Marrying Cade by Sally Clements

unpleasantness.
    She gritted her teeth and moved around the desk. Pulled out the pile of orders, sat down, and picked up the phone.
    ****
    Cade found Adam at a table outside the hotel, having a leisurely breakfast.
    “There you are!” Adam waved toward a chair. He caught the waitress’s eye, and through a complex series of hand gestures indicated he’d like a second breakfast brought out.
    Adam slathered butter and strawberry jam on a croissant, and slipped a morsel into his mouth. The flaky pastry disintegrated into a flurry of little flakes, and he swiped them off his top lip, then dampened a finger, and chased them around the plate. His gaze flickered to Cade, then away.
    “So, what happened to you last night?” His tone was light and casual, as if he couldn’t care less about the answer.
    “Melo and I decided to leave.” Cade’s mouth tightened.
    “And?” Adam pulled off another fragment of croissant which started the whole procedure up again.
    Cade’s fingers itched with irritation. “And we came back here.”
    Adam’s eyebrows rose. His hands stilled, and his earnest gaze held Cade’s. “Oh.” He waited, obviously expecting more details.
    Cade pulled in a deep breath.
    “Coffee?” The waitress slid a cup before Cade, and put down a fresh cafetiere.
    “ Grazie .” Cade beamed at her. Coffee, and a respite from all this questioning. She was a definite lifesaver.
    “Your breakfast will be here in a minute.” She blushed prettily, and disappeared.
    “Well?” Adam asked.
    “Your imagination can fill in the blanks.” Talking about the night before held no attraction for Cade. What was between him and Melo was private. Not something to share with anyone, not even his best friend. The silence stretched between them. Cade swallowed a mouthful of coffee, and changed the subject. “So what’s on the agenda for you today?”
    Adam mercifully took the hint. “Well, after I read your speech, I’m going up the villa to see Rosa. I reckon we’ll just hang out at the pool. It’s an easy day today; everyone is doing their own thing. You have everything ready for tomorrow?”
    Cade was in charge of the suits, the rings, and the tickets for the honeymoon. He had everything ready. “Yes. I’ll come to the villa with you.”
    The hotel owner came out into the sunshine. “Mr. Adam, I have a telephone call for you.”
    Adam frowned. He glanced at Cade, who shrugged.
    “Back in a minute.” Adam strode inside.
    Cade ate his croissant slowly. Stared out at the sea. Things hadn’t gone as planned, last night. His lofty ideals of keeping things cool between himself and Melo had faltered the moment he saw her curves showcased in her amazing dress, and gone up in flames when he’d seen the Italian playboy flirting with her. By the time they made it onto the dance floor, the die was cast.
    His fingers tightened on the cup. Her body had been so soft, her whispered groans so incendiary his body reacted at the mere memory. He’d somehow thought making love might have lessened his desire, but in fact the complete opposite was true. He burned to have her in his arms again, trail his lips over her long expanse of creamy throat.
    When she told him she’d been fantasizing about him when she was a teenager, he hadn’t known how to respond. She’d been his friend , back then. The friend he told everything to. He’d even told her about the date he’d gone on with a girl from the village.
    Cade groaned. It must have been difficult to hear. But she’d smiled and listened, never once revealing she’d like to be the girl he was kissing. And he’d had no idea she was such a romantic back then. Probably still was . His head started to ache, and he rubbed at his temples.
    She was exactly the sort of girl he should stay away from. Last night showed that more clearly than ever, but he’d been totally unable to resist her, despite his misgivings. His sisters looked to him for guidance for everything. As did his mother. In