hooting started. I opened my eyes but Cade kept on kissing me.
To my right was a young boy, grinning at us as he shouted his approval. I slid my eyes to the left. A blond girl stood there with her fingers in her mouth. She was whistling like a professional.
I was pretty sure there were more of them too.
"Put me down!"
My feet were dangling as his hands slid down to cup my bottom. He squeezed and I let out a yelp. My cheeks were bright red as he finally lowered me to the ground.
I'd never been manhandled like that in my life!
"She's so pretty!"
"Isn't she though?"
Cade was smiling at me like I was the prize hog at the county fair. Oh lord, now I was talking like him too! I scowled and shoved him away.
"Cade! Do not do that in public!"
He grinned wider.
"But it's okay in private, dollface?"
He leaned in close.
"I've got lots of things I'd like to do with you in private, sweetheart."
I was blushing again. Just as the guests started to arrive. Perfect.
"Cade, please behave. You are here to raise money, remember? You need to schmooze, not paw at me."
"Whatever you say darlin'. Just want you to meet some people first."
I looked around at his guests. I was surrounded on all sides by large, extraordinarily healthy looking children. They all had red cheeks and Cade's earthy good looks. Ten pairs of pale blue eyes were staring at me.
A sudden, horrifying thought occurred to me.
"Cade… are these all your children?"
They all started laughing, slapping their knees and leaning on each other in their mirth.
"She's funny!"
I waited for them to stop laughing. I was so annoyed that I crossed my arms and started tapping my toe. I was surrounded by Duprees and they all seemed to be as happy-go-lucky and arrogant as Cade!
"No angel, these are my sisters and brothers. Jenny, Tammy, Lucy, Shep and Craig, this is Camille. She's the special lady I was telling you about."
They all made funny little bows and curtsies to me. It was strangely formal. Perhaps it was a Southern thing. I decided that they were pretty cute, until I noticed what they were wearing.
Jeans and t-shirts. Not even clean ones either. They were unkempt and out of place. I could not believe he had chosen this moment to spring his family on me!
Even if it was kind of sweet.
"Cade, this isn't exactly the place for children. It's a black-tie event."
He grinned.
"You got any extra ties?"
I sighed, resting my forehead on my palm.
"Come with me."
I led the way through the building to the game room in the back. There was a foosball table and a pool table, as well as arcade games. I asked the staff to bring dinner and snacks. Cade looked on approvingly, then followed me back to the other side of the club.
Before we got halfway down the long hallway he grabbed me, pressing me against the wall.
"Cade!"
He smiled at me.
"I missed you."
I sighed. I'd missed him too. Even if he was a big lug.
"Cade I can't do this. Not here. Not now. Not ever. It's too risky."
His face fell. He looked almost hurt. I realized that he'd probably never been turned down before.
Well, maybe it would be good for him. It felt awful all the same.
"I'm sorry Cade."
He frowned at me. Then he looked around. I had no idea what he was doing until he yanked me into a supply closet and slammed the door behind him.
"What are you doing?"
He loosened his tie, pacing back and forth in the small space. He cursed and ran his hands through his hair. Then he backed me up against a wall.
"You don't get to do that."
"Do what? This is ridiculous Cade! We have an event to attend!"
"I'm talking about us now. This is something real. You don't get to blow me off like that."
"I'm not blowing you off Cade. I slept with you against my better judgment and you tricked me into having unprotected sex!"
"Tricked you? Does this ring a bell? 'Oh Cade please fuck me. I am begging you to fuck me!'"
I turned bright pink.
"You are not a gentleman for bringing that up."
He stared at me.
"I never
To my right was a young boy, grinning at us as he shouted his approval. I slid my eyes to the left. A blond girl stood there with her fingers in her mouth. She was whistling like a professional.
I was pretty sure there were more of them too.
"Put me down!"
My feet were dangling as his hands slid down to cup my bottom. He squeezed and I let out a yelp. My cheeks were bright red as he finally lowered me to the ground.
I'd never been manhandled like that in my life!
"She's so pretty!"
"Isn't she though?"
Cade was smiling at me like I was the prize hog at the county fair. Oh lord, now I was talking like him too! I scowled and shoved him away.
"Cade! Do not do that in public!"
He grinned wider.
"But it's okay in private, dollface?"
He leaned in close.
"I've got lots of things I'd like to do with you in private, sweetheart."
I was blushing again. Just as the guests started to arrive. Perfect.
"Cade, please behave. You are here to raise money, remember? You need to schmooze, not paw at me."
"Whatever you say darlin'. Just want you to meet some people first."
I looked around at his guests. I was surrounded on all sides by large, extraordinarily healthy looking children. They all had red cheeks and Cade's earthy good looks. Ten pairs of pale blue eyes were staring at me.
A sudden, horrifying thought occurred to me.
"Cade… are these all your children?"
They all started laughing, slapping their knees and leaning on each other in their mirth.
"She's funny!"
I waited for them to stop laughing. I was so annoyed that I crossed my arms and started tapping my toe. I was surrounded by Duprees and they all seemed to be as happy-go-lucky and arrogant as Cade!
"No angel, these are my sisters and brothers. Jenny, Tammy, Lucy, Shep and Craig, this is Camille. She's the special lady I was telling you about."
They all made funny little bows and curtsies to me. It was strangely formal. Perhaps it was a Southern thing. I decided that they were pretty cute, until I noticed what they were wearing.
Jeans and t-shirts. Not even clean ones either. They were unkempt and out of place. I could not believe he had chosen this moment to spring his family on me!
Even if it was kind of sweet.
"Cade, this isn't exactly the place for children. It's a black-tie event."
He grinned.
"You got any extra ties?"
I sighed, resting my forehead on my palm.
"Come with me."
I led the way through the building to the game room in the back. There was a foosball table and a pool table, as well as arcade games. I asked the staff to bring dinner and snacks. Cade looked on approvingly, then followed me back to the other side of the club.
Before we got halfway down the long hallway he grabbed me, pressing me against the wall.
"Cade!"
He smiled at me.
"I missed you."
I sighed. I'd missed him too. Even if he was a big lug.
"Cade I can't do this. Not here. Not now. Not ever. It's too risky."
His face fell. He looked almost hurt. I realized that he'd probably never been turned down before.
Well, maybe it would be good for him. It felt awful all the same.
"I'm sorry Cade."
He frowned at me. Then he looked around. I had no idea what he was doing until he yanked me into a supply closet and slammed the door behind him.
"What are you doing?"
He loosened his tie, pacing back and forth in the small space. He cursed and ran his hands through his hair. Then he backed me up against a wall.
"You don't get to do that."
"Do what? This is ridiculous Cade! We have an event to attend!"
"I'm talking about us now. This is something real. You don't get to blow me off like that."
"I'm not blowing you off Cade. I slept with you against my better judgment and you tricked me into having unprotected sex!"
"Tricked you? Does this ring a bell? 'Oh Cade please fuck me. I am begging you to fuck me!'"
I turned bright pink.
"You are not a gentleman for bringing that up."
He stared at me.
"I never
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