Forbidden Ties (Forbidden Ties Series Book 1) by Lauren Branford Page B

me.
                  “Hey,” Cade as he neared me. His demeanor seemed cautious. Up close, he was even more strikingly handsome. His face had a well-defined jaw line, high cheekbones, and a smooth complexion. I noticed Cade’s lips were full and succulent looking.
                  “Hi,” I replied while readying myself mentally for his embrace. Instead, Cade stuck his hand out, and, awkwardly, I shook it.
                  “Shaking hands?” Tim asked. “Is that what the kids do these days?”
                  Cade lowered his head and moved back toward the door.
                  “Where are you going, Cade?” Alice smiled.
                  “Practice,” he answered tersely.
                  “Will you be back for dinner, then?” she called as he walked through the open front door.
                  “Yeah,” his voice answered as he thundered up the stairs.
                  “I guess we’ll be seeing him at seven,” Alice smiled at me. Secretly, I was relieved that he left. Whatever Cade was making me feel, I knew that it wasn’t right. “Let’s going inside the house, shall we?”
                  Though she said house , I knew it more fondly as a mansion . Where I grew up, houses weren’t three stories tall with multiple flights of stairs, two swimming pools, and eight bedrooms. I grabbed a couple of my bags, and Tim rolled the larger ones in back of him as we strode toward the front door.
     

Late to Dinner
     
                  Later that evening, a chef came into the house and made us a four-course meal. I had forgotten that the family liked to eat off of silver platters. My mother always thought it was too much. I, on the other hand, was enamored with the extravagance.
                  “Now where is Cade?” Alice tisked as she looked around the room.
                  “Probably still at practice,” Tim said as his eyes widened for the cheese soufflé in front of him. “Wowee, this looks absolutely amazing! Remind me to thank the chef tomorrow, honey. That is if I can catch her!”
                  “Eliza, the chef,” Alice explained to me. “Is a wonderful woman, however, she avoids all compliments. For some reason, she just can’t take our praises.”
                  “I’m going to trap her anyway,” smiled Tim as he popped a fork into his fluffy dinner. “Do you like cheese soufflé?”
                  “Me?” I asked. “Oh, I don’t think that I’ve had it before.”
                  “Oh!” Tim called out. “We have ourselves a soufflé virgin!”
                  “Very funny, Tim,” Alice said as she darted him an angry look. “Go ahead, darling, try some.”
                  I picked up my fork and eased it through the inflated top of a small bowl. Scooping it around, I popped it into my mouth. Warm, creamy textures invaded my tongue. My taste buds seemed to explode with delight.
                  “This is the best thing that I’ve ever had,” I said staring at them with a serious expression. Tim and Alice started laughing loudly.
                  “Oh, sweetie,” Alice chuckled. “You are just like your uncle!”
                  Tim smiled at me through the bites of food in his closed mouth. I could tell that he was extremely happy to have me there with them.
                  Suddenly, the front door opened in the distance. Looking up, I saw Cade’s muscular body heaving from what appeared to be a heavy practice. He was carrying his football gear over his wide shoulders as sweat glistened from his skin.
                  “Sorry, I’m late,” he grumbled as he threw his dirty garb onto the floor and made his way into the lit dining room. Cade had scuffs and dirt marks all over his body. There