys?” she demanded.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t. Can I have your keys; please?” Amanda placed her hand on his chest and leaned closer. She would have to sweet talk him into turning them over and she knew it.
“I’m fine, I should be getting back to the ranch,” he maintained stubbornly.
“Come on, Cade; please?” Amanda was facing him now, the sides of his jacket in either hand. “Let me drive you to my house for a while. I’ll fix some coffee and we can talk and catch up,” she coaxed.
He continued to stare at her, his expression stubbornly blank until Amanda started searching for his keys herself. He made no protest when she claimed them and took his hand before turning back to Jenny; she reached into her own pocket as she did.
“Would you?” she held up her keys.
“Sure. I’ll bring your Jeep home; see you there in a little bit.”
“Thanks, Jenny. I’m sorry, Josh; we’ll talk later,” Amanda offered before she led Cade from the restaurant. He was silent, his demeanor brooding, on the drive to Amanda and Jenny’s place. Amanda might have felt threatened had it been any other man. By the time she got Cade inside, it was clear he was too far gone for coffee to make a difference.
“I think you are going to have to sleep this off,” Amanda informed him as she helped him down the hallway; his steps were unsteady. She gave him a gentle push onto the side of her bed and started tugging on his boots. He finally shook his head as though coming out of a fog.
“I can do that,” he offered sullenly.
“Good,” Amanda stood back and let him pull both boots off. She helped him remove his jacket, shirt, and undershirt before he grabbed her wrist and his gaze met hers.
“I’m sorry, Manny, I didn’t mean to make an ass of myself,” he apologized. “This is why I don’t drink. I don’t want to be like my old man.”
“You aren’t, Cade,” she assured him as she reached